There’s a common consensus that horror movies aren’t scary anymore, but that’s not necessarily true. A lot of the time, many horror movies are either missed, fly under the radar, or (thankfully) do end up getting the recognition they deserve. Whether they’re acknowledged or not, there do happen to be many horror movies of the modern era that are incredibly scary and leave those who believe that modern horror movies aren’t scary eating their words.
Horror comes in many shapes and sizes. Sometimes a film hasan abundance of horrific gore, is psychologically bending, or is just downright disturbing in its visuals and ideas. Regardless of how, a horror film has many ways to be terrifying, and all styles and forms of doing so are still utilized today. The last five years of horror have been quite good, and it needs to be acknowledged.
18’The Black Phone' (2021)
Directed by Scott Derrickson
One of the more popular horror flicks of the 2020s when it released wasBlack Phone. Starring the ever-lovableEthan Hawkeand soon-to-be-star of the newHow to Train Your Dragon,Mason Thames, the performances inBlack Phoneare absolutely spectacular. But what else could be expected from Hawke?
Black Phoneis a great film, but not a particularly scary one—for the horror veteran, that is. This 2021 movie has a lot more scares in the sense that the overall situation is very real and grounded and could happen to anyone. However,it feels as if it’s more of a horror film for those who haven’t experienced much of the genre yet, helping them get into it.Scary or not, though, the movie is awesome.
The Black Phone
17’Barbarian' (2022)
Directed by Zach Cragger
Most people have rented a vacation home or Airbnb at some point. While it pretty much never happens (as sites like that have protections put in place to avoid this), everyone certainly has the intrusive thought that maybe someone will already be there when they arrive. That’s exactly the plot of 2022’sBarbarian. The night before a job interview in Detroit, Tess Marshall stays the night at a rental. The only issue is, someone else is already there.While she knows she probably shouldn’t, she decides to stay the night, and things, clearly, turn for the worse.
Much likeBlack Phone, the scariness ofBarbarianis within its tension and overarching fear—the fact that this genuinely could happen to someone. It’s creepy while also being gory, and that makes for a great combo for first-time director/screenwriterZach Cragger.
16’Tarot' (2024)
Directed by Spenser Cohen
There were many horror films in 2024 that were highly praised andTarotwas not one of them. Although, while it didn’t impress many with its story, it was, at the very least, a scary flick. While it absolutely fails at telling a good story and developing characters that people can care about,thefilm’s deaths are spectacularand wonderfully memorable.
At the end of the day, while it’s always greatly appreciated, horror flicks don’t necessarily have to be super exciting in the story department, so long as they deliver some good kills and scares. Thankfully, fans of the genre can enjoy the film for at least one watch, with a good handful of scenes that people still remember to this day.
15’Relic' (2020)
Directed by Natalie Erika James
Produced byJake Gyllenhaal, an elderly woman, Edna (Robyn Nevin) lives with dementia and has strange things happening in her home. Kay (Emily Mortimer) and her daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) go to the family house to check up on her and notice a strange black mold growing in one of the rooms. As the movie progresses, so does the mold, which is causing more and more problems for the family.
Relicdepicts the effects of dementia in such a fantastic and frightening way. There is not a lot of gore or unexpected twists, butthe utter dread created by the slow pace and the growing mold in the houseand around the family makes this one of the best horror films ever made.
14’Longlegs' (2024)
Directed by Osgood Perkins
An occultist serial killer,played by Nicholas Cage, who has killed multiple families is hiding from an FBI somewhere in Oregon. The agent finds it strange that the killer has never been present at any of the murders, but continues with the case. She wanders down a twisting path of horrific murder and occult worship as she gets closer to the truth about Longlegs.
FromIt Followsfame,Maika Monroestars as the FBI agent Lee Harkin and does a fantastic job inLonglegs. Nic Cage is nothing short of terrifying as a devil-fanatic killer.It’s one of the scariest films of 2024 and does a great job of instilling panic and horrorin the viewer.
13’Late Night With the Devil' (2024)
Directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes
Late Night With the Devilis a psychological found footage horror film starringDavid Dastmalchian. A talk show host notices that the ratings for his show are dipping and decides that on Halloween, he’ll invite an allegedly possessed girl to the show for a spooky interview. Strange things start happening during the interview, and the show takes a dark turn as the girl starts acting out in violent ways and everything begins to fall apart.
The film does a great job of satirizing late-night talk shows and their unserious hostswho will do and say anything for ratings. Dastmalchian was praised for his fantastic portrayal of the show’s host, Jack Delroy, and effectively creates an intense psychological terror. In a strange coincidence, on the third day of its release, the movie grossed $666,666 at the box office.
12’Good Boy' (2022)
Directed by Viljar Bøe
When Sigrid (Katrine Lovise Øpstad Fredriksen) decides to go on vacation with a man she’s been talking to named Christian (Gard Løkke) and Frank (Nicolai Narvesen Lied), who dresses up and lives his life like a dog, things take a dark turn when Frank begins to speak. While some may be led to believe the “bad guy” of the film to be Frank, due to his looks, it takes a twist when Christian is revealed to be the deranged one.
The terror felt withinGood Boyis suspensefulas Sigrid tries her best to pretend that she doesn’t know about Christian’s truthwhile trying to figure out how to navigate her dire situation. At any moment, it feels like she could get outed and murdered (or worse) by Christian. It’s a tense film that pays off excellently when things get crazy.
11’The Dark and the Wicked' (2020)
Directed by Bryan Bertino
If there’s anything thatThe Dark and the Wickedcan be considered, it’s a hidden gem.The Dark and the Wickedmay not invent completely new tropes or stereotypes for the horror genre, but the film is directed in such a way that they work regardless,thanks to the talent ofRyan Bertino. There’s a mercilessness delivered in the directing that makes the audience feel like absolutely anything could happen.
There’s something about the familial and generational trauma at play inThe Dark and the Wickedthat connects a lot of viewers to the characters within the film, making them care for their well-being even more. Watching this movie makes the audiencefeel like they’re shrouded in darkness with no light of hope or optimism to grasp ontoas they fly through the 1 hour and 34 minute runtime.
The Dark and the Wicked
10’V/H/S/99' (2022)
Directed by Flying Lotus, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Johannes Roberts, Joseph Winter, and Vanessa Winter
2022 was clearly a great year for the horror genre and, with such great competition,V/H/S/99sets itself apartas an anthology film featuring five different horror stories for viewers to watch. Each segment of the film is directed by a different director(s), keeping it feeling fresh and unique the whole way through.V/H/S/99also individualizes itself by adopting the “found footage” sub-genre and utilizing it to capture different horror stories all taking place in 1999.
The analog VHS vibe and visuals ofV/H/S/99set a tone that is eerie.Each segment of the film brings its own twist and interesting set piece that keeps viewers engagedand interested throughout its 1 hour and 49 minute runtime. Not only does the era of 1999 feel nostalgic to the early days of filmmaking at the turn of the century, it provides a unique look into life in 1999 and uses it to present great horror.
9’The Substance' (2024)
Directed by Coralie Fargeat
2024 was a great year for horror, with a good few of the films released receiving some great reviews.The Substanceis one of those movies. It holds a lot of style, thanks to French director,Coralie Fargeat. This is only made better by the performances byDemi MooreandMargaret Qualley. It’s a wild commentary about beauty standards.
The technical aspects of the film are really well done, with some spectacular work in post-production.The editing, sound design, score and visual effects keep audiences engagedand are a huge part of why the project has gained so much praise. Surprisingly, this is only the second film that Coralie Fargeat has directed, making these things even more impressive.
