As we approach the fall, there is no better time than now to get back into the spooky movie season. As the site’s resident horror fan, I feel like it’s the right time to drop some of my favorite horror movies that have come out in the 2020s. Now, as a disclaimer, I have not seen every single horror movie that has come out since 2020. There will be notable omissions because I just haven’t gotten around to watching them. These are all subjective and to help limit the options, I just used my letterboxd with the genre set to horror so if a movie you felt was horror isn’t listed, that could be why it’s not listed. With all that said, here we go:
Honorable Mentions:
The First Omen (2024): The origin of Damien, Nell Tiger Free delivers one of the best physical and emotional performances of the year, as The First Omen is never short on the scares.
Lisa Frankenstein (2024): Lisa Frankenstein was a shot of fun and energy in the horror genre this year. The story of a social outcast who creates her lover a la Frankenstein is such a unique idea. Being the directorial debut of Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda Williams is great too.
Fresh (2022): A simple “meat cute” gone wrong. Daisy Edgar Jones and Sebastian Stan have incredible chemistry together in this movie and their dance lives on forever.
Mad God (2021): Phil Tippett spent decades working on this stop-motion masterpiece and his passion oozes on the screen amongst other things. Mad God is disgusting and dirty but in the most beautiful ways possible.
Watcher (2022): The first Maika Monroe movie on the list. Watcher is an incredible slow burn of a movie where we feel Monroe’s loneliness in a new country and loneliness as no one believes that the man looking back at her through her window is a serial killer.
10. Late Night With the Devil (2024)
Late Night With the Devil is wonderful in several ways. David Dastmalchian is one of the best horror leads we have going now, the aesthetic of the film is perfectly 90s, and the scares are legitimately creepy. It’s one whereas the night progresses things go worse and worse until literal hell reigns, but it truly is a captivating ride from start to finish.
9. When Evil Lurks (2023)
When Evil Lurks is one of those movies that just does not hold back for a second. It is disgusting, graphic, and downright cruel. You will feel way worse coming out of this movie than when you go into it. It truly is not for the faint of heart which is why I love it. It’s one of the best if you want to really show someone how messed up your horror tastes are.
8. Talk to Me (2023)
Talk To Me is another movie where you’ll feel worse coming out of watching it. This separates itself from other possession movies by treating the possessions not like a curse but as a party drug. Sophie Wilde elevated this film to one of the best of 2023 and helped deliver one of the best chaotic endings of the year.
7. Barbarian (2022)
In 2022, Barbarian was my pick for the best horror movie that year. I haven’t soured on it; I just have raised other movies above it. It is a masterclass in expectation subversion. The way the story flips mid-way to focus on a brand-new character was so bold I truly appreciate how it all tied in together.
6. In A Violent Nature (2024)
In A Violent Nature is fascinating as it tells a slasher’s story from the perspective of the undead killer. Johnny awakens to hunt down the people who stole his mother’s locket and leaves a trail of carnage in his path. While others might complain that the movie is boring, I found that it was shot incredibly beautifully with excellent sound design, intercut with the best kills you’ll see this year.
5. Pearl (2022)
In the prequel to X, Pearl establishes the titular lead’s sociopathic tendencies as she tries to escape her life on the farm. This was a twist from X’s tone as it was more of a psychological horror than a slasher as we saw Pearl drop her façade and embrace the traits that we’d see decades in the future after she realizes she won’t be a star.
4. X (2022)
On the surface, X is just a slasher, like Boogie Nights rolled up into Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But what makes X stand out is how likable its cast is, led by the star herself, Mia Goth. Pearl and Howard become some of the most compelling and empathic villains I’ve seen in a horror movie, and this kicked off A24’s first-ever franchise.
3. Malignant (2021)
If anyone ever asks me for a horror recommendation, I will always mention Malignant. It has the campiness that so many movies strive for with genuinely phenomenal kills, an all-time villain, and an all-time twist. It is gory as all hell, violent, and goofy. There’s not more you can want from a slasher from the mind of James Wan.
2. Longlegs (2024)
Longlegs is a nightmare in the best way possible. FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to track down the serial killer Longlegs and ends up falling into her place in his large game. At no point in this movie do you ever get to take a breath of relief, and Nicolas Cage blesses the screen with an all-time performance. He, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt all deliver all-time performances here. Believe the hype with this one.
1. Nope (2022)
Nope is a masterpiece on every single level. It is visually stunning with some of the most magnificent and terrifying shots. The story of a brother and sister fighting for survival an alien is strong, but there is so much more beneath the surface. Jordan Peele’s third film is one of the best films of the decade, let alone one of the best horror movies of the decade.
