30 Modern Horror Movies For Your Spooking Pleasure (Updated for 2018)
Dearest Friends and Fellow Rainbow Seekers,
as you may know, I am rather obsessed with horror movies. Over my lifetime, I have submitted myself to thousands of hours of horror cinema, but such extended exposure has come at a cost. It is true that I sometimes lose sleep over the fear of grinning demons sitting at the foot of my bed, or perhaps finding the bloated corpse of a drowned girl crying in my closet. But dark thoughts, as such, are typical to those who willfully endure the macabre. As a horror fan, nothing is more terrifying—or more gratifying—than clammering your way through the black swamp of terrible movies in search of the diamonds in the rough.
I have done the work for you, dear reader. I have hunted through hundreds of faux haunts and I have identified those that are genuine. And if you’re willing, I would be honored to serve as your guide through this realm of dark cinema. A concise list lies below, consisting both of films widely recognized, and lesser-known cult classics. They are united only by their modernity and their overall awesomeness. This is a list of films to be watched by all fans of cinema. So I urge you, dear reader, to call your significant other (or the one you desire to be your significant other). Then, put on your favorite onesie, and get ready for spookiness! Because the night is dark and full of terror—and you deserve to be spooked by those films most worthy of spooking!
The Babadook - 2014 [TRAILER]
This might be my favorite on the entire list, so I’m gonna stick it right here at the top. But really, if there’s one movie on this list that you should watch, it’s the Babadook. Sure, you might have to suspend your disbelief on a few occasions, but it’s totally worth it. It seems so rare that horror movies transcend their linear plots into something deeper, but the Babadook succeeds to descend to wonderfully cerebral depths. Without spoiling too much, the plot centers around a mother, grieving the loss of her husband, and her ADHD trouble-child, who come across a creepy kids’ book. An emotional and psychological haunting ensues that dares viewers to venture into the realms of depression and mania.
Let the Right One In - 2008 [TRAILER]
I’ve been bored of Vampires since Harry Potter, but this little charmer bit me right in the jugular. The plot centers around a boy who befriends a young female vampire—and yes, for you vampire loving people out there, it does get kind of romancy (in that innocent kid way). Apart from the totally on-point acting, the film maintains an oddly delicate balance of emotional tenderness and intimacy to total blood-chugging brutality. It is easily the best vampire movie to date, and if Swedish subs aren’t your thing, there’s an American version, Let Me In, that is equally as good.
It Follows - 2015 [TRAILER]
With one of the most original plots I’ve ever experienced in a horror movie, It Follows is being touted as one of the best movies of 2015. It’s a film best left to experience without outside influence, but I can say that this film will be well enjoyed by those who appreciate speculation, interpretation, and subplots involving the exchange of STDs. It follows tread along a straight forward plot, but contains a wonderful amount of depth to sift through afterward. The film also has top-notch acting and is beautifully shot (much of it shot in Detroit). Make sure you see it with a few friends so you can talk about it afterward!
The Orphanage - 2007 [TRAILER]
I love me a sad, creepy ghost story, and there’s something even better about them when they involve dead children. Like many of the films on my list, The Orphanage, produced by Guillermo Del Toro, has just that. But in all seriousness, this film has a wonderfully emotional story that’s rarely found in the horror genre. It’s a well-known classic amid fans of the horror genre, a film that masterfully builds writhing tension to evoke its scares.
Lake Mungo - 2008 [TRAILER]
Lake Mungo offers a long-winded but mature examination of loss and grief. Its presentation is almost dreamlike, with a plot that focuses on the horrors experienced by a family after the drowning of their daughter. Lake Mungo exceeds as a film in the way that it relentlessly builds upon a wrenching sense of dread. Made with a tiny budget, but supported by solid acting, this film is surprisingly believable and captures the vulnerability, isolation, and confusion experienced after the unexpected death of a loved one. Simply put, this movie is completely terrifying, yet contains almost no cheap scares. It’s a 100% unrelenting, slow-roast dread that doesn’t let up until well after the credits.
REC - 2007 [TRAILER]
The original REC is a deliberately fast-paced film that sandwiches its doomed characters between compounding layers of dread, resulting in of one of the best modern horror films in years. The pseudo-zombie plot derails right from the get-go, and later smashes into the supernatural for a terrifying climax. But the disgusting monster at the end? That takes the cake for one of nastiest creepers ever to make it into cinema.
The Curse (Noroi) - 2005 [TRAILER]
There is a goldmine of Eastern horror out there, and the Curse represents the genre as one of the best. It’s a Japanese, low budget, faux documentary, that—amid scenes of complete ridiculousness—manages to be completely and dreadfully effective. Noroi presents an engrossing, slow-burn mystery that carefully leaks the details of an ancient demon-curse. If you’re interested in venturing into classic eastern horror, definitely check this one out.
Kill List - 2011 [TRAILER]
In some ways, Kill List tries to be a deep character study (and I’d say for the first 45 minutes, this might hold true), but then it’s quickly upstaged by an eerie crime drama, which later transforms into a totally effed cult-terror-gore-fest. Somehow, it all seems to work together, leaving you with a disturbing, yet surprisingly thought-provoking mess to discuss with your friends. This is a film to be viewed with others, and I highly recommend it for those who love cults, mysteries, and gore.
28 Days Later - 2002 [TRAILER]
While I wanted to avoid the obvious choices for this list, I couldn’t leave out 28 Days Later, because…Well, it’s just too good to ignore. With fast zombies, sympathetic characters, and incredible production, Danny Boyle has created one of the best pieces of apocalyptic horror ever made. You’ve probably already seen it, so you might as well see it again.
The Descent - 2005 [TRAILER]
The Descent stars six women, all part of an extreme adventure club, who decide to explore the creepiest cave in the entire world. In this cave, of course, dwell terrible, fanged, amphibious slime creatures who have an affinity for jump scares and standing directly behind the backs of the characters…but the real horror of this movie is the cave. The movie absolutely excels in conveying intense desperation and suffocating claustrophobia. Despite solid reviews, I had low hopes for this movie, but ended up really enjoying it. Highly recommended.
Cabin in the Woods - 2012 [TRAILER]
Horror fans tout Cabin in the Woods as a modern classic. Is it particularly scary? No. But it does provide an ample serving of self-aware humor and cliche-bending twists. I don’t care much for self-aware horror movies, but Cabin in the Woods does it right, offering one of the best works of pop culture entertainment that the horror genre has ever seen.
Suicide Club - 2002 [TRAILER]
With an opening scene of 50+ Japanese schoolgirls jumping in front of a train, I can confidently say that Suicide Club is one of the most hardcore horror movies of all time. The movie follows a wave of unexplained suicides and slowly pieces together a rather nebulous mystery. Answers, however, are few and far between, and I am still not sure if I actually like this movie. But for anyone who is looking for something a little bit darker, this is for you.
Battle Royale - 2000 [TRAILER]
Before the Hunger Games, there was Battle Royale, which happens to be set in a similar dystopian universe, wrought with unemployment, crime, and malcontent. Each year, a randomly selected 9th grade class of Japanese, khaki-donning schoolchildren are outfitted with exploding shock collars and given an assortment of weapons. They are then forced to hunt each other down until there is only one left. Long story short, it’s the hunger games with an R rating, and if I am not mistaken, this controversial child-massacre-gore fest was banned for a time. But for real, this movie rules, topping its big-budget, modern successor with tons of style, as well as a healthy dose of dark, humorous cynicism. If you felt that the Hunger Games didn’t have enough teen gore, then this movie is for you.
The Devil’s Backbone - 2001 [TRAILER]
A haunting allegory of the Spanish Civil War, Guillermo Del Toro’s film presents a chilling school house ghost story that stands as a masterfully produced piece of cinema. It’s heavily atmospheric, emotionally fraught, and above all else, spooky. This fable is one of Del Toro’s best and is a must watch on this list.
Creep - 2015 [TRAILER]
Laced in dry humor, Creep is another slow burner that masterfully builds upon a foundation of discomfort and creeping uneasiness that relies little on jump scares (although, it does not forgo them). The two fold script prompts some of the best acting on this list - and rumors state that much of it was improvised. Creep is proof that you don’t need to have a big budget with CGI jump scares to make a compelling horror movie. Did I mention that it’s available for Netflix streaming, too?
Gerald’s Game (89% RT) [TRAILER]
The plot begins with a dude named Gerald, who, with his wife, depart to an ocean side cabin for a sexy-time retreat. Except their sexy time, in typical Stephen King fashion, goes horribly wrong. Next thing you know, Gerald is being eaten by a dog and she’s handcuffed to the bed and then the boogieman starts to come out at night. Hopefully I didn’t just ruin the movie for you, but for real, it gets really good - and the boogieman is one of the best horror spooks I’ve seen in a long time. The wife, Carla Gugino, gives nothing short of a stellar performance, too.
The Witch (91% RT) [TRAILER]
The Witch centers itself around a (Puritan?) family who is banished to the outskirts of the New England wilderness in the 1600s (where an ancient and foreboding evil lurks). Shortly after, the crops die, people get possessed, someone’s nipple is eaten by a demon crow, and Satan appears as the family goat, named “Black Philip.” Despite what I just said, the Witch bares little, but what it does reveal is absolutely brutal. But the real horror is not what hides in the woods, but rather the evil that makes its way inside of the characters. Overall, it’s an exceptionally well made period piece that will marinade you in dread… and thus the Witch is one of my favorite horror movies of all time.
Under the Shadow (99%) [TRAILER]
Under the Shadow is an art house masterpiece that serves as one of the greatest horror movies ever made, yet it is mostly unknown outside of horror circles. The movie is about an Iranian mother and daughter, living in a bombed out Tehran in the middle of the Iran-Iraq war. Her Husband, a doctor, is drafted to serve at the war front and they are left behind when an undetonated missile comes crashing into their apartment building (followed by a superstitious neighbor spouting about how the missile brought with it a middle eastern demon, or Djinn). Things start to get creepy when random items being to go missing, the daughter’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and the Mother is plagued by horrible nightmares. But most unnerving of all is the isolation and desperation of a mother and daughter trapped in urban chaos.
IT (86% RT) [TRAILER]
An ancient, child devouring evil lurks under the town of Derry, Maine, who manifests itself physically as the apex of one’s fears. Over the centuries, It has developed a taste for children (whose fears are easier to conceptualize, apparently), and thus It’s preferred manifestation is that of a google-eyed, drooling, and mildly pedaphilic clown named Pennywise. Without drenching this write-up with my slobbering love for this movie, please know that the director and actors absolutely nailed it. The book presents 1200+ pages of historical world building with time-jumping plot lines - and the movie does an amazing job portraying the phantasmagoric and fantastical, yet demon-beleaguered town of Derry. Director, Andres Muschietti and co. deserve every penny of the 300 million dollars it has grossed since release.
It Comes at Night (89% RT) [TRAILER]
It Comes at Night is a psychological slow-burner, relying on the fears of the unknown, of mistrust, and of post-apocalyptic desperation. The plot revolves around the plight of a family, isolated and hidden, in their forest home as an undefined and unnatural blight ravages the outside world. One day, another destitute family comes stumbling into their home, who are cautiously taken in. Paranoia and mistrust slowly begin to boil between the two families, awakening an evil greater than the zombie-esque disease they seek to hide from. It’s an unnervingly fantastic film that will stick with you long after viewing.
Get Out (99%) [TRAILER]
You can’t have a “best of horror” list without mentioning “Get Out.” The plot, which involves a bi-racial couple making a visit to the girlfriend’s (white) parent’s house, is both sharp and nimble in its often satirical portrayal of racial tension. The over-the-top plot initially focuses on a particularly awkward form of racial envy, which quickly derails into something much more sadistic - all the while tinged with director Jordan Peele’s trademark humor. It is a movie that gives hope to the genre and has absolutely cemented itself as one of the best horror flicks ever made.
Train the Busan (95%) [TRAILER]
A father and daughter find themselves fleeing through the countryside (via train) amidst a zombie apocalypse. It’s predictable, gory, and over-the-top, but in our cinematic world, over-peppered with every kind of zombie flick conceivable, Train to Busan still explores nuances amidst its campy and relentless action. Simply put, “Train to Busan” is a well-made and exceptionally entertaining film that still offers a dose of originality from within its South Korean setting. Just try not to take it too seriously.
The Wailing (99%) [TRAILER]
In a quiet south Korean village, a strange visitor appears, and soon after people start violently killing each other. In a panicked desperation, the police consult the occult to aid in solving the mythical blight that threats to spread beyond the village’s outskirts. The Wailing is best enjoyed without knowing too much, but this phantasmagoric and gritty film is a cemented gem of Korean horror. It has some flaws and is exceptionally long, but the exploration of creepy eastern cult-mythology makes it well worth the trek.
The Banshee Chapter (75% RT) [TRAILER]
A man goes missing after consuming some CIA branded psychedelic research chemicals - and his friend decides (with the help of a gonzo-inspired journalist) that she’s going to track him down. They acquire the aforementioned chemicals and proceed to smoke them, which apparently allows an evil deity to invade their lives (this particular deity takes the spooky meter and sends it to level 10). The plot is, admittedly, pretty lame, but if you can embrace the campiness, you’ll find the movie is legitimately terrifying. I was prepared for a b-movie cheese fest, but for real, this movie is exceptionally spooky.
Hell House (76%) [TRAILER]
A malfunction occurs in an Halloween attraction set on the site of a hotel with a nefarious past, causing the death of 15 people. A half decade later, a documentary crew decides to investigate the tragedy and end up acquiring some tapes of the incident. It’s a bit cheesy, but the plot and the acting are pretty damn good for a straight-to-VOD, found footage B-movie. Most importantly, though, is that “Hell House” is extraordinary creepy; completely worth watching for the thrill of horror.
Hereditary (89% RT) [TRAILER]
Cemented by Toni Collette’s wonderful performance, Hereditary is easily the best horror movie of 2018. The movie presents one menacing sucker punch after another as it rips apart the ground beneath the security of home. Both devastating and anything-but-subtle, Hereditary is recommended to those who like ancient demons, candle lit seances, and the occult.
A Quiet Place (95% RT) [TRAILER]
A Quiet Place’s plot, both affecting and inventive, throbs with (at times) agonizing, hold-your-breath tension. At the core you will find a family of four, struggling to survive in a world inhabited by invasive, sound-sensitive creatures who would prefer the extinction of humans. John Krasinski serves as both director and acting lead, which is good news for those of us who could care less for the recent stream of superfluous action movies he’s been producing.
A Dark Song (91% RT) [TRAILER]
Brooding and methodical, A Dark Song is set-piece pagan horror at its finest. It features only two characters: A mother in mourning and an arrogant occultist whom she seeks the aid of. The duo lock themselves in an old mansion to enact a lengthy and risky ritual, one that (ideally) results in a wish being granted. The acting is both fantastic and believable as the characters, in typical horror movie fashion, make mistakes that send them into a descent of madness. It’s witchcraft-gone-wrong; a slow burner with the relentless dread and chaos of a waking nightmare. This is one of my all time favorite indie horror movies. Highly recommended.
1922 (89% RT) [TRAILER]
Unreliably narrated via the confession of a father who murders his wife (and who also ropes his hesitant son into the act), 1922 is a brooding tale of a man driven to madness by way of guilt. There are no jump scares to be found, as the movie favors the father’s slow-rot suffering and his futile and increasingly desperate attempts to bury his festering guilt. Psychological horror at its finest, this King adaptation is another excellent addition to Netflix’s diverse and original collection of horror movies. The Ritual (71%) [TRAILER]
While imperfect at best, this B-movie, set in northern Sweden, provides an interesting set (creepy, frost-dusted hinterlands) inhabited by four bros and an imaginative monster who’d prefer they were hiking somewhere else. Ankles are sprained and tempers swell as the friends become increasingly lost amidst a forest of their misjudgment. This movie is the definition of “pretty decent” with enough substance to hopefully see you through to the “less than decent” finale.