Genre-busting films continue to evolve so this is no longer strictly a "horror" list. But these films all have dread, terror, fear, fright, dark humor, shock, disgust, and disquiet. For a life-long horror fan whose tastes also continue to evolve, "scary movie" seems to be the broadest descriptor. Here's my list of my top 20 favorites:
The Menu (Dir: Mark Mylod)
X (Dir: Ti West)
Pearl (Dir: Ti West)
Nope (Dir: Jordan Peele)
Prey (Dir: Dan Trachtenberg)
Smile (Dir: Parker Finn)
Barbarian (Dir: Zach Cregger)
Orphan: First Kill (Dir: William Brent Bell)
The Eternal Daughter (Dir: Joanna Hogg)
She Will (Dir: Charlotte Colbert)
History of the Occult (Dir: Cristian Ponce)
Crimes of the Future (Dir: David Cronenberg)
Fresh (Dir: Mimi Cave)
Watcher (Dir: Chloe Okuno)
Two Witches (Dir: Pierre Tsigaridis)
Flux Gourmet (Dir: Peter Strickland)
Men (Dir: Alex Garland)
Hellraiser (Dir: David Bruckner)
Deadstream (Dirs: Joseph Winter, Vanessa Winter)
Glorious (Dir: Rebekah McKendry)
To read more about my choices and see the full list, visit my Letterboxd list:
Special Acknowledgment
Everything Everywhere All At Once
(Dirs: Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert)
It may not be a scary movie but it is a thrilling movie with many genre elements that horror fans may like. With its unlikely genre-busting mix of sci-fi, kung fu, comedy, and even family drama, this was the best movie of the year. There's literally something for everyone with unexpected levels of action, outlandish humor, and heartfelt moments. If you haven't partaken, do so now.