Wrapping up Spooky Season: Top 5 Horror Films of 2024

Hello my friends, I hope you all had great Halloweens! I know I will! I wanted to do something simple today, which is giving my picks for the top 5 horror movies of the year, now that October has passed, and the bulk of the year’s horror is released. Interestingly, I’ve found 2024 to be much worse than 2023 for films, except for in the case of horror, where we’ve had a lot of great. Without further ado, here’s my list!

Honourable Mentions: Lisa Frankenstein and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, while not being explicit horror movies, are strongly inspired by the genre’s aesthetics. And they were both great, so check them out!!!

5. Smile 2 (8/10): While Smile 2 is fifth on this list, it is probably the movie out of all of these that scared me the most. Improving in nearly every way from the first Smile (2022), Smile 2 provides us with jump scares that will leave us on edge and some of the best psychological horror in recent memory.

4. Blink Twice (8/10): If you’d told me that a horror movie starring Channing Tatum as the main antagonist in 2024 would be this great, I’d have called you crazy. Blink Twice, however, proves that Tatum is a more than capable serious actor, all while telling a story grounded in enough realism that it’ll be sure to make you weary of all those around you. If for nothing else, watch this film for Tatum’s performance.

3. Speak No Evil (8.5/10): On the topic of strong acting performances, James McAvoy gives the rare Oscar-worthy horror performance as Paddy in Speak No Evil. A gut-wrenching movie that sees McAvoy take on the role of a toxic man’s man, Speak No Evil had some of the best tension, acting, and unexpected twists that I’ve seen in horror all year. Breaking the trend of American remakes of European films being bad, Speak No Evil perfects the Americanization of its Danish counterpart.

2. A Quiet Place: Day One (9/10): I would say that A Quiet Place: Day One is categorically the least scary movie on this list. I love it, however, for every other reason. As a sucker for post-apocalyptic media, I just feel like this movie got it perfectly. More than being about scary creatures, though, this movie is about finding meaning when you’ve lost everything. And just for a moment, terminal cancer patient Sam (Lupita Nyong’o) found that meaning. This film is beautiful, and I hope the franchise continues to innovate.

1. Late Night with the Devil (9.5/10): Every so often, a horror movie comes around that has me so incredibly paralyzed in fear, and in awe that a film this good could be created. Late Night with the Devil is one of those movies. Throughout, every event had me so stunned. And just as I was recovering from the last, another crazy thing would happen. David Dastmalchian is beyond extraordinary in his lead role, and every other actor compliments him perfectly. The framing of this film as a 1970s talk show is also one of the most creative takes I’ve seen in any modern horror movie. If you’re a horror nut, want ‘70s nostalgia, or just love Hollywood conspiracy, I beg you to watch this film.

Thanks for reading, and happy belated Halloween!

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Editor’s Note: For all the horror fanatics who love spooky season as much as we do, I couldn’t let this list go to print without giving a shout-out to a few more must-watch 2024 horror releases.

The Substance – A chilling exploration of science gone wrong, triggered by the pressure to stay young and beautiful in Hollywood, The Substance is as much a horror movie as a strong social commentary.

Terrifier 3 – The infamous Art the Clown returns with even more brutal and twisted scares, promising another shocking round of horror that pushes limits and leaves audiences gasping.

Alien: Romulus – This thrilling addition to the Alien saga delves into the terrifying unknown, following a new crew as they face unimaginable horrors in the darkest corners of space.

Each of these films brings its own unique flavor to the horror genre, making them perfect additions to your spine-tingling lineup this season.
Don’t be afraid to watch!