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The Top 6 Horror Movies of 2024

The horror genre continues to thrive in 2024. From English ghost tales to pop music frenzies, this year, filmmakers pushed boundaries with creative storytelling, spine-tingling visuals, and themes that tap into our deepest fears. These are the top 6 horror movies of 2024 that every fan needs to see. But first honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions:

  • V/H/S/Beyond: The newest edition in the anthology film. Created, clever, and more hits than misses.
  • Longlegs: Oz Perkins asks a lot of questions. Not enough of them get answered to make the list but it is Nicholas Cage doing his thing.
  • The First Omen: A terrifying reimagining of the classic horror franchise. The best Omen in years, maybe ever.

6. Smile 2

Smile 2 was great. Full stop. The marketing campaign was sharp and the film even sharper. The sequel, Smile 2, directed once again by Parker Finn, takes the franchise’s haunting premise to the big stage.

This follow-up eschews an origin story for a completely new tale of the malevolent entity behind the curse. About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley is hurt. Her injuries are both mental and physical. To deal with this pain she visits a drug dealer who kills himself in front of her. Afterward she experiences increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and pressures of fame, she must face her dark past. The film’s brilliance lies in its ability to balance jump scares with a profound sense of dread.

Visually, Smile 2 outdoes its predecessor, with unsettling cinematography that amplifies the terror. The entire film feels a bit like music video gone wrong. The use of distorted mirrors and eerie smiles ensures that viewers remain paranoid long after the credits roll. Fans of the original will appreciate the expanded lore, while newcomers will find plenty to scream about. Read our review here.

5. I Saw the TV Glow

A24, the studio synonymous with arthouse horror, has delivered another masterpiece with I Saw the TV Glow. Directed by Jane Schoenbrun (We’re All Going to the World’s Fair), this haunting tale blurs the line between reality and delusion, leaving audiences questioning what they’ve just experienced.

The story revolves around best friends Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), who bond over their favorite TV show, The Pink Opaque. When the show is abruptly canceled, and Maddy goes missing, Owen starts to wonder if the world he lives in is less real than there favorite television show.

The film’s aesthetic is a love letter to cult favorites of the 90s, with grainy visuals, neon hues, and a hypnotic soundtrack that immerses viewers in its surreal atmosphere. Schoenbrun’s direction ensures every frame feels purposeful, crafting a slow-burn horror experience that ends abruptly but powerfully. I Saw the TV Glow is a must-watch for those who appreciate thought-provoking scares. Read my full review here.

4. Cuckoo

Tilman Singer’s Cuckoo has been one of the most enigmatic and highly anticipated horror films of 2024, and it does not disappoint. Starring Hunter Schafer (Euphoria), this fever-dream of a movie is both a sensory overload and a psychological labyrinth.

The film’s plot centers on Gretchen (Schafer), a teenager who is forced to spend the summer with her father and step-mother on a German mountain resort. As she pieces together why her parents are there she is visited by a monster that seems to mess with time. Cuckoo masterfully keeps viewers guessing, twisting the narrative with unexpected revelations and a pervasive sense of dread. Even with the dread the film never manages to abandon the wit and charm that makes the film a blast to watch.

Singer’s experimental approach to storytelling combines abstract visuals with an unsettling soundscape to create a truly unique horror experience. The film’s atmosphere is reminiscent of European fairy tale blending gothic and surrealist elements to haunting effect. Schafer’s compelling performance anchors the film, drawing audiences into Gretchen’s disoriented and terrifying journey. Read my full review.

3. Oddity

From the creative mind of Damian Mc Carthy (coming off the absolutely bonkers Caveat) comes Oddity, a psychological horror film that defies conventional storytelling. McCarthy’s signature blend of visceral emotion and shocking visuals are on fully display as we get a real life Whicker Man in what seems to be a mostly old school English ghost revenge film.

The story follows Carolyn Bracken , a reclusive curio shop owner whose sister is murdered in a decrepit manor in rural England. Her attempt to visit the house and her brother in law sets off a Rube Goldberg chain of events that unlocks the power of the dead.

Oddity is a visually arresting film, with breathtaking production design and cinematography that immerses viewers in its eerie world. It is small world of decrepit manor homes and old school asylums but this smallness allows each scene to be packed with details. Read my full of Oddity review.

2. The Substance

The Substance is the horror masterpiece of 2024, redefining body horror and psychological dread for modern audiences. Directed by Coralie Fargeat (Revenge), this visually arresting and deeply unsettling film explores themes of vanity, exploitation, and the commodification of youth. At its core, The Substance serves as a scathing critique of society’s obsession with beauty and the lengths individuals will go to achieve perfection. Fargeat seems ideally situated to tell this often absurd and horrifying tale of the beauty myth gone wrong.

The film stars Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley as iterations of the same person duo who become entangled in the sinister world of an experimental beauty product promising eternal youth. As their lives spiral out of control, The Substance unfolds with jaw-dropping practical effects, blending grotesque transformations with chilling emotional depth. Fargeat masterfully crafts an atmosphere of escalating tension, balancing visceral body horror with moments of poignant vulnerability. All within a pop culture Candyland that only seems brighter and sharper the crazier things get. Read my full review of The Substance.

What sets The Substance apart is its ability to terrify while delivering biting social commentary. The narrative’s slow burn allows audiences to become fully immersed in the characters’ plight, making the eventual descent into chaos all the more impactful. A haunting score and stunning cinematography further elevate the film, solidifying its status as one of the year’s most unforgettable horror experience. The Substance is a bold, boundary-pushing triumph that lingers long after the credits roll.

1. Infested

At the pinnacle of 2024’s horror films is Infested, a French horror masterpiece directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sébastien Vanicek. This chilling spider feature combines our own latent arachnophobia with an intense survival narrative, making it a standout entry in the genre.

Infested tells the story of Kaleb (Théo Christine), a sneaker head who is also into creepy crawlies. His room is full of spiders, beetles, and other insects in their own tanks. He dreams of a better life but finds himself ensnared in a nightmarish web of terror with him and his friends as he takes home a rare spider from the middle east that eventually takes over his apartment building.

 Sébastien Vanicek direction shines in his ability to merge visceral scares with deeper thematic undertones regarding class and family. The apartment building and it’s residents become the beating heart of the movie. The practical effects are nothing short of astounding, bringing the monstrous insects to life in horrifying detail. Combined with a haunting score and impeccable sound design, Infested is an immersive and harrowing experience.

Théo Christine delivers a riveting performance, capturing Kaleb’s desperation and resilience as he battles the creatures and defends his family. Infested is a must-watch for horror fans who crave a film that’s as thought-provoking as it is terrifying. Read my full review coming out of The Overlook Film Festival here.