It’s been nothing short of a banner year for horror movies.
Since 2024 kicked off nearly 11 months ago, gore hounds have been treated with a seemingly nonstop supply of good fright flicks.
They’ve come in all shapes and sizes, from monsters and mad men to creeps and creatures to slashers and space aliens.
Throughout it all, I’ve paid very close attention – perhaps more closely than one would say is healthy – to all the blood baths, jump scares and things that go bump in the night, picking the winners from the losers, with the goal of delivering my list of the Best Horror Films of 2024 (thus far) to you in time for Halloween.
And, jeepers, do I ever think I’ve succeeded in that goal.
All 10 of my picks were released widely this year, although some may have premiered earlier at film festivals and whatnot. Also, they are listed in order, from the very best to – in the case of this particular year – still really worth watching.
More significantly, all of creepy offerings are available to stream/rent/download. So, read on and pick a few that sound intriguing. Then – if you dare – go right ahead and host your own Halloween movie party.
1. ‘In a Violent Nature’
Director Chris Nash flips the script on standard slasher film fare, creating something that feels refreshingly new and — most terrifyingly – real in a genre that has been plagued by clichés and laziness for decades.
The result is a film that doesn’t resemble anything I’ve ever seen in the genre, which is clearly not a statement I thought I would be making in 2024.
The sheer creativeness with the gore and effects is what grabs the headlines, but this film’s best moments come from how Nash strikes – and then holds – the feeling of menace basically throughout the entire film.
Plus, the genre definitely now has a new slasher icon in the silent, hulking Johnny.
2. ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’
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This prequel seals the deal on “A Quiet Place” being the best horror movie franchise of recent years, becoming the third film in the series to rank in the top 5 fright flicks of its respective year.
Director Michael Sarnoski does a great job taking over the helm from John Krasinski (who still co-wrote the story and co-produced the film) in this prequel, as he goes back and sets the table for all the terror of 2018’s “A Quiet Place” and 2020’s “A Quiet Place Part II.”
The space creatures (known by fans as “Death Angels”) are still terrifying predators, but this film is really about survival, friendship and, ultimately, what makes us human.
And the film’s last sequence, set to the best song of all time (aka, Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good”), is my favorite closing scene of any film released in 2024.
3. ‘The Substance’
Hollywood star Elisabeth Sparkle (played by Demi Moore) is having a really bad 50th birthday, as she ends up getting dumped from her popular TV exercise show so someone younger can step in and host.
Getting older stinks, she reasons, so she decides to do something about it and signs up for this highly experimental procedure that can breathe new life into her 50-year-old body. It turns out to be an appallingly bad idea, but one that also sets the scene for one of the finest body horror films of all time.
Moore is splendid in the role – and one can only hope the Oscar buzz around her performance will actually result in a nomination. And while we’re talking Oscar nominations, pencil one down in the best supporting role category for Dennis Quaid as Sparkle’s creepy, ageist boss.
The whole film is sensational, but the last 20 minutes or so have to be seen to be believed.
4. ‘Sting’
It’s a good ol’ fashioned mainstream monster movie – the type that were once churned out seemingly every week in the ‘80s – where the blood and gore are kept light and jump scares are king.
All 12-year-old Charlotte (Alyla Browne) wants is a companion, someone – or something – to keep her company while mom and stepdad are busy with other things. Unfortunately, she picks a crazy mutant/alien spider thingy, which immediately begins multiplying in size and causing all sorts of mayhem in the apartment building Charlotte lives in.
The retro feel of the whole thing, combined with solid acting and a script that keeps things moving along quite nicely, makes this a little horror film that pays off big time.
5. ‘Late Night with the Devil’
At the time of this writing, this was the top rated horror film of 2024 on Rotten Tomatoes – boosting nothing short of a 97 percent approval rating.
I’m actually more surprised about the 3 percent who voted thumbs down, as opposed the overwhelming 97 percent who loved this entirely creepy tale of late-night talk show host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) who goes way to far to try and improve his ratings.
In his pursuit of taking down Johnny Carson, Delroy ends up unleashing true evil upon TV viewers across the country.
Whoops!
6. ‘Oddity’
The Irish horror feature, which won the audience award during the incredibly popular midnight movies series at the South by Southwest film festival earlier this year, has been a true word of mouth sensation.
People see this film, which hit theaters in the U.S. without much fanfare back in July, and then they go on to tell all their friends about this chilling tale of one fateful night when a dreadful wooden mannequin arrives at the home of a psychiatrist and his new girlfriend.
The fact that the psychiatrist immediately lets this monstrosity into the house, of course, is a definite sign that he should hire his own psychiatrist. (Hasn’t this guy ever seen a horror movie before?)
“Oddity” deals in pure tension and apprehension, crafting the kind of spookiness that stays with a viewer long after the actual film is over.
7. ‘Arcadian’
Just can’t get enough of the “A Quiet Place” films (and don’t want to wait until the fourth, and supposedly last, one comes out)? Then push play on “Arcadian,” which is another groovy post-apocalyptic flick that definitely delivers on its premise.
Nicholas Cage – who had a big year in the horror realm (see No. 8 below as well) – is at the top of his game playing a father who is trying to keep his two young sons safe in a world gone mad with (really cool looking) monsters.
We’ve seen this storyline scads of times before, packaged under countless different titles, but rarely handled as convincingly as what you get here.
8. ‘Longlegs’
This was the most hyped-up horror film of the year, with advance reviews hoisting the bar so high that it was seemingly inevitable that some viewers would leave theaters feeling a bit underwhelmed.
No, “Longlegs” isn’t for every horror fan. But those who like creepy, mood-driven mediations on the genre, filled with plenty of twists and turns and boosting a kind of David Lynchian vibe, then “Longlegs” should definitely do the trick.
Plus, you get to see Cage deliver what may well be his most bizarre performance to date – and, yes, I know that’s really saying something.
9. ‘Stopmotion’
I’d be lying if I said I really liked this movie. I didn’t. It was hard to watch and disturbing. Yet, it was also a film that challenged me and stayed with me, as it explored a really whacked-out relationship between an artist and her art. It’s certainly one of the most impactful horror films of 2024, striking the all-consuming question of how far will you go to feed your muse and further your own creations.
10. ‘Night Swim’
OK, so I liked this one – probably more than I should have. It’s not great art, but rather pretty run-of-the-mill supernatural fare – once again from the never-resting horror mill known as Blumhouse Productions. And the premise – a demonic swimming pool that devours people – is ridiculous even by horror standards.
Yet, it was well put together, kept my interest – even through multiple viewings – and provided some good scares. And sometimes that’s all you need in a horror movie – especially at Halloween time.