Horror is one of the most underrated, yet widespread film genres. From classics “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” to the more recent “Weapons,” horror is a constant in mainstream media and pop culture. Nearly everyone has seen something in the genre, or at least will understand a reference to an ’80s slasher. Critics and superfans alike tend to categorize it into subgenres—such as psychological horror, slashers, comedy and body horror—but it’s hard to fit everything into specific boxes, with many films falling into multiple. Over the years, I’ve seen tons of horror movies across many subgenres, and have narrowed them all down to my five favorites.
You may ask: why should I trust your opinion? That’s up to you, and many people have different tastes in what they want to see in a horror movie. I typically look for three things: An interesting plotline, meaningful gore and death and the effective portrayal of terror. All five of these movies meet these qualifications in their own ways, and if you like horror, are definitely worth checking out. However, if you’re unsure how you feel about the genre, I’ll also note how much I’d recommend these films to horror newbies. Now, for the list …
#5: “Trick ’r Treat” (2007) by Michael Dougherty
“Trick ’r Treat” is a masterclass in horror anthology storytelling. Anthologies have been popularized by TV shows like “American Horror Story,” but this movie came first. The characters in each story cross paths throughout the film, with the overarching narrative following Sam, who appears to be a little kid trick-or-treating with a pumpkin head costume. With the stories including ones about a group of party-seeking college girls, a morally corrupt principal and “Halloween School Bus Massacre,” each plotline is interesting and fits neatly into the overarching tale. There are tasteful jumpscares, beautifully-choreographed fight scenes and tons of bloodshed; Each kill is done in a way that not only keeps it important to the story, but that makes the viewer squirm. This is a movie I’d show to horror newbies; it’s everything done right in the genre, and has the elements of a slasher that make it extremely marketable. “Trick ‘r Treat” successfully ties all its plots together in a nice little bow, with twists and turns along the way that make it not only a little terrifying, but incredibly fun.
#4: “Carrie” (1976) by Brian De Palma
An adaptation of Stephen King’s first novel, “Carrie” is a film that tackles bullying, child abuse and revenge. The King of Horror has been allegedly quoted saying that De Palma’s adaptation is better than his book, and while I disagree, that only speaks to how much I love the novel and film. Viewers see the struggles of Carrie White, a high-school girl who is bullied by her classmates and religious fanatic mother, as she develops psychic powers around the same time as her first menstruation cycle. The movie looks very ’70s in the best way possible, both in the editing and technical styles used throughout. Without giving away everything, I’ll say this: Carrie makes sure those who harmed her get what’s coming to them, served in the best way possible for lovers of blood and fantastic practical effects. It’s a classic tale of vengeance, and while there are strong elements of horror, especially at the film’s climax, what is so scary throughout is really what happens to Carrie at the hands of those around her. For those who aren’t too big on intense gore, this is a great introduction to the horror genre, but it comes with a warning: there’s a reason why it’s referenced in “Scream” (1995) while characters discuss fake blood.
#3: “You’re Next” (2011) by Adam Wingard
I’m not the biggest fan of the typical horror slasher—I could do without a rewatch of “Friday the 13th” and “Child’s Play”—but “You’re Next” could not be a larger exception to my taste. This is because it’s not a typical slasher and breaks the subgenre’s formulas in many ways while still conforming to a few tropes. Taking place on a family vacation at the very normal horror setting of a house in the woods, viewers meet Erin, who is there to familiarize herself with her boyfriend’s relatives. Quickly, the home is invaded, and it changes from a lighthearted family dinner to a fight for survival. Watchers quickly learn that Erin is not your average final girl; she knows how to fight off attackers, and will do everything it takes to get out alive. This movie features one of my favorite fight scenes, second only to the #1 film on this list, and some of my favorite kills in all of horror. You won’t be able to think of a blender the same way after watching “You’re Next,” and because of the large amounts of incredibly well-done gore, I’d watch a few other slashers before viewing. Part of what makes it so good is how it breaks the genre tropes while still remaining in them, and in order to appreciate that, you have to see all of the tropes done to a cringey level first. Most importantly, don’t have any plans to make a smoothie within 3-5 business days after you watch “You’re Next.”
#2: “Midsommar” (2019) by Ari Aster
Unfortunately, the only A24 film on my list, “Midsommar” is everything right about horror. It is what comes to mind when I’m asked to think of a “perfect” horror movie, even with its run time going over two hours. The film follows Dani, a student dating a man called Christian, as the two of them and a small group follow their friend Pelle to his commune in Sweden for what they are told is a traditional midsummer festival. Of course, what goes on is far from what they expected, as some of the group’s rituals deviate from any sort of societal norms, and the group is forced into a situation that they quickly learn is dangerous. It is a story not only of pure horror, but one following relationship struggles and loss; as Dani deals with both, the impact of her trauma shapes the fate of nearly everyone in the film. Almost everything that happens in “Midsommar” sounds ridiculous without context, but it fits into a perfect puzzle foreshadowed at the film’s start once you realize what’s going on. Every death is intentional, and almost terrifyingly beautiful. It’s gross, and that’s part of what makes it so moving. Most importantly, Ari Aster gives his audience someone to root for in the form of Dani, in a movie where nearly every character is deeply, deeply flawed. You so desperately want her to succeed, and as her journey continues, there is truly no moment in the film without at least a little horror. However, I must give the proper warning with this absolute masterpiece: This should not be your first horror movie. This should be very far from your first horror movie. Nothing Ari Aster has done should be your first horror movie, with one of his others being the critically acclaimed “Hereditary,” because they simply set too high of a bar for production and sheer terror. That’s honestly what makes them so good.
#1: “Mayhem” (2017) by Joe Lynch
The YouTube channel Dead Meat has shown me many great films, with the best of all by far being “Mayhem.” It’s funny, bloody and features one of my favorite usages of music in any movie. The film follows Steven Yeun’s Derek and Samara Weaving’s Melanie as they quite literally kill their way up a building under the influence of a virus, with the goal being to take back what each character knows is theirs. It’s a commentary not only on the evils of large corporations, but also the misery of the constantly grinding executive lifestyle. Funnily enough, the fictional ID-7 virus has a lot of parallels to COVID-19, even though this film was released pre-pandemic. The movie has a ton of laughs and just as many incredible action shots, in addition to great monologues and one-liners. The true horror comes through with what the ID-7 virus does to a person, and by the insane amount of blood and gore. The main characters have unbelievable chemistry, and with a budget of under three million dollars, what Joe Lynch and his team were able to create is incredible. Even without considering the budget, it’s incredible. My favorite moment in “Mayhem” plays Faith No More’s “Motherf*cker” before going into an absolutely beautiful fight scene, and that moment alone propels it to my Letterboxd top four. While it’s not scary, per se, there are definitely elements of terror. It’s more horror comedy than anything else, and while I hate making subgenres a film’s entire personality, it’s not fair to let anyone expect pure fear to come through. Everyone needs to see “Mayhem.” I don’t care if you’ve never seen a horror movie before; you need to see this movie as soon as possible.
Overall, horror is an incredibly versatile genre with tons of incredible films, and ranking even only my top five was very difficult. There are tons of movies that narrowly avoided this list that I love and recommend, and I encourage everyone to celebrate October and Halloween by taking an hour and 45 minutes out of your day to give horror a chance.
