1. Scream (1996)
Recap: A year after her mother’s brutal murder, Sidney Prescott and her pals are terrorized by a masked madman who’s primary weapon of psychological torture is through the phone.
Unsolicited Opinion: I love the Scream franchise so much. I’ve been watching them every October for years and it never gets old to me. Anyone remotely interested in horror needs to at least watch the first one. The cast is amazing and on point in every scene. Also it’s fun watching young Skeet Ulrich in this movie. He’s such a babe (hello, Riverdale daddy).
How I watched it: Netflix
2. Scream 2 (1997)
Recap: Thinking she can put the trauma of Ghostface behind her, Sidney Prescott attends college but her past catches up with her when she’s, once again, hunted by a masked maniac.
Unsolicited Opinion: The sequel is just as good, if not better, than the first. The movie leans into the camp and sequel tropes in a way feels fun. It’s incredibly aware of itself in a way that horror movies usually aren’t. This movie cemented he longevity of the Scream franchise.
How I watched it: Netflix
3. Scream 3 (2000)
Recap: The events of the first two movies are now the inspiration for a franchise, Stab. Very meta. So naturally our old characters have to meet up with new characters on the set of the latest movie where they’re all terrorized by a murderer!
Unsolicited Opinion: Oh boy. For as much as I love the Scream franchise, I loathe this one. It’s trash. There’s far too many new characters to care about. The camp is still there but it has a less playful vibe. It seems like the film lost track of what the first two were all about and why they’re so beloved. The only reason to watch this movie is for a great cameo by Carri Fisher.
How I watched it: Netflix
4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Recap: A group of teens are being attacked in their dreams but a villain with finger knives…but I’m sure you already knew that.
Unsolicited Opinion: I don’t need to tell you that this movie is pinnacle in the horror genre. Freddie Krueger is undoubtedly an icon movie villain. This frights of this movie still hold up after all these years, even if the acting doesn’t always. It’s worth watching every Halloween season.
How I watched it: Hulu
5. Cam (2018)
Recap: A cam girl starts to really loose her shit when her cam account is taken over by a mysterious doppelgänger.
Unsolicited Opinion: This was the first movie on this list that I hadn’t watched before. I remember when it was released on Netflix, heard all the great buzz around it, wanted to watch it, then forgot it existed (typical with my streaming-riddled brain). I finally remembered it was right on my Netflix account, waiting for me to get it together. It felt like a perfect movie to jump into for my 31 Days of Horror.
Cam is not your typical horror movie. It may not even be your typical movie. A psychedelic-physiological mind twist is probably the only way I can describe the journey you go on with this movie. I did enjoy the trip until the end.
I would be lying if I said that the ending didn’t stump me. I spent some time on a Reddit thread as soon as the movie was over to try to full make sense of it.
How I watched it: Netflix
6. The Fourth Kind (2009)
Recap: A small town is experiencing some weird things…including an owl in their dreams…and probably aliens…?
Unsolicited Opinion: I remember seeing this movie when it first came out but I couldn’t remember much else. When that happens, it’s either my terrible memory or the movie. Turns out, in this case, it was the movie. For a Sci-fi Horror about a small town experiencing a strange phenomenon that could be attributed to aliens, this movie is a total snooze fest.
The movie is “based on true events”, as announced by Mile Jovovich before the movie starts. In a very jarring open, Mila stares directly into the camera and states that what we are about to witness is based on the work of a therapist, Abby Tyler, and that the movie has been edited along side “real” footage of her experience. That would be a super dope way to tell a story, except that it’s not real. Neither Abby Tyler, nor her treatment in helping people who claim to have been abducted by aliens, are documented to exist. Once you learn that truth, the trope burns out fast and the rest of the movie has nothing to offer.
It’s a rough watch so I suggest you not. I found myself spacing out so hard that I had to rewind to see a plot point I missed. That happened twice before I turned it off.
How I watched it: HBO
7. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
Recap: A group of teens are being attacked in their dreams but a villain with finger knives but this time it’s in an updated, sleeker version…but I’m sure you already knew that.
Unsolicited Opinion: Before we had hit our current reboot/retelling/reviving over-saturation we’re currently in, the idea of taking an older movie and giving it an update with our technological advances in cinema seemed like sort of a novel idea.
The original A Nightmare on Elm Street is a beloved classic. Of course, it’s an 80’s horror movie with some wild acting choices and dated scares (tongue phone). I might be going against my cinephile community when I say that I think Elm Street deserved an update.
The cast is incredible, Jackie Earl Hayley as Freddie is the only casting that makes sense. It’s weird watching baby Rooney Mara as the lead but she’s totally believable when dealing with an outrageous problem like a dream-terrorist. Plus her mom is played by Connie Britton! There visuals, set design, and aesthetic add to the horror facelift. The story stays true to the original while adding some elements.
In my unsolicited opinion, you can’t go wrong with either the original or reboot. Don’t dragged me too hard for that.
How I watched it: HBO
8. Mom and Dad (2017)
Recap: Parent’s are hit with a worldwide plague that forces them to want to murder their children.
Unsolicited Opinion: I’m kind of a Nic Cage super fan. There’s just something about his commitment to a boisterous line delivery that does my heart good. There’s plenty of those kinds of moments in this movie. If you love a good horror/black comedy hybrid with some B-movie vibes, then this could be your jam. Next time you’re scrolling through Hulu for something new, I suggest this. However, it’s not for the faint of heart. If you’re ok with jokes about child murder and screaming Nichols Cage then you’re totally good.
How I watched it: Hulu
9. Insidious (2010)
Recap: A family is harassed by a ton of ghosts and demons.
Unsolicited Opinion: Haunted houses are creepy, but haunted children? No thank you. I’m still not sure if I even want kids and after rewatching this, I’m leaning towards a hard-pass. What if my child becomes a vessel for demons? Yikes!
The Insidious movies have some genuine scares and entertaining horror tropes. If you’re looking for some lite horror with a couple of spooks, here you go. It’s not necessarily groundbreaking horror, nor is it a unique cinematic experience, but the Insidious seemed to kick start the horror blockbusters of the 10’s so for that, its respectable.
How I watched it: Netflix
10. Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
Recap: A family is harassed by a ton of ghosts and demons, again!
Unsolicited Opinion: Same opinion as above, only replace “child/children/kid” with the word “husband”.
How I watched it: Crackle
11. Little Monsters (2019)
Recap: A kindergarten class’s field trip in interrupted by a zombie outbreak.
Unsolicited Opinion: I love Lupita. Us is my favorite movie of the year and I think she can do no wrong. We typically see her in dramatic roles, so its refreshing to see her have some fun. I suggest watching Little Monsters just to appreciate her comedic abilities she only gets to show off in interviews. Lupita plays the kindergarten teacher who has to guide them through a Zombie apocalypse. The humor in the film comes from Lupita having to keep a cheerful facade for the children during a violent outbreak. It’s a fun zombie-romp with some heart and a lot of laughs.
How I watched it: Hulu
12. Conjuring (2013)
Recap: Ed and Lorraine Warren help a family extract demons out of their lives.
Unsolicited Opinion: Do I find the James Waan horror-verse to be terrifying? Nah. Do you I find it very entertaining? Damn straight. It’s fun to go back to the movie that “started it all”.
Ed and Lorraine Warren’s very real legacy is a perfect inspiration for a horror movie franchise. Who doesn’t love a good demon-fighting power couple? And who doesn’t love Patrick Wilson? There’s plenty to love about this movie.
How I watched it: Netflix
13. In The Tall Grass (2019)
Recap: People keep being lost in tall, spooky grass.
Unsolicited Opinion: This movie was…something. Was it scary? No. Was it thrilling? Absolutely not. Was it different? It’s Stephen King. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
A bunch of people get stuck in tall grass. But it’s not normal grass, it’s spooky and trippy! This schtick is only engaging for the first 10 minutes and then it gets old real fast. A bunch of stuff happens in the grass that makes the story even more convoluted. I couldn’t tell you what though because I spent most of the movie spacing out from boredom. Like I said before, we all love Patrick Wilson but this is one of his movies you can definitely pass on.
How I watched it: Netflix
14. Carrie (1976)
Recap: A bunch of asshole teenagers make a huge mistake.
Unsolicited Opinion: Carrie is timeless. It’s a movie that is widely known and reverenced. I mean a whole musical was written about it and Riverdale did a whole episode on said musical. The movie is definitely still around in our pop culture zeitgeist. Maybe it’s because we all love a good underdog story. Maybe we still all want to seek revenge on those who bullied us. Maybe it’s because teenagers are truly the worst and it’s nice seeing karma hit them like a ton of bricks sometimes. That’s part of the magic of Carrie. We’re rooting for the typical horror villain because those around her seem so much worse. Seriously, these 70’s movies teens in this movie are WILD. Being a teen in the 70’s just seems like a truly awful way to exist.
How I watched it: Netflix
15. Unsane (2018)
Recap: A woman is involuntarily checked into a mental institution and things get wild.
Unsolicited Opinion: Claire Foy. Claire Foy. Claire Foy.
As a proud watcher of The Crown I was excited to see Claire Foy in a totally different role. This woman is incredible. The role calls for tough acting and she meets it without any problem. Her performance adds so much to an already terrifying world Steven Soderbergh has created. This story is equally engaging and scary. I wish I had watched it sooner.
How I watched it: Amazon Prime
16. Into the Dark: Pure (2019)
Recap: Daughters accompany there Fathers to an annual Purity Ball. That’s enough horror on its own.
Unsolicited Opinion: I’ve seen plenty of Into the Dark commercials on my Hulu. While they all looked pretty interesting, none of them stood out to me like the commercial for Pure did. Everything about this movie is horrifying. Purity Balls are a creepy environment to begin with, then add the extreme sexism and witchy shit on top of that. I don’t think there’s ever been a horror movie set to the backdrop of a Purity Ball but it works way too fucking well.
How I watched it: Hulu
17. The Haunted Mansion (2003)
Recap: A fun Disney romp based on their popular theme park ride.
Unsolicited Opinion: I know what you’re thinking: this isn’t a horror movie! I’m not one of those people who argues about horror movies vs Halloween movies. To me, all Halloween movies have some sort of horror element in it, right? Well, I’m counting it for this list.
I hadn’t seen this movie in at least a solid decade. I loved it when I was a kid and have always been a huge fan of the ride. My sister wanted to watch a Halloween movie but can not handle horror (unlike my horror/true crime/occult/weird shit-loving ass). We settled on revisiting an old favorite of ours. Full disclosure, I did not expect it to hold up. I thought I would laugh at it’s terribleness but I ended up genuinely laughing at the comedy. I’m surprised to say this but Haunted Mansion SLAPS.
How I watched it: Hulu
18. The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)
Recap: An all-girls boarding school is on a break and two girls are the only ones left on the campus when some very, very weird stuff happens.
Unsolicited Opinion: I’ve seen this movie pop-up on so many horror lists (and now it’s on another one, hello!) so I finally decided to give it a shot. This movie is one of those rare slow-burn horrors devoid of jump-scare and stereotypes. It’s horrifying because of it’s performances, cold environment, and unsettling story. You’re not quite sure what you’re watching while it’s unfolding but once it gets there you’re mind will have a minor explosion that will stick with you for days. If you’re into the ~highbrow~ horror that scares you the more you think about it, then I think you’ll be into this.
How I watched it: Netflix
19. Orphan (2009)
Recap: A family’s life is turned upside down when they decide to take in the creepiest little orphan.
Unsolicited Opinion: I love a good, weird, salacious headline. A few months ago a story broke about a Natalia Grace, who would be coined as “The Real-Life Orphan girl”. I was, and still am, hooked into this details about the bizarre case. I still don’t know what to think. Hit me up if you want to exchange thoughts and theories! Through out all the that insanity, I realized that I had never actually seen Orphan. I had heard all about the bizarre plot and how it *shook* viewers. Somehow this late aughts iconic horror movie slipped right under my radar. Since it’s the year of “The Real Orphan” it was only fitting to have it on the 2019 list.
Orphan is the creepy, gothic story of a miserable family who decides to adopt a child. It’s like they’re hoping they’ll make an orphaned child less miserable and it’ll do the same in return…? This family has a lot of issues and I don’t think adopting any child should’ve been the move. Their terrible idea backfires when their sweet little orphan ends up being a total nightmare. I went into Orphan knowing the twist ending. I still found that it held my interest and delivers some scares. I was especially horrified by what the mom (played by Vera Famiga) went through. Yikes. Mom’s have it bad.
How I watched it: AMC channel app
20. Friday the 13th (1980)
Recap: A bunch of teen’s plan to have sex and fun at a campground is ruined by mass murder.
Unsolicited Opinion: I love Jason movies. It delivers the weird campy vibes I’m looking for in my movies. This never disappoints. Every time I watch it I realize a line of dialogue or a weird moment I forgot about. It delivers horror and cheese in a perfect balance.
*Plus that final shot still freaks me out when I watch it.
How I watched it: AMC channel app
21. Friday the 13th: Part 2 (1981)
Recap: A bunch of teen’s plan to have sex and fun at a campground is ruined by even more mass murder.
Unsolicited Opinion: Literally the same exact opinion of the first one, only I think the final fight sequence of Part 2 is much creepier.
How I watched it: AMC channel app
22. Truth or Dare (2018)
Recap: A group of friend play a game of Truth or Dare…that never ever ends.
Unsolicited Opinion: no no no. Don’t. Do not. Nope. This is not a good movie. The concept is the title. The movie is basically all in the trailer so if you’ve seen, you’re good. The character are all so despicable that I stopped caring what would happen to them. Oh and the ending is pretty nonsensical.
How I watched it: HBO
23. Happy Death Day 2 U (2019)
Recap: It’s honestly hard to put into words. Basically everything from Happy Death Day but so. much. more.
Unsolicited Opinion: I’m a fan of the Happy Death Day movies. I was not expecting to be but it got me. These movies have a little bit of everything- horror, suspense, mystery and my favorite thing in a horror movie- camp! The sequel has much more camp but leans in to it in a very self-aware way. You can’t see the sequel without seeing the first and you should absolutely see both. Also, this film has one of the absolute best montages I’ve ever seen.
How I watched it: HBO
24. Christine (1983)
Recap: A total dweeb buys a new car that makes his life totally rad, until the people around him realize the car is probably haunted.
Unsolicited Opinion: There’s a special place in my heart for 80’s horror. So many people were doing cocaine all the time. The substance abuse basically pours out of the screen and screams in your face. Christine is no exception. This movie is wacky and zany. I would say it’s better for a laugh than a scare. If you love camp like I do then you have to add this to your next horror marathon.
How I watched it: AMC channel app
25. Thinner (1996)
Recap: A guy’s a total fat asshole and pisses off a gypsy who puts a curse on him in which he’ll loose all of his weight until shrivels up to nothing.
Unsolicited Opinion: This movie is weird. The concept is weird. The execution is weird. The characters are weird. You get the gist, it’s all weird.
This movie an odd little Stephan King ditty that’s usually not at the top of the list of his great accomplishments. I don’t know if I can say it’s a movie worth checking out. What I can say is that I kept watching to find out what the resolution would be. I had no idea how things would shake out so I had to see it for myself. The ending was interesting and pretty surprising. Everything before that? Eh.
Fun Fact: It stars a very young Bethany Joy Lenz (Haley from One Tree Hill!)
How I watched it: AMC channel app
26. Ma (2019)
Recap: An unhinged woman obsessively sets her sights on a a group of High Schoolers.
Unsolicited Opinion: If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen the whole movie. We’re in a weird age in cinema where marketers act like if the entire plot of the movie is in the 2-3 minute trailer, then you’ll want to see the entire plot again stretched out between 1-2 hours. Literally the last shot of the trailer is from the “climatic ending” in the movie. The creeps and scares in Ma would’ve been much more powerful had I not already seen. Because I had seen the trailer, Ma didn’t do it for me.
How I watched it: Amazon Prime
27. It: Chapter 1 (2017)
Recap: A group of kids in the town of Derry are terrorized by an evil clown.
Unsolicited Opinion: I think the latest It movies are fantastic. I was on the side of the audience that loved It: Chapter 2.
Chapter 1 has a lot of heart and soul, which is rare to see in a horror movie. That may be one of the reasons it became such a phenomenon. This time around, I found the movie to be just as enjoyable and terrifying as I remember it two years ago. It’s a perfect movie to watch again and again. Every piece of the movie is something to freak out over. This time around I paid closer attention to the production design and cinematography. There’s something about this movie that feels larger than life, even though it all takes place in the tiny town of Derry.
How I watched it: Own it on DVD ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
28. The Thing (1982)
Recap: A group of scientists at an Arctic base are under-attack by a mysterious being.
Unsolicited Opinion: What can I say?The Thing slaps. There’s a reason why this movie is regarded as highly as it is. This movie plays on some of our strongest fears: trust, the unknown, claustrophobia, inescapable situations, men in the 80’s, etc. It’s still one of the most intense movies of all time.
How I watched it: Own it on DVD ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
29. Black Christmas (1974)
Recap: A sorority house begins to receive threatening phone calls while members start ~mysteriously vanishing~.
Unsolicited Opinion: I’ve heard for years that this film is one of the most iconic pieces of horror. I had also been warned that watching it will terrify me into trauma. That didn’t happen. Horror fanatics may persecute me for saying this, but in my unsolicited opinion, watching Black Christmas for the first time in 2019 is a very boring experience. The horror only goes so far before fading into red herrings and distracting plot. It’s obvious that aspects of this movie would be inspiration for future horror flicks. I will say that it was interesting seeing those aspects play out, knowing they were the reason for moments in horror movies I love. Other than that, I walked away from it with an overwhelming feeling of “meh”.
How I watched it: Amazon Prime
30. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Recap: Four privileged teens accidentally kill a guy and cover it up. A year later, their actions comeback to haunt them.
Unsolicited Opinion: This is a quite a movie. And a pretty good one for the first fifteen minutes! Past that, not so much. This 90’s classic doesn’t age super well. It’s equally laughable and frustrating while watching it in this day-and-age. The initial concept is fascinating, but around halfway through it feels like the movie goes into a confusing route which leads to an unearned ending that concludes with our main character fighting someone on a boat. Sarah Michelle Gellar is the only reason to watch.
How I watched it: Netflix
31. Child’s Play (1988)
Recap: A little boy is super psyched to receive a new doll for Christmas but his new present turns out to be to be a total nightmare.
Unsolicited Opinion: This movie has all of the iconic 80’s horror and cheese factor that my soul could handle. Of course, pretty much everyone knows what’s up with Chucky. You don’t really go into the movie expecting to be blown away by a cinematic experience. You’re in it for the ride that it is the 80’s. It’s absolutely worth watching this iconic horror movie and appreciating it for what it is.
How I watched it: Hulu
A massive power outage brings upon an apocalyptic-style societal shift while two sisters who are isolated in the forest are forced to learn how to survive.
Recap: This indie darling follows six-year-old Moonie during one summer where she lives in a seedy motel in Florida.
Recap: This dark trip fest starring Jennifer Lawrence is not a cut and dry kinda tale. A woman’s house is invaded by guests who are lovingly obsessed with her husband. Everything is literally a symbol or metaphor.
Recap: A student government election complicates Student’s and Teacher’s lives at a suburban highschool.
Recap: This anthology series is basically an amazing American Horror Story except it’s Canadian and only slasher horror.
Recap: Patricia, a.k.a. Killa P, a.k.a Patti Cake$, pursues her unlikely dream of becoming a rapper while still living in her New Jersey hometown
Recap: In 1995, two sisters discover their Father is cheating on their Mother. The two learn to deal with the news along with their own person demons.
Recap: A couple becomes foster parents to a troubled boy who’s dreams become reality.
Recap: A high school girl gets some weird box sort of thing from her dad, which he found while garbage-picking. Somehow it makes all of her wishes come true but this girl is not wise with it AT ALL.
Recap: This docuseries dives into the harrowing unsolved murder of a nun and the heavy secrets that surrounded her death.
Recap: A group of journalists working at The Boston Globe work to uncover the abuses against children and the major cover-up within the Catholic church.
Unsolicited Opinions 