10. Mandy
Mandy was such a wild ride - it’s near impossible not to get sucked into it’s trippy, epic story of love, revenge, and LSD. Nic Cage was made for the main role, Jóhann Jóhannsson’s score couldn’t be more perfect, and the visuals from director Panos Cosmatos won’t soon be forgotten.
9. The Ritual
If you find yourself feeling as if there are just no quality movie monsters anymore, I’d like for you to meet The Ritual. In addition to having, what I like to consider, the best movie monster of the decade, The Ritual also brings some serious scares and tense moments. It’s based on a book, which is also fun if you’re into books.
8. You’re Next
You’re Next has to be one of my top, go-to horror movies to recommend to folks. A solid home invasion thriller, with a satisfying story and catchy af song, You’re Next will hold a special place in my heart for many years to come.
7. The Cabin in the Woods
The Cabin in the Woods was an instant classic. A meta look at horror movies and their many tropes, this movie has a perfect balance of classic horror violence and humor (Brad Whitford and Richard Jenkins?!). The ending is so fun and intense that you’ll immediately want to rewatch, or pause multiple times throughout, to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
6. The Lighthouse
Having high expectations for an upcoming release is risky, and The Lighthouse was one of those movies I had high expectations for. Robert Eggers’ debut movie, The VVitch, was a huge success among horror fans and it may be forever cemented as one of my all-time faves. While The Lighthouse brings a much different type of story, you see Eggers’ hand in all of it. The result is a beautifully captivating and unsettling tale about two lighthouse keepers fighting the effects of isolation and promethean curses.
5. The Babadook
Jennifer Kent did everything right when she made The Babadook. It’s a heavy, terrifying look into the grieving process and the toll it can take on a single mom, trying to raise her child after the death of her husband. Kent creates a rich backstory for her characters, including the sinister Mr. Babadook. This is maybe not the book you would expect to see on a child’s bookshelf - but if you did, you’d likely be compelled to read it.
4. Raw
Raw was an early 2017 release that legit blew me away. Julia Ducourna’s first film brought us a unique story, told in a way that was unlike anything I’d ever seen. It was confident and skillful story-telling that you’d expect to see from a director well into their career. Raw was an instant, rewatch-worthy hit with me and I was introduced to so many great songs from it’s fantastic soundtrack.
3. Midsommar
Released not long after his 2018 success, Hereditary, Ari Aster gave us a megadose of soul-crushing realness with his second film, Midsommar. The visuals in this movie were stunning - not to mention, one of the first scenes you see is absolutely one of the decade’s most terrifying horror movie scenes. Florence Pugh also gives an amazing performance as the protagonist, Dani. I’m definitely ready for whatever Ari Aster does next.
2. What We Do in the Shadows
Do you like comedies where you pick up a new, funny line each time you rewatch it? Then you need to check out What We Do in the Shadows - that is, if you haven’t already. Now that it’s got its own spin-off TV show, it’s growing in popularity - rightly so! Also, if you don’t already love Taika Waititi and the great movies that he’s been involved with, I recommend starting here and then revisiting as often as possible. Lolz for dayz.
1. The VVitch
To me, The VVitch is so close to horror movie perfection that there was no hesitation putting it in my #1 spot. I love period movies and I was instantly on board with a witch-themed horror movie set in early puritan America. Robert Eggers’ attention to detail and his dedication to authenticity pay off in such a terrifying way.
Very honorable mentions: Green Room, Evil Dead, The Voices, Black Swan