The 20 Best Horror Movies From The Past 20 Years, Ranked

Director: Jennifer Kent
Starring: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman
Distributor: Umbrella Entertainment
Where to Watch: Shudder

A widowed mother and her six-year-old son read a completely age-inappropriate pop-up book together. But afterward, the mother has nightmares about hurting her son. A sad exploration of grief and its damaging impact, The Babadook proposes something frightening but true to life. Sometimes the monster can't be defeated. Sometimes, the best you can hope for is to control it.

Biggest Scare: The pop-up book itself. Inside Editions printed 6,200 copies of Mister Babadook, which makes them extremely rare. Check on eBay, where you'll be lucky to snag one for under $2000.

Director: Parker Finn
Starring: Naomi Scott
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Where to Watch: Netflix

The first Smile movie is solid stuff, with a great premise and bleak execution. But Smile 2 elevates the concept even further, with wider societal implications and a biting wit to pair. The film features Skye (Naomi Scott), a suffering pop star, which lets the filmmakers indulge their talents with well-lit, cinematic set pieces. And Scott gives one of the greatest, most underrated horror performances of her generation. This woman is magnetic, and she portrays terror like she made it up.

Biggest Scare: The group dance scene. If she doesn't move, they don't move. Who's going to blink first?

Director: Chris Nash
Starring: Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver
Distributor: IFC Films
Where to Watch: Hulu

It's a standard slasher movie in one way; a group of young people gets hacked apart by a killer in the woods. But this movie distinguishes itself with its unrelenting depiction of violence. It uses unbearably long cuts, forcing us to peer at the screen for any hints or details, and it draws out the suffering in its hapless victims' final moments. It's a nonstop, unrelenting feeling of dread. Rarely has a slasher movie exhibited this much maturity and control, or done so much with so little.

Biggest Scare: The ending, where the mother pulls over to bind the daughter's leg, despite her desperate pleas to keep driving. As viewers, we keep looking behind her, expecting the worst. And that's part of the terror; she'll be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life.

Director: Luca Guadagnino
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Mia Goth, Elena Fokina, Chloë Grace Moretz
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Where to Watch: Apple TV

This is actually a remake of the 1977 Italian original, which has gained cult classic status in the years since. The film follows a ballet academy that serves as a front for a witch’s coven, making it the perfect body-horror platform. We see the female form brutalized—guts disemboweled, and limbs twisted into knots—in a damning depiction of motherhood. It has a polarizing two-and-a-half-hour runtime, which feels intentional–the violence is nothing if not involved and laborious.

Biggest Scare: Poor Olga's bone-snapping, tendon-ripping, urine-inducing dance. Again, the length—nearly three minutes of unflinching brutality—is key to its effectiveness. Believe it or not, the filmmakers used practical effects and a contortionist to shoot the majority of it.

Director: Robert Eggers
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie
Distributor: A24
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

This movie is 100 percent atmosphere and buildup. It made a star out of Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), and while it includes some truly horrific scenes, it also features some wonderful 17th-century dialect. We witness the family dynamic splinter, and we see hubris and temptation unravel these Puritans as they eventually turn on each other.

Biggest Scare: The baby scene. That flying ointment isn't going to make itself.

Director: Coralie Fargeat
Starring: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley
Distributor: Mubi
Where to Watch: Hulu

What would you do to stay young and stay beautiful? The Substance answers that question. An aging star decides to take a drug that will temporarily make her young in the most grotesque manner possible; a younger woman literally comes out of her unstitched back, leaving the outer skin behind. It goes well for a bit, but slowly it devolves into a body horror, Jekyll and Hyde cautionary tale, in which the younger version wants more and more time for herself.

Biggest Scare: Asking "But what if…?" is a crucial must for a sci-fi horror film like this one. And this film's biggest unanswered question—What happens if the main character did the exact thing that she was instructed, several times, to never do?—gets an answer. Boy, does it get an answer.

Director: Damien Leone
Starring: Lauren LaVera, Elliott Fullam, Sarah Voigt, Kailey Hyman, Casey Hartnett, David Howard Thornton
Distributor: Cinedigm
Where to Watch: Peacock

This is the outlier of the 20 films we've chosen: an over-the-top gory, twisted slasher film, with little societal significance beyond its visceral thrills and kills. It pays homage to its 80s inspirations in nearly every way, except the victims are well-characterized and rise above the status of mere cannon fodder. The highlight, aside from Art the Clown himself, is Sienna, a sword-wielding teen who proves to be a worthy match.

Biggest Scare: The bedroom scene, in which Art tortures and kills Allie, has allegedly caused audience members to vomit and faint. It's more than just the visceral gore; it's the cruelty and glee that Art takes in scalping this girl–and later rubbing salt and bleach into her wounds—that makes it one of the most intense, distasteful sequences ever committed to film. This is not for the faint-hearted.

Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Starring: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an
Distributor: Next Entertainment World
Where to Watch: Peacock

Have you ever cried over a horror film? Korean horror masterpiece Train to Busan earns its audience's tears by depicting three-dimensional characters. Money-hungry, consumed by his work, and neglectful of his family—especially his estranged daughter—our main character is deeply flawed. But by the end of the movie, you're rooting for this man to succeed, to redeem himself. And did I mention that this is a zombie film? Because the zombie action is top tier—some of the finest put to film, actually.

Biggest Scare: The entire train station sequence. These are not the plodding zombies of old. These zombies are fast, and you need to run faster or become the undead’s latest feast. How unnerving.

Director: Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou
Starring: Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji
Distributor: Maslow Entertainment
Where to Watch: Tubi

It starts off as a dare game à la Bloody Mary. You grab the mummified hand, speak to it, and a dead person possesses your body. But what if you knew the dead person? And what if they ask for your help? This movie isn't flashy, but it's effective, and that's one of the cool things about horror films: they rely on camera angles and editing to work—no multimillion-dollar budget required. Horror films are equalizers, and the filmmakers' talents shine through.

Biggest Scare: Riley getting tortured by demons. The filmmakers left just enough to the imagination.

Director: Zach Cregger
Starring: Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Where to Watch: HBO Max

Weapons is a movie that gets ridiculous by its end. It becomes a farce, in which the audience is laughing at the absurdity of what they're seeing. But this reaction is earned, and it comes as a relief after the nail-biting tension we've endured. This tale, about a class of kids who go missing in the middle of the night, is a parable about herd mentality and misdirected fear. And it introduces us to Aunt Gladys, one of the creepiest, most memorable horror villains in recent memory.

Biggest Scare: The scissors scene in the car. No jump scare. No loud sound cue. Just silence, faint, ambient noise, and the dread that someone is going to get stabbed to death.

Director: Curry Barker
Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette
Distributor: Focus Features
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Obsession is a story about cowardice and male entitlement. Bear is a boy too scared to put himself on the line and tell Nikki how he feels. So instead, he makes an ill-advised wish for Nikki to 'love him more than anyone in the world.' Of course, the wish gets fulfilled. And of course, it's fulfilled in the worst way possible, with Nikki as a nonconsensual passenger to her new, obsessed, monstrous self. This movie made an instant star out of Inde Navarrette, who will play Rogue in the upcoming MCU X-Men film.

Biggest Scare: There's lots of scares, but the moment in the bedroom, when Freaky Nikki bursts out of the shadows, probably tops the list. The desperation feels palpable.

Director: Ari Aster
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren
Distributor: A24
Where to Watch: HBO Max

This horror film occurs in broad daylight, which is uncommon for the genre. Horror typically takes place in darkness; people fear the unknown and the unseeable. Midsommar turns that perception on its head by juxtaposing the beautiful, sunny setting with the cult's moral depravity. The daylight also symbolizes that the cult knows exactly what it's doing. These are not brainwashed avatars, possessed by some unholy demon to do Satan's bidding. These are true believers, and that’s the most unsettling aspect about cult leaders and cultist movements.

Biggest Scare: The mallet kill. The screams (from the murderers, not the victim) don't help.

Director: David Rovert Mitchell
Starring: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary
Distributor: RADiUS-TWC
Where to Watch: Peacock

Horror warns against promiscuity. The horny teens in any film are usually the first to die. And It Follows takes this premise to the hilt; it's about a sexually transmitted curse. A creepy entity, invisible to everyone but those who are cursed, slowly trudges towards the person. No matter where the individual goes, whether it takes days or months to reach its target, it follows, relentlessly. The dread of the inevitable consumes this film, making it a must-watch for anyone who loves the unsettling vibes of a stalker flick.

Biggest Scare: The "Tall Man" encounter during the home invasion sequence. Jump scares don't compare to something this creepy.

Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole, Callum Turner
Distributor: A24
Where to Watch: Netflix

A punk band, operating on a shoestring budget, plays an ill-advised gig for a gang of white supremacists. When they see something they’re not supposed to, deadly shenanigans ensue. Patrick Stewart portrays the gang’s leader, and if you ever wanted to see Jean-Luc Picard curse and chew his way through the scenery, you've come to the right place.

Biggest Scare: The attempted gun handoff. We never see the knives hacking away at Pat's arm, but we get a really good look at the aftermath.

Director: Zach Cregger
Starring: Austin Abrams
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Where to Watch: Fandango

After so many critically panned Resident Evil films, the newest one by Zach Cregger finally cracked the code. It's not about Jill, or Leon, or Chris; it's about the pandemic and the efforts of Some Guy who gets caught in the midst of it all. The film makes nods at its video game source material, but it never indebts itself to it. It captures what it feels like to play Resident Evil, which is its most impressive accomplishment.

Biggest Scare: The misdirect in the farmhouse. You're waiting for the lady to come charging up the stairs, but nope—that comes later. First, the homeowner. Then, the lady.

Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Where to Watch: Netflix

Jordan Peele does not lack ambition. In his third feature, the Oscar-winning screenwriter and director tackled the alien-invasion genre. But rather than a standard flying saucer, Peele's UFO is a massive, jellyfish-like creature that sucks up and eats people by the dozens. We get two of Peele's strongest, most sympathetic protagonists: brother OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and sister Em (Keke Palmer), who radiate pure charisma every time they're on screen. In the midst of the mayhem, they're a loving family to root for.

Biggest Scare: The crowd digestion scene. We finally get a look inside the creature, and we hear its victims' blood-curdling final screams from overhead. It sounds like utter hell.

Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Where to Watch: Netflix

The premise of this movie sells itself. 28 Days Later covers the immediate aftermath of the outbreak. 28 Weeks Later covers the attempt to find a safe zone. And 28 Years Later covers the post-apocalyptic, agrarian society that forms afterward. We follow 12-year-old Spike on a coming-of-age journey as he seeks medical treatment for his ailing mother. Along the way, he fights a veritable parade of horrors, and we bear witness to some bizarre, oddly arresting visuals, like a massive bone temple made of thousands of skulls.

Biggest Scare: The zombie birth scene, followed by the angry alpha chase. It's a zig-zag of emotions, from disgust to odd tenderness to utter terror.

Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Where to Watch: HBO Max

Generally speaking, horror fares poorly with critics. And then, when an important horror film like Sinners comes out, it becomes a "no true Scotsman" fallacy ("Yeah, it's good, but it's not REAL horror!"). Make no mistake: Sinners is a modern horror classic, with just enough dramatic subtlety to get the Academy's attention. It won four Oscars, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan and Best Screenplay for Ryan Coogler. It's a story about vampires, yes, but it's also about the healing power of the blues and the power of music to connect a people across the past, present, and future.

Biggest Scare: The rattlesnake jump scare is pretty effective, but for pure horror, nothing beats the massive juke joint brawl that closes the film. The whole film builds and builds to that final orgy of blood.

Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Lil Rel Howery
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Where to Watch: Peacock

This is Jordan Peele's feature film debut about a Black man who spends a weekend getaway with his white girlfriend's family. What starts out as a series of awkward remarks and tone-deaf jokes slowly devolves into something more sinister. The movie does a great job of slowly ratcheting up the tension; no single event should tell this man to run away as fast as he can. Instead, the offenses are cumulative, a death by a thousand cuts vibe, and by the time he makes up his mind, he's too late.

Biggest Scare: Georginia's mental breakdown. No, no, no, no, no…

Director: Ari Aster
Starring: Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne
Distributor: A24
Where to Watch: HBO Max

This entire film feels oppressive. Grief consumes the characters, and less than a third of the way through the film, a shocking event makes everyone even more traumatized and depressed. So be warned: Hereditary is not a 'fun' horror flick. You're in for a pitch-black, harrowing experience. But it feels real in a manner that horror rarely does. And Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine) puts on a tour-de-force, self-sacrificing performance to make that possible.

Biggest Scare: The aftermath of the car accident, especially the delayed reaction to discovering it. That scream.