It feels as though the horror genre had a bit of a resurgence in 2024. I’ve been critical of the genre in recent years, relying solely on a few filmmakers to keep mainstream horror afloat, while independent producers and distributors like Shudder really struggled to find the next hidden gems. The first few years of the 2020s have been light on genuinely captivating, assured horror movies with original ideas.
In 2024, however, the genre was diverse and contained many great movies from directors both popular and obscure. This felt like a year where we found an abundance of new auteurs to look forward to for the next decade and beyond. Many of those directors have works featured in the ranking below. I’d also like to shout out a few honorable mentions for horror movies I really liked, but didn’t quite make the list: MadS, Immaculate, In a Violent Nature, Longlegs, MaXXXine and Oddity.
Here are the 10 best horror movies of 2024:
10. Blink Twice
Blink Twice wears its influences on its sleeve, but for a directorial debut like this for Zoë Kravitz, I thought it was pretty commendable. The industry is begging for a few more genre filmmakers capable of projects that are equally fun and thought-provoking, and Kravitz is able to switch between one and another on a dime. The performances help elevate the material, too, which inevitably pushes Blink Twice over the finish line.
Read our review of Blink Twice.
9. The First Omen
8. The Substance
The Substance is not without its flaws, but Coralie Fargeat latest film proves her distinct artistry. She’s able to pull grandiose performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, and a few of the individual jolts of energy keep you locked in despite the movie’s indulgent 141 minute runtime. I’m not crazy about the ending, which aims for absurd quantity over quality, but I still want to see if Fargeat is offered the chance to do something bigger and even bolder moving forward. Regardless of where I ultimately landed with it, she announces herself as a director to look out for.
Read our review of The Substance.
7. Smile 2
6. Y2K
The best way to approach Y2K is to go in completely blind. Seriously, avoid trailers and marketing if you can. The film’s absurd twists and genuinely hilarious moments are what make it so enjoyable, and knowing too much beforehand could spoil the fun. Kyle Mooney makes his directorial debut here, and he nails it. Throughout the brisk 91-minute runtime, he keeps the pace sharp and entertaining. The movie is often exhilarating, always self-deprecating, and has just enough 1999 nostalgia to hit the right notes without feeling overdone or cheesy.
Read our review of Y2K.
5. Chime
Chime may feel sparse and bare, intentionally so, but few directors can put together a 45 minute film as engaging and constantly unnerving as Kiyoshi Kurosawa. A companion operating as a side story for many of his great works, Cure and Pulse included, Chime is for the diehard fans of the director, and anyone interested in the latest offerings of supernatural Japanese horror, and lean offerings at that.
Read our review of Chime.
4. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is just as ridiculous and comical as its English-language title would suggest. The movie is a riff on the vampire genre in a similar way that What We Do in the Shadows is. They both poke fun at the blasé, mundane, and almost emo way in which we consume much of the vampire material that’s been produced this century. Because vampires have become synonymous with counterculture, often because the motifs and iconography of these monsters reflect that of the unimpressed teenage mindset.
Read our review of Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person.
3. Cuckoo
Sometimes, a good ole freak-out film that doesn’t make much sense is exactly what you need. Fortunately, Tilman Singer is responsible for two of them now. 2020’s Luz was an underappreciated shock to the horror system that signaled Singer as an auteur to look out for moving forward, and 2024’s Cuckoo only further cements him as one of the genre’s bravest image makers, even as he’s working out the kinks in his storytelling repertoire.
Read our review of Cuckoo.
2. Nosferatu
Robert Eggers might already be one of the greatest filmmakers of our time. Sure, it’s silly and hyperbolic to say that so early in his career, but few directors today can craft arthouse movies on the scale of his latest work, Nosferatu, and make it look so effortless. The subject matter feels like a natural progression from his earlier explorations of isolation and dread in The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman. Here, Eggers reimagines the classic vampire tale with precise, stomach-churning detail, delivering a vision that both honors the original and reinvents it as a sadistic, psychosexual nightmare.
Read our review of Nosferatu.
1. I Saw the TV Glow
I Saw the TV Glow is one of the best movies of 2024, showcasing exactly what independent filmmaking can be when handled by the right people. A24 adds another riveting drama by a fascinating young auteur to their trophy case, and Jane Schoenbrun announces themselves as an important and singular filmmaker to look out for moving forward.
Read our review of I Saw the TV Glow.
More ‘Best of 2024’ Lists from Cinephile Corner
Cinephile Corner has recapped the 2024 movie year with their ‘Best of 2024‘ list week, which includes:
- The Best Movies of 2024
- The Best Horror Movies of 2024
- The Best Animated Movies of 2024
- The Best A24 Movies of 2024
