Movies
Underrated Horror Gems of 2022 You May Have Missed
2022 has been, by and large, one of the most incredible years in horror movie history. We’ve seen instant classics rise one after another, and the slate for 2023 doesn’t show any signs of slowing. You’ll be seeing best-of-the-year lists with the most obvious suspects at the top: Nope, Prey, Pearl & X, Hellraiser, and many more films that I just don’t have enough space to list here. And those movies deserve all the praise they get! But I’m a champion of the underdog, and I can’t just sit by and let great films go by without showing them to as many people as I can. So, I’ve made a list of the most unsung heroes of horror in 2022, both creators and their creations, for you to check out in 2023. Because even though the year is over and Christmas has passed, its gifts of horror are far from gone!
Our Favorite Underrated Horror Gems of 2022
HONORABLE MENTION: THE LONG WALK
This is going to be the shortest of my mentions on this list, not for any fault of the film; it’s a heartbreaking and masterfully crafted venture, but my rewatch of the film has not radically changed my opinion of it. It’s still pretty dope, and you should still check it out!
If you need any more convincing, I have a more detailed (and positively glowing) review of The Long Walk already up on this site, and I think you should give it a shot if you’re at all a fan of horror drama or sci-fi horror. You will not be disappointed.
ALL OF GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, BUT ESPECIALLY THE VIEWING
And speaking of sci-fi horror, let’s talk about The Viewing…
Once I’m done ranting about how Cabinet of Curiosities did not get the flowers it deserved!
I was fully expecting Horror Twitter to prostrate itself before Guillermo Del Toro and all the artists he platformed for making such an excellent collection of short films, and instead I saw a mere sprinkling of tweets. A tiddlywink of tweets. For shame. All the shorts in this series are great in their own right, there’s not a single bad one among them, and I encourage you to check them all.
But the one I feel got the least credit was Panos Cosmatos’ The Viewing (written by Mandy collaborator Aaron Stewart-Ahn). The creature design in The Viewing is only matched by Hellraiser (2022)’s special effects wise, which tracks given that The Viewing feels exactly like something that Barker would have written. In it, a hedonistic hermit assembles a group of like-minded eccentric individuals to witness something incredible, wanting to reignite their hearts and minds. The viewing, like many sights man was not meant to see, goes terribly wrong, and Cosmatos makes it look earth-shakingly fantastic.
The Viewing is a slow-paced, coke-induced dream of an even dreamier late-70s aesthetic that is embodied in its upper-echelon set design and production. It brings together a colorful cast of the most unexpected character actors (Eric Andre, Sofia Boutella, and Peter Wellers together? Seriously?) all under the same roof, executing the intricate construct of a true-blue horror visionary.
NOCEBO
Nocebo released in early November, and despite the time that’s gone by, the internet hype wave never really carried this excellent film to the shores of cultural consciousness as it should have. This supernatural horror was a rare international collaboration of the Film Development Council of the Philippines and Screen Ireland, and like Detention which I spotlighted last year, is inspired by true horrific events; namely, the 2015 Kentex slipper factory fire that ravaged the Philipines.
Irish director Lorcan Finnegan and writer Garret Shanley, who headed the trippy sci-fi horror Vivarium, weave the tragic tale of Christine (Eva Green), a flourishing fashion designer who, after being attacked by a wild dog, begins suffering from a mysterious ailment and becomes the inadvertent employer of Diana (Chai Fonacier), a picture-perfect nanny with preternatural healing abilities.
It reminds me of both Possession, in following a descent into madness, and Hereditary, in following the slow and grisly dissolution of a family. Cinematography-wise, it’s well-executed but this tale of supernatural revenge and traditional medicine that harms more than it fixes shines when it lets the actors breathe. Green’s performance is wrenching and works perfectly in contrast to Fonacier’s reserved and captivating coldness.
The general atmosphere of the film is one that you can feel yourself walking through, slowly picking up the pieces of a tragedy that makes you feel helpless. The final sequence is shockingly powerful and hard to watch, so brace yourself for this one.
SISSY
When popular influencer Cecilia runs into her best friend and unrequited love Emma all grown up and engaged, the hen’s weekend she’s invited to takes a turn for the worst when confronted by her childhood bully; what begins as a reunion turns into a bloody brilliant rampage as Sissy…sorry, Cecilia, goes out for retribution.
I watched Sissy the same week as Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, A24’s smash hit, and was blown away by how great both were. Both are about parties gone horribly wrong, both are out of the park at being equal parts black comedy and horror, and both have a satirical streak that runs through their entire scripts. There’s a special kind of balance only these two movies achieve where they can have you ratcheted tight with anxiety one minute and cracking up laughing at grotesque absurdities (emotional and physical) the next.
Whereas Bodies opts for a much darker setting literally and figuratively, Sissy’s photography choices are aptly matched with one of the film’s core themes; though everything is cheery and bright on the surface, this is regularly juxtaposed with the sinister and rotten relationships we foster with our self-image and others, as well as some plain old nasty human cruelty.
In an age where toxic positivity is on a meteoric rise, and where the loudest mental health awareness advocates tend to have a beam in their eye the size of their follower count, Sissy is the film that tackles that modern attitude with acerbic wit.
And, no spoilers, but you will not look at kangaroos the same after this one.
SALOUM
But by far, the most underrated horror film of the year for me was Saloum.
Saloum follows a trio of mercenaries known as the Bangui’s Hyenas. Escaping a massacre they didn’t cause with gold that isn’t theirs, sabotage forces the guns-for-hire to hide out in the small coastal town of Saloum, where, the characters face phantoms from the country’s past as well as their own.
This Shudder exclusive release needs to get a reassessment from the public, and part of me wonders if it’s because of its structure. Horror fans are effectively watching a crime thriller for the first 40 minutes with only soft hints of horror dashed in. After that point, all hell breaks loose as the tale becomes a horrific story of survival for the crew, with some very frightening monsters to boot.
On the surface, Saloum is a tale of revenge, and it tells you that upfront. On a deeper level, Saloum is a movie about myth in a uniquely Senegalese tradition. The personal myth, the mythologization of war and its combatants, and the mythos of a country. It sells these ideas with an intensely charismatic cast and some impeccable directing. The movie is a perfect genre fusion, slick and stylish without losing its substance, Saloum was a tour de force that I enjoyed every minute of.
SO…
Did I miss any that you think should be on here? Let me know in the comments and talk to us on Twitter to get your voice out there, you know we love to hear from you!
Here’s to another great year of horror ahead!
Halloween season is over, and many streamers have forgotten about us horror kids. While they take their 11-month hiatus from the genre, we can be grateful that we still have an app that cares. We are so lucky that Shudder remains that girl year-round. Whether you’re finishing their new original show Guts & Glory, catching up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, or running at some of their deep cuts like I am, Shudder has your best interests at heart. As usual, she has quite a few titles fighting for our attention. Which is why I am here with five titles I think should be at the top of all of our watch lists this November. So, cancel your holiday plans and pick up your remote because we have got horrifying things to watch.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Habit (1995)
An alcoholic unwittingly enters into a relationship with a succubus in New York City. If you ever wondered what Larry Fessenden was getting up to in his youth, you need to see this ’90s gem. I lucked out and caught it at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last year, and I lived my best life. While watching it on the small screen will not be the same, I plan to hit play anyway. Mostly because I love to see 1990s succubi leaving their mark on men…and also the horror genre. Shudder is also adding The Last Winter and Depraved, so we can spend a whole day with Uncle Larry’s work.
Sew Torn (2024)
A seamstress happens upon a failed drug deal and steals a briefcase. She soon finds herself caught in a deadly situation where all roads lead to death. I caught Sew Torn at SXSW last year and have been wondering what happened to it. So, I am very happy this odd little bird has found her way to Shudder. I cannot wait to make my friends who are looking for something cute and deadly watch. I knew nothing when I hit play on this, and I encourage you to know as little as possible, too. I fear I have already written too much in this blurb to be completely honest.
You can watch Sew Torn on November 1st.
The Retreat (2021)
A couple goes on a pre-wedding retreat and unwittingly becomes targets of a group of serial killers. We have seen too many movies about retreats, and I thought this one would be more of the same. This title does not completely reinvent the wheel, but it does set itself apart within this oversaturated subgenre. The Retreat is a surprisingly fun and tense little thriller that feels made for the winter watches. Come for the lesbian characters leading the film, and stay for the violence. I also encourage you to check it out while it is on Shudder, because it is usually on apps with ads.
You can watch The Retreat on November 1st.
The Creep Tapes (Season 2)
Peachfuzz returns with more tapes, chaos, kills, and WTF moments. Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice have reentered the TV arena and are making things weird again. If award shows were real, this duo would be leading the Emmys charge. I saw the first three episodes, and Josef/Peachfuzz is still the serial killer after our own hearts. Our Wolfie is still cutting up (literally and figuratively) in the most amazing ways. Guest stars in danger this season include David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Katie Aselton (The League), and Robert Longstreet (The Haunting of Hill House).
You can watch The Creep Tapes (Season 2) on November 14th.
Krampus (2015)
A kid accidentally summons demons during the holidays in this horror comedy. Krampus remains one of the top-tier Christmas horror titles for me. It is also my favorite Michael Dougherty film. Not only because it has the star power of Adam Scott and Toni Collette, either. This movie is wicked, and even the kids are in danger. I do not have many holiday horror movies I revisit every year, but Krampus is one of the very few. It still holds up, and I cannot wait to rewatch it with a festively boozy beverage.
You can watch Krampus on November 15th.
Those are a few reasons I am grateful for Shudder this holiday season. While the rest of you are fighting with your family and friends, I will be parked in front of my TV. You can have your turkey because I would rather gorge myself on episodes of The Creep Tapes anyway.
Let me know what Shudder shenanigans you have got your little eye on. I am nosy and want to make sure I am not missing anything on my favorite streamer.
The year is winding down, and I don’t know about you, but I am trying to pack in as many 2025 horror movies as I can. Is this because I love making end-of-the-year lists? Yes. Is it because I am an unhealed overachiever? Also, yes. So, I am assuming some of you are also cruising the streamers to see what you may have missed. While Netflix has had my favorite new slasher Heart Eyes for a bit, and I have mentioned that in previous streaming guides, they also have other new horror titles to show you.
I do not talk about them as much because I did not have a good time with them. However, that does not mean you won’t enjoy some of these titles. That’s why I am taking the high road and finding something to be grateful for about each of them. That way, you will know there is a silver lining if you do watch them. Allow me to help you figure out what to prioritize this month and what to skip. Check out this chaotic Netflix hitlist below!
The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month
28 Years Later (2025)
A group of survivors on a small island has built a fortress to protect them from the rage virus. However, a young boy discovers what is really outside the walls of their community and sets off to find a cure for his sick mother. We all loved 28 Days Later, and some of us liked 28 Weeks Later. So, 28 Years Later was never going to live up to the hype with almost thirty years of anticipation. While I didn’t love it, I did enjoy seeing Danny Boyle helm another zombie installment. What he does in the subgenre is top-tier, and we are welcome (even if the script left me wanting more). That might have gotten buried in all the talk about the dicks seen in the movie, though.
Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)
A group of girls competing for prom queen starts disappearing, leaving the underdog to figure out what is happening to her competition. I had a lot of thoughts about this lackluster installment in Netflix’s Fear Street adaptations. As someone who grew up reading Fear Street books and wanting to adapt them myself, I do not understand how this movie came out so badly. Which made it hard to find something nice to say about this title. However, the soundtrack slaps, and it is not the soundtrack’s fault that it was wasted on a low-energy bottom-tier slasher. So, if you hit play on this, you can at least look forward to hearing some retro bangers selected by music supervisor Nora Felder. If you are familiar with her work on Yellowjackets and Stranger Things, you know Felder does not miss.
Maa (2025)
To battle a demon’s curse, a mother transforms into the legendary goddess Kali. As usual, Netflix did not advertise an international horror movie that seemed to have some potential. If they had told us Maa was an Indian Hindi-language mythological horror movie, most people who yell for intersectionality and originality would have run at it. Instead, we had to find out about it months later while looking for something we hadn’t already seen on the app. This movie is too long, and I cannot say it is good by any stretch of the imagination. However, it also made me realize how little I know about the goddess of destruction. If you are a nerd like me, this might lead you down a cool rabbit hole. You can also say you gave a view to a horror movie starring Brown people. Who knows, maybe you could be one of the few who enjoy this chaotic film.
Until Dawn (2025)
A group of friends find themselves trapped in a time loop where they keep getting killed in gruesome ways. I love the video game and was so bummed this adaptation was so bad. However, the practical effects are very cool and should be celebrated more. I think the stuff that the SFX team pulled off might be the only reason to watch the movie personally. I’m happy the actors whose work I enjoy got paid, and that’s another positive thing I can say. However, if we want to see young people in deadly time loops, we have so many movies that do it better. Excuse me as I look right at Happy Death Day and all of the movies that have tried to copy her.
Ziam (2025)
A Muay Thai fighter battles through a zombie apocalypse to save the woman he loves. Netflix fumbled the advertising for this one too, because who doesn’t want to see a Thai zombie film? So, I was excited to watch it, but then sad I did not like it. However, I think this one is on me. It is an action-horror with a lot of heartfelt moments, and that’s not my bag. I wanted more violence and zombie action because I am a broken and heartless ghoul. So, Ziam might be the only movie on this list that does not deserve my bombastic side eye. I am waiting for other people to watch it and let me know if they have a better time with it, though.
While I was not the audience for these movies, I am assuming some of you will dig them. Worst-case scenario, you cross off a few more 2025 horror movies and have something to talk about at Friendsgiving. Happy Horrordays! I will see myself out now…
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