Movies
The Amityville Horror Franchise, Ranked
It’s Haunted House Month here at Horror Press! Since a common thread of haunted house movies is exploring the dark past of the dwelling at the center of the story, I thought I’d dig through one of the darkest times in my own movie-watching past to deliver a ranking of the Amityville Horror franchise, loosely based on the real-life-but-almost-definitely-a-hoax story of the Lutz family’s paranormal experience of living in a Long Island home that had recently been the site of a mass murder.
It’s Haunted House Month here at Horror Press! Since a common thread of haunted house movies is exploring the dark past of the dwelling at the center of the story, I thought I’d dig through one of the darkest times in my own movie-watching past to deliver a ranking of the Amityville Horror franchise, loosely based on the real-life-but-almost-definitely-a-hoax story of the Lutz family’s paranormal experience of living in a Long Island home that had recently been the site of a mass murder.
Note: We’re only going to be counting the movies in the “proper” franchise, which generally means anything between the 1979 original and the 2005 remake, as well as whatever came after that which had a budget that could buy you more than a box of Cracker Jacks. Around the early 2010s, filmmakers seemed to discover that you can’t copyright the name of a real town, so infinite low-budget knockoffs began to spring up, and I’m sorry but stuff like Amityville Karen and Amityville Christmas Vacation just doesn’t belong here.
They certainly deserve an article of their own, but that’s an entirely different ballgame, with a drunk umpire.
10. The Amityville Curse (1990)
The Amityville movies frequently have a hard time focusing on the core elements of the franchise, as you’ll soon see, but this installment – the fifth – was where they really lost the plot good and proper. It’s a milquetoast adult drama set in Amityville, but it’s in an entirely different house, and one that is much squatter and uglier and more boring to look at than the iconic Dutch Colonial with the windows that look like glaring, angry eyes. The boring outsides of the house reflect the boring paranormal antics going on within its walls, and the whole thing is predicated on a plot twist that is so obvious I didn’t realize we weren’t supposed to already know it was happening.
9. Amityville: The Awakening (2017)
This is the single “proper” Amityville movie made after 2005, and it took them three years of reshoots and post-production meddling to actually get it released. Maybe they should have taken longer, because the final product is in shambles. It has promising elements (Jennifer Jason Leigh, a meta angle where the Amityville movies exist), but nothing to show for it as it lazily grafts an Insidious-style storyline into the Amityville universe without any of the potent James Wan-style scares.
8. The Amityville Horror (2005)
A shirtless 2005 Ryan Reynolds with an axe certainly gets you somewhere, but even by the standards of a mid-2000s horror remake, The Amityville Horror is pretty weak. The haunted house genre is the one that least benefits from “improved” special effects that involve slopping lots of bad CGI onscreen, but every choice made here delivers the story and themes with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
7. Amityville Dollhouse (1996)
This one is about a new house built on the same lot as the original Amityville house, but there’s a haunted dollhouse in the shape of the original house that is exerting its evil influence? Hell if I know what’s actually going on here, but Amityville Dollhouse is drab more than it is actively bad. And it does have its moments. It’s more exploitative than many of the other installments, so if you’re into scantily clad men or women, there’s a surprising amount of both for what is ostensibly a family drama. Also, because the movie has as little understanding of its own plot as I do, the manifestations of the presence in the house are kooky and constantly changing, which does keep you on your toes.
6. The Amityville Horror (1979)
You might be surprised to find the original movie so low on the list, but for a minted classic, it can get tedious. It’s episodic with no real build-up, needlessly shackling itself to the “real” events of the story, leaving it diffuse and messy and narratively unsatisfying for a great big portion of its run time.
5. Amityville 1992: It’s About Time (1992)
The sixth Amityville movie is part of a run of sequels involving objects from the original house being brought into other homes and wreaking havoc. In this case, it’s a haunted clock that bends time, and the results are cuckoo bananapants. It’s a low-budget direct-to-video movie, so there’s a ceiling to how well things go for it, but it’s full of beautifully conceived post-Elm Street supernatural mayhem and its chaotic energy is kind of a delight.
4. Amityville II: The Possession (1982)
After the release of the original, Italian shlock producer Dino De Laurentiis got his hands on the franchise and gave it a big ol’ shot in the arm. The 1980s were in full swing at this point, and thus the movie is jam-packed with glorious rubbery effects, incest, and mayhem. Unfortunately, it concludes with a boring Exorcist riff, but it’s a pretty fun entry overall.
3. Amityville: The Evil Escapes (1989)
This is the one with the Evil Lamp, and oh what a lamp! You take one look at it and go, “Yeah, that lamp is evil; stay away from that.” Somehow this is an Amityville movie that is also a Patty Duke TV movie, and even more shockingly, it works. It’s very silly, sure, but it’s got one of the most engaging core storylines of the bunch, with three generations of women battling evil in an isolated home. It’s everything the new Halloween trilogy thought it was doing, and more. (“More” is a teenage girl dumping two giant bowls of salad down a garbage disposal.)
2. Amityville 3-D (1983)
Dropping the “based on a true story” conceit immediately allowed the franchise to cut loose and have some fun, combining the deliberate pace of the original and the 1980s grotesquerie of the sequel into a focused slow boil toward a rollicking good time. Plus, Meg Ryan is kicking around and a Frisbee gets thrown directly into your face, so what’s not to like?
1. Amityville: A New Generation (1993)
It’s not often that a direct-to-video seventh installment in a franchise is the best, but The Amityville Horror is one of the more unusual horror franchises on the market. This one, about a haunted mirror tormenting bohemian artists straight from the cast of Rent, features a stacked cast (David Naughton! Terry O’Quinn! Richard Roundtree! Lin Shaye!!), unique visual ideas, and a solid plot. It’s no masterpiece, but it’s a diamond in the rough. Or, at the very least, some cubic zirconia in the rough.
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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