Movies
Brendan’s Top 5 Horror Movies of 2024
2024 was a year chock full of excellent horror films from all across the globe. On top of the great films that premiered in 2024, some of the best films of 2023 saw physical releases from myriad boutique labels. It’s never been a better time to be a horror fan. Out of the hundreds of films I’ve watched this year, five have stuck out as my favorite. What are they? Let’s take a look.
The Top 5 Best Horror Films of 2024
5. Cuckoo Written and Directed by Tilman Singer
Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) finds her life turned upside down when the death of her mother turns her life upside down. She is forced to move to the German Alps with her father Luis (Marton Csokas), stepmother Beth (Jessica Henwick), and her half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu). Luis finds himself making this move as he oversees the creation of a new hotel deep in the woods. Shortly into her new move, Gretchen meets the oddly charismatic, and deeply unsettling, Herr König (Dan Stevens). Things quickly turn insidious when Gretchen starts to notice strange happenings around the mountain-side resort.
As a huge fan of Luz, I was excited to see whatever Singer created next. His sophomore feature blends a murder/mystery story with oddball supernatural occurrences. Cuckoo throws viewers into a tailspin of craziness and succeeds on almost every front. Hunter Schaefer and Dan Stevens excel in their respective roles, cementing two characters firmly in the annals of horror history. I had the opportunity to catch this film at Fantastic Fest as did our very own Eli BadCritic. Check out Eli’s review for a more in-depth look at this fascinating feature.
You can stream Cuckoo on Hulu starting December 17th.
4. Who’s Watching Written and Directed by Tim Kasher
Who’s Watching follows Caleb (Zachary Ray Sherman), a weird, creepy, and downright off-putting, self-obsessed loner. Caleb finds himself creating a “documentary” at his uncle’s business. The “documentary” quickly reveals itself to be centered around his coworker Krista (Gracie Gillam), turning from oddly quirky to insidiously dangerous. The narration around Caleb’s film gets murky when one of his band’s friends, Tawnia (Olivia Luccardi), enters the picture. Who is filming who? And who, exactly, is watching?
Coming in at my number four spot is a film I had the opportunity to see at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. Following the film was a fun Q&A with leads Gracie Gillam and Olivia Luccardi, where curator of everything Horror Press, James-Michael Fleites, learned that Olivia Luccardi was the clamshell eReader girl from It Follows! Nevertheless, Who’s Watching is a unique hybrid-found footage film that blends multiple perspectives into one thrilling feature. While Gillam and Luccardi are excellent leads, the film’s antagonist, Zachary Ray Sherman, is a well-crafted antagonist who sticks with you long after the credits roll. If you’re tired of the typical found footage fare, then Who’s Watching will be that fresh cup of lemonade on a hot summer day.
Check out my Brooklyn Horror Film Festival review here for a more in-depth look into my thoughts.
3. Bakemono Written and Directed by Doug Roos
Bakemono tells the fragmented tales of multiple poor souls who find their demise in an Airbnb. Friends, philanderers, forlorn souls, relatives, everyone is fair game in this horrific hostel. The Airbnb is owned by the mysterious Mitsuo (Takashi Irie), an unstable man who may be more involved than he seems. Will anyone survive the wrath of this transforming creature?
If it weren’t for my number two and one picks, Bakemono would easily be my top film of 2024. I saw Bakemono during Tokyo Horror Film Festival and was left in shock. Many horror filmmakers are harkening back to the time of practical effects over digital. Doug Roos does so with exhilarating, stomach-churning gusto. Bakemono is a tour de force of practical effects. On top of how fantastic the creature and kills look, Roos tells a non-linear story that sets it apart from typical creature feature fare. It takes some time for the non-linear angle to work itself out, but if you stick with it and accept it for what it is, you won’t be disappointed.
For a more in-depth look into my thoughts, check out my full Tokyo Horror Film Festival review here.
2. The Soul Eater Written and Directed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury
Franck de Rolan (Paul Hamy) finds himself in a small mountain town as he looks into the mystery of disappearing children. On his way to town, he meets Commander Elizabeth Guardiano (Virginie Ledoyen), who is also on her way to investigate the brutal murder of a family. They soon realize they’re both investigating the same crimes. Local legend speaks of a creature called the Soul Eater, and it starts to look more and more like the Soul Eater has descended upon this town to wreak havoc.
Bustillo and Maury blend the line between New French Extremity and “normal” horror filmmaking with their 2024 feature, The Soul Eater. Casual horror fans will be able to stomach their extreme style while still getting a glimpse at their insatiable taste for blood. Extreme horror fans can revel in the grotesque nature of this film and still enjoy the well-written, engaging story behind it all. These two filmmakers have proven time and time again that they are some of the most influential filmmakers in horror, and The Soul Eater shows that they still got it!
For a more in-depth look into my thoughts, check out my full Fantastia Fest review here.
1. Jimmy & Stiggs Written and Directed by Joe Begos
When out-of-work filmmaker Jimmy (Joe Begos) embarks on his latest bender, he’s thrust into a world of terror he is far from prepared for. After experiencing aliens in his Los Angeles apartment, Jimmy calls his friend/former collaborator Stiggs (Matt Mercer) or help. Jimmy and Stiggs soon find themselves in a fight for their lives and also…humanity.
I’m a sucker for Joe Begos. From his debut feature, Almost Human, to his Christmas slasher, Christmas Bloody Christmas, there hasn’t been a Begos film I haven’t liked. Jimmy & Stiggs exists as Begos’s COVID project. Shot over nearly four years in his OWN apartment, living in the neon-soaked set all throughout the Christmas Bloody Christmasproduction, Jimmy & Stiggs is nothing more than a drug-fueled, 80-minute balls-to-the-wall feature that doesn’t let up for a second.
I saw this film in a packed theater at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival and had no clue what I was in for. After a few beers, I stumbled into the theater and witnessed Joe Begos introduce the feature. I had no clue what I was about to watch. To say I was captivated until the final second is an understatement. This fully practical, alien-centric film feels like something I’ve never had the opportunity to witness in theaters before. If you get the chance to see this film, run, don’t walk.
For a more in-depth look, check out our very own Samantha McLaren’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival coverage here.
We are finally in the midst of Shudder’s 61 days of Halloween! There are so many horror movies to consume and 31 days simply isn’t enough. Use the long Labor Day weekend to kick off your horror movie countdown and add these movies to your Shudder queue. Here is a list of what I would recommend checking out to ease into the Halloween spirit right before going into full blown premature trick-or-treating mode.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
The Yeti (2026)
A large creature has captured people in a remote Alaskan town in the 1940s. The sheriff has put together a search-and-rescue monster hunting party to bring back the captives. It sounds like the premise of a Cold Iron Studios co-op video game in the same vein as Aliens: Fireteam Elite. The stylization from co-directors Gene Gallerano & William Pisciotta in the trailer makes me think they have cooked up a story that blends action, horror, and wilderness survival. Sign me up, sheriff!
Leave (2022)
Hunter was found as a baby abandoned in a cemetery wrapped in a cloth covered with satanic symbols. She has been searching for answers her whole life about where she came from. Her journey to find her parents takes her down a mysterious path, and she is being warned by something from the beyond to leave this mystery alone. Can she trust who this investigation is leading her towards? It’s a mysterious, supernatural, culty film that will give you chills.
Penny Lane is Dead (2026)
One crazy night in Australia with perhaps a dash of revenge. Shudder’s latest original looks to be packed with blood and violence in this story of girls just trying to have fun until the crazy cousin drugs the party and invites dangerous people to play. The trailer promises lots of body horror (trigger warning, there may be SA or threat of it). I’m not saying it will be Evil Dead level, but there’s definitely something in the Aussie water with Lee Cronin pumping out his gory deadites and mummy films, and now Mia Kate Russel with this one.
The Others (2001)
This is a PSA to the younger readers of Horror Press; stop what you’re doing and watch Nicole Kidman go 100 miles per hour in this classic ghost story with a twist. Dreary weather, massive estate, confusing corridors, creepy house servants you don’t know if you can trust, and sad British kids. The ending is an all-timer and spoilers should be avoided at all costs. It has exactly what you need to get right into the cozy, spooky mood for 61-days of Halloween.
Dark Harvest (2023)
If The Hunger Games and The Purge had a baby and raised it during Oktoberfest. Teenage boys are tasked with hunting and killing the entity known as Sawtooth Jack on Halloween night, or it could mean certain peril for their town. Of the movies I have listed here that I have not seen, this is going to be at the top of my watchlist. Teens fighting for survival on Halloween night and the battle setting is in a cornfield?! Say less. I am there with my Sam Adams seasonal in hand. Another perfect movie to cannonball me right into the Halloween spirit.
This list has been carefully curated to watch in a specific order to gear up for a Halloween marathon. Start with the wintry monster movie, move on to a macabre supernatural thriller, followed by a ramp-up in blood and gore, to then be lulled into a spooky, bump-in-the-night classic, all to end on a ritualistic hunt taking place on Halloween night. This is just getting things started for the first 30-days. Looking forward to sharing the next list to get you through October.
Anyone who follows legendary horror author Stephen King on social media or reads the back of books knows one thing. It’s harder to find something that King hasn’t blurbed than something that he has. The dude is a voracious consumer of genre media, and he finds a lot to love. It’s an admirable quality. But, speaking as someone who saw American Ultra after he praised it, you can’t always trust his recommendations. Today, I’ll cut some of the wheat from the chaff and break down the best modern horror movies he’s recommended.
Three notes: First, I have decided to define “modern” as “2001 or later.” Second, King practices good social media hygiene and has deleted many of his old posts. A lot of them are archived elsewhere. However, it’s more or less impossible to make a truly comprehensive list of his recommendations. I’ve synthesized multiple different sources and done my best to truly encapsulate the breadth of his recommendations. Third, I have not included any adaptations of his own work. He may be outspoken about the ones he doesn’t like, but he’s still obviously biased in that department.
#10 Snakes on a Plane (2006)
To quote King himself (defending putting 2012 among his top 2009 movies), “no filmgoing diet is complete without some cheese.” Snakes on a Plane is a does-what-it-says-on-the-tin movie, delivering high-flying serpentine thrills. However, it’s also a remarkably faithful resurrection of the atmosphere of old 1970s airplane thrillers.
#9 Final Destination 5 (2011)
In his Best of 2011 entry on Final Destination 5, King called it “the best since the first,” and he’s absolutely right. While the sequels probably peaked with the highway prologue in Final Destination 2, the fifth installment is pound-for-pound the most thrilling entry. Between the bridge collapse, the laser eye surgery, and the nail-biting sequence where a screw falls pointy-side-up on a balance beam, there’s no denying there’s real power here. And that’s not even mentioning the fun final twist!
#8 A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
In a since-deleted Tweet, King called Day One “the rare ‘big Hollywood film’ that is both intimate and textured.” It’s true. A Quiet Place: Day One is a mini miracle of horror filmmaking. An IP-drenched prequel to a duology of good-not-great post-apocalyptic popcorn blockbusters shouldn’t be this genuinely stirring. Plus, relative newcomer Joseph Quinn holds his own against the awe-inspiring Lupita Nyong’o, resulting in an all-timer two-hander.
#7 The Strangers (2008)
After watching The Strangers, King took to Entertainment Weekly to pontificate about what makes good horror. If you inspire someone who literally wrote the book on horror to think about it more, you’ve done something right. Bryan Bertino’s home invasion movie is one of the grimmest movies of the 2000s, but its desperate existential dread is terrifying and perfectly in line with King’s best works.
#6 Splice (2009)
King included Splice on his Top 10 list for 2010, particularly praising the “talented actors… who take the material seriously.” How did this grotesque genetic-experimentation horror movie directed by the guy who made Cube land Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley? Who knows. But they breathe life into some already super solid material. What Brody in particular gets up to feels even more twisted because it’s the guy from The Pianist doing it.
#5 Smile (2022)
In a since-deleted Tweet, King called Smile a “good, scary horror film.” He added that “the real surprise is Sosie Bacon as Rose. What a hell of a performance.” Bacon really was a revelation, but so was debut director Parker Finn. His control over tone and pacing leads to some of the best scare sequences of the 2020s.
#4 The Rule of Jenny Pen (2024)
King’s not fucking around about the New Zealand horror film The Rule of Jenny Pen. It’s one of just two horror movies on his New York Times ballot for the best of the 21st century. The underseen movie is a real corker, too. It follows a judge (Geoffrey Rush) recovering in a care home after a stroke. However, his relaxation is ruined by a sadistic retiree (John Lithgow) who is obsessed with his baby doll puppet. Lithgow’s performance is stunning, and his thrillingly dark energy commands the screen every second he’s in front of the camera.
#3 Barbarian (2022)
In a since-deleted reply to a fan’s Tweet about Barbarian, King said “Yeah, that movie blew me away. It was crazy! Crazy GOOD!” This movie contributed what is perhaps the definitive scary basement in horror, which is no small feat. That’s all thanks to director Zach Cregger’s control over onscreen darkness (one of his many skills). The man must be a shadowmancer of some kind.
#2 Train to Busan (2016)
Train to Busan is the only other horror movie on King’s NYT ballot. It has received a lot of international recognition over the years. Perhaps more than any other non-Parasite movie from South Korea. That’s because it’s flipping amazing. Its crackling energy makes it one of the scariest fast-zombie movies in history. But it also marries that with a compelling father-daughter story. There’s really nothing Train to Busan can’t do.
#1 The Descent (2005)
King put The Descent on his 2006 best-of list, calling it “the best horror movie of the year.” Forget that. It’s one of the top horror movies of the century so far. It’s a bloody good monster movie nestled into a skin-crawlingly claustrophobic spelunking movie.
Honorable Mentions:
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) – I’ve never seen it, so I can’t in good faith recommend it
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) – A masterpiece, but it’s not really “horror”
Obsession (2026) – We gotta let this one sit, in order to avoid recency bias
