Summary
2024 was another great year for horror video games and likewise for horror cinema. Across streaming and theatrical releases, there was so much new and original horror filmography vying for the top spot of being the best horror movie of the year, along with many highly-anticipated sequels and even prequels.
One of the big themes this year was religious horror and Satan worship, including demonic possession, but you also have psychological horror, body horror, sci-fi horror, and a certain slasher coming home for Christmas. Below are the best horror films 2024 has to offer.
IMDb Rating
Where To Stream
Nell Tiger Free, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Maria Caballero, Bill Nighy, Tawfeek Barhom, Nicole Sorace, Andrea Arcangeli, and Charles Dance
83%
6.5
Hulu, Disney+
Probably one of the most surprising horror films to garner such high acclaim is The First Omen, the prequel to the beloved 1976 classic. Many would think a prequel to The Omen might be an odd choice that could only set itself up to fail, but it delivered quite the horror treat visually and features an unbelievable performance by Nell Tiger Free as Sister Margaret.
It expertly builds an eerie and unsettling atmosphere throughout and conveys how twisted religion can become; but be warned, it’s also slow-paced. But when you do learn the truth about what’s going on and the circumstances under which the Antichrist, Damien, comes into the world, you will be shocked, so it’s a pretty impressive directorial effort, given it’s the first feature film for director Arkasha Stevenson.
Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Simona Tabasco, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano, Giampiero Judica, and Giorgio Colangeli
70%
5.8
In a coincidental turn of events, two horror movies about nuns being impregnated with the devil’s spawn released back-to-back, but Immaculate did some things better than The First Omen. Firstly, this is by far Sydney Sweeney’s best performance yet and could be comparable to Florence Pugh in Midsommar, and the story was a little stronger and more convincing, if slightly predictable.
Here, Sweeney plays Sister Cecilia, who attends a convent where younger nuns care for dying ones. The sinister horror begins to creep in when Cecilia learns she’s pregnant, despite being a virgin. The mystery and religious horror are well-plotted and paced, keeping you engaged throughout. The antagonist, Father Tedeschi (played by Money Heist’s Álvaro Morte) proves a formidable villain, and the finale is a harrowing yet victorious moment.
Alyla Browne, Ryan Corr, Penelope Mitchell, Jermaine Fowler, Noni Hazlehurst, Robyn Nevin, Danny Kim, and Silvia Colloca
5.7
Sting can be described as Evil Dead Rise meets Lovecraftian spider horror and Alien. Instead of the plot aiming fora mutated giant spider, this one (named Sting by its owner) comes from space and crashes down like a meteorite inside a dollhouse in a New York apartment room during a snowstorm. Soon, a young girl named Charlotte sneaks into what you learn is her grandmother’s room and decides to keep the spider as her pet.
The alien spider can mimic sounds, like those of animals, and uses them against its victims, which are Charlotte’s family and everyone else in the building, and it grows bigger and bigger with each feeding. There’s some excellent gore and a few disturbing scenes, including one where the spider crawls into a person’s mouth, but also lots of comedy and family drama as well. Jermaine Fowler’s Frank is hilarious and Charlotte channels Ellen Ripley with a water gun in the final act.
Carolyn Bracken, Gwilym Lee, Caroline Menton, Johnny French, Steve Wall, and Tadhg Murphy
96%
6.7
AMC+, Shudder
Oddity is a refreshing spin on the paranormal and revenge horror subgenre and a brilliant feature film debut for writer/director Damian Mc Carthy. A blind medium seeks answers to her twin sister’s death, suspecting that her brother-in-law and his new girlfriend might be behind it. She toys with them psychologically but also uses her powers to bring to life a creepy wooden mannequin, the signature part of the film.
Aside from a major reveal that you can see coming a mile away, there is plenty of excellent atmosphereand a super effective jumpscare moment. The mannequin is such a unique monster to utilize, especially how it’s controlled by the medium. The final shot of the movie is also a super satisfying way to conclude the story.
Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace, and Elle Young
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
91%
7.1
PVOD
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the horror duo behind A Quiet Place,teamed up with A24to give their own take on religious horror centering on Mormonism. The film is a suspenseful ride, featuring lectures on religion and psychological mind games orchestrated by none other than Hugh Grant’s Mr. Reed inside his creepy mazelike home where two Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, are trapped.
Hugh Grant’s character is unlike any he’s ever played, a murderous theologian obsessed with proving that religion is a method of control and has nothing to do with God, with plenty of disturbing revelations and plot twists throughout. While Heretic has nothing new to say about the criticism of religion and some may find all the discussion tedious and dragging (though with fun Monopoly and Taco Bell analogies), you can’t deny the amount of care and detail that went into the script.
Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Blair Underwood, Michelle Choi-Lee, Lauren Acala, Dakota Daulby, and Kiernan Shipka
86%
Longlegs was perhaps the best-marketed and most hyped-up horror movie of 2024, with everyone eagerly anticipating Nicolas Cage’s face reveal as Satanic dollmaker and killer Dale Cobble; aka Longlegs. At the same time, casting Nic Cage in such a creepy and chilling role ended up being the film’s downfall from a ‘horror’ title to more satire, as nearly every moment Cage was on-screen would make you erupt in laughter, especially the hardware store, car, and the ending smooch scenes.
The first act is incredibly well done and sets a suspenseful thriller tone for the film that gets fumbled in the entire last act. There are also some predictable twists, but the overall premiseof Satan using dolls as a vesselis very dark and original, and there is ultimately a supernatural element behind everything that won’t disappoint if you’re a fan of demonic possession; just don’t expect it to be to the caliber of The Silence of the Lambs.
Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Isabela Merced, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu, Daniel Betts (voice)/Ian Holm (likeness), and Robert Bobroczkyi
80%
While Alien: Romulus is a monumental step forward over other Alien universe films that came after James Cameron’s Aliens, you still might be left mixed with the result. That’s because director Fede Álvarez turns to cringe-worthy fan service and non-stop homages to moments from past films,which made it seem sadly unoriginal and bland. The Xenomorphs were also underutilized and left much to be desired.
What saved the film was David Jonsson’s android character Andy, the zero gravity Xeno shootout, the sound design, and the new human hybrid Xenomorph variant at the end, The Offspring, which is the most horrifying creature you can imagine.The direct connection that the space station has to Prometheus, the original Xenomorph, and the Nostromo was also wonderfully laid out, but little was explored in the actual film; you have to read a comic to get the complete backstory.
David Dastmalchian, Rhys Auteri, Laura Gordon, Fayssal Bazzi, Ian Bliss, Ingrid Torelli, Georgina Haig, and Steve Mouzakis
Cameron and Colin Cairnes
97%
7
Hulu, Disney+, AMC+
Late Night with the Devil is one of the most unique and original demonic possession movies in quite some time, and it’s something that the genre needs right now. The entire movie is shown through the found footage style of a taping of a ’70s late-night show called Night Owls and the behind-the-scenes footage, with parts of the story even being narrated creatively through magazine covers.
It follows the tragic figure of Jack Delroy, the host of Night Owls who lost his wife to cancer and who strives to have one of the best shows on nighttime television. Therefore, he invites a young girl named Lilly, who was rescued from a Satanic cult and claims to be possessed by a demonic entity, to attempt to communicate with it live on air, while a skeptic tries to disprove everything. David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy delivers one of the best horror movie performances of 2024, and the ending will leave you speechless and still thinking about everything as the credits are rolling.
Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou, Alex Wolff, Eliane Umuhire, and Takunda Khumalo
87%
6.3
Paramount+, MGM+
Even though the Abbott family isn’t a part of A Quiet Place: Day One, you really don’t miss them and instead become so invested in the new characters Samira, Eric, and Sam’s cat, Frodo. In fact, A Quiet Place: Day One can easily beat out the original and the 2022 sequel as being the series' best for its emotional story elements and powerful performances by Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn, a terminally ill woman in hospice care and her caring law student companion.
It’s just as suspenseful as all the other entries, perhaps even more so with a cat who constantly runs away (spoilers: Frodo survives!). Since it’s the start of the invasion, the Death Angel monsters have an even bigger presence, and their lore gets expanded upon, which is very exciting to see. You’re both on the edge of your seat and in your feels with Day One, and it has one of the most perfect movie endings ever.
Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Edward Hamilton-Clark, Gore Abrams, Oscar Lesage, and Hugo Diego Garcia
90%
7.4
Mubi
The Substance isn’t just a movie for horror fans but cinephiles in general. Director Coralie Fargeat is like a reincarnation of Stanley Kubrick with her visual style, camera work, and narrative direction. The message of youth, beauty, imperfection, and jealousy, as well as satirizing how Hollywood preys on young women and is quick to discard those much older, is told through an original sci-fi horror narrative.
The story beats, cinematography, set design, colors, and every frame and close-up have influences from Kubrick, Lynch, and Aronofsky. The performances by the main trio of actors are Oscar-worthy, with Dennis Quaid’s portrayal of an arrogant and sleazy Hollywood executive being a highlight. The body horror isas grotesque and disturbing as anything by Cronenberg.
