Best Horror Films of 2019
A new year = a new list of the best horror movies!
I'll be adding to this list throughout the year. It'll be in a vague order, but don't pay too much attention to the placings.
Honourable mentions: Velvet Buzzsaw, Annabelle Comes Home, The Dead Don't Die, I'll Take Your Dead, Villains.
I'll be adding to this list throughout the year. It'll be in a vague order, but don't pay too much attention to the placings.
Honourable mentions: Velvet Buzzsaw, Annabelle Comes Home, The Dead Don't Die, I'll Take Your Dead, Villains.
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- DirectorRobert EggersStarsRobert PattinsonWillem DafoeValeriia KaramanTwo lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.Excellent psychological horror with surrealist overtones. Great performances from Dafoe and Pattinson, and beautifully shot with a 16:9 aspect ratio that gives it a very claustrophobic feel. Does a good job of getting under your skin.
A future horror classic for sure! - DirectorAri AsterStarsFlorence PughJack ReynorVilhelm BlomgrenA couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown's fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.Very well-crafted and quite harrowing in places.
It's a bit of a shame the film's a tad slow and riffs on The Wicker Man so hard. It lacks enough punch to truly stand on its own compared to that film - it's more of a loose reinterpretation (or maybe an accompaniment / sister-piece) to Wicker Man than its own thing, therefor I can't see it ever escaping from its shadow.
Despite it just being 'good' and not 'great', it's still one of the best horror films of 2019. - DirectorJordan PeeleStarsLupita Nyong'oWinston DukeElisabeth MossAdelaide Wilson and her family are attacked by mysterious figures dressed in red. Upon closer inspection, the Wilsons realize that the intruders are exact lookalikes of them.A great, original idea that doesn't quite realise its full potential.
Great acting by the lead, cool soundtrack, and some awesome ideas. Worth a look, but it's not as good as Get Out. - DirectorGrant SputoreStarsLuke HawkerRose ByrneMaddie LentonIn the wake of humanity's extinction, a teenage girl is raised by a robot designed to repopulate the earth. But their unique bond is threatened when an inexplicable stranger arrives with alarming news.A little light on horror, but an exceptional sci-fi mystery-thriller.
If you like quality sci-fi with sinister undertones then this will be right up your street! You might be disappointed if you were hoping for a "traditional" horror film though - this isn't exactly Event Horizon, more 2001 A Space Odyssey. - DirectorMatt Bettinelli-OlpinTyler GillettStarsSamara WeavingAdam BrodyMark O'BrienA bride's wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.Excellent horror comedy! Cool horror spin on the 'Hide and Seek' game.
Not the most original of films, it really reminded me of 2013's "You're Next", but it's incredibly entertaining and very funny. Doesn't skimp on the gore, either! - DirectorAdam RandallStarsHelen HuntJon TenneyOwen TeagueA policeman and his doctor wife have some marriage problems and the son blames the mother. For his job, the policeman investigates a case of a missing boy. The possible kidnapping looks like some cases from a few years ago.A very engaging mystery/thriller/horror with some good twists and an amazing score. Nicely filmed, too, some really nice aerial shots in particular.
Top marks. - DirectorAdam Egypt MortimerStarsMiles RobbinsPatrick SchwarzeneggerSasha LaneA troubled college freshman, Luke, suffers a violent family trauma. He then resurrects his charismatic childhood imaginary friend Daniel to help him cope, not realizing how dangerous Daniel is.Good, almost great psychological horror film. The acting ranges from pretty good to a bit ropey, seemingly at random, it's all a tiny bit uneven as a whole.
There's a weird supernatural element to the film that almost works, with some strange body-horror and surrealist imagery, but it doesn't quite tie up. The last 5 minutes were a bit pants and ruined a decent climax to the awesome third act.
Definitely worth a look if you're into oddball horror films, just note that this isn't prefect. - DirectorRuben FleischerStarsWoody HarrelsonJesse EisenbergEmma StoneColumbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.While not quite as fresh (pardon the pun) as the first movie, this is still a very welcome second helping of zombie-killing hijinks.
Very funny and not overly long, great stuff! - DirectorDavid YaroveskyStarsElizabeth BanksDavid DenmanJackson A. DunnWhat if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister?Very entertaining film built around the concept of "What if Superman was evil?"
Fast-paced and surprisingly gory, my only gripe would be that it's far too short. Characters have no time to develop in the first act, the mystery unravelling in the second act isn't fully explored and the third act isn't as apocalyptic / epic as it could have been. A small budget can forgive the lack of destruction at the end, but it's a shame the story aspects weren't fleshed out more.
Still a damn fun watch tho! - DirectorTate TaylorStarsOctavia SpencerDiana SilversJuliette LewisA lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host.Cool film, and a nice change of pace from most horror films!
Plays out like a mystery/thriller for the first two acts, the horror kicks in in the third act.
Don't really want to spoil anything, but it's a bit like Misery... kinda. Kept my interest, anyway! - DirectorPeter StricklandStarsSidse Babett KnudsenMarianne Jean-BaptisteJulian BarrattIn Fabric is a haunting ghost story set against the backdrop of a busy winter sales period in a department store and follows the life of a cursed dress as it passes from person to person, with devastating consequences.Wonderfully weird surrealist horror.
Leans incredibly hard on the work of Dario Agento, as well as Italian Giallo in general, almost to the point of parody - but its incredibly dark sense of humour and retro British slant saves it from just being a pastiche of those earlier works.
My only real gripe is the way it's split in two distinct halves, with two loosely connected stories playing out one after the other. Personally, I would have preferred the film to wrap up after the first half, as it pretty much ground to a halt at the midway point and lost overall impact as a result. I might be in the minority tho, you may love it all! - DirectorMike FlanaganStarsEwan McGregorRebecca FergusonKyliegh CurranYears following the events of The Shining (1980), a now-adult Dan Torrance must protect a young girl with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot, who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.Very solid continuation of The Shining story. Some may argue whether it's a story that needed continuing, and I guess that's still up for debate.
I enjoyed it, although it's not up to the same "all time classic" standard as the first film, so adjust your expectations accordingly. - DirectorColin MinihanStarsHannah Emily AndersonBrittany AllenMartha MacIsaacMajestic mountains, a still lake and venomous betrayals engulf a married couple attempting to celebrate their one-year anniversary.Extremely well made thriller. Very suspenseful and exceptionally well acted. Has some nasty bits for the horror fans, too.
Ending may divide opinion, I quite liked it tho. - DirectorScott BeckBryan WoodsStarsKatie StevensWill BrittainLauryn Alisa McClainOn Halloween, a group of friends encounter an "extreme" haunted house that promises to feed on their darkest fears. The night turns deadly as they come to the horrifying realization that some nightmares are real.Another 'haunt' film - as in a film set in a Halloween haunt house.
A little formulaic but very well done. Great Halloween viewing. - DirectorRob GrantStarsMunro ChambersChris GrayEmily TyraRivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension emerge when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean desperate for survival.Fun thriller with a good sense of humour. Dead Calm meets Cabin Fever!
- DirectorLars KlevbergStarsTim MathesonBen DaonZahra AndersonA mother gives her 13-year-old son a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature.A surprisingly fun reboot / remake.
Lots of laughs, gore and Mark Hamill does a great job voicing Chucky. The rest of the cast are all very good, also.
Bit of a shame the detective side-plot doesn't really go anywhere, as I think it would have fleshed out the film a lot more - to see them trying to uncover who (or what) the killer is, maybe give a bit more backstory to the toy company as well, as they investigate the feasibility of a malfunctioning doll. Only a minor gripe tho! - DirectorMike AhernEnda LoughmanStarsMaeve HigginsBarry WardWill ForteRose, a mostly sweet and lonely Irish driving instructor, must use her supernatural talents to save the daughter of Martin (also mostly sweet and lonely) from a washed-up rock star who is using her in a Satanic pact to reignite his fame.A charming, very silly Irish comedy with a supernatural horror theme and retro, Argento-esque aesthetic.
- DirectorHenry JacobsonStarsSeann William ScottMariela GarrigaDale DickeyEvan values family above all else, and anyone who gets between him, his wife, and newborn son learns that the hard way. But when it comes to violent tendencies, it seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.Good little horror/thriller. Sean William Scott actually makes a very good serial killer!
It's quite slow, but if you don't mind films with a sedate pace then this is definitely worth a watch. - DirectorRichard ShepardStarsMarie MaskellAllison WilliamsChristina JastrzembskaWhen troubled musical prodigy Charlotte seeks out Elizabeth, the new star pupil of her former school, the encounter sends both musicians down a sinister path with shocking consequences.An interesting take on the revenge/thriller genre flick. All very good until the final 20 minutes or so, it becomes far too silly and loses impact.
- DirectorAdam RobitelStarsTaylor RussellLogan MillerJay EllisSix strangers find themselves in a maze of deadly mystery rooms and must use their wits to survive.Cool mystery-thriller-horror film.
It's one of those "a group of strangers locked in a room" kinda films, but does enough to stand out from all the others. It's PG-13 so is a little light on the nasty stuff.
Reminded me a bit of Cube (1997) mixed with the Saw films, but very toned-down on the gore. - DirectorAlexandre AjaStarsKaya ScodelarioBarry PepperMorfydd ClarkA young woman, while attempting to save her father during a category 5 hurricane, finds herself trapped in a flooding house and must fight for her life against alligators.Pretty good alligator-attack film. Fun, tense, well made and well acted.
- DirectorZach LipovskyAdam B. SteinStarsEmile HirschBruce DernGrace ParkA bold girl discovers a bizarre, threatening, and mysterious new world beyond her front door after she escapes her father's protective and paranoid control.A sometimes violent sci-fi / drama / thriller. Worth a look. Plays out a bit like an R-rated X-Men, but with a far smaller budget.
- DirectorLee CroninStarsSeána KerslakeJames Quinn MarkeyKati OutinenA single mother living in the Irish countryside with her son begins to suspect he may not be her son at all, and fears his increasingly disturbing behavior is linked to a mysterious sinkhole in the forest behind their house.Passable horror/psychological-horror/drama which invites some comparisons with 'The Babadook'
Lots of promise, but it just doesn't draw you in like a character-driven horror film needs to. I also found many scenes giving me a strong sense of deja vu, originality is definitely thin on the ground here.
Worth a look if you're a fan of this style of horror film, and it's beautifully shot with some solid performances, but just don't expect too much. - DirectorJ.D. DillardStarsKiersey ClemonsEmory CohenHanna Mangan LawrenceA woman washes ashore a small uninhabited island after an accident. The situation turns from bad to worse when she realizes there is a mysterious creature hunting at night.Survival drama meets cheesy creature feature! Decently entertaining with quite high productions values. Worth a look if you fancy something a bit silly.
- DirectorAndy MuschiettiStarsJessica ChastainJames McAvoyBill HaderTwenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.Underwhelming second part of the IT story. Very little suspense, an over-reliance on jump scares, loads of bad CGI, uneven comedic tone and a lack of characterisation. Basically, every little flaw that the first chapter had has been amplified ten fold. Bit of a shame, really.
There's still just enough here to warrant viewing, but it's a very cautious recommendation.