Each year, movie fans are excited to see what the new offerings are going to be. From comedies that tell intelligent stories to romantic dramas that make people swoon, there’s usually at least one good film from each genre.
Horror fans know that there’s a big difference between a guilty pleasure movie and one that is fresh, actually scary, and worth telling friends and family about. In the past five years, there have been many horror movies that have gotten people talking, as they have told such compelling stories and gone above and beyond typical fare. Some fans took to Reddit to share their opinions on some of the latest horror movies.
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Updated on October 20th, 2022 by Aya Tsintziras: Horror fans are pleased with the many releases in 2022, and in the fall months alone, audiences have enjoyed Smile, Pearl, Halloween Ends, and Hellrasier. It’s fun to think about the most compelling scary movies that have come out in a five-year period, and Redditors have several recommendations. Fans can share these chilling films with fellow horror lovers who are looking for the very best.
Midsommar (2019)
Stream on Showtime and Kanopy
Midsommar is director Ari Aster’s follow-up to the popular and bone-chilling Hereditary released a year earlier, and Redditor sandover88 said that “Midsommar” will continue to be seen as a great movie.
Although there are some similarities between Hereditary and Midsommar, there are also differences that make them feel like two completely separate films. Midsommar follows a group of college students who travel to Sweden to visit their friend’s hometown and participate in their famous midsummer festival activities. Their vacation quickly turns into a nightmare when they learn of the true activities at the event.
The Killing Of A Sacred Deer (2017)
Stream on Fubo
The Killing of a Sacred Deer is another A24 production and creative psychological horror movie, and Redditor MedicalNote considers this one of the best films from the past five years. The fan called it “a gruesome and unnerving modernized Greek tragedy.”
The movie follows a cardiovascular surgeon who has a seemingly perfect life with his wife, kids, and a strikingly clean house. A teenager enters his life and begins to embed himself in the surgeon’s perfect world and threatens to ruin his existence when the movie slowly reveals the real reason the teen is there.
The Witch (2016)
Stream on HBO Max
The Witch is another slow burn A24 horror movie that Redditors, including Redditor Jonah_Cade, enjoyed and the first full-length movie from director Robert Eggers.
The movie is set in the 1600s in New England and follows a young woman who is accused of witchcraft when her baby sibling vanishes in the woods and she was the only one with him. The paranoia of the village escalates as no one knows who to trust and what supernatural horrors might be lurking in the woods.
The Lighthouse (2019)
Stream on Fubo and DirecTV
The Lighthouse is another A24 production and director Robert Eggers’ follow-up to The Witch. It’s a black and white movie with a 1.19:1 aspect ratio which is a more compressed image on the screen, closer to a square, instead of across the entire widescreen. One Redditor wrote, “The Lighthouse is one of the best films of this decade.”
The horror movie has a slow burn and increasingly claustrophobic feel that’s achieved through the aspect ratio, cinematography, and the acting of Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson stuck together in a confined area as lighthouse keepers.
Halloween (2018)
Rent on AppleTV
Redditor PM_ME_CARL_WINSLOW loved the 2018 film “Halloween,” which makes sense, as this is one of the most popular horror franchises. The Halloween movies have great characters, especially Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), the final girl who is babysitting in the 1978 original film when she comes upon Michael Myers.
While the 2018 movie might not have been as well-crafted as the first one, it’s still an enjoyably nostalgic watch, and it still has all the great creepy vibes of the evening of October 31st.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Stream on Paramount+
One Redditor shared they love A Quiet Place and said it’s “the first that comes to mind because there was so much hype around it.” It’s true that many people loved watching this 2018 movie, which John Krasinski directed.
It was terrifying watching Lee (Krasinski) and Evelyn (Emily Blunt) move through the world with their children, trying not to make any noise because of the creatures ready to pounce on any sound at all. This movie has both a premise that sucks audiences in and it’s also beautiful to look at.
Hereditary (2018)
Stream on Fubo
Hereditary foreshadowed its ending, and it’s safe to say that the film terrified anyone who watched it. Starring Toni Collette, this horror movie won praise for its portrayal of a dysfunctional family and its surprising twists.
Several people responded in a thread on Reddit that they enjoyed watching this movie, with Redditor ightsowhatwedoin writing, “I’ve watched it so many times that I don’t ever need to watch it again lol, but it’s definitely a classic already.” It has it all: impressive performances, actual scares, twists, and moments that are tough to look away from. While there are many horror movies that are impressive, Hereditary is truly unforgettable.
Green Room (2016)
Stream on Fubo and DirecTV
Another contender for one of the best horror movies of the past five years, Redditor MutedDesk shared that they were impressed by “Green Room.” If a good horror movie focuses on characters who find themselves in an awful situation or place, then Green Room is definitely in that category.
Premiering at Cannes Film Festival in 2015 but not released theatrically until 2016, the movie tells the story of a punk band who finds a dead body in a bar frequented by Neo-Nazis. While, of course, they want to leave immediately, that’s not possible, and the movie feels terrifying the whole time. The late Anton Yelchin played Pat, one of the musicians, along with Alia Shawkat.
Get Out (2017)
Rent on AppleTV
Horror fans continue to rewatch Get Out, which Redditor PhilRiversOnTrakt shared is one of the best of the past half decade. Jordan Peele’s movie is widely considered to be a masterpiece, with Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) learning that his girlfriend Rose’s (Allison Williams) family is evil.
The movie addresses racism and is both a horror movie with surprises and a social commentary. Everything from the performances to the dialogue is pitch-perfect. Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford give layered performances as Rose’s parents, and they’re really good at projecting hospitality that has a sinister undertone.
Hush (2016)
Stream on Netflix
Hush came up in a discussion of the best horror movies of 2016 on Reddit. While there are many horror movies about killers who prey upon people who are home alone, this one is particularly good.
Mike Flanagan, known for his work on the Netflix horror anthology series Hill House and Bly Manor, wrote and directed Hush, the story of a deaf writer named Maddie (played by Flanagan’s wife Kate Siegel), who has to fight for her life when a murderer finds her at home. Maddie takes charge of the situation and realizes that she has the power to save her own life. Maddie’s courage makes the movie incredibly captivating.
His House (2020)
Stream on Netflix
As Redditor atclubsilencio wrote, the Netflix horror movie His House is incredibly well-crafted. The fan wrote, “I hope this gets the attention it deserves, it’s currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and, for once, it actually lives up to the praise.”
The movie builds its horror on the refugee experience, telling the story of a couple who leave Sudan and go to England. They’re haunted by what they had to do in order to get out. His House is written and directed by Remi Weekes.
Ready Or Not (2019)
Stream on Fubo and DirecTV
While hide and seek is a game that is often reserved for children, it becomes a dangerous way to spend the evening in this scary movie.
Ready Or Not was mentioned in a Reddit discussion about 2019’s best horror movies, and it’s definitely well-made. Samara Weaving stars as newlywed Grace, and Adam Brody plays Grace’s husband’s brother Daniel. Grace has just married into a family who is literally trying to kill her because it’s part of a ritual that will keep their family rich and successful.
Tragedy Girls (2017)
Stream on AMC+ and Shudder
Tragedy Girls came out in 2017 and is a new kind of teenage horror movie. Instead of focusing on high schoolers running away from a masked killer, the two main characters are the ones jumping into the horror. Redditor Itsthatgy said, “I think this may just be the best horror movie of the decade so far. It’s like a modern Scream if Sydney was the killer.”
Sadie (Brianna Hildebrand) and McKayla (Alexandra Shipp) are so obsessed with crime that they begin murdering people and gaining more followers on social media. This is not only a great premise for a horror movie, as it’s so unexpected, but it comments on how addicted people can get to being social media famous.
The Invisible Man (2020)
Rent on AppleTV
A Redditor haunthorror wrote that “The Invisible Man” is one of the best, and this 2020 movie stars Elisabeth Moss as a woman stuck in an abusive relationship.
This is the latest movie to take on the well-known H.G. Wells horror character. The movie is worth watching for the opening scene alone, as Cecila leaves her mansion in the middle of the night. There are many scary moments in The Invisible Man and it’s the kind of scene that people will watch while holding their breath, unsure what’s about to happen and how bad things are going to get. The entire movie is intelligent and terrifying and has a lot to say about abuse and fear.
The Night House (2021)
Stream on HBO Max
Replying in a thread about the most terrifying films of the last five years, Redditor spritegoat wrote, “honestly The Night House is one of the only recent movies to really rattle me.”
Beth’s sadness over her husband Owen’s death becomes even more overpowering when she walks into the woods near her lake house and sees a similar home. Owen wrote a note saying “You’re safe now” and Beth wants more than anything to figure out what he meant by that. The movie is well-done and a perfect example of how to unravel a mystery over the course of a few hours.
The Lodge (2019)
Stream on Hulu
The Lodge is a favorite among horror fans thanks to its overwhelmingly creepy premise. Redditor strawberryjetpuff shared in a thread about scary recent films and wrote, “i thought the lodge (2019) was terrifying!”
Siblings Mia and Aiden Hall are still mourning the death of their mother, Laura, when their dad Richard commits to Grace Marshall and wants the family to spend the holidays at a country house. Grace’s actions become worrisome and end up being more terrifying than the kids imagined.
Werewolves Within (2021)
Stream on Fubo and DirecTV
Writing out favorite films from 2021, Redditor Eklassen included “Werewolves Within.” The movie is funnier than some others that have been recommended and that’s what makes it so unique.
Werewolves Within is about the residents of Beaverfield, Vermont who are there for one another during bad winter weather and who realize that a werewolf is loose in their seemingly regular, adorable town. The characters are charming and the movie is more goofy than scary but still stands out.
We’re All Going To The World’s Fair (2022)
Stream on HBO Max
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Redditor DeidreDreidel shared that “We’re All Going To The World’s Fair” is a favorite from 2021. The movie follows a high schooler, Casey, who says “I want to go to the World’s Fair” into the mirror three times, similar to the famous Bloody Mary legend.
As Casey becomes creepier and creepier, the movie only focuses on two characters, as Casey begins interacting with someone named JLB. The film has a lot to say about getting caught up in online culture and wanting to be cool.
Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
Stream on Netflix
For Redditor realistforall, the “Fear Street trilogy” are some of the most compelling horror movies recently released. It’s great that each film is like its own subgenre, with the first being a slasher about Shadyside, the second being set at Camp Nightwing, and the third telling a witchcraft tale.
The three connected films focus on the town’s scary history, the friendship between the main characters, and the sibling bond that Cindy and Ziggy had before tragedy struck.
Mandy (2018)
Stream on AMC+ and Shudder
One Redditor replied in a thread, “I add a few personal favourites and others that I think deserve a viewing” and added “Mandy.” Nicolas Cage’s character, Red Miller, thinks that he’s going to continue living a regular, calm life with his girlfriend Mandy Bloom, but when a gang kidnaps her, those thoughts are over.
While the movie does have an entertaining plot, horror fans praise Mandy the most for Cage’s portrayal of a man who does everything in his power to help the person who he loves. The movie also has a different, artistic tone.
NEXT: 15 Best Horror Movies On Netflix, According To Rotten Tomatoes
