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horror type It’s seen its ups and downs recently, which isn’t surprising given its history, but 2022 saw a return to form with films like scream 5And XAnd smilingAnd barbaric making waves. It was definitely a better year than 2021, when things seemed to be in transition thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s now regained his footing, and the genre seems more stable than ever.
As 2023 winds down, we’ve seen a lot of good horror movies this year. scream 6And bogeymanAnd Bo afraid All did well at the box office, despite their mixed reviews, while a number of lesser-known foreign films burst onto the scene from first-time directors. We still have Five nights at Freddy’sAnd Insidious: The Red DoorAnd The Exorcist: The Believer Let’s look forward to it, but before we get to those, let’s take a moment and look at the best horror movies so far this year, based solely on Rotten Tomatoes results.
10 Evil Dead Rise at 84%
It’s been 10 years since the last batch of evil dead franchise, until when evil dead rise It was announced, fans were eagerly anticipating where the series would go next. After being evicted from her cabin in the woods, the story shifts to unfamiliar territory, a death-row apartment complex in Los Angeles. After an earthquake exposed a volume of the Naturom Demonto, the Deadites are unleashed to wreak havoc on an unsuspecting family, resulting in one of the genre’s newest favorites, Mommy.
It collected $146 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film in the franchise. evil dead rise It received positive reviews among critics and fans, which paved the way for future sequels. While nothing is certain, Bruce Campbell has said that he, along with Sam and Yvan Remy, would like to make more movies every two or three years.
9 Becky’s Anger – 86%
Sequel to the 2020 movie BeckyLulu Wilson returns as the titular character to protect her loved ones, rescue her dog, and exact some bloody justice on a gang of fascists in Becky got angry. Also featuring Sean William Scott, the film debuted at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2023, and hit theaters in May.
more comedic than its predecessor, Becky got angry is a worthwhile sequel, with more creative kills, and the same obscene amount of blood the series is known for. While the third installment is in development, no expected date has been set yet.
8 Infinity Pool – 86%
Darling of Horror, starring Alexander Skarsgard, Mia Goth, infinity pool It is directed by Brandon Cronenberg, son of acclaimed director David Cronenberg. It gives off twisted horror and sci-fi vibes in movies like The bough manAnd Midsmarwith some practiced violence thrown in for good measure.
Initially rated NC-17, the film was re-cut to get an R. While it had a limited release in Canada, infinity pool It soon made its way to VOD, with the uncut version also made available. Given that this is only Brandon Cronenberg’s third feature film, we can expect bigger and brighter things from him in the future, with his next project being an adaptation of the novel, Super-Cannes, which he’ll be directing as a limited series.
7 blackening – 87%
Released on the weekend of Juneteenth, blackness He delivers some big laughs, while poking fun at old horror tropes and racial stereotypes. It offers a fresh cabin spin on jungle horror clichés, while simultaneously letting the audience know they’re in on the joke.
After its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022, The Blackening has been picked up by Lionsgate, who released it theatrically on June 16, 2023. It has so far grossed $8 million at the box office, with the critical consensus that it is a decent parody of Director Tim Story, who also gave us films like ride alongand 2005 Silver Surfer.
6 Sick – 87%
I may have arrived a little late to make the impact I was supposed to, sick is a self-conscious killing game that takes place in the year 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was co-written by Kevin Williamson, the same writer who brought us ScreamAnd I know what you did last summerAnd sick It examines our fears of isolation, while also tapping into the dangers of social media.
Featuring the likes of Gideon Adlon, Dylan Sprayberry and Marc Menchaca, sick It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022, and was released as the original Peacock in January. receive positive reviews, sick Definitely worth checking out if you have 83 minutes to spare.
5 Brooklyn 45 – 89%
What happens when a group of veterans decide to host a seance in 1945? Chaos, but in the best possible way thanks to the outstanding cast Brooklyn 45. Featuring the likes of Ann Ramsey and Larry Fessenden, this supernatural horror film knows what audiences can expect from it, and delivers with sincerity. With Fessenden delivering what may be one of the best monologues ever by a character actor, Brooklyn 45 It takes a special look at grief, while simultaneously examining the post-World War II paranoia that everyone and their mother were Nazi spies.
Produced by the Shudder streaming service, Brooklyn 45 It had its world premiere at the 2023 South by Southwest Festival, and a month later premiered in homes across the country as a Shudder Original. While some may turn it off with a period piece, we recommend that you do not sleep on this one.
4 Influencer – 91%
Another scary asset to make the list, influencer is a clever horror movie about a social media influencer vacationing in Thailand. While she appears online as living the high life, things aren’t always what they seem, and then the movie descends into darkness, warning us that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
With lead performances from Emily Tennant as the poignant Madison, and Cassandra Naud as the CW antagonist, influencer It could have drowned out many of its themes, but it handles the water enough to make for a movie that examines polar opposite worlds, while delivering some exhilarating horror.
3 M3GAN – 93%
The most commercially successful movie on the list, M3GAN Hitting theaters on January 6, 2023, it was such a huge smash that no one expected it to do so well. Features an artificially intelligent doll that becomes self-aware, M3GAN It delves into our dependence on technology, and what happens when that technology turns against us. Its premise is what makes the movie interesting, providing as much laughter as it scares.
with M3GAN As successful as it was, we can easily see that this has become a franchise. A sequel is already set for 2025, but with the WGA still on strike, who knows if that date will stick. For now, viewers can check this out on Peacock.
2 Attachment – 95%
Taking a good horror trope and adding something new to the mix isn’t easy, however attached Succeed where others have failed. This movie from Denmark takes the trope of possession, and wraps it in a love story between the two main characters, Maja and Leah. Throw in an overbearing mother, and you have all the fixings for a movie that explores themes of codependency, Jewish folklore, and family secrets.
Do not forget attached It’s a slow-burn horror movie that relies more on tension than it builds on, so it might not be for everyone, but judging by the reviews, it’s definitely worth watching at least once. With excellent performances, this directorial debut by Gabriel Per Gislason certainly makes it a filmmaker to watch.
1 Huesera: The Bone Woman – 98%
Although it premiered in Tribeca in 2022, Huesera: The Bone Woman It was not widely released until February 2023 when it became a Shudder Exclusive. Since then, he has won 12 awards, and has been nominated for countless other awards from various organizations. Rightfully so, because this horror movie from Mexico is a near-perfect movie that delves into body trauma, Mexican mythology, and the fears of becoming a mother.
It includes actress Natalya Solyan in the title role as Valeria, Huesera: The Bone Woman It dips into classics like Rosemary’s Baby, while offering new ideas about what it’s like to be an expecting mom. Stripping away all trappings of the horror sub-genre, it delivers raw tension and visuals that will turn even the most pessimistic horror fan. This being Michel Garza Cervera’s feature film debut, it’s hard to follow, but if that’s any indication of her talents, we can look forward to a great cinematic film from a first-rate director.
