2022 was a landmark year for horror to the likes of which audiences rarely if ever see. It seemed like every few weeks saw the release of a new beloved and popular horror title that worth raving about. That being said, there was absolutely no way that the following year was ever going to top that and while it did fall short of 2022, it still delivered countless great horror films be it original content or continuations of long-running franchises. Horror also completely dominated the box office once again with Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s becoming both the highest grossing horror film of the year and the highest grossing film in the studio’s history, massively overperforming titles such as Insidious: The Red Door and The Nun II. It was tough to narrow this list down to just 5, but let’s start our countdown with some honourable mentions that barely missed the cut.
Totally Killer (Honourable Mention #1)
Remember October when Blumhouse was heavily promoting their big theatrical releases (The Exorcist: Believer and Five Night at Freddy’s)? Who would have thought that their other release that month, the barely advertised straight to Prime Video slasher Totally Killer, was going to end up the best of the bunch by far? Totally Killer is a complete blast of a slasher that utilizes its Scream meets Back to the Future premise in consistently hilarious and entertaining ways. It balances both the horror and comedy perfectly while proving that Kiernan Shipka is an absolute star on the rise. The less said about the killers mask the better, but this is still one of the more purely enjoyable horror titles of the year.
A Haunting in Venice (Honourable Mention #2)
Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile are both fine films, but one would commonly describe them as underwhelming given their casts, premises, and filmmaker attached behind both. A Haunting in Venice is easily the best of the trilogy as it smartly decides to take the franchise in a supernatural direction. It isn’t exactly scary and its PG/PG-13 rating limits it a bit, but it remains a highly effective ghost story while at the same time working as another fitting murder mystery. The cast is put to good use and Kenneth Branagh shines both behind and in front of the camera. Though not necessarily a smash hit at the box office, one can’t help but hope it did well enough for Disney to greenlight future films where Branagh could keep employing this film’s more classical approach.
Cobweb (Honourable Mention #3)
This honourable mention is, without a doubt, the most underrated and criminally underseen film on this list. If there was a way to describe Cobweb, it feels like a cousin of both Barbarian and Malignant in how it starts off one way before taking a huge turn and becoming something else entirely. While not quite as successful as those aforementioned films as a result of an underwhelming ending, it is nevertheless genuinely spooky, has a great setting, and will keep audiences guessing throughout. Its chaotic third act is a lot of fun and had the filmmakers stuck the landing a little better than they did here, the film could potentially have placed at or near the very top of this list. A film that is definitely best going into knowing as little as humanly possible.
Sick (Honourable Mention #4)
Almost named Totally Killer as the best Blumhouse film of the year before realizing Sick also came out in 2023. Sick came out very early in the year (the second weekend if memory serves correctly) and got quite a bit of buzz before quietly fading out as the months went on. But how could we forget putting this kickass little slasher from John Hyams and written by horror legend Kevin Williamson on this list. It’s a breezy 83-minutes, doesn’t waste any time getting started, and the chases are some of the greatest in a slasher in years. It’s a shame this didn’t get a theatrical release because seeing this with a crowd would’ve been an absolute treat and horror just seems to print money at the box office these days. If you missed this one, definitely go back and give it a watch.
5. Saw X
As a casual fan of the Saw franchise (mainly the earlier entries and the recent spin-off), Saw X was a massive surprise and might even be the best in the entire franchise, arguably surpassing the original. It smartly puts Tobin Bell’s John Kramer/Jigsaw at the forefront and successfully turns him into an anti-hero by pinning him against characters who are more despicable than him. Cecilia Pederson (Synnøve Macody Lund) is one of the most interesting characters in the franchise and one who made for a great foil to John/Jigsaw. The traps in this film are suitable gnarly and as creative as the early days and it actually tells a good story with some effective social commentary, while setting up a sequel that we honestly can’t wait to see. Ultimately, it essentially nailed all the best aspects of this franchise and was thankfully rewarded with great reviews and strong box office returns. Hopefully, the sequel that is expected to be released sometime this year isn’t rushed and is at or near the same level.
4. Evil Dead Rise
Evil Dead is one of the most successful and consistently great horror franchises ever and the only one that even holds a candle to it, can be found in the next spot in our countdown. Evil Dead Rise makes the bold choice of foregoing the cabin in the woods setting for the first time in favor for a high-rise apartment building. While this choice may not seem like the best idea on paper, once audiences see what director Lee Cronin pulls off within the confines of this new setting, most will quickly warm up to it. The film delivers everything one could possibly want from an Evil Dead film as it finds a strikingly good balance between the campiness of the originals and the absolutely demented brutality of the remake. Alyssa Sutherland’s Ellie ranks among one of the best Deadites ever, and Lily Sullivan is a badass female lead who will hopefully return in the inevitable follow-up. Not only does it feature a great opening sequence and all the crazy gore and carnage one could hope for, it also boasts surprisingly strong characters worth rooting for said carnage. Looking back, it was nice to see this one succeed and over perform at the box office as much as it did.
3. Scream VI
Scream VI is an odd one because for about 90% of it, it is arguably the best Scream sequel by far and had it maintained that quality until the very end, it might’ve even topped this list. Its kills are far more brutal and inventive than usual, it is genuinely tough to predict who the killer is, and the New York City setting is used fairly well through great chases and set pieces that rank among the franchise’s best. It further develops our leads from past installments and gets audiences to care a lot more about Melissa Berrara and Jenna Ortega’s Carpenter sisters along with the newly established “Core Four”. But the final 10-15 minutes of this film are jarring compared to the rest and hurt it overall. After its big reveal, it just becomes an absolute cartoon and ridiculous doesn’t even begin to cut it. For massive Scream fans, it is still an entertaining watch but it’s a shame that the filmmakers threw logic out the window for a few admittedly good fan service moments. But even with that said, it still ranks high on our list because of all that came before, and its final moments. It’s a shame what’s currently happening to this franchise as it’s just getting going again. In the end, if this is the last we see this cast, it’s a solid note to go out on.
2. Thanksgiving
Probably the biggest surprise of the year when it comes to horror. Eli Roth is a talented filmmaker responsible for a lot of good, nasty, and effective horror films but he rarely ever makes a great one. Thankfully, Thanksgiving changes this as it is not only Roth’s best film to date, it is also one of the best slashers in recent memory. The kills are all extremely gory and over the top, John Carver is a great new killer, and the whodunit side of the story is genuinely fun and will have audiences guessing. Its young cast might not be anything overly memorable but they’re a fun group to follow and Patrick Dempsey makes for a great Massachusetts sheriff. The film is pretty much a perfect mix of Scream and Halloween and due to its box office success, a sequel has already been announced for 2025. We very well might be witnessing the birth of a brand new, iconic slasher franchise and villain. As far as pure enjoyment and entertainment goes, it is easily the horror film of the year in that sense.
1. Talk to Me
Is anyone really surprised that Danny and Michael Philippou’s breakout hit Talk to Me is at the top of this list? Ever since its premiere last January at Sundance, the film has had people talking and that conversation is ongoing, nearly an entire year later. Not only is it the scariest, most demented, messed up, and chilling horror film of the year, it is easily the best and most well made from a technical standpoint. From the opening tracking shot alone, it became clear that audiences are in for quite the ride and that nothing is safe. It delivers such a fresh take on the possession genre, led by a great lead performance from Sophie Wilde and while the third act didn’t entirely work at first, it improves upon further viewings. Meanwhile, its ending is one of the best horror endings in recent years. What else is there to say? It was a massive success at the box office despite being released in the heyday of “Barbenheimer,” going on to become one of A24’s most successful films, and not only is a sequel on the way but a spin-off on Duckett (Sunny Johnson) has already been shot. The film absolutely lends itself to becoming a modern horror franchise and it will be exciting to see where the Philippou brothers they take it from here. An unquestionable number 1.
That concludes our countdown of the top 5 horror films of 2023 and here’s hoping 2024 is even better. Judging by what 2024 has in store, it looks like this year could give 2022 a run for its money. Let us know what you think about our picks, do you agree? Either way, it’s a great time to be a horror fan.
still courtesy of A24
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