Little known fact: Spooky time is all the time when you're a horror fan! AMC's horror streaming service Shudder makes it easier than ever for both casual viewers and aficionados alike to find whatever their haunted hearts desire. Like all streamers, though, there is a lot of content to parse through. Some of it can be pretty rough — no judgment if that's your thing as we all need a trashy horror movie now and then — but Shudder also happens to be an absolute treasure trove of some of the best horror around. Both foreign and domestic films are given the opportunity to shine on the platform, making it well worth the $5.99 per month (or $56.99 annually) price tag.
Read on for some of the best movies on Shudder right now, and then when you're done here be sure to check out the Best 90s Horror Movies you can stream and the 31 Best Modern Horror Movies.
Azrael
In E. L. Katz’s action-horror film Azrael, Samara Weaving stars as a mute ex-cultist fighting for her life. She conveys everything through her physical performance, whether hiding in fear or furiously decapitating pursuers. It’s “an experimental genre-bender that tells nothing and shows everything,” but as I wrote elsewhere, “we’re always in good hands with Samara Weaving in a lead role capacity.” Katz ramps vicious intensity in a post-rapture world, while Weaving commands our attention without whispering a word. Shades of Ready or Not (Weaving's defensive attacks) carry throughout Shudder’s barebones butt-kicker, emphasizing action that hardly relents.
MadS
New French Extremity director David Moreau (Them aka Ils) returns to the genre for a one-take outbreak thriller, MadS. It’s not actually filmed in a continuous shot, but that’s the perception Moreau’s technique fakes. Everything starts when an 18-year-old leaves his drug dealer’s den and, upon driving home, encounters a wounded hitchhiker (seemingly an escaped patient). The night spirals into chaos as an infection spreads, but Moreau uniquely only fixates on a single character at a time. The film isn’t interested in examining a global apocalypse, instead channeling a more intimate brand of zombie-like contagion horror. MadS keeps the blood pumping and momentum rocketing forward, bringing us up close and personal to the end of days.
Hush
“Mike Flanagan has a knack for making the most out of smaller-scale stories, and Hush is no different.” It’s wild to read back this blurb for my review of Hush, which I wrote for its 2016 release. Flanagan’s gone on to develop sprawling communal horror tales like Midnight Mass or The Haunting of Hill House, but in the later 2010s, indie titles like Absentia, Oculus, and Hush were his bread and butter. Kate Siegel stars as a deaf-mute writer who squares off against a murderous invader in her isolated home. Flanagan immerses the audience in Maddie’s silent existence, using products made for deaf people, like a strobe-light fire alarm. As expected, Flanagan executes a clever twist on home invasion confrontations with modest thrills and his signature soulfulness.
Oddity
Damian McCarthy returns to Shudder with his critically adored Irish folk horror flick Oddity (hitting the platform on September 27th). It’s a spooky chamber piece featuring “The Wooden Man,” an ominous antiquity that resembles a human-sized figure carved of wood. McCarthy’s haunted flick is dripping with a chilly and eerie atmosphere, sparsely using jump-scares to elevate an emotionally charged story (nice Mike Flanagan parallels). It’s that proper balance of unsettling, richly developed, and from the heart, all wrapped in a spectral thriller that lingers after the credits finish. Based on his previous film Caveat and now Oddity, I can’t wait to see what McCarthy does next.
In A Violent Nature
Chris Nash’s experimental slasher In A Violent Nature finally hit Shudder, just in time for spooky season. Chances are you’ve heard about that kill during the film’s theatrical run, where it garnered plenty of praise from horror lovers. Nash’s approach to a Friday the 13th model feels more like a video game spliced with arthouse commitment. If you’re into a slasher that follows behind the hulking villain as he wanders through the woods, stumbling upon victims at random, then check out In A Violent Nature as soon as possible. If you’re not vibing with Nash’s choices early on, know that the perspective and approach never change. Some will love it, some will hate it — but it’s a title every horror fan should try out.
Down
Dick Maas' Dutch horror debut, The Lift (De Lift), is about a killer elevator — and it's pretty damn good. So good, in fact, Maas remade the film in 2001 as Down (aka The Shaft on DVD) for American audiences. He's got a bigger budget, bigger production value, and bigger ideas that expand his original vision. Maas tells the story of biologically-enhanced biochips that take over elevator operations in a knockoff Empire State Building. It's batty as all heck, but also a blast as elevator mechanics investigate shady corporate experiments while deaths in the building tally. Maas gets everything right about nonsense early 2000s genre releases down to a "Love in an Elevator" needle drop. Flip it on, order a pizza, and have a blast.
House on Haunted Hill
Yes, 1999’s House On Haunted Hill is an underrated aughts-era example of gothic decadence — but let’s not forget the William Castle original. Vincent Price and Carol Ohmart star as untrusting partners who so entertainingly scorch each other with hateful words, setting a proper murder mystery afoot. Since we’re talking about a 1959 haunted house whodunit, there’s less stress put on inky ghosts and more on the macabre charisma of Price and his character’s guests. Survive the night and win a handsome sum of cash — leave, or worse, and forfeit. The latter becomes harder as the evening turns gravely severe in this delicious horror puzzler that still holds its mansion-mania charm.
#chadgetstheaxe
In the livestream horror game, popular titles like Spree and Deadstream dominate conversations. I’d argue that Travis Bible’s #chadgetstheaxe deserves that tier of attention too, as a Screenlife example that’s equal parts organic and thrilling. The film centers on Chad Ryan (Spencer Harrison Levin) and his team of online personalities as they broadcast a special streaming getaway to the possibly haunted Devil’s Manor. It’s not long before the occult location starts living up to its urban legends, and Bible hits the ground to Hell running. What’s better is Bible recreates an authentic viewing experience like we’re watching an Instagram or YouTube stream, which is what Screenlife is all about.
Exhuma
Do not sleep on one of the best 2024 horror movies. Jang Jae-hyun’s Exhuma is another decorated example of South Korea’s dominant genre scene. What starts as any typical haunted tale evolves with each act, morphing into more beastly interpretations of horror. Spirits turn into demons; paranormal chills become gory mutilation. There’s such a rich cultural essence between shaman ceremonies and respectful relationships with afterlife beliefs, which gives what could be a more generic horror film whimsically wicked characteristics. It’s comparable to The Wailing, another movie that keeps developing into increasingly sinister territory, never relenting until the final credits roll.
Stopmotion
Shudder brings one of the year’s best horror films to its service for the second month in a row. Robert Morgan’s feature debut is equal parts hallucinogenic and nightmarish, following a stop-motion filmmaker’s descent into creative madness. Aisling Franciosi gives a tremendous performance as protagonist Ella Blake, and Morgan molds Ella’s posable figures into these exceptionally unsettling lumpy forms that distort human features. As Ella’s world blurs between reality and her on-camera fantasies, Stopmotion finds itself in a proficient class of industry thrillers like Berberian Sound Studio and Censor. Rest assured, that’s a high compliment.
Berberian Sound Studio
Speaking of Berberian Sound Studio, it’s also available on Sudder if you want to chase Stopmotion with another fantastic horror film about obsessed niche artists. The film takes place in a 1970s Italian horror film studio and stars Toby Jones as a British sound engineer named Gilderoy, whose next gig is a violent giallo. Gilderoy works as a Foley artist, recording sound effects for gruesome mutilation scenes. His life becomes a sick and surreal fantasy as the film spirals into craziness, blurring the lines between artistic expression, abuse, and utter make believe. It’s abstract, ambitious, and one of the wilder takes on cursed moviemaking with a horror twist.
Infested
I don’t like spiders, in real life or behind my screens. The problem is, I love horror movies, so I was never going to skip Infested. I’m glad I toughed it out, because Sébastien Vanicek’s spider-centric horror movie is the best eight-legged thriller since Arachnophobia. Imagine [REC] and Attack the Block, but with spiders — so, so many spiders that get bigger as the movie plays on. It’s one of the best horror movies of 2024 at this point, and will no doubt be in the same conversation once the year comes to a close.
Late Night with the Devil
If you’re a fan of the BBC’s Ghostwatch, a haunting mockumentary broadcast on BBC1 in 1992, add Late Night with the Devil to your list. David Dastmalchian plays nighttime talk show host Jack Delroy, who tries to spice up his Halloween special with occult-themed guests. Jack’s visitors include a medium, a skeptic and former magician, the sole survivor of a mass suicide, and a demon named Mr. Wriggles. Jack’s desperate attempt to attract viewers leads to his poor decision-making in the face of dark unknowns, which we behold throughout the doomed production. It’s a nifty concept, and there’s plenty of entertainment as Jack’s show spirals into satanic chaos. Dastmalchian crushes his leading role as a celebrity on the brink who’s bested by his ambitions.
You’ll Never Find Me
“Less is more” in You’ll Never Find Me. Brendan Rock plays lonesome hermit Patrick, who’s sipping on whiskey in his trailer home when Jordan Cowan’s “Woman” knocks on his door. It’s pouring outside; she’s soaking wet, so Patrick does the honorable thing and invites her inside. That’s all the setup directors Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen require to tell a dreary, stormy-night tale of mistrust and power dynamics as conversations unfold. Rock and Cowan volley tension back and forth as their characters try to figure the other out, keeping us on our toes as the red flags mount. Two actors, one location, impressive thrills — Bell and Allen make it look too easy.
Ghost Stories
My favorite horror anthologies are the ones that take strides to feel connected. Anyone can edit shorts together in random order, whereas Ghost Stories is a more impressive configuration. Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman turn their West End play into a clever feature film that still enjoys using theater stage techniques, like tear-away backgrounds that connect wholly separated locations. Nyman plays Professor Phillip Goodman, a debunker of the supernatural who’s given the chance to explain away three unique ghost stories. As each unfolds, Goodman is forced to weigh the implausibility of the afterlife against sound logic. It’s spooky, existential, and wickedly addictive, giving horror fans a little taste of everything regarding each story’s content.
Ghostwatch
On Halloween night in 1992, the British broadcast television station BBC1 shocked their viewers with a War of the Worlds style ruse. A program called Ghostwatch was shown, starring English television presenter and journalist Michael Parkinson. The supposed purpose of the investigative report was to uncover a paranormal phenomenon, which audiences learn to be a poltergeist named Mr. Pipes. Eventually, Ghostwatch was revealed to be an elaborate, previously recorded horror-themed stunt — but that didn’t stop an estimated million phone calls from excited or furious TV watchers. It’s one of the greatest on-air tricks ever pulled by any television station, and still quite entertaining even outside the pretense of live reporting.
Grabbers
In Grabbers, staying inebriated means staying alive. Tentacled aliens fall from the sky and begin terrorizing a remote Irish island in Jon Wright’s boozy horror comedy, but there’s one defensive play — getting absolutely sauced. Characters batten down pub hatches and start guzzling alcohol, trying to defend themselves from the invaders while stumbling about in a stupor. It’s rather comical and loads of fun, making the most out of its absurd drink-or-die premise. Grabbers is the opposite of a drunken regret, making for a perfect watch with a few accompanying pints.
Villains
Horror fans should look no further than Villains on Shudder this (or next) Valentine’s Day. Bill Skarsgård and Maika Monroe play young criminal lovers who steal to afford to move to Florida. They run into homeowners played by Kyra Sedgwick and Jeffrey Donovan, who have a little girl tied up in their basement. What unfolds is a reverse lock-in where inexperienced robbers find themselves trapped by parents with hidden agendas, but never at a detriment to the soulfully in-love chemistry between Skarsgård and Monroe. Villains is sugary sweet and suspensefully dangerous, proving that horror can be for lovers despite the genre’s reputation.
Bad Moon
If you see this Bad Moon rising, don’t fret. Trouble is on the way, but it’s in the form of an entertaining werewolf flick. Michael Paré plays a photo-journalist who’s turned wolfy on a trip to Nepal, and we see how the poor man tries to deal with his new hair-raising lifestyle. It’s not the most complicated werewolf story, but that's a benefit to the film. Bad Moon focuses on tremendous creature effects and the primal nature of werewolves, plus there’s an adorable dog named Thor who gets to play hero. If you like werewolf flicks with no fluff, here’s your next watch.
The Wretched
Brett Pierce and Drew T. Pierce dive into soilborne folklore horror with a heavy helping of witchcraft. Its poster with a backward-turned skeleton antler headdress that sells extreme horror imagery, but it’s actually what I’d consider rather feisty gateway horror. It’s like a demonic spinoff of Wife Swap, as a child in a summer vacation town thinks his neighbor is a witchy entity tied to child disappearances in the area. Backstory elements can be a bit scattershot, but when Abbie — played by Zarah Mahler — activates the film’s horror thrills whether that’s Wendigo-esque forms or contortionist body-horror? The Wretched proves why it’s a perfect entry point for young horror fans who get a strong coming-of-age tale that doesn’t hold back when it comes to Friday night frights that will test the whole family.
V/H/S/85
The V/H/S franchise is a hit-or-miss collection of found footage anthologies that aren’t everyone’s thing. V/H/S/85 takes the concept and sticks to the 1980s, fixating on outdated technologies for a time-capsule feel. It’s one of the better sequels in the franchise from start to finish, with gory standouts from Gigi Saul Guerrero and Scott Derrickson. It’s hopefully enough to win over new fans to the series, but definitely will please those who already love V/H/S titles. There’s a solid variety of storytelling between the segments and a consistent dedication to bloody chaos, making for one of the most consistent start-to-finish watches in V/H/S history.
It’s A Wonderful Knife
“It’s a Wonderful Life, but make it spooky” shouldn’t work as well as it does. Writer Michael Kennedy and director Tyler MacIntyre find a hopeful message in their Christmas Horror massacre, like if a Hallmark holiday special was interrupted by Ghostface. A cast including Jane Widdop, Jess McLeod, and Joel McHale elevate a satire of seasonal glee inside the story’s slasher bubble, but no one’s having more fun than a wacky-wicked Justin Long. It’s got everything horror fans might want, from bloody deaths to a snow-white killer’s costume, without succumbing to any ugly bleakness. Horror can be mean; it doesn’t have to play safe, but It’s a Wonderful Knife is a rare slasher film that’s better off radiating sentimental warmth.
Black Christmas
Those who’ve studied the endless catalog of slasher cinema throughout the decades know why Bob Clark’s Black Christmas is considered a foundational pillar. It’s one of the very first slashers, helping influence an entire subgenre still alive today. Sorority girls square off against “The Moaner” as Clark executes scenes of vicious tension set against the isolating backdrop of Christmas vacation, complete with the most vulgar, unnerving phone calls in any horror movie to date. Clark proves that slashers don’t have to be nauseating gore-fests to scare audiences, leaning on voyeurism and intense stalker behaviors to define his creepy peeping villain. It’s the perfect slasher if you ask me — and the ideal holiday horror treat.
When Evil Lurks
Demián Rugna returns this year to prove his last Shudder release Terrified was no fluke. When Evil Lurks is a doom and gloom take on exorcism films with hints of viral outbreaks and Evil Dead malevolence. It’s such a spectacularly diabolical flick oozing with gore and packed with aggressive scares, not for the faint of heart (or animal lovers). It’s easily one of the best horror movies of 2023, if not the best. Take a bow Mr. Rugna, you've earned your place as one of today's top horror filmmakers to watch.
The Vigil
Keith Thomas knocks his feature debut The Vigil out of the park. The Jewish horror story focuses on a young man’s encounter with an evil spirit known as a Mazzik while keeping vigil over a deceased community member. It’s supremely scary as Thomas navigates the shadows of a Brooklyn home’s tighter quarters. Thomas uses Orthodox Jewish practices to heighten his story’s originality, telling a tale of demonic hauntings that feels impressively new. It was my favorite horror movie of 2021 and should be watched ASAP if you’ve never felt the Mazzik’s frightening gaze.
Perpetrator
Jennifer Reeder treats Perpetrator like a spiritual sequel to her debut Knives and Skin in terms of tone, which is rad because Knives and Skin creates such a vibrant environment. Kiah McKirnan stars as Jonny, a teenage girl who inherits “super empathy” powers on her eighteenth birthday and ends up hunting a local serial killer preying on young women. It seems like a lot of storytelling that can easily get tangled, but Reeder maintains a strong command that falls somewhere between high school comedies like Clueless and coming-of-age horrors like Teeth. The film’s unique themes and execution won’t be for everyone, but that’s alright — I’ll take creative expressions over paint-by-numbers safety any day.
Relic
Natalie Erika James’ Relic sits at the top of “Trauma Horror” classifications. The way James weaves dementia into a horror story about losing loved ones is top-notch, from creeptacular visuals to emotionally supercharged themes. It’s easy to tell what mold represents — James isn’t trying to overcomplicate the recreation of widespread fears about mortality. Simplicity is the film’s greatest asset. It’s traumatizing, cathartic, and achingly beautiful in a way that will undoubtedly touch anyone who watches this brilliant representation of mental deterioration as a haunted house.
Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break
Nick Gillespie’s pitch-black comedy about — well, read the title — was one of my favorites from 2021’s South by Southwest film festival. Then it vanished. It’s almost impossible to find Paul Dood’s US release date. Praise Shudder for doing the dark lord’s work and scoring this British answer to Falling Down for their platform, about a hopeful talent show winner seeking revenge on the people who made him miss his audition. Kills are brutal, laughs are plentiful, and performances are perfect for the absurd concept. Please give Paul Dood the attention his film deserves!
Unwelcome
Fans of folklore and creatures should give Unwelcome a chance. Jon Wright’s funny and violent horror-comedy follows an expecting couple who moves into a rural Irish home with a Redcap problem. If you don’t know what Redcaps are, they’re basically murder goblins who kill deservingly nasty people and soak their caps in victims’ blood. Redcaps are brought to life by actors filmed off set for appropriate sizing as these adorable yet vicious hooded soldiers, nailing their tiny but murderous vibes. Unwelcome is always best when the Redcaps are on screen, scampering around with miniature weapons that tear into flesh. As long as you have the patience to get through a beginning sans Redcap shenanigans, you’ll be rewarded later on.
Brooklyn 45
Filmmaker Ted Geoghegan has created a profoundly personal and eerily haunting chamber piece with the 1940s-set Brooklyn 45. The likes of Larry Fessenden and Anne Ramsay play World War II veterans who find themselves part of a seance back home, wrestling with ghosts from behind enemy lines. Within the recreational quarters of a New York City Brownstone, these ex-soldiers and ex-interrogators face something supernatural that forces them to relive their past actions. Brooklyn 45 explores how war is hell and your sins follow you everywhere, as influenced by Geoghegan’s late disabled Air Force Veteran-turned-history teacher father — whose input helped shape the script. It’s creepy, contemplative, and offers a fresh spin on WWII themes. Papa would be proud, Mr. Geoghegan.
Terrified
I wrote a CineFix script called The Art of the Jump Scare that became a superb video essay on why jump scares deserve more respect. In my examples, I included the Argentinian horror movie Terrified, which is basically Jump Scares: The Movie — and it’s damn good at being just that. You’ll want to watch Terrified with friends and the lights on if you’re not a regular horror watcher, or alone and in the dark if you welcome a few nightmares. Filmmaker Demián Rugna proves that jump scares are essential to the genre when properly implemented, by going above and beyond to scare audiences into submission.
Jack Be Nimble
The 90s are full of oddities like Garth Maxwell’s Jack Be Nimble now lost to emptied VHS shelves. If you’re into ambitious genre stories that try to balance too many genres with a dreamlike quality, you need to check out this New Zealand import. A very young Alexis Arquette stars as Jack, trying to find his separated sister Dora (Sarah Smuts-Kennedy) after years in the adoption system — oh, and Dora has developed “extra-sensory powers?” It’s one of those movies where there’s no comparison, and it needs to be seen to be believed due to free-flowing ambition. Consider this one buried treasure.
Spoonful of Sugar
They say a spoonful of sugar makes everything better, but Shudder's latest is hardly a sweet treat that soothes. Mercedes Bryce Morgan's Spoonful of Sugar is a story about neglect, babysitting woes, and a nonverbal child with severe allergies named Johnny. Tense interactions between parents, sons, and paid caretakers are woven together like a sinister bedtime story or Grimm fable with a poisonous core. A hallucinogenic atmosphere overtakes when the hired babysitter starts dropping "medicinal" LSD, which marries traumatic events and psychedelic reactions. We love brutal horror flicks promoting unhinged narrative swings around these parts, even if some connect better than others.
Skinamarink
Chances are you’ve seen a viral post about this liminal horror movie called Skinamarink. Kyle Edward Ball embraces immersive experimentation in this recreation of childhood fears of the dark. We see an after-bedtime world from the eyes of two siblings trapped inside a pitch-black house where dark hallways, suspect shadows, and surprise noises are the horror flavors of choice. Terror is about ambiance; appreciation depends on your patience for arthouse horror that points and shoots on grainy film. Skinamarink is the hardest of recommendations — half of you reading this blurb will hate Skinamarink, guaranteed. The other half will have a new favorite oddity to show their friends, sure to divide basements of horror fans debating whether Ball’s anti-mainstream ambitions suit their personal needs.
Let The Wrong One In
Speaking of vampires, Conor McMahon’s indie vampire comedy Let the Wrong One In from two years ago deserves more attention. The title pun alone — spoofing Let the Right One In — gives away the film’s humorous tone, but it’s not some later-stage Scary Movie knockoff. Anthony Head shows up because what’s a vampire flick without an ex-Buffy cast member, as McMahon emphasizes silly practical gore on a tighter budget. “A young supermarket worker discovers that his older brother is a vampire and must choose whether to help him or slay him,” and that’s the plot’s conundrum. As far as sibling hijinx, splattery decapitations and lighthearted bloodletting go, Let the Wrong One In is worth a weekend stream.
Blood Relatives
You know Noah Segan from his Knives Out roles and films like Looper, but now you know him as something else — a feature film director. Blood Relatives (which I reviewed for IGN) is Segan’s parental road trip vampire flick with Yiddish roots, a plucky indie with a warm heart and thirst for blood. The attraction here is the chemistry between greaser dad Segan and his runaway daughter, played by Victoria Moroles. It’s sweet, downplays gore to accentuate relationship drama, and becomes a charming riff on Near Dark that’s far more comforting than psychotic.
A Wounded Fawn
In my review for A Wounded Fawn, I threw out a host of comparisons from William Lustig's Maniac to Mary Harron's American Psycho. Josh Ruben plays quite the villain, calling back to another womanizing murderer: Sebastian Stan's predator in Fresh. Travis Stevens takes significant risks in this twisty, bendy, hybrid-as-heck horror flick that's like a tour through countless subgenres — which makes A Wounded Fawn one of the year's more divisive titles. It's a ferociously wild kill-or-be-killed horror tale that never stops pushing further into psychotic madness, whether you like it or not (emphasis on the "like it or not" implications).
Deadstream
Vanessa & Joseph Winter struck gold with Deadstream, about an obnoxious livestreamer who takes his followers into Death Manor. It’s got the scrappiness of Sam Raimi’s original Evil Dead with the adaptive camouflage of screenlife evolutions in genre storytelling. Joseph Winter plays the internet celebrity seeking new sponsorship, Shawn Ruddy, and does a tremendous job keeping us watching while karma works its magic in a real-time haunted house. Deadstream is one of those discoveries you hope doesn’t become a “lost treasure,” and that’s why you’ll keep hearing me yell about this wonderful funhouse of streaming horrors until I’m blue in the face.
Speak No Evil
Christian Tafdrup brings another feel-bad stunner to its ranks, titled Speak No Evil. It’s a facetious title because I can assure you there’s plenty of evil spoken, heard, and shown. A Danish family road trips to visit their newfound Dutch vacation friends and things go — as with most Shudder releases — horribly awry. Speak No Evil plays the slow burn and builds to an absolutely soul-sucking finale that applies pressure until you’re ready to submit. That simmering approach to tension will be a divisive element for horror fans that might disappoint more adrenaline-forward horror fans, but patience will be the greatest virtue for others.
Watcher
Chloe Okuno’s feature debut Watcher is a psychological stunner that’s invasive and vulnerable to alarming degrees. Maika Monroe plays an American outsider in Bucharest (Julia) who’s left alone by her work-addicted husband while she navigates a foreign city. Discomfort and paranoia seep into Julia’s daily activities when she worries there’s a stalker behind her every step, but no one heeds her warnings. Enter Burn Gorman as an unassuming neighbor who seems to be in the wrong place every time Julia feels unsafe, and you get one of 2022’s horror standouts so far based on nothing but society’s patronizing of unbelieved women.
Scare Me
Josh Ruben's debut spotlights the power behind a well-told story. Two writers in cabins seeking rejuvenated creative juices spend time during a power outage telling each other scary tales to prove who's the better wordsmith. Imaginations run wild when their descriptions come alive, as Ruben and co-star Aya Cash (and SNL's Chris Redd) entertain using nothing but emphatic campfire tactics to raise chills that are impressive in their simplicity. Werewolves won't appear when Ruben tells a werewolf story, for example — entertainment is in a storyteller's annunciation and presence, which all actors convey splendidly. It's a clever exercise that proves how horror starts with sentences and characters before any visual effects are turned gory or grotesque, making the most of lower budgets by telling of terror without the need to show.
Black Roses
Black Roses falls under the “80s midnighter” umbrella for its cheesy rock ‘n roller themes and demonic costumes. It’s for those who enjoy films like Deathgasm, Rock ‘N’ Roll Nightmare, and Trick ‘R Treat (the heavy metal horror one). Bands of the era like Lizzy Borden and King Kobra lend their talents to a possessed band that turns suburban teens against their parents, resulting in unexplainable deaths. You’ll witness leather-clad monsters on stage who hypnotize their adoring crowd and record players that come alive, eating their prey. There’s nothing serious about Black Roses, so expect more comedy than tragedy — but it’s a definitive relic for headbanger horror fans. One that’s been especially hard to find, which makes its availability on Shudder all the more critical.
Satan’s Slaves
I will never shut up about Joko Anwar's scare-machine, Satan's Slaves. The way we talk about James Wan's mastery of haunted house architecture could fit Anwar's stylistic darkness as well. I don't scare as easily anymore, given how many horror flicks I watch per year, but Satan's Slaves is one of those rare instances where I felt like a 7-year-old watching A Nightmare On Elm Street. It's steeped in unnerving paranormal activity that feels fresher from an international perspective, finding the perfect balance between cultural significance and nightmare camera tricks. Indonesian horror has been on fire these last however many years — Satan's Slaves is one of the best examples.
Monstrum
Who can say no to a horror movie where a plague is the least of everyone’s worries? A sickness is ravaging Joseon, but rumors of a monster run rampant further threaten King Jungjong's kingdom. Things are never really what they seem with monarchs, though. While some critics called Monstrum predictable, this one’s kind of more about the journey than the destination. The action sequences are a joy, the creature effects are fun, and there may or may not be a monster nicknamed “Sparkles.”
Z
Imaginations can be killer. Brandon Christensen’s spooky nightmare, called simply Z, plays into the familiar trope of a child’s murderous imaginary friend. The plot may be recognizable here, but the visuals are enough to keep you haunted. Lead actress Keegan Connor Tracy really loses herself in her role — literally. She’s gone on record saying that Z "was such a huge emotional journey for me and I had to sort of sequester myself a lot to stay in that woman’s mental and emotional space."
Blood Quantum
We love a sociopolitical horror joint! Fresh takes on the zombie genre are hard, a fact that becomes even truer when a film diverts from the horror-comedy angle and plays it straight. Still, Blood Quantum pulls it off. A play on controversial Blood Quantum Laws, we learn six months into the apocalypse that members of the Red Crow Reservation and all those with Native blood cannot be infected by the “Zeds” while the rest of the world is fair game. Though no more plot details will be offered here, it feels important to note that Stonehorse Lone Goeman’s Gisigu is an icon and the film is worth checking out for his performance alone.
The Cleansing Hour
The Cleansing Hour is perfect introductory horror. You’ve heard of televangelists, but have you ever heard of tele-exorcists? We follow a pretend preacher as he and his crew stage fake exorcisms for views on their tacky set. At least we do until the possession stops being fake and Max — the hot preacher — is forced to reckon with his past sins if he wants to save his fiancée. It’s a little predictable, and some of the performances are a little shaky, but the practical effects are strong and Alix Angelis carries everyone across the finish line with her impeccable acting.
One Cut of the Dead
There are good movies, there are bad movies, a lot of just ok movies, and then there are special movies. One Cut of the Dead is in that last category. Usually when you hear “stick with it past the first 30 minutes,” you assume that the first third of the movie is rough. In One Cut’s case, you simply don’t know what’s going on (in a good way) until those early 30 minutes wrap up. A “love letter” can feel like a cliche, but that’s exactly what kind of film One Cut of the Dead manages to be. Telling you who that love letter is addressed to heads into spoiler territory, but trust that this one is remarkable and give it a shot.
Psycho Goreman
If you’re looking for a “hot nonsense” kind of film to meet your viewing needs, Psycho Goreman is just that. This silly, vulgar, and sometimes touching flick became one of those instant cult classics for a multitude of reasons. The real question is, which aspect of it will be the one that wins you over? Will it be Nita-Josee Hanna’s hilarious performance as Mimi, the hunky boys, or PG inexplicably dressed as Dr. Alan Grant? Psycho Goreman is loads of fun for the whole family (swears and all), especially for those who gravitate towards practical effects.
The Medium
When you watch a lot of horror, getting creeped out can become a tall order. The Medium fits that bill and then some. It shifts from haunting to utterly terrifying with ease, and features an incredible performance from Narilya Gulmongkolpech as Mink. Found footage isn’t for everyone, but rest assured that any shaky camera work is used solely to enhance the story rather than to simply jar the audience. (And note that the film has no relation to the game.)
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
We see “essential viewing” thrown around all willy nilly a lot these days. That acknowledgment aside, Horror Noire is absolutely essential viewing. Based on Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present by Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman, the documentary explores the Black history of horror. Featuring legends from Tony Todd to Jordan Peele and focusing on everything from The Birth of a Nation to blaxploitation to contemporary hits like Get Out, Horror Noire seeks to highlight both the sins and successes of Black representation in horror. The doc is also being followed up by an anthology series that premiered on October 29th on Shudder.
Tigers Are Not Afraid
Fantasy and stone-cold realism typically mix like oil and vinegar, but that’s the magic of Tigers Are Not Afraid. The award-winning film is unforgettable. A small group of children’s stories intertwine as the Mexican Drug War ravages their town and, in the process, they all find themselves met with challenges beyond their years. Those hurdles are coupled with impeccable performances and emotional traumas that will leave most viewers breathless.
What are your favorite horror movies on Shudder? Let's discuss in the comments!
source https://www.ign.com/articles/best-movies-on-shudder