This year has seen numerous horror movies with ground-breaking stories and out-of-the-box directions that have revitalized the horror genre. But among all that horror, there are some horror movies that deserve to be above and scared the heck out of people the most. Behold the 10 best horror movies of 2022, that you must watch if you’re a die-hard fan of horror.
Barbarian
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Directed by: Zach Cregger
“Barbarian is exactly the type of film that I’ve been begging Hollywood to make more of. A film that almost constantly reinvents itself. …I really like movies that change, that present themselves as one thing but quickly reveal they are, in fact, something else.” Chris Stuckmann, Lover of film.
“In a world inundated with so much stale horror, at least on the mainstream front, Barbarian is welcomed breath of fresh air. It is chaos incarnate and it’s sheer unpredictability is why it stands tall over so many of the horror films from this year. When you think it will zig, it zags and it all culminates to a jaw-dropping climax. Hilarious at some moments and traumatizing at others, the reverberation of laughter and screams in a packed theater is powerful reminder of the beauty of communal theater watching.” Joe Aragon, Letterboxd.
Bodies, Bodies, Bodies
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Directed by: Halina Reijn
“One of my favorite ensemble casts this year, Bodies Bodies Bodies is a fever dream whodunnit that achieves so much in its taut 95 minutes. The satire is sharp, the humor is dark, and the movie wastes no time thrusting you into the mix of the party game from hell. There’s so much about Bodies Bodies Bodies that works that even the minor issues never stymied the pure entertainment this movie delivers.” Joe Aragon, Letterboxd.
“Been seeing a lot of comparisons to 2022’s Scream in the sense that it’s a contemporary slasher film featuring Gen Z’ers as the primarily protagonists. I say nay. Whereas one merely used Gen Z’ers as an attempt to seem modern and cool, this one specifically used them as a method of criticism and mockery. It actually had something meaningful to say, and it said it in a fucking hilarious manner. Coming from someone who was certain he’d hate every moment of his experience, I actually had a huge blast watching this film..” Dakota Joaquin, Letterboxd.
The Black Phone
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
“Yeah, it’s gonna be a F##K YES from me. The Black Phone is a miracle of modern horror. So carefully and considerately constructed (can EVERY studio horror film look and sound as good as this one does???) with ASTOUNDING attention to period detail and more suspenseful setpieces than the genre has seen in some time (and jump scares not only used sparingly, but successfully). Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw are gonna be megastars. Ethan Hawke is absolutely horrifying. Scott Derrickson forever babyyy.” Zoë Rose Bryant, Letterboxd.
Watcher
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Directed by: Chloe Okuno
“A masterclass in tension. Maikia Monroe plays the part in such a way that you feel your sanity slip away with hers, and she is shot either wide to make her seem smaller or defenceless, or close up which limits the field of view and makes it seem like somebody is always there, just off frame. It doesn’t do anything new per say, but what it does, it does really well. It’s intense final act feels earned. It’s the most uneasy a movie has made me feel since Hereditary.” Brian Godsoe, Letterboxd.
“Always a pleasure to see a director who knows what the fuck they’re doing behind the camera. From beginning to end this was a nail-biting hair-raising patiently-executed thriller dripping with astonishing levels of suspense and tension. Support films like this. Cinema is starving for more.” Dakota Joaquin, Letterboxd.
Pearl
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Directed by: Ti West
“Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Boogie Nights gets traded in for Carrie and Wizard of Oz in an outstanding prequel that only makes X that much better. Pearl isn’t just the random homicidal maniac awoken one evening to give X a villain, but rather a terrifying manifestation of someone who was never given a chance at their dream. Who is told that practicality and reality are what society wants, even though it constantly tells you to have a dream. That same society that gives that sort of duality advice, keeping you motivated with one hand and crushing you with the other, must now feel the wrath of Pearl. Mia Goth is outstanding.” Joe Aragon, Letterboxd.
“Many movies have been colloquially dubbed “Joker For Women,” but this is the only one that actually earns the title. She’s a star. She’s a star, she’s a star, she’s a star. She is a big, bright, shining star.” Anna Kendrick Lamar, Letterboxd.
Smile
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
Directed by: Parker Finn
“SMILE had me fake smiling throughout to mask how terrified I really was. A disturbing look at how trauma & mental illness passes on from person to person. Much better than I was expecting with some effectively rattling jump scares. I want to be clear, this is no “Hereditary” (which is, for me, the gold standard in horror filmmaking over the last decade). It feels more like “It Follows.” I also understand these ideas & themes have been done to death but how it expresses them really spoke to me here. Much of the dialogue could’ve been improved but Sosie Bacon really commits to it, plus it didn’t hurt to laugh every once in a while. The best horror movie I’ve seen so far this year.” Matt Neglia, Letterboxd.
X
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Directed by: Ti West
“A love letter to the 70s/80s slasher but with enough nuance to keep it fresh and exciting, I had a blast watching X. A perfect marriage of outrageous and brutal kills with a surprisingly deep exploration of themes of sex and beauty, Ti West has crafted a movie that I think will only get better with age. Stylistically, this was my jam but I could see it being a turn-off for some people. Oh, and it’s legitimately hilarious. X is why we go to the movies.” Joe Aragon, Letterboxd.
“Ti West skillfully blends style with substance in A24’s X, delivering a riff on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with a few subversive – and sexy – twists. The rare slasher homage that manages to transcend its influences and become something invigoratingly original all on its own as well.” Zoë Rose Bryant, Letterboxd.
Nope
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
Directed by: Jordan Peele
“It’s clear, with this movie, that Peele has a big love for Steven Spielberg movies, because more so than any film he’s made, this feels like his grandest achievement when it comes to awe-inspiring visuals. What he’s done in this movie with the cinematographer is astounding. I have never in my lifetime seen nighttime sequences this gorgeous. I’m not entirely sure how they did it. I am blown away.” Chris Stuckmann, Lover of film.
“Absolutely TERRIFYING but in the same vein doubles as a much needed outrageous and original summer blockbuster. the kind of horror movie that made me laugh with relief after a jump scare and anxiously grab for more popcorn, which now that i’m actually thinking about it is quite a rare feat nowadays. the perfect storm of jaws and super 8 and probably many other things but completely its own and distinctly made. countless people say this daily now but jordan peele truly is like… unbelievably great at this movie making thing.” Lucy, Letterboxd.
You Won’t Be Alone
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Directed by: Goran Stolevski
“A beautiful, melancholy meditation on life and humanity, one of those movies you really need to be in the right mood for. Somewhere between folk horror and a dark fairytale, You Won’t Be Alone wants you to think about how beautiful life can be, but also how cruel. Humans are strange. It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but those who connect with it will really enjoy it – it definitely spoke to me.” Marianna Neal, Letterboxd.
The Menu
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Directed by: Mark Mylod
“The film offers so many different ways to engage with it on an intellectual level, but it’s also extremely funny. Especially for a film as scary as it becomes. It’s completely different from what I thought it was gonna be and I think lots of audience members are gonna be surprised by the direction this film takes. The performances are all incredible; Ralph Fiennes, I do think is awards-worthy. And my theater laughed constantly, it became infectious after a while.” Chris Stuckmann, Lover of film.
