Having been off-the-grid so to speak with movies in the past few years, I was happy to call 2019 my year of of horror rebirth. I didn’t get to catch everything I wanted (Parasite, I shall see you yet!) but did get to enjoy a good spectrum of spook this year. I did feel like a lot of 2019 films hit the middle of the spectrum for me, good enough to watch but nothing to call home about. However, there were a few gems that were exceptionally good that really made my year.
13. In the Tall Grass
A brother and sister follow a child’s panicked voice into a field of never-ending tall grass that threatens to consume them forever. While the plot lends itself to a lot of delicious spookiness, I found that the film built itself up only to fall a little flat in the ending. I love Patrick Wilson in everything he does, and would have probably liked the film more if he ended up being the ultimate antagonist.
12. Pilgrim
Pilgrim is Hulu’s rendition of “Thanksgiving, but make it spooky.” A family hires a group of pilgrim cosplayers into their home for a unique Thanksgiving experience, but events take a turn for the worse when the pilgrims refuse to break character. It’s a pretty ridiculous premise, but once you get past that, you get some pretty unique and fun kills and thrills. I have to give credit to Blum for taking a shot at this.
11. It Chapter 2
The Losers club returns in this highly anticipated sequel to face off once again with Pennywise the dancing clown. The storytelling wasn’t on the level of the first film, this time feeling more like a children’s movie performed by adult actors. However, the casting was phenomenal, and I enjoyed the way the film incorporated the past and the present.
10. DeadCon
DeadCon has an absolutely cringeworthy premise: social media influencers attending a digital media convention accidentally unleash an evil spirit that threatens to consume them all. It pulls from some very cheesy scary-movie tropes, but does them well in a way that almost pays homage to Scream. The characters and the story felt one-dimensional, but I ultimately couldn’t put it down and enjoyed it very much.
9. Luz
Possession films don’t normally make my watch-list but I was so caught up in other reviews of Luz it didn’t even cross my mind. Luz plays like a fever dream, a slow burner that doesn’t ever quite fully ignite, but never once lost my attention.
8. Us
To me, a doppelganger is spooky enough without having to put a golden pair of scissors in their hands. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Jordan Peele’s sophomore film having not yet seen Get Out (is this where everyone stops reading my article?), but Us did not disappoint. There are undoubtedly some pretty heavy plot-holes, but that didn’t stop me from watching the entire feature with my stomach completely clenched.
7. Greta
Greta is a gripping stalker suspense drama about a lonely woman desperately seeking company to fill a hole her daughter left behind. I love Chloë Grace Moretz in everything she does, but Isabelle Huppert absolutely shines here as the creepy yet intoxicating Greta Hideg.
6. Little Monsters
I might be a bit of a Zombie-movie junkie. And I never thought I’d describe one as “delightful” or “adorable,” but Little Monsters is just that. Lupita Nyongo is so endearing in this light-hearted monster movie, and Josh Gad…will seem like absolute trash, but you’ll love his performance too.
5. Villains
Mickey and Jules get more than they bargain for when they break into an unassuming suburban home. Villains pulls off both humor and suspense beautifully, and wraps it up in a warm 70s vibe in this reverse home-invasion horror.
4. Doctor Sleep
Doctor Sleep picks up 40 years after the events in The Shining. While still recovering from the trauma he faced as a child, Danny Torrance must now protect a young girl who shares the same ‘shine’ he has. I had reservations about adding this to my list because without its prequel, I feel like it hardly qualifies as horror. However, the cast is fantastic and the film is an absolute thrill for its entire two and a half hour runtime.
3. Ready or Not
This was my most anticipated movie of the year, and it did not disappoint. Ready or Not tests the true grit of a newly-wed bride in a deadly game of hide-and-seek. To keep it short: I really enjoyed it. I watched this one on a plane and couldn’t keep myself from both cowering and laughing out loud.
2. I’m Just Fucking with You
Hulu’s I’m Just Fucking with You is a shining example of how to take a boring holiday and turn it into a truly entertaining horror movie. In this dark twist on April Fools, we helplessly watch a pair of siblings endure a slew of practical jokes during their stay at an isolated motel. The movie is extremely well-paced, keeps up the laughs with the scares, and I truly had a great time watching.
1. Midsommar
I didn’t pay much attention to Midsommar at its first release, but since then, haven’t been able to stop talking about it. Ari Aster does such a great job of capturing relatable human behavior, understated but not mundane. And while other filmmakers let their protagonists walk stupidly into a clearly haunted house, Dani finds herself entangled in a manner that felt genuinely unforeseeable. Midsommar is a thoughtfully told story that is well-balanced in its realism and its horror. It is hands down my favorite of the year.