Horror movies are among the hardest movies to reflect on. They capitalize on unsettling an audience, and if a film can do so effectively, it’s more likely to linger in the mind. Some horror movies hide weak plots behind visceral jump scares, and others forego a split second’s fear in favor of a dreadful atmosphere.
And still, other horror films manage to do both, weaving together long-standing tension and the promise of moments of true horror. The previous decade of cinema, in particular, had no shortage of these wonders of creepy cinema. Here are the top horror movies of the 2010s ranked.
Updated on August 28th, 2023 by Federico Furzan: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
15 Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
After Paranormal Activity 2 ended up re-treading familiar ground as the first film, the third one made some calculated additions to the franchise’s unique form. In each movie, the majority of the shots are presented from the point of view of a home security camera.
It occasionally pans left and right across darkened rooms where unseen entities haunt a family. Many of the scares in Paranormal Activity 3 builds on the formula in terrifying ways and expands the lore behind this demon’s activity. The spine-chilling last few minutes are some of the scariest in the franchise’s history.
14 A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)
A unique twist on the vampire genre, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night follows an introverted girl with a wonder for life and a penchant for killing abusive men. The Iranian-language film is shot in black and white by director Ana Lily Amirpour.
The story undoes many of the traditionally masculine-aligned characteristics of the vampire and turns the vampire in question into an anti-hero. The film is also partially a romance and questions the relationships between the woman and her community, providing a challenging take on old vampire stories.
13 The Witch (2015)
In 1630 New England, a Puritan family falls into chaos and disarray as forces of evil conspire to undo their fragile survival. The film is directed by Robert Eggers, who drew inspiration from his New England upbringing and fascination with folklore.
The Witch places the horror in the context of the strict religious hierarchy of the first settlers, and the nature of the evil in the story contains allusions to sexual repression and misogyny under rigid patriarchy. The cinematography is gorgeous, using only natural light and candlelight to convey the claustrophobia of the setting, making Eggers' film feel truly ominous.
12 Train To Busan (2016)
Yeon Sang-ho’s zombie thriller takes a unique spin on the genre of zombie movies by placing all the action inside a speeding train. With grotesque practical effects, incredible acting, and editing, Train To Busan might be one of the best zombie movies ever released.
There is a strong emotional undercurrent to the film, and each character stands out as painfully human until their grisly demise. This movie joins the tradition of superb horror movies made in South Korea by a new generation of filmmakers.
11 Us (2019)
Us is director Jordan Peele’s second stab at a feature-length horror film, and the skills developed from creating Get Out are on full display. The film makes incredible use of the concept of doppelgängers, near-identical-looking copies of people that haunt them.
As with Get Out, Us carries an important subtext about the political division that makes this horror film connect hard with audience members fearful of the strength of the movie’s allegory. Some felt that the film was harder to follow than 2017's Get Out, but comparing the two is difficult due to their differences in storytelling style.
10 The Lighthouse (2019)
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The Lighthouse is Robert Eggers' feature-length horror follow-up to The Witch. Given more creative license for The Lighthouse, Eggers recreates the aesthetic of old black-and-white movies and uses a constricting 4:3 aspect ratio to play up the claustrophobia of the film.
Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe play two isolated lighthouse keepers who are slowly driven mad by their loneliness and the haunting presence of the lighthouse. Surrealistic imagery chases their descent into madness while drawing the audience into the minds of this tortured duo. This is a standout film that sticks in the minds of viewers for how offbeat and unique the production is, and for how Eggers uses every trick in the box to elevate the dread and paranoia of being isolated at sea.
9 Get Out (2017)
Get Out, which was recently named the greatest script of the 21st century by the Writers Guild of America, is Jordan Peele’s directorial debut. Somewhat easier to follow than Us for some viewers, the film made waves with its horrifying narrative about racism.
What seems like a normal weekend getaway turns into a kidnapping gone wrong as Daniel Kahluuya’s character encounters a new kind of white slaver. The building of tension in Get Out is its greatest asset, where every moment feels like something is just not quite right. The movie’s heightened metaphor for racial discrimination is at once visceral and fascinating.
8 Midsommar (2019)
The first fifteen minutes of Midsommar are some of the most grotesque, destabilizing scenes ever put to film, and by then there is no doubt that Ari Aster is a modern master in creating fear. Grieving the loss of loved ones, Dani accompanies her boyfriend and some friends on a trip to Sweden, where they encounter a peculiar religious organization that is more than meets the eye.
Most of the movie takes place in plain daylight, and yet, so many of those moments are spent in genuine terror as the nature of their surroundings is never made clear to the group. Trippy and surreal, Midsommar is a masterful portrayal of grief and renewal that is deeply unsettling through all of its runtime.
7 Hereditary (2018)
Ari Aster’s first film Hereditary radiates evil from its core. From the first few shots, the film establishes a deeply uneasy atmosphere that feels fundamentally wrong at every turn. The characters, each of whom spends much of the movie grieving, are victims of possession and manipulation by a demonic entity.
The film’s production quality and each of its stylistic choices are intended to confuse and communicate an unspecific horror. The source of each horrifying moment is never clear before it is revealed, and some select sequences of the film will flood the viewer with palpable fear.
6 Lights Out (2016)
Before entering the world of superheroes, David F. Sandberg was exclusively into horror. The short feature that made him famous was called Lights Out and it terrified half the world. Three years later, he had the opportunity to make a feature film based on the short.
Lights Out is an outstanding example of modern horror that, while staying close to the usual tropes, manages to tell a compelling story based on a very simple premise: A pair of siblings must protect themselves from an entity that can kill people only if they're in the dark.
5 The Babadook (2014)
Jennifer Kent's psychological horror film The Babadook is a horrific journey into a land of broken minds and souls where a mother and child fight an evil entity called the Babadook. This one's better seen than spoiled, so we'll hold back some details.
Just know that Amelia and Samuel are perhaps victims of something much more intimate than it seems. The film is a direct wink at the delicate subject of motherhood and the depression that it sometimes causes.
4 Doctor Sleep (2019)
Mike Flanagan is, without a doubt, one of modern horror's best filmmakers. He has proved this with films and TV shows running on storylines that possess depth. His sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep, is an impressive film that manages to connect Stephen King's original approach to Kubrick's film.
All this while resulting in a very scary film about an adult Danny Torrance trying to fight evil in modern times. This time there are no ghosts, but a horrific gang of psychics that steal your soul while killing you. If you're going to watch this one, make it the Director's Cut.
3 Hell House LLC (2015)
Found footage horror gem Hell House LLC is a film that not many people know about. And they really should. It tells the story of a group of friends who decide to set up a haunted house for Halloween.
The thing is they decide to use a location that's supposedly really haunted. The result is a terrifying indie horror film that will chill you to the bone. When people ask "What's a film that I should watch to get scared," your answer should be Hell House LLC.
2 It Follows (2014)
The premise of It Follows is an original one, and it’s terrifying in execution. Through sexual intercourse, a gaunt-faced boy passes on the curse of a relentlessly pursuing paranormal monster to the protagonist, Jaime. She spends the rest of the movie in flight, chased by this entity that takes the shape of regular people, expressionless, naked, and walking towards their targets without end.
As a movie structured around a chase, the threat of the monster feels eternally present, and the stakes build to a terrifying crescendo as Jaime and her friends try to rid themselves of the curse rather than pass it on.
1 A Quiet Place (2018)
2018's A Quiet Place is a modern classic already. There's a palpable emotional drive beyond the exercise in tension that the film ultimately becomes, and there's no horror without that human element that's very well-injected in the story.
The film's about a family who tries to survive in a world infested by huge aliens that are very sensible to sound. Of course, the Abbotts are forced to live without making noise. Now, imagine living through that for a second.