This year there was filled with amazing and gore-tastic horror movies released- from dolls, to aliens, to another return of Ghostface, this year proved to be a powerhouse when it came to the genre. Here are my favorite horror movies of 2023.
Scream VI
As a HUGE Scream fan, this film was a blast. Each film in the franchise just gets more suspenseful and brutal while still staying hilarious and true to the original. There's something so magical about playing the who-dun-it game; everyone's a suspect! I feel like Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin really listened to the fans after Scream 5 and amped up the kills and chase scenes to a 10. GhostFace with a gun??? We are all goners! I never want this franchise to end! We covered this movie on the pod with our longtime producer and fellow Scream fanatic, Jon Sosis.
M3GAN
I tried not to watch any spoilers or trailers for this movie, and boy, was I surprised and absolutely obsessed with it. It has such a unique concept, and the rated R version is even better! The eeriest thing about the film is that this really could happen in the future. Sure, M3gan is no possessed demon or a killer in a mask, but there's something so terrifying about technology that makes this film perfect for the times. We chatted with comedian Kelly Ryan about the movie AND with the voice of M3gan herself, Jenna Davis! Can't wait for M3gan 2.0!
Cocaine Bear
I love the fact that this is based on a true story (RIP to that bear). This movie is not only hilarious from start to finish but it's a gory fun time. You go from rooting for the people to rooting for the bear, which is always an interesting moral journey when watching horror. The funniest part was watching this in a theater, the audience was absolutely horrified while I was sitting there cackling. The special effects team and writers must have had so much fun creating these insane scenes.
Renfield
Nicolas Cage as a Vampire- Need I say more? He just crushes this movie. It's so funny, and there's tons of classic vampire lore while also adding some new, which I personally find fascinating. Nicholas Hoult is such a badass in this movie, and I need him to make more horror because he just crushes everything he does.
Talk To Me
WOW. Easily saw this movie five times in theater, and each time it brought something new. There are so many things you may miss on a first-time you watch. It really is such a brilliant story with interesting characters and terrifying moments that stick with you long after the film ends. It's been at least three months since I last watched it, and I am still thinking about the montage scene…. We had journalist and documentarian (Tickled, Mister Organ, Dark Tourist), and horror fan David Farrier talk about the movie, and it might be one of my favorite interviews ever!
Summoning Sylvia
A hilariously delightful film with a great cast and spooky- fun moments! There are so many good one liners in this movie it's hard to keep track. From the moment the movie starts, it just takes off with a spooky fun time. Frankie Grande is a star in this movie, and I need him to do more horror because he is just so dynamic on screen. We were lucky enough to get to talk to him about the film, here's that interview.
Five Nights At Freddy's
This movie is so fun and has such iconic moments that will be perfect to continue the franchise. I never played the games till our producer Jon had me play on a VR headset… Needless to say, those games terrified me. It was an absolute joy to watch Matthew Lillard and Josh Hutcherson on screen together, battling it out. I am so excited to see the next movies they make and cannot wait to see a rated-R version! We reviewed the movie with comedian Gabby Vargas here!
Saw X
Holy Moly. Did I almost throw up? Yes. Did I also almost cry? Yes. Does John Kramer deserve the world? Yes. This movie was so fun and really surprised me. I am not a Saw fan by any means (If you know me, you know I struggle with intense gore), but I really enjoyed this movie. I did not expect it to pull at my heartstrings while also making me want to heave. That right there is some good horror filmmaking if you ask me!
Totally Killer
Back to the Future meets Scream? Yes PLEASE! Such a fun and thrilling movie with that classic '90s slasher feeling while adding a modern twist. It was seriously so fun to watch, and just like watching the Scream movies, the who-dun-it aspect was truly thrilling to try and solve. I really hope more people make slashers like this in the future. It's an exciting time to reinvent while still paying homage to the original subgenre.
Evil Dead Rise
I am not a huge Evil Dead fan, however, this was so fun to watch, especially with a pod favorite, comedian, and Evil Dead superfan Joel Jimenez. There were some gory AF moments, but man this movie was a lot funnier than I expected. Really loved how they balanced the comedy while staying true to the carnage that this series likes to spread. And all I have to say are these four words - THE CHEESE GRATER SCENE.
Slotherhouse
This movie is such an Insane concept. And my god, do they deliver! It's executed so well and was absolutely hilarious. To sign onto this project and act like you're terrified of an adorable, slow-moving creature... I'm obsessed, and we need more!!
Thanksgiving
Eli Roth said, "There will be no leftovers," and he was right! The kills were SO brutal, and the Bostonian accents were iconic. We need more mainstream holiday slashers; they are just so fun and enjoy not taking themselves too seriously. We had a blast talking with actor Padrick Shadeck about the movie. Can't wait for the sequel!
No One Will Save You
I never thought I was afraid of aliens until this movie. The dream of living alone in the countryside died as soon as the first alien popped in. You know how some actors act and then other actors ACT? Well Kaitlyn Dever was ACTING her BUTT off in this movie. She proved she has insane acting chops and needs to be in more horror. Overall, the movie was a mind f*ck and I don't know how I feel about aliens being real now…
Cobweb
I was never afraid of something living in my walls until this movie…but here we are! My parents always joked they had other kids, but they just "weren't cut out to be in our family" (dark, and makes sense for how I turned out humor-wise), but this movie puts me on edge. There's something so sinister about having your parents turn on you, especially when you are just a kid and have nowhere to go. And as a kid with an active imagination… I now feel like someone is living in the walls of my parents' house. Might have to investigate that!
The Blackening
I am so surprised this movie wasn't made sooner. To take the horror movie cliche of the black character dying first by casting an entire black cast that has to survive this psycho killer? BRILLIANT and about damn time! The cast is perfection and packs a PUNCH! Not only does this movie have its scary moments but, in my opinion, also provides some of the funniest lines delivered in a horror movie. I want to see more!
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor
If you're a fan of Hell House LLC, then you will LOVE this movie. I am such a fan of found footage movies, especially this series. Each of the Hell House LLC movies builds off of the horror of the previous films and ramps it up. Even then, the trailer alone actually got me to jump- which is a rarity considering how much horror I consume. I'm stoked to see what they do next in this series.
Insidious: The Red Door
I binged all of the Insidious movies before watching this one, and oh man, they did not disappoint. Full of iconic Insidious jump scares and terrifying moments that linger with you even when you close your eyes. (I may or may not have had some nightmares with our good ol friend, the Lipstick Demon.) But it's so fun to continue with the same cast through the franchise because it feels like they are aging with us, and it provides the want and need to protect that family at all costs.
We Have A Ghost
I have always wanted to be best friends with a ghost, so this movie helped me live out my dreams. Plus, it's David Harbour! He's adorable! So charming! I really loved how instead of having the kids exploit the ghost, the parents were the greedy culprits in this instance. Oftentimes, children are shown as the greedy ones, but to see a parent become obsessed with social media clicks and views is fascinating. Overall, it is such a funny movie, and I will be watching this every year.
Winnie The Pooh Blood And Honey
Moral of the story- don't abandon your friends or they will turn feral and try to kill you. I'm excited to see all of these movies riffing on characters under such heavy copyright laws that will now be available for creative movies like this one! But oh my god, this movie is a wild ride. I was a huge Winnie the Pooh fan as a kid, so to see Pooh go around murdering people? I don't know if this is ruining my childhood or making it better, but I am here for all of it and cannot wait to see what else comes out.
Infinity Pool
I don't know what I just watched, but it was a trip! If you go to a hotel and see Mia Goth, you might be in a horror movie, and you should run ASAP because, once again, she proves she's a horror icon with her incredibly twisted performance. Plus, the visuals in this film were absolutely insane. I walked into this movie knowing nothing about it, and my mind was going a million miles an hour while watching it.
Check out new episodes of Katie Afraidy every Tuesday.
