These Are The Best Horror Movies of 2023 (So Far)
Last year was a hallmark year for horror movies, with releases such as Pearl, X, Prey, The Menu, and many more. It’s a tough act to follow, maybe, but 2023 kept the momentum going, coming out the gate with highlight releases in January right through spooky season. But which scary film this year was more frightening than the rest? This list will rank the top 10 best horror movies of 2023 so far.
As the year progresses, we’ve returned to this list to add highly anticipated titles like Saw X, The Exorcist remake, and a few other films we couldn’t wait to see debut this year. Now we’ve got them ranked from worst to best below.
Check out our list and tell us your favorite horror movies of 2023 in the comments below.
18. The Exorcist: Believer
What more can be added about this movie that hasn’t already been discussed? Positioned as one of the year’s most disappointing horror films, The Exorcist Believer follows the well-worn path of the requel. When Angela and her friend Katherine display signs of demonic possession, Victor Fielding, played by Leslie Odom Jr., a single father, finds himself thrust into a terrifying confrontation with unspeakable evil. Overwhelmed and filled with dread, he turns to Chris MacNeil, portrayed by Ellen Burstyn, the only living witness to such horrors, in a desperate plea for assistance.
In summary, the film abandons the core principles of the original, favoring cheap gimmicks, jump scares, and coarse language. While the first half maintains some promise, once the girls return from their woodland expedition, the quality takes a sharp nosedive.
17. The Nun II
In 1956’s France, a priest is violently murdered, and Sister Irene begins to investigate. She once again comes face-to-face with a powerful evil. The Nun II serves as a sequel to 2018’s The Nun and the ninth installment in The Conjuring Universe franchise. Although it’s noted by fans to be better than the original, others consider it lackluster due to its formulaic scares and conventional trappings, and we tend to agree with the latter.
16. Skinamarink
Two children wake up in the middle of the night to find their father is missing, and all the windows and doors in their home have vanished. Despite some of its technical feats, Skinamarink is more content with providing a creepy atmosphere than any entertainment value. More of a film for aspiring horror movie directors and audiences that still appreciate guerilla filmmaking.
15. Insidious: The Red Door
While it received criticism for altering its characters’ perfect ending, Insidious: The Red Door isn’t a poor viewing experience, contrary to popular belief. Taking place a decade after the second installment, it follows Patrick Wilson‘s character navigating divorce and grieving the recent loss of his mother. The addition of his son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) heading off to college brings a challenging transition. Yet, repressed memories of their shared trauma resurface, resulting in a slew of new and familiar entities. Even if you only watch it once, it’s not a time-wasting endeavor, making it a middling entry on the list.
14. The Pope's Exorcist
Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, The Pope’s Exorcist follows Amorth (Russell Crowe) as he investigates a young boy’s terrifying possession and ends up uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has desperately tried to keep hidden. The Pope’s Exorcist embodies the familiar tropes of holy horror, yet it distinguishes itself through the exceptional performance of its leading actor, delivering a divinely captivating portrayal that may serve as a solace to otherwise damned audience members.
13. Influencer
Slept on by many this year (probably due to the titular subject(s) of the film), Influencer sees social media pro-Madison (Emily Tennant) struggling on a solo backpacking trip in Thailand. Soon, she meets CW (Cassandra Naud), who travels easily and shows her a more uninhibited way of living, but CW’s interest in her takes a darker turn. It showcases how online personas don’t mix well in the real world, and its smartly woven story helps elevate the movie from being typical, gimmicky, or schlocky.
12. No One Will Save You
This Hulu Original film made quite a splash when it was released. The plot revolves around Brynn (Kaitlyn Dever), who seeks refuge in her childhood home but is abruptly disturbed one night by eerie sounds from otherworldly intruders. The first half of the film offers promising intrigue and features well-executed shots that set it apart as a distinctive home invasion story. However, as the narrative transitions away from the house, it descends into conventional horror clichés, and the audience’s suspension of disbelief, especially as Brynn remains virtually silent throughout, starts to waver. By the conclusion, the payoff for her silence feels somewhat lacking, and the ending itself leaves much to be desired.
11. Sick
As the pandemic steadily brings the world to a halt, Parker (Gideon Adlon) and her best friend Miri (Bethlehem Million) decide to quarantine at the family lake house alone–or so they think. Although it has a great premise and promising threat, the characters are remarkably dull as the premise begins to settle into generic cabin-in-the-woods tropes and silly revenge plots.
10. Knock at the Cabin
While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost. It has great performances from Dave Bautista, Rupert Grint, and Kristen Cui and fantastic direction, but like many M. Night joints, Knock at the Cabin falls apart in its third act when the plot twist is revealed and/or confirmed.
9. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster skillfully harnesses the power of black surrealism and elevated horror. The story follows Vicaria, an exceptional teenager who holds the belief that death is a curable ailment. When her brother falls victim to a brutal murder, she embarks on a perilous quest to resurrect him. However, it plays out better as a well-constructed drama than it does as a horror, although the material can be quite horrific. The performances from Laya DeLeon Hayes (Doc McStuffins), Chad L. Coleman, and Denzel Whitaker (The Great Debaters) particularly stand out.
8. Renfield
Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), the tortured aide to his narcissistic boss, Dracula (Nicolas Cage), is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding. However, after centuries of servitude, he’s ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of the Prince of Darkness. Despite being a funny take on Dracula and featuring Mortal Kombat–esque levels of violence, it can come off as humorous in situations it’s not meant to be and a bit campy for some.
7. Infinity Pool
Guided by a seductive and mysterious woman, couple Em and James Foster (Cleopatra Coleman & Alexander Skarsgård) on vacation venture outside the resort grounds and find themselves in a culture filled with violence, hedonism, and untold horror. A tragic accident soon leaves them facing a zero-tolerance policy for crime: either you’ll be executed, or, if you’re rich enough to afford it, you can watch yourself die instead. With great cinematography and an always electric Mia Goth at the forefront, this scifi horror manages to deliver some solid social commentary amongst all the usual Neon psychedelic oddities.
6. Scream VI
Four survivors of the Ghostface murders leave Woodsboro behind for a fresh start in New York City. However, they soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when a new killer embarks on a bloody rampage. Although franchise-lead Neve Campbell is missing, this installment still proves to be fun and intense, if not a bit less inventive than previous sequels. Also, its NYC setting could have been utilized more. Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera once again excel as the new leading ladies of the franchise.
5. Saw X
This tenth installment in the franchise takes place between the events of the first two movies and sees John Kramer (Tobin Bell), AKA Jigsaw, going after people who scam cancer patients with fake, expensive treatments. It is one of the better films in the convoluted franchise, especially since the series’ primary character is back at the forefront. Knowing audiences missed Jigsaw, it offers a lot of story in front of its runtime, leaving the torture traps for the latter half. As a result, the film does something unique and actually root for Jigsaw and even have some empathy for him.
4.Talk to Me
Talk to Me is A24’s latest elevated horror offering, this time from New Zealand, that sees friends unlock the power to summon spirits using an embalmed hand, leading to an addictive and high-stakes party game. But when one pushes the boundaries too far, they unleash terrifying supernatural forces. It’s a great allegory for addiction, and the cinematography and the terrifying scenes with youngster Joe Bird make it an easy contender for one of the best horror releases of 2023. However, don’t let your horror-loving friends (or Joe Rogan) bully you into believing it is the second coming of Hereditary. It’s also got some faults, most of which appear during the third act.
3. The Boogeyman
High school student Sadie Harper (Sophie Thatcher) and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from their mother’s recent death and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will (Chris Messina), a therapist who is dealing with his own pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims. Despite being a 20th Century (read: Disney) flick, it’s still scary and deals with trauma creatively well.
2. Evil Dead Rise
In the fifth Evil Dead film, a road-weary Beth (Lily Sullivan) pays an overdue visit to her older sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), who is raising three kids on her own in a cramped Los Angeles apartment. The sisters’ reunion is cut short by the discovery of a mysterious book deep in the bowels of Ellie’s building, giving rise to flesh-possessing demons and thrusting Beth into a primal battle for survival as she is faced with the most nightmarish version of motherhood imaginable. There’s plenty to love about this installment, whether you come from the original film and its reboot or the Ash-centric installments with campy humor. Both sides of the franchise are honored, and we hope this is the first in many more sequels to come.
1. M3GAN
M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that’s programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by Gemma (Allison Williams), a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate, and protector. When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece (Violet McGraw), she decides to give the girl an M3GAN prototype, a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences. Its brilliant marketing, clever themes, and memorable villain cemented this January release as the best horror flick the year has offered so far.
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