10 Great Horror Movies of 2024 (And Where to Watch Them) | TV/Streaming

It's that time of year when even casual fans are looking for something spooky, but where do you start? Of course, all streaming services have extensive catalogs of the best the horror genre has ever had to offer, but maybe you'd like to catch up on something from this year? It was a strong year for the genre. Highlights include the birth of a new slasher icon, some Shudder originals, and even a Netflix movie you probably haven't seen yet. Here are quotes from 10 of our highest-rated horror films so far this year, as well as where to watch them.

“Totally disappear”

Luis Javier Henaine's film reminded me of classic works by Craven and Carpenter, where deeply flawed men who think they know everything about the world discover that in films like Serpent and the Rainbow and In the Mouth of Madness There are things far beyond their control.” Like those films, “Disappear Completely” has the feeling of a slow-motion car crash. Although it's beautifully shot, Henaine doesn't leave much hope. His protagonist believes he can find a way out of his downward spiral. We know that probably won't happen. – Brian Tallerico

Available on Netflix.

“The First Omen”

“Two genre films that indulge in supernatural Catholic horror? “In this economy?” you might rightly ask. But let this reviewer assure you that you should consider yourself lucky for this contemporary time in cinema that gleefully cuts your stomach open and makes it bleed like it's the bloody '60s or '70s out there. If “Immaculate” is a devilish nod to the giallos and nunsploitation films of the time, then “The First Omen” from the extremely talented first-time director Arkasha Stevenson belongs to both the latter camp and a paranoid thriller of the first order with a vintage touch la “Rosemary’s Baby”. – Tomris Laffly

Available on Hulu.

“I saw the TV light up”

“I Saw the TV Glow” is largely set in Owen's late teens, when compelling questions about identity, sexuality and personality often emerge. The transformative Justice Smith takes the reins from Owen, playing this outcast with the wounded rawness of a permanent scar. Owen's young adult years are marked by personal loss and his on-again, off-again friendship with Maddy, which takes shape through and around their shared love of “The Pink Opaque,” a series that feels like a throwback to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” The show offers a glimpse into the crushing fear that Owen feels but cannot name, while his direct speeches at times provide a basis for his self-sabotage. The push-pull succeeds in lulling the viewer into a calm trance before sending them into a state of unbridled panic. – Robert Daniels

Available for Max.

“In a violent nature”

The most fascinating thing about Chris Nash's hyper-violent slasher experiment “In a Violent Nature” is that it's not scary. At least not in the way that the Friday the 13th style splatter films he was obviously tinkering with used to be. There are no jump scares, few bouts of high-wire tension, and no confusion about who the final girl will be. And yet Violent Nature is one of the most intriguing, strangely serene horror entries of the year so far, precisely because it turns the mechanics of the slasher on their head and asks you to imagine what it would be like Be Jason Voorhees – a simple, demonically resurrected man who gets up every day and goes to work to do what he does best: gut himself. – Clint Worthington

Available on Shudder.

“Infested”

Spiders. Why did it have to be spiders? Any of us who cringe at the sight of a spider can attest that the many-legged arachnids are an easy source of terror. Most of us don't like finding them on our window sills, crawling around our walls, or building stringy homes in forgotten crevices. They are our enemies, as are all unwelcome pests – even if they help keep other creepy crawlies away. In Sébastien Vanicek's nightmarish feature debut, Infested, there are more spiders than you can count, and spiders of unusual size, combining to create a terrifyingly outstanding monster movie that will make many viewers jump, squirm, and maybe even scream. – Monica Castillo

Available on Shudder.

“MadS”

One of the most acclaimed premieres at Fantastic Fest this year was the wonderfully chaotic “MadS,” a film that I summarized for those who were listening as “George A. Romero's 'Run Lola Run,'” as Tykwer's beloved film, takes place in a very narrow window of chaos on one crazy night. But like so many things with Romero, this is also about the blood-soaked end of the world. (And it features wonderfully twitchy body movements from its infected characters, clearly inspired by a legacy of brain-eaters.) David Moreau, the author of the fantastic 2006 Ils (aka Them), wants you With his directorial debut, he pushed aside the era of elevated horror and dedicated himself to something more like chaotic horror. It doesn’t always have to “mean something.” Sometimes you just want to enjoy the rollercoaster ride. – Brian Tallerico

Available on Shudder.

“Curiosity”

Caveat, Damian McCarthy's directorial debut, was deeply unsettling. The same applies to its successor “Oddity”. If anything, “Oddity” is even more disturbing. In Caveat, Mc Carthy created a creeping sense of fear and outright horror, sometimes simply by pointing the camera at a slightly open door. McCarthy is patient as a filmmaker. He can wait. He doesn't try to overwhelm him with simple jump scares. He allows the feeling of discomfort to continue to build. Both “Caveat” and “Oddity” share a fascination with potentially supernatural objects, perhaps cursed but also sentient. In “Caveat,” it’s a toy rabbit with alarmingly angry glass eyes. In “Oddity” it’s a life-sized man made of wood. There is something strange about these objects. They play a big role in McCarthy's imagination. – Sheila O'Malley

Available on Shudder.

“Don’t say anything bad”

Written and directed by James Watkins (The Woman in Black), the film, which adapts a much darker Danish original of the same name, is an entertaining crowd-pleasing film best enjoyed on a Friday or Saturday night in a crowded cinema, where shouting “Get!” Get out of there, you idiot!” on the screen is not only tolerated, but expected. The film may also be of interest to therapists who tell their patients that they need to listen to the inner voice that tells them they need to leave an abusive relationship and not allow themselves to be persuaded to stay. There are many teachable moments here, some of which involve home-made weapons. – Matt Zoller Seitz

Available on VOD.

“The Substance”

Feeling crushed by impossible beauty standards and society's hyper-fixation on youth is nothing new. But Coralie Fargeat's The Substance follows the Ozempic era, when a quick shot promises weight loss that just a few years ago seemed impossible to achieve without going under the knife. In my social media feed, the ads offer the opportunity to “feel like you used to” again, try it cheaply, and see quick results. Tempting, isn't it? This is where the parallels between GLP-1 drugs for weight loss and the aforementioned substance in the film end. But Fargeat, who wrote and directed the film, turns the search for a “fountain of youth” into a blood- and neon-soaked spectacle. – Monica Castillo

Available on MUBI.

“You will never find me”

Only we didn't do it. You'll Never Find Me, the debut feature from Australian filmmakers Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen, is a unique and startling film, clearly its own 'thing', albeit deeply rooted in the horror tradition. The feeling of ambiguity, of uncertainty about what to think and who to support, is so strong that it is almost a solid substance. The two characters trudge through a muddy mess of mistrust and paranoia. The texture of “You'll Never Find Me” is masterfully crafted, so that the atmosphere, with its mix of pure fear and dark confusion, resembles a waking nightmare, or one of those dreams where you know something terrible is haunting you and you freezes place. – Sheila O'Malley

Available on Shudder.