It’s safe to say that 2019 was kind of an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the horror genre. That’s what made making this list this much harder. But here we go, this is the Top 10 Horror Films of 2019.
Before we get into the list though there has to be an honorable mention. While not part of the massive talent In the top 10 list, Travis Stevens’ The Girl on the Third Floor is a film that shows a lot of promise. It’s loaded with where we can see Stevens headed in the future. His next film should definitely be one to check out. If you haven’t seen it, view it your attention.
Onto the list:
1.Doctor Sleep
This Stephen King adaptation easily tops the list. Mike Flanagan was able to adapt 4 different things here. He was able to adapt a novel that many felt unadaptable while also making it a sequel to not only the novel but the Kubrick version all the while sprinkling bits of the mini-series from ABC. Include the performances by Ewan McGregor as an adult Danny Torrence, Rebecca Ferguson as the antagonist Rose the Hat and the incredible cameo by Henry Thomas that needs to be seen to believed, and you have the makings of a film that tops this list.
2. US
Jordan Peele’s sophomore effort truly showed us that the success of Get Out was not a fluke. The film really dives deep into pop culture and our own fear of ourselves and gets every little detail right, that warrant a second and even third viewing if you want to get all of the little things that are thrown in.
3. The Lighthouse
Another sophomore project, this time from the director of The Witch, Robert Eggers. The Lighthouse is a psychological, taut thriller about the horror that befalls two men. This is one of those films you really have to see to enjoy but Eggers went out of his way to ramp up the atmosphere by making it black and white, as well as changing the aspect ratio. But the really best part of The Lighthouse may not be any of those. It may be the performances of Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. Definitely check this one out.
4. One Cut of the Dead
It’s fair to say that zombie culture is getting a bit stale on television and in the cinema but One Cut of the Dead really stays fresh with the way they pulled it off. Made for the low budget of $25,000 and using unknown actors, as a zombie apocalypse begins during the middle of filming a zombie film, which makes the director happy so he continues to shoot. The raw emotion, comedic timing and visceral nature of the film give it the number 4 spot on this list.
5. Midsommar
Following the very polarizing Hereditary, Ari Aster released a film that is ultimately about finding your place in the world and being accepted by whoever will accept you. The film requires multiple viewing to fully get what’s going on but the visuals are stunning and often times a little too real and unsettling for their own good. But that doesn’t take away from the masterfulness that went into the creation of this film.
6. Ready Or Not
Ready Or Not is kind of the sleeper horror hit of the year. This black horror-comedy about a woman who is hunted by the family that she married into is smart on a level that hasn’t been seen in a film of this nature in a long time. The cast as a whole is good but the real stand out is Samara Weaving, who is really cementing herself into the genre with not only this film but MAYHEM and The Babysitter
7. IT Chapter Two
This film was probably the most anticipated film of 2019, not just a sequel. And while it did very well at the box office something about this film could not compare to the original. The adult actors were just fine with Bill Hader really standing out as the adult Richie Tozer, but kind of lacked the same charm that the child actors had in the first battle with Pennywise the Clown, who is just as expertly played by Bill Skarsgard. Another issue is that sometimes the film really starts to feel its length and can drag a bit, but that doesn’t keep it from being number 7 on this list.
8. Annabelle Comes Home
In the 7th installment in The Conjuring Universe franchise, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren to bookend the film which primarily focuses on her daughter and company dealing with an unleashed Annabelle inside the Warren’s home. It’s exactly what you would expect from a film in The Conjuring Universe, and at the end of the day, that’s kind of what you want. But that still makes it good enough to be on this list.
9. The Prodigy
We are going to be rounding off the list with two films about rotten kids. The first one coming in at number 8 is The Prodigy. A story about a boy who starts to exhibit disturbing behavior that leads his parents to think supernatural forces are involved. Starring Taylor Schilling as the boy’s mother, who leads a terrific cast who delivers on all levels of a script that is kind of gives us nothing new in the world of the bad seed child movie.
10. Brightburn
Rounding out the top 10 of 2019 is the James Gunn produced superhero horror film about a boy who lands to Earth with all the powers one could want, but with a deep-seated inherent desire for evil despite his adopted mother showing him nothing but love even after all of the horrible things he does begin to pile up. There are so many directions that the film could have gone that didn’t, but Elizabeth Banks’s performance as the doting mother and many of the horror elements really elevate this film to the 10th spot here on the list.
What does your list look like? Let us know below!