Snobbery from horror fans isn’t uncommon. Some horror fans are rude towards folks who enjoy slashers. Then there are the horror fans who only like to watch “elevated horror” (which is a term that continues to insult the genre at large).
What’s become very common is when folks claim there are no original horror movies. That everything these days is a sequel, remake, requel, or a reboot. But while it can feel like we’re awash in remakes, there have been plenty of original horror movies that have come out over recent years.
Listing all the good ones would take me ages, if I’m being honest. This is why it’s best to narrow them down. All of the movies I’m listing fall into different horror subgenres. Essentially there’s something for everyone, whether you love horror comedies, flat-out scares, to movies that twist you up inside.
The Invitation (2015)
It’d be an understatement to say that Karyn Kusama understands horror. She directed the feminist/queer cult classic, Jennifer’s Body (2009) after all. The Invitation (2015) is an entirely different beast, though. It’s a slow-paced beast that pounces on you after taking its time. And damn, does the movie create such disturbing suspense. Not only that, but it explores the realities of anxiety, cult mentality, avoidance of processing grief, and gaslighting, to some degree. The movie on the outside seems so simple—the plot is about a group of friends that gather together after two years. Only the intention of the gathering isn’t what it seems.
Cam (2018)
Depicting sex work in film is very touch and go. There isn’t always that needed education on sex work, sex workers, or anything surrounding it. Thankfully Cam (2018) seems to touch upon the world of camming, the misconceptions, the dangers that sex workers often face, and the empowerment. The ways in which sex workers are treated as disposable is partially what this movie is about. It also tackles how nefarious the internet can be. Knowing that Issa Mazzei, who wrote the screenplay, was a camgirl before absolutely contributes to why the film works. The plot follows camgirl Alice/Lola (Madeline Brewer) whose account is hijacked by a clone of her. Brewer’s performance is absolutely perfect and she really makes you care what’s happening to her character.
Ready or Not (2019)
Rich people and the lengths they’ll go to maintain their status! In this horror-comedy, Samara Weaving is the modern final girl of our dreams. She absolutely kicks ass, screams like there’s no tomorrow, and does it all in her wedding dress. Who does that? Grace (Samara Weaving) does that! The film follows Grace, who marries into an obscenely rich family that happens to perform rituals to stay rich. That’s the simplified version, of course. When her new family makes her play a card game, she pulls the “Hide-N-Seek” card which means she must hide while they find her—only for her life to be in danger. The performances are top-notch and Ready or Not is one of those horror comedies that you can rewatch. It’s a guarantee you’ll love it if you enjoy this kind of horror.
Host (2020)
Don’t judge a horror movie by its style. Horror movies absolutely can be shot on phones or Zoom calls, in this case. Having horror movies come out during the beginning of the pandemic was interesting and broadened the medium into new possibilities. And having the characters address the pandemic also makes it harder to watch. Especially when horror mimics social experiences, but in just more drastic ways. This plot follows a group of friends who make a mockery of seances, only to deal with the consequences of their actions. One would think the scares would suck as it was all done remotely. But it’s the exact opposite. This is the result of a carefully crafted horror movie that’s done remotely.
Scare Me (2020)
Aya Cash owns this movie. No ifs, ands, or buts. The plot almost sounds too silly as it’s about some writers and a pizza delivery man who are telling each other scary stories all night. There’s a chilling atmosphere that builds up to the end, leading to a very wild climax. But it leaves certain intentions up to the imagination. This makes Scare Me even more unsettling, even though nobody is getting stalked or murdered by an unknown stranger. The setting is the kind that would naturally be for a home invasion or a classic slasher. But instead, the movie turns expectations upside and takes you on a different type of ride—one where toxic masculinity is very present. It’s best not to go into this movie expecting typical jump scares or anything gory.
The Boy Behind the Door (2021)
Rarely will you find a horror movie that has a Black boy protagonist, who is depicted as soft and courageous as Bobby (Lonnie Chavis). A nightmarish situation in the form of two best friends being kidnapped by disgusting people is what this movie is about. It’s incredibly uncomfortable in terms of subject matter as the kidnapper is clearly running a child rape operation. And is also racist. There’s a lot of social commentary to unpack as the kidnapper turns out to be a white woman. This proves how white women can be just as monstrous as white men, who are so often the bad guys in horror films. The performances from the boys are impressive and the movie maintains that creepy atmosphere. And the nods to other horror movies like The Shining (1980) are nice treats. Just don’t jump into this movie if anything mentioned above makes you too uncomfortable.
Fresh (2022)
Modern dating can be a real shitshow. Not that it’s been easy until now, but this movie just proves that being hesitant about people (especially cis men) isn’t being too paranoid. Since you never know if the person you’re seeing is actually a cannibal who sells/eats women’s meat. Too far? Maybe this movie won’t be for you if so. Fresh follows Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) who after a string of bad luck, meets Steve (Sebastian Stan) who she thinks is perfect for her. Only he turns out to be a cannibal running a human meat-selling operation! For the ultra-rich of course. It’s a movie that takes its extreme turn 30 minutes in. And that’s got to be one of the best parts. Hands down it’s one of the best horror movies to come out this year.
What are some of your favorite original horror movies?
(featured image: Shudder)
—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]