“We never burn anything unless, by design, to make it delicious,” proceeds to make human s’mores out of their guests and themselves by covering the guests in marshmallows and setting the restaurant on fire. ‘The Menu’ has been on my to-watch list for a few weeks now, and I took the opportunity to finally watch it. Let me tell you, I am still trying to process the human s’mores, but besides that, it was truly amazing.
I love horror movies, not the ones with supernatural elements but psychological and gory ones. Horror comedy is something I did not consider liking before, but after a few movies of this subgenre, I think it’s my favorite now.
Most horror comedies I have seen have funny elements embedded into the plot but ‘The Menu’ did not display any comedy in the plotline or even a single dialogue. The director, Mark Mylod, did such an amazing job with the intertitles; they were so subtle yet so impactful in bringing fun into the whole setup.
Movies like The Menu (2022)
I am a huge fan of foreshadowing, and this movie was so mindful of it. It truly felt like an experience. This is going to be a curated list of 43 films under the same subgenre as The Menu and its overall ambiance. I will try my best to keep the brief descriptions as spoiler free as possible.
1. Fresh
The plot is quite true to its name, and I enjoyed this movie for the most part. It was perfectly paced, and the acting was top-notch. We find Noa, who lives in Portland, Oregon, trying out different online dating apps to find a decent person to date. She has been single for way too long, and nothing seems to be working in her favor.
After quite a horrible date at a diner, she decides to lay low for a bit. One day while shopping for groceries, she meets a man named Steve, and Noa seems to finally vibe with someone at last. They exchange numbers and plan a date. The two seemed to work together very well, and things were progressing quickly.
Noa’s best friend, Mollie, was very suspicious, though, because Steve had absolutely no social media presence. Even though he claimed to be a doctor, no mention of the workplace was made to Noa. After a few weeks of dating, Steve asked Noa to join him on a weekend trip without disclosing the location. Noa agreed, but Mollie was against it and asked Noa to always keep her live location shared.
On reaching their destination, Noa’s cellphone loses network, and things take a turn when she passes out and wakes up in an almost empty room, chained to the floor.
- Director: Mimi Cave
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Release Date: March 4, 2022
- Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Thriller
- Streaming Platform: Disney+, Hulu
- Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan, Monica T. Gibbs, Charlotte Le Bon, Andrea Bang, and others
- Producers: Adam McKay, Kevin Messick
2. The Babysitter
We follow a middle-school student named Cole, who is seen to be repeatedly bullied at school and has very few friends. Melanie from school is his longtime crush, but he doesn’t seem to know how to take things further. Cole’s parents have work outside town and leave Cole in the hands of Bee.
Bee is a high-school student and also Cole’s babysitter. Bee has a strong personality, and we see her standing up against Cole’s bullies from the neighborhood. Cole and Bee share an adorable friendship, and the two are seen to have a lot of dancing and karaoke late at night while Cole’s parents are out of town.
Before putting Cole to bed, Bee offers him alcohol. Cole accepts the drink but gets rid of the content when Bee isn’t around. Later that night, Cole texts Melanie about the night and how he was offered alcohol. Eventually, Melanie convinces him to go downstairs and observe what Melanie was up to that night.
Cole does as told and hides in the staircase as he notices people on the ground floor. Bee had invited her friends from school, and they were having a game of truth or dare while suspecting Cole to be asleep. Bee gets dared to kiss the guy named Samuel. (Slight Spoiler) After the kiss, she suddenly pulls out two large daggers and forcefully shoves them through Samuel’s head, literally creating a blood bath.
- Director: McG
- IMDb Rating: 6.3
- Release Date: October 13, 2017
- Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Cast: Samara Weaving, Judah Lewis, Hana Mae Lee, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Emily Alyn Lind, and others
- Producers: McG, Mary Viola, Zack Schiller
3. Tusk
Even though this film was quite funny for the most part, it did disturb me equally. So if you are not into visual horror, you might want to skip this one. Wallace and Teddy are best friends that together host a podcast known as ‘The Not-See Party’ where they interview some weird people to describe it lightly. Wallace plans to visit Canada to interview a kid who gained internet fame after accidentally chopping his leg off with a katana.
On his arrival, Wallace learns that the kid has killed himself and will no longer be able to sit for the interview. Not wanting to waste his trip, Wallace goes around trying to find someone else to interview in the area. He comes across a flyer that claims to provide free housing with intriguing stories to keep one entertained.
Wallace arrives at a mansion owned by Howard, who introduces himself as a former seaman who had been paralyzed in one of his endeavors. Howard tells him a little about his life before and how he was rescued and taken care of by a walrus after a shipwreck. While in conversation, Wallace becomes unconscious and wakes up to the horror of being tied to the wheelchair and also missing a leg. Howard then reveals his plans to turn Wallace into a walrus.
- Director: Kevin Smith
- IMDb Rating: 5.3
- Release Date: September 19, 2014
- Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Cast: Michael Parks, Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez, and others
- Producers: William D. Johnson, Sam Englebardt, Shannon Mclntosh, David Greathouse
4. Krampus
Krampus is most commonly classified as a Christmas horror comedy and has the potential to be a cult classic. The backdrop of the movie is quite aptly made and perfect for a family horror night. Krampus is a creature of folklore, and it is seen to assist Santa Claus in scaring kids that are on Santa’s ‘naughty list.’
The Engel family includes Max, Beth, and their parents, Tom and Sarah. Max’s paternal grandmother, Omi, also lives with them. Their family looked happy to outsiders, but within the walls, they could be listed as dysfunctional. Sarah’s family had come over for Christmas that year, and Max had a few cousins too. Being the youngest in the family, Max still was a firm believer in Santa Claus.
Max had written a letter to Santa, but the annoying cousins had stolen it and read it out in front of the whole family, making Max leave the room in tears. Tom later tries to calm him down and explain the need to stick to one’s family but to no avail. Max rips the letter to pieces and throws it into the oncoming blizzard.
Later Beth goes out to her boyfriend’s house, and when she doesn’t return after hours, Tom and Howard go in search of her only to find Beth’s boyfriend’s house in wrecks with hoof prints all around.
- Director: Michael Dougherty
- IMDb Rating: 6.2
- Release Date: December 4, 2015
- Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Fantasy
- Streaming Platform: Google Play Movies & TV, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube
- Cast: Emjay Anthony, Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, and others
- Producers: Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Alex Garcia, Michael Dougherty
5. American Psycho
American Psycho is based on a book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis. The film was delayed for a long time due to the writers thinking that the graphic scene from the novel would be difficult to replicate in its true essence. Number-wise, the movie did well at the box office but was still considered a disappointment.
American Psycho was released in 2000 but has garnered large popularity in the past year due to multiple scenes of Christian Bale and Patrick Bateman being used as meme templates. The movie has quite a lot of graphic gore with plenty of dark humor.
The film is set in the 1990s in New York City with our central character Patrick Bateman, who is an investment analyst. Patrick has equally rich friends, and they are often seen dining at prestigious restaurants. Patrick secretly has a strong dislike for all his friends but attends all social events with them to keep up his public image.
(Spoilers) Patrick has some mental issues, which are dealt with throughout the movie, and his first victim is his friend Allen. Patrick resents Allen when he invites Patrick to an exclusive restaurant where Patrick had failed to make reservations previously. After dinner, Patrick kills a drunk Allen with an axe.
- Director: Mary Harron
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Release Date: April 14, 2000
- Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
- Cast: Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas, Samantha Mathis, Bill Sage, and others
- Producers: Edward R. Pressman, Chris Hanley, Christian Halsey Solomon
6. Freaky
The film draws little inspiration from ‘Freaky Friday,’ but here we see a teenager and a serial killer swap bodies for a while. At a sleepover, we are informed about a serial killer named Blissfield Butcher by a group of teenagers. Later that night, the Butcher breaks into the group’s house and kills them all.
The Butcher steals an ancient dagger from the house, ignorant of its significance or power. The dagger was known as La Dola. Millie is our protagonist, alongside her friends Nyla and Josh. After performing as the school mascot at her high school’s homecoming soccer game, she is attacked by the Butcher in the school parking lot while waiting for her sister, Char, to pick her up.
But something weird happens when the Butcher stabs her in the shoulder with La Dola. An exact similar wound is seen to appear on the Butcher’s shoulder as well. Before things can escalate any further, Char arrives in her police car, which prompts the Butcher to flee, leaving La Dola abandoned on the ground.
The following day both Millie and the Butcher realize that their bodies have been switched. The Butcher pretends to be Millie at school and slaughters whoever is mean to him. Millie also is at school as the Butcher and convinces Nyla and Josh about her true identity. On further research, it is seen that Millie must stab the Butcher with La Dola before midnight, or their bodies will stay swapped forever.
- Director: Christopher Landon
- IMDb Rating: 6.3
- Release Date: November 13, 2020
- Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Videos
- Cast: Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Katie Finneran, Alan Ruck, and others
- Producer: Jason Blum
7. Bodies Bodies Bodies
I might have already spoiled this movie for myself, but I’m still so eager to watch it. This film also claims to be in the dark comedy horror subgenre. Bee and Sophie are girlfriends who are invited to a party in a mansion by David, who is a close friend of Sophie. Multiple others are also invited to the said party.
This was supposed to be a ‘hurricane party,’ which is a type of event held by people living in Hurricane Alley. The invited people are required to bring in necessities and are allowed to stay at the venue with the host for a couple of days as the storm passes. Everyone seemed to enjoy the little gathering and decided to have a couple of drinks.
Drinking gave way to drugs, and the group was having fun collectively. They decided on a game of Bodies Bodies Bodies, which is a variant of the popular middle school game ‘Killer Killer.’ At the same time, playing, the lights cut out as the storm outside gets more hostile. The guests try to desperately search for a source of power, and Bee stumbles upon David, who is lying dead with his throat slit and a bloody dagger by his side.
- Director: Halina Reijn
- IMDb Rating: 6.2
- Release Date: August 5, 2022
- Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Chase Sui Wonders, Lee Pace, Pete Davidson, and others
- Producers: David Hinojosa, Ali Herting
8. Jennifer’s Body
Jennifer’s Body featuring Megan Fox, had a wide array of reviews from both normal audiences and critics. Over the years, the film has gained more popularity and is considered a cult classic leaning towards the feminist genre. The movie is narrated in past tense by Anita Lesnicki, who used to be Jennifer Check’s best friend.
Jennifer and Anita belonged to completely different social groups in high school but had been best friends since childhood. Anita was the quiet, nerdy type, and Jennifer was the popular cheerleader. Anita was often seen to be mistreated by Jennifer but could never stand up for herself, even when Anita’s boyfriend Chip repeatedly pointed it out.
One day an indie band called Low Shoulder had a scheduled performance at a bar, and Jennifer was very eager to visit and dragged Anita along with her. A terrible fire broke out in the bar, and the two somehow managed to escape. When outside, the band asked Jennifer to get into their car, and they’d drop her off. She accepted even after being warned by Anita many times.
Later that night, a very sick-looking blood-soaked Jennifer stumbles into Anita’s kitchen, trying to eat something but vomits a dark-colored fluid that Anita suspects to be blood. Jennifer also almost tries to bite Anita’s neck but restraints herself and rushes out.
- Director: Karyn Kusama
- IMDb Rating: 5.4
- Release Date: September 18, 2009
- Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV
- Cast: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Adam Brody, and others
- Producers: Daniel Dubiecki, Mason Novick, Jason Reitman
9. The Visit
Honestly, this movie did not feel intended to be in the comedy realm, but apparently, the excessive use of horror movie cliches made it so. It is a ‘found footage’ type film, and from the trailer, I concluded that it has quite a lot of jump scares. Becca and her younger brother, Tyler, are both teenagers living with their single mom, Loretta.
Loretta had planned a trip with her boyfriend and had thus asked Becca and Tyler to stay with their grandparents for the duration of the trip. The slight issues lay in the fact that Loretta had not spoken to either of her parents for the past 15 years after being married to her teacher. Becca and Tyler were still very excited to meet their grandparents and decided to make a documentary of their stay.
On arrival at the station, an elderly couple introduces themselves as Nana and Pop Pop. They take the children to their houses and treat them well. The children seemed to thoroughly enjoy their first day, but a few rules were set out, like the basement is off limits and bedtime at 9:30 pm.
As time passed, their grandparents’ behavior grew even more absurd, to the point where it was starting to scare Becca and Tyler. While on a video call with their mother, the kids show footage of their grandparents acting weird to their mom, and all of their horrors, they discover that those people were not Loretta’s parents.
- Director: M. Night Shyamalan
- IMDb Rating: 6.2
- Release Date: September 11, 2015
- Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, and others
- Producers: M. Night Shyamalan, Jason Blum, Marc Bienstock
10. Ready or Not
Very very few movie trailers have been able to intrigue me to a point where I cannot wait to complete this article and rush to watch it, but unfortunately, I’ll have to spoil myself for the sake of this article. The movie’s central character is Grace and her newly wedded husband, Alex le Domas.
Alex’s family is extremely wealthy and the owner of the Le Domas Family Games company. Alex and Grace’s wedding is seen to take place at the le Domas family mansion, and after the marriage, the family collectively tells Grace about a long-held tradition. Alex’s father, Tony, explains how their ancestor Victor le Domas had made a deal with a person going by the name ‘le Bail.’
The deal would grant the family immense wealth in exchange for observing a tradition. The tradition was to make the newly joining member of the family play a game from the Le Bail box at midnight on the wedding day. Grace, thinking of this, some harmless fun picks up the ‘hide-and-seek’ card.
While hiding, Grace witnesses the very gruesome death of a maid who was mistaken for Grace. Alex finds her and explains that this tradition is far more serious and dangerous for Grace than she had initially anticipated.
- Directors: Matt Bettinelli Olpin, Tyler Gillett
- IMDb Rating: 6.8
- Release Date: August 21, 2019
- Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Thriller, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV
- Cast: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien, Elyse Levesque, Nicky Guadagni, Henry Czerny, and others
- Producers: Tripp Vinson, James Vanderbilt, William Sherak, Bradley J. Fischer
11. The Cabin in the Woods
The movie opens out by showing us a scene from a laboratory with two people named Gary and Steve. They are assumable on a mission to complete a secret ritual. The said ritual had been set up in multiple places internationally but reportedly has all failed.
The laboratory personnel has thus altered a cabin in the woods to try out the ritual again. A group of 5 college students, namely Dana, Jules, Curt, Holden, and Marty, plan on visiting this cabin. The cabin belongs to Curt’s cousin, so they all felt somewhat safe. On arrival, the cabin seemed pretty normal, and the group did not suspect anything out of the ordinary. Gary and Steve, back at the lab, are seen to start their ritual by lasing the air around the cabin with a mind-altering drug to instill irrational behavior.
The group then wanders into the cellar of the cabin and discovers a bunch of absurd objects. The one to stand out the most was a diary owned by a previous occupant of the cabin. On reciting the contents of the diary, they are attacked by zombies, and we follow each of the five people as they try to survive the orchestrated rituals.
- Director: Drew Goddard
- IMDb Rating: 7
- Release Date: April 13, 2012
- Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
- Cast: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and others
- Producer: Joss Whedon
12. Happy Death Day
Theresa “Tree” Gelbman wakes up with a headache in a fellow student, Carter Davis’s dorm. The night before, they had a university party, and Tree was taken care of by Carter. Tree’s phone rings, and the tone informs the audience that it is her birthday. She is seen to leave the dorm and go back to her sorority.
Her roommate, Lori, remembers her birthday and surprises her with a cupcake. The tree then gets dressed for the day to attend her university classes. She is seen to have a more than student-like relationship with her professor, Gregory Butler. Later that day, she dresses up to attend a party and is stabbed by a person in all black, wearing a mask.
Tree wakes up panting in the same setting as the day before, with a headache, and in Carter’s dorm. She feels unbelievably weird as the day passes, and she has the same events as the day before. This time she avoids the party but still gets killed by the masked murderer.
She wakes up on the same day over and over. Soon she realizes that she must figure out who her killer is to get out of the time loop. She explains the absurd phenomenon to Carter and asks for help.
- Director: Christopher Landon
- IMDb Rating: 6.6
- Release Date: October 13, 2017
- Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
- Cast: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Charles Aitken, Laura Clifton, Rob Mello, and others
- Producer: Jason Blum
13. Scream 2
We all, at some point, have heard of this franchise and its many successful movies. It is primarily a part of the slasher genre, so it isn’t for people sensitive to graphical murders. Throughout the franchise, even though the movies are horror, the extensive use of horror cliches makes them funny.
We find two college students, Phil and Maureen attending the preview of a movie based on the events of the Woodsboro massacre, as witnessed in the first installment of the franchise. Phil leaves his seat to use the washroom and is killed by the infamous Ghostface. Ghostface sits next to the oblivious Maureen at the movie and then proceeds to stab her multiple times.
No one seems to pay attention to her, thinking that the whole bloodbath is a stunt to promote the movie. Only after Maureen falls dead on the stage do people realize that it is real. The police start their investigation, and Sidney is asked to stay cautious. Sidney was a survivor of the Woodsboro massacre and hence could be a target again.
Despite the police being aware of Ghostface, he still manages to murder multiple others. We learn that the murderer was killing people with the same name as the Woodsboro victims, and now it was up to them all to figure out Ghostface’s identity.
- Director: Wes Craven
- IMDb Rating: 6.3
- Release Date: December 12, 1997
- Runtime: 2 hours
- Genre: Horror, Mystery
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Jamie Kennedy, Courteney Cox, Jada Pinkett, Laurie Metcalf, and others
- Producers: Wes Craven, Cathy Konrad, Marianne Maddalena
14. Warm Bodies
Even though listed as horror/ paranormal, this movie is romantic. Eight years have passed since the world saw the zombie apocalypse, and the remaining humans have built a high-walled city for their safety. A group of zombies is seen wandering around outside this city, amongst whom we find ‘R.’
‘R’ does not remember much about his life before being turned into a zombie; even his name is forgotten, and he only goes by ‘R.’ In the traditional sense, zombies feed off of living creatures, especially their brains, because the memories of the victim help the zombies to feel alive again. A group of humans, headed by Julie Grigio, is seen coming out of their fortified city in search of supplies.
By some miracle, after R spots Julie, he starts to feel his heartbeat. R kills Julie’s boyfriend after he shoots at him and eats his brain. R falls in love with Julie after living through the memories of Julie and her boyfriend. R rescues Julie from the group and keeps her hidden. Julie is initially scared, but they become friends.
The movie is an adaptation of the book Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion, who, in turn, drew inspiration from the Shakespearean drama Romeo and Juliet.
- Director: Jonathan Levine
- IMDb Rating: 6.8
- Release Date: February 1, 2013
- Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Romance
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, YouTube
- Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Lio Tipton, John Malkovich, and others
- Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Bruna Papandrea
15. The Final Girls
Conceptually this film is pretty unique. We find our protagonist Max Cartwright at a young age waiting for her mother, Amanda, at an audition. Amanda manages to secure a role but isn’t too pleased with it. On their way back, they are met with an accident, and Amanda dies on the spot. She was selected to star as the scream queen in a movie called Camp Bloodbath.
A few years after the incident, on the anniversary of her mother’s death, Max is a high school student studying with her friends, Chris and Gertie. Gertie has a brother, Duncan, who is a horror movie enthusiast and convinces the group to watch a theatrical rerun of the two Camp Bloodbath movies. Max is hesitant at first but gives in.
At the theater, Max runs into Vicki, her former best friend. During the show, a terrible fire breaks out at the theater, and in an attempt to save their lives, Max and her friends cut a hole into the screen and escape. The group wakes up in the middle of the woods and starts seeing a van pass by at equal intervals of time, occupied by the characters from Camp Bloodbath.
They soon realize that they are stuck inside the film itself. Fear breaks out when Duncan is killed by the murderer, Billy, from the film, and the group understands that they won’t be spared for not being characters in the film.
- Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
- IMDb Rating: 6.5
- Release Date: October 9, 2015
- Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Nina Dobrev, Alia Shawkat, and others
- Producers: Michael London, Janice Williams
16. Barbarian
If the perfect blend of horror and comedy could ever exist, it would be in the form of this movie. It is a thriller, amazingly crafted with the right amount of comedic elements, and features Bill Skarsgard. Needing a place to stay while looking for a job, Tess Marshall decides to stay at a rental house in Brightmoor, Detroit.
When she arrives, she notices that the room has already been rented to a man called Keith. Tess had a job interview the next morning, and even though extremely annoyed, she decided to stay in the same room as Keith for the night. She wakes us to see the bedroom door open in the middle of the night, and Keith swears that it is not his work.
At the job interview, she is asked to stay away from the general location of the rental house, and this disturbs her even more. While returning, she is chased by a disheveled-looking man and accidentally gets locked in the basement. She discovers a room with a camera, a disgusting mattress, and bloody stains.
(Spoilers) She tells Keith about this room when he comes to unlock her. He then goes further into the basement, looking for answers. After a while, Tess goes after him, only to find him injured. The two are attacked by a disfigured woman, who kills Keith and traps Tess in a hole.
- Director: Zach Cregger
- IMDb Rating: 7
- Release Date: September 9, 2022
- Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Mystery
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV
- Cast: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgard, Justin Long, Richard Brake, and others
- Producers: Arnon Milchan, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules, J. D. Lifshitz
17. The Lost Boys
Released in the 1990s, this movie was a huge box-office success worldwide. Our main characters Michael and his younger brother, Sam, alongside their mother, Lucy, move to Santa Carla to live with their grandfather. Lucy manages to get herself a job at a store owned by Max Lawrence. The two soon form a romantic interest in each other.
While Michael gets infatuated with a girl named Star, unfortunately for him, Star already has a boyfriend, David, who is the head of a gang of bikers. Sam becomes friends with Alan and Edgar Frog in a comic store. They introduce themselves as vampire hunters and offer to teach Sam about the traits and methods to beat vampires.
Trying to be friends with Star, Michael becomes an initiative in the bikers gang. They make Michael perform a set of dangerous tasks to prove himself worthy. When offered a bottle of dark liquid, Star warns Michael about the content and asks him not to consume it, but he does it anyway.
(Spoilers) Soon after he starts feeling the change, his reflection becomes translucent, and he craves blood over human food and more. He also comes very close to killing Sam but restrains himself. The siblings then deduct that the liquid was vampire blood, and all the changes are happening because Michael is turning into a vampire.
- Director: Joel Schumacher
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- Release Date: July 31, 1987
- Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV
- Cast: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Barnard Hughes, Dianne Wiest, and others
- Producer: Harvey Bernhard
18. The Babysitter: Killer Queen
This is a sequel to ‘The Babysitter (2017)’ and revolves around the same characters with the addition of Phoebe Atwell, a new student at Cole’s high school. After the events of the previous film were concluded, no one seemed to believe Cole’s version of the story except Melanie.
Cole was still unable to tell her about his feelings, and now Melanie has a boyfriend named Jimmy. Cole’s parents start becoming concerned about Cole’s obsession with the story of his babysitter, Bee, and her cult. They decide to enroll him in a school to provide psychiatric help. Cole becomes deeply hurt and enraged; he decides to sneak out at night and attend a lake party with Melanie, Jimmy, and others.
On arrival, Cole sees Phoebe Atwell at the venue, but they don’t make conversation. Melanie, Boom-Boom, Jimmy, and Diego take Cole on a boat and decide to play a game while there. Melanie ends up killing Boom-Boom and revealing to Cole that they, too, were members of the same cult that Bee was a part of. Characters that were assumably dead in the last film are seen to make an appearance next.
Phoebe accidentally comes to the rescue of Cole, and the two take a jet ski onto a nearby island, but they are not safe for long.
- Director: McG
- IMDb Rating: 5.8
- Release Date: September 10, 2020
- Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Cast: Judah Lewis, Emily Alyn Lind, Jenna Ortega, Robbie Amell, Andrew Bachelor, Bella Thorne, and others
- Producers: McG, Mary Viola, Zack Schiller
19. Spontaneous
The very tagline reads “An Explosive Love Story,” and it is quite literally appropriate for the movie. At Covington High, we witness a high school senior, Katelyn, suddenly explode. The remaining students in the class are left sitting there in extreme shock and showered in blood.
No explanation or trigger could be located for the seeming explosion, and the police department could not provide much help either. While the students present in class were being questioned, Mara Carlyle suggested that it seemed like this incident could happen again to anyone. This realization made the town’s people panic, and the government started research to find a ‘cure.’
Mara receives a text message from an unknown number, claiming that the person has liked her for years now and that if Mara were interested, they would like to get to know her. After attending Katelyn’s funeral, Mara gets high and meets up with her best friend, Tess. Mara is approached by her mystery admirer, Dylan, and he introduces himself as the unknown number that was texting her.
The two start having fun activities together, thinking that either of them would explode at any given minute. Things stay normal for some time before more people start exploding once again.
- Director: Brian Duffield
- IMDb Rating: 6.5
- Release Date: October 2, 2020
- Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Fantasy
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV
- Cast: Katherine Langford, Charlie Plummer, Piper Perabo, Rob Huebel, Hayley Law, and others
- Producers: Brian Duffield, Nicki Cortese, Matthew Kaplan, Jordan Levin
20. The Dead Don’t Die
In the peaceful rural town of Centerville, officers Cliff Robertson and Ronnie Peterson haven’t had too much of a crime to fight against. The two were out investigating the missing chicken of a local farmer, and on their way back, they noticed some peculiar changes in the atmosphere.
Ronnie’s cellular device and his watch both had stopped working, and the town was experiencing daylight even at 8 in the evening. The locals were informed that the anomalies were a result of polar fracking. The night does arrive, and we see two zombies rise and attack some diner employees, killing them.
Ronnie deduces that the employees were killed by zombies. The officers visit a cemetery only to find open graves and more gruesome scenes. Mindy Morrison and Zelda Winston also join the town’s defense squad to kill the zombies. The movie’s main motive is to present to the viewers the impending apocalypse.
- Director: Jim Jarmusch
- IMDb Rating: 5.5
- Release Date: June 14, 2019
- Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi, Selena Gomez, Sara Driver, and others
- Producers: Carter Logan, Joshua Astrachan
21. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
Misinterpretation and prejudice were the main reasons for all the mishaps in this movie, but it was simultaneously hilarious. It is more gory than traditional horror. Five college students decide to go camping in West Virginia. They visit a gas station on their way, and Tucker and Dale are also there.
Tucker and Dale are two hillbillies that have recently bought an old cabin in the forest and plan on reconstructing it together. One of the college students, Allison, catches Dale’s eye, and Tucker convinces him to go and talk to her. Dale lacks the social skills to charm Allison, and the group ends up thinking Dale a creep.
Chad, one of Allison’s friends, brings up a 20-year-old incident, “Memorial Day Massacre,” in which the hillbillies had violently revolted. The students set their camps and go for a swim. Allison accidentally injures herself and loses consciousness. Tucker and Dale, who were fishing nearby, noticed her and saved her from drowning.
They take her back to their cabin, and the group mistakes this act of service as their kidnapping of Allison. Eventually, Allison becomes friends with the two. The group tries to rescue Allison but ends up in a series of unfortunate events due to misunderstandings.
- Director: Eli Craig
- IMDb Rating: 7.5
- Release Date: January 22, 2010
- Runtime: 1 hour 29 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu
- Cast: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss, and others
- Producers: Morgan Jurgenson, Albert Klychak, Rosanne Milliken, Deepak Nayar
22. Shaun of the Dead
Probably the highest-rated zombie movie on this list and also a box-office hit. The plot sounds mostly plain, but the visuals and overall balance of humor make the movie stand out from the rest. Shaun lives in London, earning a living as a salesman, and is going through an emotional crisis at the beginning.
Shaun’s girlfriend, Liz, breaks up with him after he fails to commemorate their 3rd anniversary. Shaun has a very strained relationship with his stepfather, Philip, and is often looked down upon by other employees. After returning home from the pub with his best friend, Ed, Shaun is met by his flatmate, Pete complaining about being bitten by a homeless man.
(Spoilers) The next morning the country wakes up to a zombie apocalypse. Shaun and Ed encounter and kill two zombies that are in their garden. Pete had already turned into a zombie, and the two escaped into Pete’s car. They plan on rescuing Liz, Shaun’s mother, Barbara, and Philip. The group also helps out Liz’s friends, David and Dianne.
The remainder of the movie goes about with multiple twists, turns, and death, but it does have a happy ending.
- Director: Edgar Wright
- IMDb Rating: 7.9
- Release Date: September 24, 2004
- Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
- Cast: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Nick Frost, Dylan Moran, Billy Nighy, and others
- Producer: Nira Park
23. Tremors
Released in 1990, the film created quite a stir, leading to five more films released as late as 2020 and a tv-show. It falls under the subgenre of science fiction, with the presence of a prehistoric giant snake-like creature burrowing under the town. Val and Earl take up odd jobs around the small desert settlements of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The pair decide to leave the town to venture to Brixby, a town nearby. On their way out, they discover a fellow resident, Edgar Deems, atop an electrical tower, holding onto his rifle. The resident doctor, Wallace, is called by Val and Earl. The doctor deduces that Edgar died of dehydration and starvation up on the tower.
They find another shepherd from the settlement with his head severed and the flock missing. Val and Earl think that this is the work of a serial killer and start warning people. A rock slide prevents the pair from moving to Brixby, and when they go to find the doctor, Wallace, they are chased by a snake-like creature.
Several people like Rhonda, Walter, and Miguel team up with Val and Earl to rescue the people of the area from this monster living under their settlement.
- Director: Ron Underwood
- IMDb Rating: 7.1
- Release Date: January 19, 1990
- Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Sci-fi
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, Reba McEntire, and others
- Producers: Brent Maddock, S. S. Wilson
24. Evil Dead II
The franchise is quite popular and has several sequels and television series. It has risen to the ranks and is now considered a cult classic. It has been highly praised by critics for its well-maintained humor and unique blend of different types of animations and prosthetic makeup.
Ash plans a romantic getaway with his girlfriend, Linda. They end up at an isolated cabin in the forest and discover a set of tapes. The tapes were the property of Raymond Knowby, an archaeologist who had been a former resident of the cabin. Ash plays the tape that contains verses from the ancient “Book of the Dead.”
(Spoilers) The magic brings to life ancient evil forces that possess Linda, and then she proceeds to attack Ash. Ash saves himself by decapitating Linda with farming tools and burying her body near the cabin. He tries to run back home, but the only bridge out is destroyed.
The evil spirits possess Ash at dawn, but the sunrise sets him free. He is chased back to the cabin, where he goes through another series of threats from Linda’s head, followed by her headless body.
- Director: Sam Raimi
- IMDb Rating: 7.7
- Release Date: March 13, 1987
- Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley, and others
- Producers: Robert Tapert
25. Gremlins
The film was released in the 1990s and received a lot of positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. The movie was further expanded into a franchise consisting of Gremlins 2 (1990) and Gremlins 3, which is set to release in 2023. We find Randall in an antique store, looking for something to gift his son, Billy, for Christmas.
He finds an adorable furry creature named ‘mogwai,’ and despite the owner’s disapproval, the owner’s grandson sells ‘mogwai’ to Randall. However, he asks Randall to maintain a few rules, like, not taking mogwai under direct sunlight or near water and not feeding it after midnight. Randall gifts mogwai to Billy and alerts him of the rules.
They name the mogwai, Gizmo, and Billy is seen to enjoy his company. The chaos begins when Billy’s friend Pete accidentally gets Gizmo drenched in water. They witness another five mogwais come to life from Gizmo’s back. The new mogwais were the naughty type, and they eventually tricked Billy into feeding them after midnight.
The bunch then transforms into monstrous green creatures called Gremlins that attack Gizmo and multiply until the city is infested with them.
- Director: Joe Dante
- IMDb Rating: 7.3
- Release Date: June 8, 1984
- Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Fantasy
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV
- Cast: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday, and others
- Producer: Michael Finnell
26. Slither
Even though it did poorly at the box office, the overall premise of the movie was praised for being artistically grotesque and funny. The story takes place in a little town in South Carolina, where we find a wealthy man named Grant Grant with his loving wife, Starla Grant.
A meteorite hits the Earth and brings along an alien parasite that creeps into this locality of South Carolina. It infects Grant, and eventually, he loses control of both his body and his brain. The parasite is now in charge of Grant’s actions, and he transforms into a disgusting monstrous creature with tentacles.
(Spoilers) The creature then uses Grant’s body as a way of going around town and infects a woman named Brenda. Brenda is, therefore, to act as a breeder for the parasite. Starla is attacked by Grant, but the police come to her aid before Grant can cause any harm.
The police find Brenda, but by then, there is nothing to be done, and she explodes, giving rise to multiple more parasites. The newly spawned parasites infect almost the whole town, leaving a few, including Starla. Now it is up to the few to save the town from the parasite and its mind control.
- Director: James Gunn
- IMDb Rating: 6.5
- Release Date: March 31, 2006
- Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Sci-fi
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Gregg Henry, Michael Rooker, and others
- Producers: Paul Brooks, Eric Newman
27. Little Shop of Horrors
Musicals are not my cup of tea, but this film is an exception to that fact. The original inspiration roots in a film released in 1960 of the same name, which was made into a Broadway musical in 1982 and then gave way to this film in 1986. It was well-received by audiences and critics and holds a place as a cult classic.
Seymour and Audrey work at Mushnik’s Flower Shop, located in a dusty neighborhood of New York City. Mushnik informs that he’ll be winding up the store due to a lack of customers. Audrey intervenes and advises Mushnik to display the abnormal plant Seymour owns to interest new potential customers. Seymour had purchased the plant during a solar eclipse from a Chinese store.
The plant does the trick but starts wilting very quickly. (Spoilers) Seymour accidentally spills a drop of blood on the plant and discovers that it needs human blood to survive. Seymour and the flower store both gain fame, and he ends up naming the plant Audrey II. Seymour keeps feeding the plant his blood, but soon enough, the plant starts demanding more blood than Seymour can afford to give.
- Director: Frank Oz
- IMDb Rating: 7.1
- Release Date: December 19, 1986
- Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Musical
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV+
- Cast: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, James Belushi, John Candy, and others
- Producer: David Geffen
28. Happy Death Day 2U
Happy Death Day 2U is a sequel to the film Happy Death Day (previously listed) and takes more of a sci-fi turn compared to the first film. The film picks up where the first movie leaves off, on September 19. We find Tree and Carter very much alive and having fun in the dorms. This time our masked murderer targets Ryan, Carter’s roommate.
Ryan and a few of his classmates are seen working on a science project that could alter the speed of time. The dean forcefully shuts down the experiment after it causes multiple power outages. Ryan is murdered later that night and wakes up again on September 19. Tree and Carter understand his situation and decide to help him.
(Spoilers) The murderer this time is Ryan himself but from the future. In an altercation, Ryan sets off the experimental model, and everyone is unconscious. The narrative switches to Tree, and we see her wake up in her original time loop, September 18. This time though, things are different, and most events in Tree’s life are changed for the better or for worse.
On the one hand, Carter is dating one of Tree’s sorority mates, and on the other, her mother is well and alive, and together they celebrate her birthday.
- Director: Christopher Landon
- IMDb Rating: 6.2
- Release Date: February 13, 2019
- Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Genre: Slasher, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu
- Cast: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Suraj Sharma, Steve Zissis, and others
- Producer: Jason Blum
29. Scream VI
Honestly, skip this one if you haven’t seen the previous films from this franchise, even though all the characters are given a lot of introductions and information dumps to make the movie make sense. But it can get difficult keeping up with all of it, and obviously, you will be giving yourself spoilers regarding the previous plots.
(Spoilers) In Scream (2022), we conclude with Richie and Amber being revealed as the two Ghostface that were on a twisted mission to reenact the events of the original Woodsboro murders. A year has passed since, and Sam and Tara Carpenter now live in New York City, attending Blackmore University. A professor of the university, Laura, is lured outside a club by a student, Jason, and is murdered in the classic Ghostface-way.
We are shown a snippet where Jason and his roommate Greg take it upon themselves to continue the killings started by Richie and Amber. Their next target is the Carpenter siblings, but before the wheels of the plan are set into motion, Jason receives a call from another Ghostface. The new Ghostface tells Jason that they have killed Greg and that Jason is next on their list.
- Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin
- IMDb Rating: 6.6
- Release Date: March 10, 2023
- Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Slasher, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jack Champion, Courteney Cox, Samara Weaving, and others
- Producers: William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein
30. The Haunted Mansion
The film is based on a Disneyland attraction named the Haunted Mansion. The film was released in 2003 and has plans to release another film of the same name in 2023. Michael and Megan live with their loving parents, Jim and Sara Evers. Busy with excessive work, Jim accidentally missed their anniversary and planned a family vacation as means to compensate.
While at a lake-side picnic, the family is approached by residents of the nearby Gracey Manor. The entire family is eager to visit the manor, and they get acquainted with the people of the manor, including owner Edward Gracey. At nightfall, heavy rainfall floods the lake, and Evers are welcome to stay at the manor.
(Spoilers) Jim is taken to the library by the butler Ramsley, but he gets trapped in a secret passage instead. Gracey takes Sara on tour around the manor and gives a little history lesson about how his grandfather died after his lover, Elizabeth, had killed herself. Michael and Megan find their way into the attic and discover the portrait of a woman. The maid and footman, Emma and Ezra, inform the children that the portrait is of the late Elizabeth, and she has an uncanny resemblance to their mother, Sara.
- Director: Rob Minkoff
- IMDb Rating: 5.1
- Release Date: November 26, 2003
- Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV
- Cast: Eddie Murphy, Wallace Shawn, Marsha Thomason, Jennifer Tilly, and others
- Producers: Don Hahn, Andrew Gun
31. What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadows did well at the box office and amongst critics. The mockumentary went on to have several short films, television, and digital series. The documentary-style film follows four vampires, Viago, Vladislav, Deacon, and Petyr, who live together in the suburbs of New Zealand.
The four have powers to levitate and also turn into animals. Deacon is the youngest of the group and was turned into a vampire by Petyr. Deacon has a human, Jackie, that does his bidding and cleans up the mess the vampires leave after feeding. She has a family but wants Deacon to change her into a vampire. When asked to deliver more humans, Jackie brings a woman and her ex-boyfriend Nick to the vampires’ house.
(Spoilers) The woman is killed, but Nick is turned into a vampire. Even though Nick enjoys the advantages that come with being immortal, he struggles gravely and tells random strangers about his identity. One such stranger turns out to be a vampire hunter who invades the house and kills Petyr.
- Directors: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Release Date: February 13, 2015 (wide)
- Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Fantasy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, Stu Rutherford, and others
- Producers: Taika Waititi, Chelsea Winstanley, Emanuel Michael
32. Zombieland
Zombieland was a huge success at the box office, claiming the spot of the highest-grossing movie about zombies in the United States. The casting choices were the best, with actors like Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Woody Harrelson. The film starts after a zombie apocalypse has been in the States, spreading from cows to humans.
The survivors are asked to flee to safe places and use the names of their hometowns as their names. Columbus is a university student in Austin, and he sets out to return home to Columbus to reunite with his parents. On his way, Columbus meets Tallahassee, who is impressed by Columbus’s survival tactics and agrees to come along with him to Columbus, Ohio.
They encounter two sisters that are con artists, Wichita and Little Rock. The siblings trick Tallahassee and Columbus and steal their weapons and vehicle by pretending that Little Rock is turning into a zombie herself. Fortunately, the pair soon after find another car, a Hummer, abandoned and loaded with weapons.
They are once again met with the con siblings, and this time a fight breaks between Tallahassee and Wichita. Columbus eventually brings both sides to a treaty by pointing out the other fatal dangers, and the four form a reluctant group that must stick together.
- Director: Ruben Fleischer
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Release Date: October 2, 2009
- Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Sci-fi, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Sony LIV
- Cast: Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Amber Heard, and others
- Producer: Gavin Polone
33. Beau is Afraid
It is classified as a tragic comedy, but I was not ready for what the movie had to offer. Trigger warning the film covers a lot of sensitive topics, so if you think you’re not in the best of places mentally, then please skip this one. We are introduced to Beau, who is the son of a single mother, Mona. Mona is a successful businesswoman, and her husband passed away the night Beau was conceived.
During a vacation on a cruise, teenage Beau falls in love with a girl called Elaine. The two have a moment and promise to reunite as adults. Years later, Beau struggles with anxiety and lives in a not-so-safe neighborhood. He plans to meet his mother on the death anniversary of his father but misses his flight. (Spoilers) Later that night, he is informed that his mother has died by accidental decapitation.
The rest of the movie is a long series of unfortunate events that tumble one after the other like dominoes in motion. The movie has an overall positive critics review, and people are either going to love it or hate it. There is no in-between.
- Director: Ari Aster
- IMDb Rating: 7.1
- Release Date: April 14, 2023
- Runtime: 2 hours 58 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Drama, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Vudu
- Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Henderson, Hayley Squires, Kylie Rogers, and others
- Producers: Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen
34. Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a pretty popular name amongst audiences. The first film was released in the 1990s and was immensely successful commercially and among critics. The film was also one of the highest-grossing comedy movies in the US. Ghostbusters went on to have several other sequels, games, music, comics, official merchandise, and even their haunted attractions.
The original Ghostbusters were a group of parapsychology experts from Columbia University. While at the New York Public Library, Peter, Ray, and Egon experience their first paranormal encounter. Unfortunately, the dean discredits their claims and fires all three. The trio decides to form the Ghostbusters. The Ghostbusters were a team providing services against any paranormal activities with their nuclear-powered weapons.
They were severely mocked in the beginning for having an abandoned firehouse as their main workspace, but as the paranormal activities began to plague the city, people started asking for their help. They destroyed or captured the ghosts that they extracted from the sites of activity under the firehouse, but the energy radiated off these ghosts started posing a serious threat to the whole city.
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- IMDb Rating: 7.8
- Release Date: June 8, 1984
- Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Fantasy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV+, YouTube
- Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, and others
- Producer: Ivan Reitman
35. Beetlejuice
Directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is a successful and unique story for its time. The film won multiple awards, including an Academy Award. Later, a television series, video games, and a stage musical were released based on the story. Quite recently, a sequel to the 1988 film has been announced, and fans can expect the movie by 2024.
Adam and Barbara Maitland decided to redecorate their home and set into town to get the correct supplies. On their way back, they plunge into a river, trying to avoid running over a dog in the street. When they reach home, they start noticing changes. For instance, they both lack a reflection in the mirror. The couple starts to join the dots and suspects they did not come out alive from the car accident.
The Maitlands are given a handbook that leads them to a supernatural waiting room, where they do indeed learn that they are dead and their souls are awaiting to enter the afterlife. But they must stay in their house for the next 125 years to do so. With all this happening, a new family moves into the house. The parents, Charles and Delia, could not see the ghost couple, but Charles’ daughter, Lydia, could.
Adam and Barbara decide to hire Beetlejuice from Netherworld to help scare the Maitlands out of their house.
- Director: Tim Burton
- IMDb Rating: 7.5
- Release Date: March 30, 1988
- Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, Winona Ryder, and others
- Producers: Michael Bender, Larry Wilson, Richard Hashimoto
36. Little Evil
Garry Blooms gets married to Samantha and now has to deal with a 5-year-old stepson, Lucas. Lucas isn’t friendly or welcoming to him, but Garry tries his best regardless. Karl, Garry’s wedding videographer, calls him to alert him about some unusual moments caught in the film surrounding Lucas, but Garry ignores the warning.
Later, Garry gets a call from Lucas’ school saying that a teacher had committed suicide by jumping out a window and impaling herself on a fence after Lucas had told her to “go to hell.” Lucas is recommended therapy, and so is Garry, as the school blames Lucas’ strange behavior on Garry.
In another instance, a clown sets himself on fire at Lucas’ birthday party. Garry’s intuition tells him that Lucas had something to do with this death as well. He contacts Karl about the unusual wedding video and learns that all of Samantha’s former partners are deceased except Gabriel.
(Spoilers) Garry confronts Samantha about Lucas’ father, and she opens up and tells him that Lucas was conceived during a cult ritual. He then finds Gabriel and asks him about Lucas. Garry learns that Lucas is an antichrist, and he needs to seek out a demon hunter from Bethlehem to fight against the child.
- Director: Eli Craig
- IMDb Rating: 5.7
- Release Date: September 1, 2017
- Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Cast: Evangeline Lilly, Adam Scott, Bridget Everett, Carla Gallo, Brad Williams, Owen Atlas, and others
- Producers: Jason Michael Berman, Scott Stuber
37. Drag Me to Hell
The film Drag Me to Hell comes from director and writer Sam Raimi, who also directed the original Spider-Man movies starring Tom Maguire. The movie is a supernatural horror comedy and was quite commercially successful, with positive critic reviews and several awards.
The story centers around a loan officer named Christine Brown, who is en route to get a promotion but needs to prove herself to the boss to get it. The boss thinks of her as an emotional person and will only promote her if she shows him that she can make tough choices. Eager to get the promotion, Christine denies an elderly woman an extension on her mortgage. The woman, Sylvia, begs to no avail.
Later, she attacks Christine in the parking lot and takes one of Christine’s buttons, and curses her. Christine’s boyfriend, Clay, and herself pay a visit to a fortune teller and learn that Sylvia did indeed place a curse on her. Christine starts hallucinating very violent images, getting attacked by disembodied creatures, and having sudden nosebleeds.
(Spoiler) She visits the fortune teller again, and this time he tells her that she is being tormented by a powerful demon. She needed to pass on the curse else she would be tormented for three days and then dragged to hell.
- Director: Sam Raimi
- IMDb Rating: 6.6
- Release Date: May 29, 2009
- Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Supernatural
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, and others
- Producers: Robert Tapert, Grant Curtis
38. The Frighteners
Even though ‘The Frighteners’ wasn’t a commercial success, it received a lot of praise from critics and audiences alike. It is now considered a cult classic. After Frank Bannister’s wife, Debra, dies in a car accident, he starts being able to see and communicate with ghosts.
He abandons his previous life and becomes friends with three ghosts Cyrus, Stuart, and The Judge. Frank goes around the city conning people. He has his ghost friends haunt and scare the owners, and then he offers to provide his service of exorcism for a sum of money. This time their target was the home of Ray Lynskey and his wife Lucy, but after Frank’s visit, Ray dies of a cardiac arrest.
He notices a pattern in the death of Ray and his wife, Debra. Before Ray’s death, Frank could see a number on his forehead that no one else could, similar to Debra, who also had a number on her forehead when she was brought to him after the accident. He learns of a new entity that presents itself as the Grim Reaper and leaves several of its victim’s foreheads that only Frank can see.
Frank tries to warn the authorities about the murders, but being able to foresee murder makes him the prime suspect instead.
- Director: Peter Jackson
- IMDb Rating: 7.1
- Release Date: July 19, 1996
- Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Fantasy
- Streaming Platform: YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV
- Cast: Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, Jeffrey Combs, Jake Busey, John Astin, and others
- Producers: Peter Jackson, Jamie Selkirk
39. The Return of the Living Dead
The movie garnered enough popularity to have as many as four sequels and also is considered the root of many zombie-related facts. Some of these are that zombies consume the brains of living things primarily as opposed to all living flesh and that they are immune to bullet shots to the head.
At a medical supply warehouse, an employee, Frank, brings his new coworker, Freddy, into the basement of their main building. There he shows Freddy some military barrels filled with a harmful gas called Trioxin that were mistakenly delivered to the warehouse a few years ago. Frank hits the barrels to show how secure they are but ends up puncturing them and releasing the Trioxin.
A dead body in the warehouse is resurrected after coming in contact with the Trioxin. It attacks Frank and Freddy alongside their boss, Burt. The group tries multiple ways to bring the zombie down but to no avail. They finally dismember the body, but still, each part of the zombie is seen to function on its own.
Burt takes the parts to his friend’s mortuary and has them burnt. But this proves to be an even bigger mistake because now the Trioxin is released into the local air. It starts raining with the rainwater containing the toxic element, and the corpses from the nearby cemetery are seen to be resurrected simultaneously.
- Director: Dan O’Bannon
- IMDb Rating: 7.3
- Release Date: August 16, 1985
- Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Sci-fi, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, and others
- Producers: Tom Fox, Graham Henderson
40. Army of Darkness
Army of Darkness was dedicated to Irvin Sharpio, who was an American film producer and died right before the movie entered production. The movie wasn’t much success in the initial release but became a cult classic after its video release. Army of Darkness is the final installment following the two Evil Dead films.
We follow Ash Williams, the protagonist of the Evil Dead movies, as he is accidentally teleported back to the medieval period. He finds himself captured by Lord Arthur’s army under the suspicion of being a spy for Arthur’s current war opponent, Duke Henry. Ash’s weapons are taken away, and he is taken to Arthur’s castle along with Duke Henry. He is thrown into a pit.
A parasitic demon spirit known as Deadite attacks Ash, but he kills the Deadite. Ash later gets back his weapons from Wise Man and demands Henry be freed. He kills another Deadite in public and is celebrated as a hero. The Wise Man tells him that the only way to return to his timeline is to find the Necronomicon, and Ash must enter an enchanted forest with several perils to find it.
- Director: Sam Raimi
- IMDb Rating: 7.4
- Release Date: February 19, 1993
- Runtime: 1 hour 21 minutes
- Genre: Comedy, Horror
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, and others
- Producer: Robert Tapert
41. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show did amazing as a midnight show, with audiences dressing up as the characters and eventually even performing and lip-syncing alongside the film. It gained so much positive response that it is considered one of the best musicals ever made and was also taken up by the US National Film Registry for preservation.
The plot starts by showing us a young couple, Brad and Janet, who just got engaged en route to celebrate. They plan on celebrating the engagement with their science teacher from high school, Dr. Scott, as he was the reason the two got to know each other. The night was dark and rainy, and as their car was trudging through the terrain, they punctured one of the tires.
With no cell phones in use at the time, the couple considered asking for help from people around the neighborhood. They came upon a castle with an ongoing party. The couple found it odd how everyone was dressed but still chose to ask for help from the butler, Riff Raff, and the maid, Magenta.
The butler and maid encouraged the couple to meet the owner before offering their help. Turns out the owner was a mad scientist named Dr. Frank-N-Furter. He asked the couple to stay the night instead of giving them a telephone. Soon Brad and Janet realize that giving the situation the benefit of the doubt may have been the wrong decision.
- Director: Jim Sharman
- IMDb Rating: 7.4
- Release Date: September 26, 1975
- Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Comedy, Sci-fi, Musical
- Streaming Platform: YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Vudu, Apple TV
- Cast: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brian, Patricia Quinn, and others
- Producers: Lou Adler, Michael White
42. Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus was released by Walt Disney Pictures and didn’t do well at the theatrical release, but through the years, the film has gained popularity by being aired during Halloween on Disney Channel. It is considered a Halloween classic and has a cult following, along with a theme park attraction, a TV show, and a sequel.
Witches Winifred, Sarah, and Mary were known as the Sanderson sisters. Their story dates back to the 1700s. On Halloween, they kidnap Binx’s sister Emily and take her into the forest. Binx sees all this and follows them into the woods to save his sister but doesn’t make it in time, and Emily’s life force is absorbed by the witches to become young again.
They transform Binx into an immortal black cat to live with the guilt. The people of the town find out about the death of Emily and burn the three witches publicly. Winifred casts a spell on themselves which would reanimate them if a virgin lit the magic candle located inside their cottage.
Centuries later, Binx, in the form of a black cat, still guards the witches’ cottage. But on Halloween of 1993, Max, Dani, and Allison venture into the cottage and light the candle, consequently bringing the Sanderson sisters back to life and ready for revenge.
- Director: Kenny Ortega
- IMDb Rating: 6.9
- Release Date: July 16, 1993
- Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Disney+
- Cast: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, and others
- Producers: David Kirschner, Steven Haft
43. An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London was quite successful, with multiple awards under its belt and overall audience satisfaction. It also has a cult following and is considered a classic by horror movie enthusiasts. We find two independent travelers, David and Jack, from New York, trekking across the North York Moors.
At sundown, they decide to catch a break at a local pub called the Slaughtered Lamb. The people were welcoming at first and even advised the two to stay clear of the moors at night and stick to the main road, but they quickly turned hostile when Jack mentioned a pentagram on the pub’s wall soon after David and Jack left the pub and got on their way.
In the classic trend of horror movies, David and Jack, despite being warned against it, venture into the woods during a full moon. The pair is attacked by an unknown creature. Jack is killed, but David survives with some injuries. He hears the locals shoot the creature, but before losing consciousness, he sees a naked man instead of a feral beast.
David is treated by the local hospital in London, and the police officers tell him that they were attacked by an escaped lunatic and not an animal. Jack, who is now a spirit stuck in limbo, tells David that the creature is a werewolf, and now David is infected too.
- Director: John Landis
- IMDb Rating: 7.5
- Release Date: August 21, 1981
- Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes
- Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Comedy
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- Cast: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine, John Landis, and others
- Producer: George Folsey Jr.
Also Read: 50 Best Horror Shows To Watch
