2024 Horror Movies Ranked
Or, the big list of all the horrors we survived this year
I’ve finally watched Nosferatu, AKA the last horror movie of 2024. That means it’s time to recap all the horror movies I’ve watched this year! This is the first year that I’ve made an effort to watch as many new horror movies as possible. Overall I watched 25 movies released in 2024. My overall ranking is at the bottom.
Mandatory disclaimer that this is my list, based solely on my opinions. There are some true masterpieces that I ranked lower simply because they didn’t appeal to me personally. I’d love to hear your faves (and not so faves), so leave me a comment!
Trends
There’s been an uptick in bodily autonomy horror. Heck, we got two forced birth movies in The First Omen and Immaculate.
There’s been a pastel aesthetic trend in Strange Darling, Lisa Frankenstein, and I Saw the TV Glow.
(Yes, I know Strange Darling technically released in 2023, but everyone is treating it like a 2024 movie, so why shouldn’t I do the same?)
Movies I Haven’t Seen
There are several notable horror titles I didn’t see for one reason or another, including Night Swim, The Strangers Chapter 1, The Crow, Salem’s Lot, Terrifier 3, and Alien Romulus.
Most Disappointing
Longlegs: I don’t think Longlegs was a terrible movie. It was actually very creepy. However, the marketing campaign was a little too good for what it ended up being. A lot of the creepy aspects of the movie were there just for the vibes (Osgood Perkins admits this) and don’t necessarily make sense. Many people might not mind this, but I need my stories to follow a consistent internal logic, and I think it’s more than possible to have both vibes and consistency–you don’t need to sacrifice one for the other.
Read my full review of Longlegs here
The Watchers: Based on a popular horror book? A connection to M. Night Shyamalan? Dakota Fanning? This one should have been awesome, but it ended up being mostly boring. Meh.
Read my review of The Watchers here
Daddy’s Head started out amazing, and seemed to have everything going for it. An emotional back story, creepy atmosphere, and stellar creature design. However the movie just, like, ends at what should have been the 75% mark. It honestly feels like we’re missing the climax of the movie. It’s baffling.
Surprisingly Good
Or at least goodish? I’m not saying Tarot was a good movie, but I did go into it expecting absolute dog shit. What I got was an enjoyable, if schlocky/tropey movie that was way more self-aware than I was expecting. They could have leaned into that self-awareness more, and maybe upgraded some of the kills.
I don’t expect much from horror sequels, but I was pleasantly surprised by A Quiet Place: Day One. It manages to tell its own story rather than rehashing the highlights of the first installment. One of the best movies of the year.
The First Omen was also very, very good despite being a prequel reboot.
Read my review of The First Omen here
Scariest
Oddity, hands down, had the creepiest and most chilling atmosphere. That scene with the tent. And with the man at the door! And the time the wooden doll [spoiler redacted]. Eek.
Most Disturbing
This category has the fewest standouts for me–possibly because I shy away from graphic horror?
The Substance had some of the most insane body horror I’ve ever seen. Still, it was treated so satirically that it took a lot of the edge off.
In a Violent Nature had some of the gnarliest kills of the year. However, the characters were already dead or paralyzed/unconscious (and therefore unable to experience) when the gnarliness happened.
As a loner with severe social anxiety, Speak No Evil was particularly difficult to watch due to the uncomfortable situations the main characters are put in. A testament to keeping to yourself if there ever was one.
Best Jump Scares
Oddity had at least two awesome jump scares. The kind that get you even when you know they’re coming.
Smile 2 also had some well-constructed ones that also managed to be very… unique? It’s hard to describe without spoiling the movie.
Best Movies
If there’s one movie I keep coming back to as one that was most enjoyable to watch, it’s gotta be Smile 2. The excellent jump scares, unique setting, and awesome performance from the lead set this one above.
Read my review of Smile 2 here
A Quiet Place: Day One was also exceptionally good. I’m not a fan of horror franchises. A Quiet Place was one of the most memorable horror movies of the last ten years and I’m worried they’re going to sully it with all the sequels/prequels/sidequels. BUT Day One might just make me rethink that.
Read my review of A Quiet Place: Day One here
Best Non-2024 Movie
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor was the scariest movie I watched in a good long while. I’m a fan of the original Hell House LLC, but the second and third installments fell down in quality, so I wasn’t expecting much from Carmichael Manor. The obnoxious name didn’t bode well, either.
But, guys. This movie is scary. And horror movies don’t scare me anymore (ya know, due to my cold dead heart, etc.). A highlight of my year.
Read my review of Carmichael Manor here
My overall ranking
This graphic shows my overall ranking:
What I’m Reading
The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste
Still working on this one. almost finished!
Great list ranking and recommendations!
Still gotta check out Oddity and The First Omen. Also I’ve yet to see any of the Hellhouse LLC franchise.
I concur with Longlegs. There was a half a good movie in there but wow that 3rd act supernatural exposition dump…I’m still an Oz Perkins skeptic.
Masterful trailer for a mediocre movie.
Not horror really but did you see Trap? It’s so deeply silly but does what Longlegs was trying to do (we never truly know our parents) so much more interestingly and was just more fun. I kinda loved it.