For those who don’t know me, I am very much into horror. I’ve always loved some of the best horror movies like Halloween, or newer ones that have graced our cinema screens. However, one studio that has absolutely been killing the game this last decade is A24.
From smaller, independent films to wide releases that have captured our eyes, A24 horror movies have almost become a genre of their own. Today, I'm going to rank the top 19, including one honorable mention. If you’re a fan of horror, these are the films you have to watch from A24. And, even if you don’t like horror, you should give them a try.
Honorable Mention: Tusk (2014)
In Tusk, directed by Kevin Smith, we watch as a podcaster travels to Canada for an interview, only to realize down the line that the person he is speaking to is unlike anyone else he has ever met – and that this person has dark plans for him that involve a walrus.
Okay, this movie isn’t horror. It’s just disturbing, which is why I need to put it at least as an honorable mention. Justin Long was the best choice for something like this, because he keeps the comedy in this movie, but damn, this is just a film that needs to be viewed once for the simple disturbing hilarities that it provides. And yes, you need to watch the whole thing, don’t turn away once.
19. The Monster (2016)
Starring Zoe Kazan and Scott Speedman, The Monster is a monster horror movie that follows a mother and her teenage daughter who are out in the woods but find themselves stranded due to an accident that turns horrendous – and now, they have to somehow survive when a monster begins to hunt them down.
I just want to say that because The Monster is last does not mean it’s not a good film. It’s personally not my cup of tea when it comes to the kind of horror that I like. Is the monster really scary? Heck yeah, it is, but unlike a lot of A24 movies, I find that it relies a little too much on older horror tropes instead of that slow, suspenseful pace. But it is fun – and deserving of a spot.
18. Lamb (2021)
Released in 2021 is A24’s Lamb. This movie follows the story of two farmers in Iceland who discover something from their barn that shakes them to their core - a sheep that has given birth to a hybrid of a human and a lamb. But, this strange occurance soon turns into a nightmare.
Lamb is a bit of a slower film, hence why it's number 15, but it has a special place in my heart. The story itself is intense with plenty of twists and turns, but what really sells it for me is the main character, Maria, played by Noomi Rapace. Her performance is chilling in the best ways and really captures the realities of a grieving mother battling with the dark forces at play. That, paired with the beautiful cinematography of the film, makes Lamb a winner.
17. Enemy (2013)
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Enemy is a psychological thriller film, but many see it as a horror film because there are moments that are truly terrifying. This film mainly follows Gyllenhaal in a role where he plays two different characters who are physically identical but couldn’t be more different – and somehow, their lives are intertwined in the worst way possible.
I do see this movie as a true ride. It’s one of those films where, at the end, you really question your sense of reality and your place in it. And I do think there are some horrifying moments in it that make you squirm. That being said, I also think that this movie is almost a little too much at times and it can be a bit hard to follow, so that's why it ranks so low. But great acting from everyone around.
15. In Fabric (2018)
Next up, we have In Fabric. This horror-comedy asks the question, “What if clothing could be the source of all your troubles?” And, it takes that question and runs with it through its main character, a red dress that tortures its owners, one after the other.
In Fabric is number fourteen just because I feel it doesn’t have the same horror atmosphere as most A24 films. Honestly, though, it doesn’t have to have it. It has its own moments of pure insanity and horror that make it worthy, and it has so many that will make you jump up in fear, along with its interesting premise, and for that I put it at number 16 - even if the idea of a scary red dress is a little silly.
15. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
A24 horror movies had a good year in 2022, and you’ll see why, starting with Bodies Bodies Bodies. The black comedy slasher film stars the impressive cast of Amandla Stenberg, Pete Davidson, Maria Bakalova, and more, and tells the story of a group of rich twenty-somethings who get trapped at a mansion when a hurricane comes through, and decide to play a game called “bodies bodies bodies” that takes a murderous turn throughout the night.
Let me just say that I laughed my ass off while watching this movie, and I mean that in the best way. There’s a lot that this film does that’s so unbelievably silly, and other moments that are genuinely scary as heck that made me turn my head away from my television screen. I don’t think it’s good enough to be in the top 10, but it’s certainly a fun one to view.
14. The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)
The Blackcoat’s Daughter is a supernatural horror film that follows the story of two sisters who are left on their own at school when their parents don’t pick them up for Winter Break for some reason. However, as time goes on, strange things begin to happen.
I actually look at The Blackcoat’s Daughter as a super underrated gem. I don’t think it’s a top-ten worthy pick because there are so many great A24 horror films, but I think there are moments of utterly perfect suspense and fantastic horror sequences that will make you squirm. Also, Kiernan Shipka’s performance is stunning.
13. X (2022)
X is a great horror film starring Mia Goth and Jenna Ortega about a cast and crew who are gathered in Texas to film a porno. Soon, a killer starts to shake things up for the main players.
X is utter madness. Really, so much better than I thought it was going to be. I went into this film with zero expectations because I trusted that A24 would, at the very least, make a good horror film, but I didn’t expect it to blow me away as much as it did. It almost feels like an ode to slasher films of old with its major bouts of horror, blood, and intensity. This is not for the faint of heart, which is why it's at 12 - it's almost a little too gory sometimes, but it's certainly a great horror film.
12. It Comes At Night (2017)
Don’t be fooled by the title - this isn’t a monster movie. It Comes At Night is a smaller tale about what a family does to survive as a worldwide disease kills the rest of the population.
This film, in its entirety, focuses on the idea of what it’s like for humanity to be pushed to its breaking point, to where there’s this very slim line between sane and insane. This film isn’t a bloody one, but it’s full of tension that will make you squirm in your seat. The only reason why I put it at number 11 is that I feel some of the other films on this list work a little better at that idea of humanity slipping, which you'll see later on.
11. Saint Maud (2019)
Saint Maud was a film that deserved so much more attention than it got. This film tells the story of a religious nurse who starts to trust her faith too much and falls into delusions that she is meant to do many things because of her love of God - so much that it turns her down a horrible path of pain.
This film is slow in its work to scare you, hence why it's at 11, as not a lot happens at first. It’s not trying to be overly flashy or bloody, but the eerie tenseness of what this woman’s faith has done to her is what makes this movie so good, and how it slowly tears her apart. It’s like the perfect movie to show the complexities of faith and how it can lead someone down the wrong path. Also, Morfydd Clark was freaking amazing as Maud. Seriously.
10. Men (2022)
This folk horror film is certainly one to remember. Men follows the tale of a woman who goes away on vacation but finds herself increasingly disturbed by the men that live in the village, until these disturbances turn into something a little more sinister.
I think the thing I like about Men is that it really doesn’t rely on a lot of crazy gimmicks to make you uncomfortable. Yes, the ending turns into something you would never really expect, like most A24 horror movies, but the suspense that builds it is built purely on human interaction and that is something that is hard to do in a horror movie. And it just keeps growing and growing until you can’t take it anymore. You have to admit – the narrative is unlike anything out there.
9. Pearl (2022)
Remember X? Now, if you enjoyed the main antagonist of that movie, then Pearl is for you. It tells the origin story and how she got to be the person she became in X – and all the bloody goodness that came with it.
I can’t say much about Pearl without revealing major details in X, so all I’ll say is that it’s even better than its predecessor and provided so much more lore that I never would have expected from just watching the original film. And yes, it’s about as weird as it gets. I would re-watch this film – if it didn’t creep the heck out of me in so many ways. It’s top 10 quality, for sure.
9. Life After Beth (2014)
There is seriously nothing like Aubrey Plaza in a zombie comedy horror movie. The film follows a young man who is devastated by the loss of his girlfriend, but finds out that she’s actually returned from the dead. However, his joy is short-lived when he begins to realize that she is turning into a zombie.
Life After Beth isn’t the scariest movie by any means, but I think what makes me put it at number eight is that it balances both comedy and horror in such great ways that nothing feels like it’s overshadowing the other. There’s a fair amount of great jokes in it, but then as it slowly starts to get darker, the dread begins to build. Quite honestly, Plaza delivers an excellent performance, as well as Dane DeHaan. It’s definitely worth a watch at least one time.
8. The Killing Of A Sacred Deer (2017)
The Killing of a Sacred Deer stars Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan in the story of a cardiac surgeon meeting a teenage boy who has a strange connection to his past. Through the friendship which grows, he brings the boy home to his family - and not long after, they begin to succumb to illness.
This is such a fantastically well-written film, from start to finish. I have to give credit where credit is due, and give it up to Barry Keoghan, because his part was the absolute best. He perfectly captures what it’s like for someone who is going through grief, but also seeking justice. Number seven feels like a good spot for this movie, because while the story is a little slow to start, the performances are some of the best in A24's horror films.
7. Green Room (2015)
Oh, you want gore? You want horror? This film is the one to watch. Green Room is a horror-thriller that follows a punk band that witnesses something they weren’t supposed to. This, in turn, leads to them getting captured by a group of Neo-Nazis, who plan to off them one by one. Now they have to fight to survive.
I would rank this higher than six if the movie weren’t as gruesome as it is - there is such a thing as too much blood, but the difference between this and X is the brutal reality of the deaths, which make this movie so terrifyingly real. It feels like something that can happen. Oftentimes, horror films are filled with impossible realities, such as mysterious ghosts or demons, but being captured, tortured, and killed? Yeah, that stuff happens in real life, which is what makes Green Room so scary.
6. Under The Skin (2013)
Agh, this movie literally does get under my skin. Under the Skin, starring the wonderful Scarlett Johansson, tells the story of a mysterious young woman who seduces men using her looks, but there’s more to her than just her pretty face.
It’s one of those films where Johansson should have been nominated for an Oscar. She was outstanding in this film. Not only that, but the story is genuinely petrifying. The whole point is the idea of not really knowing who you’re with, whether that be a friend, lover, or even a family member, which is what makes her so scary here. The only reason I rank it at six is that sci-fi horror doesn't really fit in with a lot of other A24 films, but this one stands out.
5. The Lighthouse (2019)
Can we talk about how The Lighthouse was not nominated for Best Picture? Because it should have been. This film, starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, tells the tale of two lighthouse keepers who end up succumbing to madness when a storm traps them on the island, forcing them to survive in ways they never thought possible.
While I wasn't the hugest fan of the art style, which is why it's number five, The Lighthouse is still a masterpiece. Starring literally only Dafoe and Pattinson (besides two other small roles that aren’t featured as much), it gives them so much room to wow us with their performances and it is a sin they were not at the very least nominated for their work. The story is phenomenal as well, melding psychological and survival horror, creating a well-balanced experience that makes you feel uncomfortable in the best way possible.
4. Talk To Me (2023)
Before its July 2023 release, I had my doubts about whether Talk to Me would be truly frightening, but I couldn't have been more mistaken. It stands out as one of the most remarkable horror movies in recent years, easily earning a spot on this list.
The plot centers around a group of teenagers who get almost a high from an embalmed hand that’s used to communicate with the afterlife. This interaction allows a spirit to possess them, but with a strict 90-second time limit; exceeding this results in the spirit becoming a more permanent presence. However, when one character, Mia, lets the possession linger for too long, their world is upended by haunting experiences.
This is an exceptional film. Although I don’t believe it’s the absolute pinnacle of A24's horror offerings, it undoubtedly stands amongst the best, from the stellar cast of Talk to Me, the expertly crafted cinematography, and the genuinely spine-chilling moments that don’t include crazy amounts of gore. The Talk to Me ending itself is one that will sit with you for hours. If you haven't had the chance, make sure to experience this cinematic gem.
3. The Witch (2015)
While Anya Taylor-Joy got famous from other big roles, many first saw her in The Witch. In this fantastic horror film, a family moves to an area that is hidden in the woods when their church banishes them. However, when an unknown evil entity begins to make their lives a living hell, they must rely on their faith to survive.
The Witch is what I like to call slow-burn horror. It doesn’t hit you in the face with blood, guts or anything gruesome, and it takes its time slowly trying to break you apart as you wonder who the heck you can trust, which is why it's number three. You never quite find out until the end what is causing this whole family to suddenly be tortured, but you’re questioning everything, and you almost feel like you’re going insane by the end of it. Only two other films can top the tension this movie creates.
2. Hereditary (2018)
You knew this would be ranked high. Hereditary, directed by Ari Aster, tells the story of a family who is hit with a tragedy, but while they are grieving, a mysterious force that has a connection to their past relatives begins to haunt them and tear apart their family from the inside out.
Let me tell you - it takes a lot to scare me to the point where I can’t sleep. I thrive off of this stuff because I know it’s very hard to get me to feel genuine fear from a film. However, Hereditary did that and more, and it deserves its number two spot here. From the spectacular performance by Toni Collette that should have been nominated for an Academy Award, to the brilliant practical effects to the story to even the score, it’s phenomenal in every way. And, that Hereditary ending, gosh, it sticks with you, doesn’t it? But, there’s one other film that I do think outdoes the others.
1. Midsommar (2019)
This film, man. This freaking film. It will be number one for a long time unless another A24 film can overtake it.
Midsommar, starring the amazingly talented Florence Pugh, tells the story of a young woman who has recently undergone a horrible personal loss and leaves with her boyfriend and his friends on a trip to Sweden to take part in a traditional festival that takes a deadly twist.
While both Hereditary and Midsommar are great films, Midsommar left me feeling some type of way. I was floored by Pugh’s performance, and truly felt uneasy in many of the scenes, from the flowers on her crown to the dancing to the usage of symbols and subtle gore. Even its moments of intense blood and horror are so beautifully done, like cutting out the music and sound so we can just focus on the death.
What really makes Midsommar so fantastic is that you feel as if you are the main character. Pugh takes us on such an intense emotional journey that by the end of the film, you almost feel as exhausted as her, and then the movie ends and you realize just how intense it really is.
Midsommar is an experience unlike any other that will stun you from the moment you first start watching it. Truly the best A24 horror film, and one that needs to be studied over and over again.
This just makes me want to re-watch all these films again - and I think I’m gonna go and do that right now until the next A24 horror film comes out. Anyone up for a horror movie marathon?
