The 2010s were a great decade for horror. There were still the requisite sequels, prequelsand horror remakesgetting churned out with force by studios small and large, but there was also the rise ofso-called “elevated horror,“a term that has been used both deferentially and derisively by critics and audiences. Regardless of one’s tastes, there’s no doubting that the 2010s gave rise to a number of unique filmmaker voices that have added substantially to the horror genre.
Outside auteur-driven horror, there was still plenty of gnarly cinema to satisfy the hardcore fans as well. The decade had something to offer every fan, andevery year there was an embarrassment of horror riches, making it difficult when deciding what to cut for a list of each year’s best. These may not be the best films in the eyes of every horror fan, since they represent one of the most wonderfully diverse fandoms in all pop culture, but there’s no denying thatthese ten movies made the 2010s one hell of a horrifying decade.
10’Black Swan' (2010)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Already representing the wide spectrum of horror that would define the entire decade, 2010 saw the releases of several terrificremakes likeLet Me InandThe Crazies, the found-footage fantasy horrorTroll Hunter, and the hillbilly slasher satireTucker & Dale vs. Evil. All those films are worthy of their acclaim, but if there’s one that dominated the horror conversation, it’sDarren Aronofsky’s psychologically terrifyingBlack Swan. Set in the demanding world of high-level ballet, the movie is a showcase forNatalie Portman, whose tenuous grasp on reality is pushed to its breaking point as she competes for the titular role inSwan Lake.
Visually arresting and impeccably performed, the film is a dark exploration of the depths some will go to in search of perfection. It wasn’t without its controversies, with some anime fans noting some startling similarities toSatoshi Kon’sPerfect BlueandPortman’s dance double arguingher contributions to the film were being downplayed to favor Portman’s Oscar bid. How much credence one gives to either of those controversies, or even to the argument of how much the film qualifies as proper horror, is ultimately immaterial becauseit doesn’t diminish the unsettling power of Aronofsky’s filmand Portman’s haunted performance, which did win the actress a well-deserved Academy Award.
Black Swan
9’You’re Next' (2011)
Directed by Adam Wingard
Home invasions in movieshave been fodder for horror for long enough that audiences have gotten savvy to the tropes.DirectorAdam Wingard’sYou’re Next, which had its festival premiere in 2011 before getting a wide release in 2013, offers a clever addition to the subgenre by having a heroine who turns out to be far more capable than her would-be assailants.Sharni Vinsonplays Erin, who has tagged along with her boyfriend to his family’s vacation home, which first brings an unhealthy helping of toxic family drama before killers in animal masks come knocking at the door. Lucky for Erin, and unlucky for her attackers, she has some serious survival skills, and she isn’t going down without a fight.
You’re Nexthas more than a few twists up its sleeve, butit never feels pretentious in its execution, keeping the grindhouse aspects to its violence as present as its genre awareness. Vinson makes for a terrific horror heroine, and the extended cast of hapless victims is filled out with some notable names in horror, includingXdirectorTi Westand independent provocateurLarry Fessenden.You’re Nextisa thrilling addition to horror’s continued reinvention of the final girl, and it would make a terrific double feature withthe similarly badassReady or Not.
You’re Next
8’The Cabin in the Woods' (2012)
Directed by Drew Goddard
Originally intended for a 2009 release but shelved for several years due to financial circumstances,The Cabin in the Woodsis, from start to finish,one of the most entertaining horror movies ever made. Written by directorDrew GoddardandJoss Whedonas a response to the extremism and “torture porn” trends that had taken hold of the horror genre in the 2000s, the movie is an homage to decades of horror, withthe incredible final battlefitting in references to hundreds of villains and monsters.
The movie makes it clear from the start thatthings are not what they seem for the archetypal college kidswho set out for a weekend in the titular classic horror setting, their movements tracked and manipulated by two technicians in a control room. That’s just the beginning of the metatextual twists thatThe Cabin in the Woodshas up its sleeve, and its engagement and subversion of genre tropes is what makes it sucha fun-filled delight for horror fans.
The Cabin in the Woods
7’The Conjuring' (2013)
Directed by James Wan
James Wanis one of the biggest names in modern horror, thanks to his hand in creatingmajor franchises likeSawandInsidious. In 2013, he had a major horror hit that spawnedan entire cinematic universe withThe Conjuring. While the cinematic universe trend may have grown tiresome, and the franchise itself may have overstayed its welcome, the first film remainsan effective throwback to cinematic ghost stories with old-school scares.
It focuses on the notorious real-life paranormal investigating team ofEd and Lorraine Warren, played byPatrick WilsonandVera Farmiga, as they investigate the supposed genuine haunting of a family in Rhode Island.The Conjuring’s basis in real supernatural events may be the purest kind of exaggerated hokum, but it makes for suitably spooky haunted house horror. The cast is great, andWan had perfected the art of the scare by this point in his career.
The Conjuring
6’The Babadook' (2014)
Directed by Jennifer Kent
Grief horror — films thatfind their scares through allegories of grief and trauma— made up a major subsection of the genre throughout the 2010s, and their popularity can be traced back to one film: the Australiansupernatural thrillerThe Babadook.Essie Davisgives a powerhouse performance as a widowed mother struggling to hold onto her sanity while raising her troublesome son. Things only get worse as the titular creature, a top-hat-wearing monster from a twisted children’s book, makes its way into their lives.
Using slow-burn suspense in favor of jump scares,Jennifer Kentmakeseffective use of a low budgetand delivers one of the scariest films of the decade with an instantly iconic monster, which has since been embraced as a symbol for the LGBTQ+ community.The Babadookis effective as pure horror, an exploration of loss, anda powerful representation of the hell that is parenting.
The Babadook
5’It Follows' (2015)
Directed by David Robert Mitchell
Featuringa killer original premise,It Followsputsa horrifying modern spin on curses. It features one that spreads through sexual intercourse, which causes a slow-moving entity, visible only to the afflicted, to follow and kill them, lest they spread the curse to someone else. From theterrifying opening killto thehaunting, ambiguous ending, the movie keeps the tension high throughout, thanks to its evil entity’s ability to look like anyone and everyone, turning every background actor into a potential threat.
Modern-day scream queenMaika Monroeleads the young cast of characters as they attempt to navigate the new, uncertain circumstances they find themselves in, and directorDavid Robert Mitchellgives the film an anachronistic aesthetic that feels both modern and throwback at the same time, particularly in the synth-heavy soundtrack by musical artistDisasterpeace.It Followsbecamean instant cult classic, and its lasting popularity has led to a belated sequel currently in development.
It Follows
4’The Witch' (2016)
Directed by Robert Eggers
Newly mintedmaster of horrorRobert Eggersmade a haunting, wicked film debut with the shockingfolk horrorThe Witch. Set in the 1600s, New England, and following a family of Puritans as they are beset upon by satanic forces, the film builds its horror through an unimpeachable atmosphere, which includes a dedication to period-accurate dialogue and natural lighting.
Like some of the best of the horror genre,The Witchdoesn’t go for out-loud scares but instead subtly digs under the skin witha terror that lingers for days after it ends. The film was also a considerable breakthrough forAnya Taylor-Joy, anchoring it as the young Thomasin, who finds her faith tested as more horrors begin to befall her pious family. Throughheavy religious symbolism and shocking moments of violence,The Witchcasts a dark spell over its audience and will put the fear of God into even the most devout agnostic.
3’Get Out' (2017)
Directed by Jordan Peele
Coming out of sketch comedy, few would’ve expectedJordan Peeleto become one of the biggest names in horror, but he did just that, beginning withhis unforgettable debutGet Out. Inspired by the suburbanhorror satireThe Stepford Wivesand taking aim at liberal racism, Peele’s horror movie offereda terrifying snapshot of the Black experience in Americathat has only grown more relevant since its release.
Meeting his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time,Daniel Kaluuya’s Chris ends up having to contend with far more than casual racism and micro-aggressions when he discovers they have far more nefarious plans for him. Peele’s background in comedy serves him well in his Academy Award-winning screenplay, which is an exemplary example of set-up and payoff, deftly using subtle foreshadowing and symbolism to elevate the horror that is inevitably unleashed in the third act.Peele has only continued to deliver on the promise of his first filmand remains one of the biggest creative forces in modern horror.
2’Hereditary' (2018)
Directed by Ari Aster
One of the biggest releases of 2018was also one of the most upsetting, withAri Aster’s horrific take on familial drama,Hereditary, searing itself into the memories of everyone who made it through its domestic terrors.An Oscar-worthyToni Collettestars as the matriarch of a family who seem to suffer tragedy after tragedy in some sort of cosmic cruelty, except that the truth behind their suffering is far more sinister.
The film begins like a typical domestic drama, with the family trying to cope in the wake of the loss of a grandmother, but after a shocking midfilm death, it spirals into a new level of horror that heads full speed towardits completely bonkers ending. Aster’s harrowing debut continued A24’s winning streak of high-class horror and remains one of the studio’s most affecting horror films. Today, not even a decade after its release,Hereditaryis widely considered a modern horror classic and a true before-and-after for a genre that often thrives on seismic cinematic events.
Hereditary
1’Doctor Sleep' (2019)
Directed by Mike Flanagan
2019 closed out a decade of terrific horror with possibly its best lineup. The year saw the sophomore scares from Aster, Eggers and Peele alongside new horror debuts likeSaint MaudandTigers Are Not Afraid, which finally reached American audiences thanks to streaming service Shudder. It would be a major oversight, however, not to highlight a contribution fromMike Flanagan, one of the biggest names in horror to rise to prominence in the 2010s. Flanagan had already made major contributions withOculus,HushandtheStephen KingadaptationGerald’s Game, but he took on his biggest challenge yet with another King project;Doctor Sleep, the big-budget sequel toThe Shining.
Making an epic-sized follow-up toone of the greatest horror films of all timewhile trying to satisfy fans of both the film and the novel as well as King himself, who notoriously hatedStanley Kubrick’sfilm for the deviations from his book, was always going to be a Herculean task, but for the most part Flanagan managed to pull it off.Doctor Sleepmaintains an identitywithout feeling too indebted to its iconic predecessor. Even though the final act, which takes place back at the Overlook Hotel, veers a little too close to fan service territory, Flanagan makes it all count toward an emotionally resonant conclusion thatpays homage to the original ending of King’s novel.
