Spooky season is upon us. ‘Tis the time for things that go bump in the night, and we’ve got a curated selection of some of the best new horror movies streaming right now to get you in the mood. There were a number of solid horror films released over the past year, from a couple of nun-centric films to the vampiric “Abigail” to Russell Crowe as an exorcising priest.
There’s a lot to consider, is what we’re saying, but if you pick one of the scary movies on this list we guarantee you’ll be satisfied.
“Abigail”
Streaming on Peacock
While this enjoyable spin on the vampire genre doesn’t quite match the perfection of their uproarious 2019 horror comedy, “Ready or Not,” co-directors Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin have once again assembled a crack cast fighting tooth and nail to survive the night in a spooky mansion. The premise: A “Reservoir Dogs”-esque team of criminals, whose names are not known to each other, have been assembled to kidnap a rich man’s daughter. The task is simply to watch the girl until the ransom is paid. Except it’s not quite that simple. Melissa Barrera (“Scream”) Kathryn Newton (“Freaky”) and Dan Stevens (“The Guest”) are among the criminals, who slowly realize that their abductee is not the frightened little girl she appears to be, but a ruthless and cunning vampire. — Sharon Knolle
“Cobweb”
Streaming on Hulu
One of the best sleepers of last year was “Cobweb,” a there’s-something-in-the-crawl-space chiller that plays more like a dark fairy tale than a cheapo midnight movie. Woody Norman (the little kid from Mike Mills’ tremendous “C’Mon C’Mon”) starts to have dreams about a missing sibling hidden in the walls of his suburban home. His parents (a note-perfect Lizzy Caplan and Anthony Starr) are relentlessly cheery and insist that he’s simply imagining things, which is always a red flag. And his teacher (Cleopatra Coleman) suspects there’s trouble at home, which his parents strenuously deny. Of course, all things come to a bloody head, which is very satisfying. Samuel Bodin makes his directorial debut working from a Black List-approved script by Chris Thomas Devlin, creating an unnerving atmosphere full of dread and dark comedy. And the movie’s Halloween-time setting makes it a perfect movie to get you into the spirit. But “Cobweb” is like the cursed videotape in “The Ring” – you’ve got to show it to five people after you see it. That will insure it’s staple as a future cult classic. Let’s make it happen. – Drew Taylor
“Late Night With the Devil”
Streaming on Shudder
A once-popular ’70s late night talk show host Jack Delroy (the always terrific David Dastmalchian) tries an out-there stunt to boost his falling ratings: Invite a possessed girl on and have her channel the devil, live! The film from Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes perfectly captures not only the bygone era to a tee, but expertly builds tension with minor glitches during the broadcast, which turn into a chaotic nightmare to rival that freakishly awful chimp attack in Jordan Peele’s “Nope.” – Sharon Knolle
“Suitable Flesh”
Streaming on Hulu
Joe Lynch’s tale of occult horror — which is based on an H.P. Lovecraft story — begins when psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby (an incredibly game Heather Graham) becomes obsessed with her troubled young male patient. He tells her an incredible story about being possessed by his late father’s spirit, which can’t possibly be true, can it? Oh yes, it is, we find out, as do Derby’s unsuspecting husband (Johnathon Schaech) and medical colleague (horror icon Barbara Crampton). It’s campy, silly, sexy, gory fun for the right kind of horror fan. – Sharon Knolle
“Immaculate”
Streaming on Hulu
In Michael Mohan’s spooky church horror “Immaculate,” Sydney Sweeney cloaks up as an American nun named Cecilia who joins a covenant in a remote area nestled in rural Italy. But the dark secrets of the holy manor come alive in the form of creepy disturbances and bloody chases that will leave you at the edge of your seat speechless. The film was written by Andrew Lobel and it stars Benedetta Porcaroli, Álvaro Morte, Simona Tabasco, Giulia Heatherfield and more. – Raquel “Rocky” Harris”
“The First Omen”
Streaming on Hulu
One of the best horror movies of the year is also one of the best movies of the year (period). Nell Tiger Free plays an American novitiate who journeys to Rome in the early 1970s. She’s working at orphanage, where she fears that one of the young girls might be part of an evil conspiracy within the church. If you’ve seen the original “Omen,” released back in 1976, then you probably know where this is headed, but it’s a testament to co-writer/director Arkasha Stevenson that she still provides some big surprises, including one of the more shocking moments in recent horror history. The movie has a lovely, 1970’s vibe and is clearly paying homage to the Italian horror movies from that period (there’s more than a little classic “Suspiria” cooked into its DNA), without ever being too reverential. If you were on the fence about this one – and, we get it, an “Omen” prequel released in 2024 is a dicey proposition – put those fears aside. “The First Omen” absolutely delivers. It’s a satanically good time. – Drew Taylor
“Saw X”
Streaming on Starz
For 20 years, James Wan and Leigh Whannell’s “Saw” franchise has been haunting viewers and while building a following of devout fans. It’s the very reason why the universe has continued to expand, with its latest addition being “Saw X.” In the 10th installment, John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back, and he sets his sights on a group of scammers who have tricked thousands into investing in a fake medical procedure they claimed would cure even the most life-threatening illnesses. For Kramer, who is battling late-stage cancer, their plot cuts deep, but his revenge slices even deeper. The film, which was directed by Kevin Greutert, stars Bell, Synnøve Macody Lund, Shawnee Smith, Renata Vaca, Costas Mandylor and more. – Raquel “Rocky” Harris
“Sister Death”
Streaming on Netflix
Do we have too many “young nuns getting menaced by malevolent forces” movies on this list already? What’s one more? “Sister Death” ostensibly serves as the prequel to 2017’s based-on-a-true-story gem “Veronica.” This time the story is set in 1940s Spain, where a young nun attempts to uncover the truth at a convent that has been converted into a girls’ school following the Spanish Civil War. Co-writer/director Paco Plaza, returning from the original film, wisely uses the young nun’s experience as a metaphor for the tragedy and horror that Spain endured during the war, with the truth of that experience deepening the supernatural scares (and vice versa). It’s a remarkable, deeply scary piece of work and a worthy follow-up to the equally terrific “Veronica,” in some ways deepening that earlier film while it expands the lore of the franchise. Are you ready to meet “Sister Death?” – Drew Taylor
“Thanksgiving”
Streaming on Netflix
More than fifteen years later, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s “Grindhouse” is still paying off dividends. As part of that double-feature experience, there were a series of trailers for fake movies that played as a kind of interstitial between films. One of those fake trailers, Rodriguez’s “Machete,” spawned two (!) movies. And Roth has finally come back around for “Thanksgiving,” his New England slasher movie. How could he resist? (The trailer version of “Thanksgiving” featured Michael Biehn, Jordan Ladd and Jay Hernandez; none of them returned for the feature-length version.) Roth clearly loves the holiday-themed slasher movie (among them: “My Bloody Valentine,” “Silent Night, Deadly Night” and, of course, “Halloween”) and tries to give Thanksgiving the same treatment, setting it in a town obsessed with the holiday (Plymouth, Massachusetts), that has just undergone a shared tragedy (a Black Friday sale gone bloodily wrong), with a masked killer, dressed like Mayflower pilgrim John Carver, seeking revenge. It’s all very straightforward, with Patrick Dempsey as the sheriff of the town and a very charming Nell Verlaque as our final girl. Of course, where the movie shines is in the elaborate murder sequences, with only a couple lifted directly from the original “Grindhouse” trailer. (There’s a parade float pile-up that is a particular favorite.) And with “Thanksgiving” Roth got something that he couldn’t even conjure with “Badlands” – an honest-to-goodness franchise. The sequel drops next year. Hopefully it’s not just lukewarm leftovers. – Drew Taylor
“The Pope’s Exorcist”
Streaming on Netflix
Earlier this year Russell Crowe starred in the meta horror movie “The Exorcism.” It is very good but not streaming yet (if that changes, we will update this list). A few months earlier, Crowe starred in another, even-better exorcism movie called “The Pope’s Exorcist.” And just to be clear, he is playing an exorcist that works for the Vatican, not someone who is exorcising the Pope (although that would be cool). Crowe plays Father Gabriele Amorth, a real-life exorcist for the Vatican (“The Exorcist” director William Friedkin made a so-so documentary about him a few years ago). In “The Pope’s Exorcist,” Amorth travels to Spain, to help a family that is being haunted by their new (old) house. The movie, it should be noted, is set in 1987 so you get shit like a cool scene set to The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary.” Australian director Julius Avery, who also helmed the underrated World War II zombie movie “Overlord” for J.J. Abrams (another great Halloween pick), knows how to mix the horror of the situation with some moments of transcendent comedy. And whatever Crowe is up to, with the accent and all, should be commended. There have been rumblings about a sequel, which would be outstanding and well-earned. We need more of Crowe’s Amorth stomping around and performing exorcisms. The sooner the better please. – Drew Taylor
“Apartment 7A”
Streaming on Paramount+
“Rosemary’s Baby” returns. Sort of. “Apartment 7A” traces the final months of Terry Gionoffrio (now played by the great Julia Garner), the woman who falls to her death in front of Guy and Rosemary Woodhouse in Roman Polanski’s 1968 original. As portrayed by Garner, she’s an ambitious dancer who injures her leg and is taken in by the kindly Minnie and Roman Castavet (Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally taking over for Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer). But, as we know, there’s more to the Bramford building than spacious New York apartments, and Terry starts to get the devilish vibe too. (Jim Sturgess inverts his natural charm as a menacing theater director and Bramford neighbor.) Garner is, as always, a powerhouse, and co-writer/director Natalie Erika James offers up classic thrills with more contemporary sensibilities, never indulging in unnecessary fan service or easy-to-spot Easter eggs. This would make a great double feature with “The First Omen” from earlier this year (that one is on Hulu). Be sure to check in to “Apartment 7A,” especially if you want some fresh spooky fun this Halloween. – Drew Taylor
“Trap”
Streaming on Max
M. Night Shyamalan returns with one of his oddest and most endearing movies ever. “Trap” follows Cooper (Josh Hartnett) as he takes his young daughter to a concert put on by her favorite artist Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan). What Cooper doesn’t know is that the concert is an elaborate ruse to catch a notorious serial killer only known as The Butcher. You see, Cooper is The Butcher. And he’s going to squirm. (This is all revealed in the first trailer, don’t worry, we’re not spoiling anything.) From that simple premise, Shyamalan spins an appropriately knotty web for Cooper, as he tries to escape detection – of both the police and his young daughter, who he clearly loves. (Hayley Mills, a veteran of “The Parent Trap,” shows up here as a dogged FBI profiler. She’s trying to trap a parent. Get it?) Sure, it’s occasionally quite silly, but Shyamalan keeps things fun and taut, with gorgeous cinematography by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom and some nifty songs by his daughter as Lady Raven. Does the whole thing hang together? Mostly! Could it have benefitted from an R-rating? Absolutely! (One of Shyamalan’s heroes is clearly Jonathan Demme and this feels like a feature-length version of Lecter’s escape in “The Silence of the Lambs.”) But it’s undeniably wonderful that Shyamalan is still out here, making weird little movies that he bankrolls himself and that always turn a profit. And honestly, we’d love to see the filmmaker return to these characters years down the line, like he did with “Unbreakable.” But you know what they say about nostalgia? It’s a trap. – Drew Taylor
“MaXXXine”
Streaming on Max
Ti West’s ”X” trilogy concludes in typically gonzo, gory fashion. 2022’s “X” was a new horror classic, following a group of charming pornographers (led by Mia Goth’s Maxine Minx) as they attempted to film a smutty movie in a Texas farmhouse sometimes in the 1970’s. (Of course, the farmhouse turned out to be owned by a couple of murderous old coots.) “Pearl,” also released in 2022, focused on the title character (also played by Goth), as her taste for blood developed around World War I. Now, with the third film, the aesthetic particulars have shifted from “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” grindhouse movie to sparkly Technicolor musical to, now, grimy 1980’s direct-to-video slasher movie. In “MaXXXine,” our title character has survived the carnage in Texas and taken to working as an adult actress in the Los Angeles underground. She strives for legitimacy, landing a role in a mainstream horror movie, just as the demons of her past start to show themselves in increasingly brutal ways. While “MaXXXine” wasn’t as lovingly received as the earlier chapters of the saga, it still feels like a fine ending to the unexpected trilogy (A24’s first horror franchise), full of sex and blood and banging soundtrack cuts (Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” is a particular highlight). Kevin Bacon shows up as a sleazy private detective, there’s a chase through the Universal backlot (including the “Psycho” house) and somebody gets murdered in a video store. What more do you want? – Drew Taylor
“The Exorcism”
Streaming on Shudder
Strange but true: Russell Crowe has starred in two exorcism movies in the past two years and they have both been really, really great. Last year he appeared in “The Pope’s Exorcist” (to be clear, he was working for the pope, he wasn’t exorcizing the pope), a gonzo, 1980’s-set chiller based on actual events. This year he shows up in “The Exoricsm,” which was written and directed by Joshua John Miller, whose father Jason Miller played Father Karras in William Friedkin’s immortal “The Exorcist.” (He also appeared briefly in the wonderful, underrated “The Exorcist III.”) In this new film Crowe plays Miller’s stand-in, an actor dealing with substance abuse problems and a tenuous relationship with his child (in this case a daughter played by Ryan Simpkins). “The Exorcism” is, as you can tell, both autobiographical and wildly metatextual, with the movie folding in on itself, becoming a terrifying look at how, to create great art, sometimes you have to feel a little possessed. The movie’s outrageously great supporting cast includes Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg, Adrian Pasdar, David Hyde Pierce and Samantha Mathis. When it opened this summer, it was overlooked for the flashier, more cannily marketed “Longlegs.” But “The Exorcism” will have its day. It’s just waiting to be a cult sensation. – Drew Taylor
“Don’t Move”
Streaming on Netflix
“Don’t Move” really is the stuff of nightmares. Kelsey Asbille, of “Yellowstone” fame, plays a young woman grappling with the death of her young son. While on a hike where she contemplates taking her own life, she is injected by a paralytic agent by a serial killer (Finn Wittrock from “American Horror Story”). He tells her that she’ll have minutes, then maybe a few seconds, to actually move her body. Then it’ll shut down. Not only can she not run away; she can’t even scream for help. Pretty wild right? Adam Schindler and Brian Netto brilliantly direct from a white knuckler of a script by T.J. Cimfel and David White. And the relatively young team has a genre juggernaut in their corner, with actual legend Sam Raimi producing. It’s the kind of movie that so fully puts you in Asbille’s shoes that you can’t help but spend the entire run time wondering what you would do in a similar situation. Not excessively gory or profane, “Don’t Move” is just a simple thriller that will make your skin crawl, in the best possible way. Don’t miss it. – Drew Taylor
