A year that defied the idea that Horror, as a genre, has gone stale and isn’t producing anything new or exciting, 2018 was full of spooky sequels, creepy prequels, and everything in between. In June, Oscar buzz began to surround Hereditary and all eyes turned toward Horror. This helped to establish a year that continued to churn out stellar productions starring the likes of one truly horrifying nun, a singing zombie slayer, a vengeful Nicolas Cage, and, the return of The Shape himself, Michael Myers. For your viewing pleasure, Cryptic Rock have culled together our opinions on all things large and small throughout the world of Horror this past year, and now we gift to you our Top 10 Horror films of 2018.
(Click movie poster for full film review)
Anna And The Apocalypse:
Serving as both a Holiday and Horror film in a musical format, Anna And The Apocalypse is as charmingly witty as it is brutally gruesome. The nature of the apocalypse is, of course, zombies of all shapes and sizes that terrorize the neighborhood as Anna and her friends fight to survive, all while they belt out some humorously tailored songs sure to captivate any audience.
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A Quiet Place:
John Krasinski and wife Emily Blunt star in one of the most unique and thrilling Horror films of the year. This is a movie where sacrifices mean something and characters grow and learn from their mistakes, all while under the constant threat from a truly terrifying enemy. A Quiet Place delivers white-knuckle tension throughout, and is well worth the time for anyone seeking a solid Horror experience.
Purchase A Quiet Place:
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Dead Night:
With enough blood to melt the snow, and plenty of practical effects that keep the film feeling like a heavy nod to old-school 1980s Horror, Dead Night is an oddly creepy and somewhat deranged unleashing of hell at a cabin in the snow-covered woods. Here, a peculiar, somewhat mystifying script anchors a tale that is quirky yet not entirely ridiculous, and provides the perfect blend of jump scares, completely baffling “wtf” moments, and totally off-kilter snickers. While it is certainly not a film that is easy to describe without giving away the entire plot, the oddness and creep-factor present in Dead Night are what make it so very delicious in the most awkward sense of the word.
Purchase Dead Night:
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Halloween:
The legend of Michael Myers is resurrected in this sequel that disregards everything after the original masterpiece. Cutting that much from lore is usually risky but it was the right move here as the character development from the first film is excellent, and Myers is more terrifying than he has been in a long time. Jamie Lee Curtis is at her best reprising iconic Horror heroine Laurie Strode.
Purchase Halloween:
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Hereditary:
A fantastic example of slow-burn storytelling, Hereditary is not just one of the best Horror films of the year but one of the best in the past decade. Focusing on a family whose recently deceased matriarch’s surreptitious plotting begins to bear dark fruit, it has a sense of dread so thick throughout that viewers can almost taste it. Masterfully crafted by Ari Aster, with Toni Collette giving the performance of her career, Hereditary is a must-see for any Horror fan!
Purchase Hereditary:
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Mandy:
An exhilarating ride on an unstoppable train full of eye-popping and jaw-dropping imagery, Mandy provides the ultimate adrenaline rush. Here, Writer/Director Panos Cosmatos takes his audience through dark tunnels to an otherworldly dimension of his imagination, one that finds Nicolas Cage unleashing hell as an avenging angel. But Mandy is no ordinary Horror flick, no: it is a work of art, down to every last colorful detail; a film that knows exactly when to be dramatic, when to be horrific and scary, and when to be completely absurd—and, even at times, when to be downright funny.
Purchase Mandy:
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Pyewacket:
Truly a great new entry to occult-themed Horror, Pyewacket is a promising Canadian film that shows that all things spine-tingling and spookylicious are very much alive with our neighbors to the North. Complete with a Black Metal soundtrack, and centered around a formless dark spirit who can be summoned with a black magic ritual and the spilling of some blood, Pyewacket serves up a truly creepy reminder to be careful what your angsty teenage heart desires – because it just might come true!
Purchase Pyewacket:
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The Endless:
The Endless is an inventive display of cinematic techniques wrapped around a solid, chilling story. It runs at a strong pace & puts a modern spin on Lovecraftian Horror, building up to something truly inexplicable.
Purchase The Endless:
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The Heretics:
The Heretics is an exciting entry into the Horror genre: one that combines cult craziness, a cabin in the woods, and one truly demonic metamorphosis. While the bulk of today’s true Horror offerings are neither scary nor entirely engaging, this is one film that defies the standard, weaving a unique tale that looks good, feels appropriately dark and moody and, while not scary or even particularly creepy, is disturbing enough to be unnerving and, therefore, makes for a truly enjoyable viewing experience.
Purchase The Heretics:
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The Nun:
Though The Nun is the fifth film in The Conjuring series, it easily stands on its own as a great Horror film. Packed with terrifying visuals and tense moments, The Nun is sure to haunt your dreams for years to come.
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