Top 7 Horror Movies of the Last 10 Years

7 – The Autopsy of Jane Doe

This movie is set in a morgue.

I know, great start, right?

Intriguing and disgusting in equal measure, The Autopsy of Jane Doe makes me wish I could wipe my memory clean and watch it again. There is something morbidly captivating about a dead body with a mystery behind it and this movie takes that concept about as far as it can go.

Throw in some great tried and tested horror moments and you’ve got yourself a popcorn-fuelled night in right here. Many have overlooked this gem, we beg you, don’t be one of them.

6 – IT Part I & II

Up until 2017, any reference to the horrifying clown from IT would conjure up a mental image of Tim Curry in a red wig frightening children. He did it so well.

After 2017 however, you’ll likely start thinking about Bill Skarsgard doing that wonky-eye thing and dribbling a lot.

This remake of sorts had a lot of eyes rolling when it was announced. Urgh, another remake, we thought. Yet the finished article (we’re counting both films as one here,) is a reasonably accurate and sincere adaptation of the Stephen King novel.

Both films take their time. They grow their characters and by the end you truly feel that you’ve put to bed a story that’s lasted decades. Some of the scares may amuse rather than frighten, but they certainly entertain.

5 – Trollhunter

Surprised to see this on our list? Not as surprised as we were after watching it and realise just how damn good it is!

On paper, the Trollhunter story would make even a 12 year old cringe; huge lumbering trolls that somehow no-one has ever stumbled across?

Yeah, whatever.

But the genius of the film is not only that they manage to make the concept work, but work to a level of genuine artistic merit. It’s a semi-satirical piece that falls in between taking itself seriously…and not. The result is genuinely entertaining and completely unforgettable.

4 – The Witch

I would advise not watching The Witch too soon after a bad breakup.

It’s grim. It’s really grim. But that’s exactly why we love it.

Starring the deep and satisfying voice of Ralph Ineson ( or ‘Finchy’ from the UK The Office) it sees a family in the 1600s going through a pretty rough time.

Gradually torn apart by suspicion and superstition, the story progresses through some dismal events, all of which are framed in a chilly New England backdrop with muted colours washed over every scene. It all makes for a horror movie that not only scares, but almost saps the life right out of you.

3 – Hereditary

It was a Thursday night. Nothing special about that. I couldn’t find anything to watch on Netflix.

You know how it is…

Then a title caught my eye. It didn’t smack as anything particularly scary. Hereditary? Is this a movie about male pattern baldness, or something?

As the ending credits rolled however, I found myself just thinking about what I’d just watched. Over and over.

Hereditary doesn’t just stay with you, it burns into you. For such an unassuming movie with only a comparatively small amount of ‘scary bits’, it left an impression.

It begins dealing with the classic “Is it all in their head?” set up. But by the end it’s escalated into something else entirely. Part of creator Ari Aster’s new wave of ‘thinking’ horror movies, this won’t scare everyone. But let it creep inside and you’ll never forget it.

2 – The Conjuring

Now we’re getting to the big boys. The Conjuring turned out to be so good, it spawned an extended universe. This, of all genres, succeeded where Universal failed.

But why?

One of the first knocks out of the park is the casting. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are perfect together on screen, playing the famous Ed and Lorraine Warren, famed for their controversial paranormal investigations.

The second is the absolute nailing of the haunted house set up. Few movies use the breadth of ideas and scares quite like The Conjuring. The sequels it spawned certainly have their moments, but the original is one of the best spine chillers of the decade.

1 – Insidious

Now, Insidious does nothing new. The script has big piles of cliché all over it. But clichés come about for a reason and nothing in the last 10 years does it quite like Insidious does.

Once again Patrick Wilson is the man of the movie. But the biggest draw has always been Lin Shaye, who plays psychic (and all around fan favourite) Elise. She has a warm and comforting presence, the perfect companion in a cold and scary ride like Insidious.

Then a title caught my eye. It didn’t smack as anything particularly scary. Hereditary? Is this a movie about male pattern baldness, or something?

A tale of possession, other worldly monsters and with plenty of twists and turns. Yeah, it’s another haunted house ride, but we’ve seldom enjoyed any other as much as this one.

Go steady as you tiptoe through the tulips…

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