PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Happy New Year! 2025 is underway and while we have a lot to look forward to this year, we wanted to take an opportunity to pick our favorites from 2024. There were so many great ones to choose from. Here are some of our favorite horror films of 2024. How do our picks stack up to yours? Let us know your favorites of 2024!
Kenn Hoekstra:
I love a good found footage film, and as a child of the 1970’s who grew up in the 80’s, I felt a real connection with Late Night With The Devil. It was an early 2024 favorite and it stayed on my “Best Of” list for the entire year. Great style. Awesome characters. A fun new found footage spin. It was just a really well done, fun ride.
It’s a shame they ruined the twist in the trailer. I think going in to Abigail blind would have blown people’s minds. It’s a really fun vampire film with a great cast, plenty of splatter and plenty of suspense. I loved this film (read my review HERE), so this was an easy choice for my “Best of 2024” list.
I knew nothing about Strange Darling going in, and I’m glad. What a pleasant surprise this film was. I can’t even bring myself to talk about it, because if you haven’t seen it, you should do so immediately, and don’t bother with the trailer or with reading any other reviews. This one will stick with you long after 2024 is over.
Heretic was a well-crafted, intellectual horror thriller that really gets you thinking. Hugh Grant gives a tremendous performance here, playing against type, and the two female leads are fabulous. Thought provoking, for sure. A real nail biter. Truly enjoyable.
Jason Burke
Late Night With The Devil is an authentic, ambient horror movie that puts you right in the studio with its characters. The presentation is what sets it apart from all other horror movies in 2024.
Humane is an ambitious, powerful directorial debut from Caitlin Cronenberg. She nails dystopian horror and family dysfunction, and does so with a twinge of humor. You may read my review HERE.
Craig Lucas
Being an avid superfan of the Terrifier series (you may read my thoughts on Terrifier fandom HERE), I know what to expect. However; the third installment made me cringe more at certain times. Although we love Art’s brutality, even we look away at certain times. That is what I love about Terrifier 3, Christmas horror movies are almost all the same. Art put a breath of fresh air into a one trick pony. Even the biggest horror fan, and the biggest Terrifier haters admit, the practical FX in the franchise earn their keep.
Tubi originals are very hit or miss, most of them are a miss. However; Lowlifes saved all of the other less desirable originals. I fell in love with Lowlifes almost immediately after watching for the first time. You may read my review HERE. They just don’t make movies like this very often. The story captivates me every time and I leave inspired to create. It sounds funny that one single movie can save the world, but Tubi gave us a modern day savior.
Hayride To Hell is one of the most impressive movies I have seen in a long time. You may read my review HERE. It carries the torch of modern day homages to 1980’s horror. The movie is a barrel of laughs, the kills alone are comedic enough. Add Bill Moseley to the ingredients and it shows that he fits so well just like the golden age of horror. The storyline is ridiculous, the acting isn’t too great, but it was a great movie somehow. I don’t expect much from slasher movie storylines. However; I enjoy them to the fullest and I always will run to the underdogs and independent film makers.
Late Night With The Devil is such an impressive film for me. I enjoyed every single minute of this film. To me, it is what makes found footage so great. If only we had more movies like the few found footage movies derived from a TV show or newscast. I always enjoy watching the veil of feeling safe crumble. Late Night With The Devil definitely hit a nerve in my brain, it made me fall in love all over again with an overdone subgenre. We need more Jack Delroys in horror.
Sara Ferrarese
I didn’t get a chance to watch as many new movies this year as I would have liked, but here’s my top three from the ones I did see.
1. The Substance – A fun body horror film with a deeper message about aging and feeling unloved in our rampantly consumerist society.
2. In a Violent Nature – An interesting twist on the slasher genre that follows the killer instead of the victims.
3. Oddity – A new sort of haunted house tale that really leans into the feelings of tension and dread.
Christine Burnham
My favorite films of 2024 were Oddity and All You Need is Death. You may read my review of Oddity HERE. You may also read my review of All You Need is Death HERE. These two films both took a bare bones approach by using a small cast, practical effects, and heavy reliance on mood. This decision allows the viewer’s mind to fill in all the blanks – and it’s so incredibly effective.
Lacy Lou
2024 was a fantastic year for horror films! Actually, quite surprising due to the writers’ strike! It really did start out with a bang with Abigail! I know a lot of people said it showed too much in the trailer but that didn’t stop me from having fun with it. I love when an early on horror film can set the tone for the year. Some other personal favorites of the year were Oddity, Late Night with the Devil, Your Monster, Strange Darling, and The Substance.
I know The Substance is probably going to be the majority favorite amongst horror lovers this year, but for me, the top spot which blew me completely away was Smile 2. It came as a shock because when I watched the original, I was not impressed. I did give it a re-watch prior to seeing Smile 2 and gained a new appreciation for it. But the sequel took me on a ride that I did not want to get off. Naomi Scott slayed in every way possible. The cool thing about both of those films is it show cases different types of mental illnesses and different forms of anxiety. I personally related to Skye and the constant pressure she felt throughout the film.
Writer/Director Parker in my opinion topped himself and took us all on a rollercoaster from start to finish and should be damn proud! Also, this film genuinely freaked me out and utilized some of the best unexpected jumps I’ve seen in recent years. I loved every minute of my theater experience. Alfredo’s skid mark will forever haunt me! Haha. I don’t know where or if the franchise can go anywhere now but I do know if it does, please sign me up! I am beyond stoked for 2025 already!
Charlie Michael Cargile:
1. Lisa Frankenstein – A great dark comedy deeply rooted in 80’s movies and classic horror. Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse deliver excellent performances. An superb debut from director Zelda Williams with witty and emotional script from Diablo Cody.
2. Your Monster – A pitch perfect modern day fairy tale about a woman finding herself and her inner rage. Melissa Barrera delivers one of the years most underrated performances and Tommy Dewey is charming as the monster. The films ending is oh so satisfying.
3. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person – Incredibly funny in a dark way. Sara Montpetit and Félix-Antoine Bénard give moving performances and have amazing chemistry together. An excellent feature debut from director Ariane Louis-Seize. An assured and damn near perfect first film.
4. Starve Acre – Dark and creepy folk horror film with creepy and unsettling performances from Morfydd Clark and Matt Smith. You may read my review HERE. A deeply unsettling film with effective score that ramps up the already thick suspense. The deaths hit like a stone slab to the chest.
Jennifer Bonges
This year was an incredible for horror. I’m catching up on a lot of films because there are so many! My favorite hands down, no contest is Late Night with the Devil. I love the atmosphere of this film, I felt immersed in the 70s, in particular, the late night 70s world. The entire cast is chef’s kiss and David Dastmalchian is brilliant as Jack Delroy. The film is near perfect in every aspect and I love how the story unfolds and keeps going more and more off the rail.
As a vampire fanatic, I was excited for Abigail. I know a lot of people said that the trailer ruined the movie twist. I usually don’t watch trailers for that reason, so I went into it blind. It is super fun and definitely in my top 5 for the year.
This year we got a few prequel films that I thought were magnificent. The First Omen is a prequel to The Omen. This one is beautifully shot and the acting and story are both top notch. It exceeded my expectations. Another film that exceeded my expectations is Apartment 7A, is a prequel to Rosemary’s Baby. This one has creepy vibes and Dianne Wiest was phenomenal in this film.
Alien: Romulus, while I know quite a few people didn’t care for this one, I absolutely love this film. It definitely brings the horror back to sci-fi. This film gave me nightmares, I won’t ruin it as to why, but genuinely terrifying. It gives something for the loyal fans of the Alien franchise and it also introduces a new generation to the franchise.
There you have it, the PopHorror staff’s favorite films of 2024! What was your favorite? Tell us in the comments!
