PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Now that 2023 is finally wrapped up and 2024 is in motion, we contributors at PopHorror wished to share our favorites in 2023 horror movies. Did we miss something amazing? Please let us know what you think!
Sara Ferrarese:
When Evil Lurks – Nothing is as it seems in this demonic, folk-horror masterpiece. It was easily the most unsettling movie I watched all year.
Infinity Pool – A visually stunning head trip that questions your morals. Without fear of punishment, what incentive do people have to behave humanely toward one another?
Christine Burnham:
Hands down, 2023’s best film was Demian Rugna’s When Evil Lurks. What makes this film so compelling isn’t the brilliant take on possession, or the no holds barred gore, it’s the frailty of men’s choices.
Jason Burke:
Spoonful Of Sugar is both a voluminous fever dream and a fascinating character study. It’ll make you look at family and babysitting in a more macabre way.
Talk To Me takes the monkey’s paw allegory to a brand-new level. Watch this one in a dark room, and it’ll stay with you long after the credits roll.
Josh Burns:
In The Fire was a beautifully tragic rollercoaster of a film that had me questioning how I felt about the events portrayed as the movie progressed.
Insidious The Red Door – While it held back on the scares, I can’t help but appreciate seeing the aftereffects of going through the horrifying events of the previous films. It’s a character study more than a horror film, and it’s a breath of fresh air seeing characters that aren’t just “alright” following traumatic experiences.
Will Green:
Scream VI dares to be different and moves forward in a way that previous entries had not, and really developed the characters further.
Talk to Me – I really appreciate new takes on possession stories, and the strong performances by its young cast that embody the struggle of addiction in teenagers.
When Evil Lurks – Again, original takes on possession stories are what I crave. Plus, I like pushed boundaries.
M3gan – Teeny bopper horror at its finest! Love my AI robot girl boss.
Tiffany Warren:
This year has been a whirlwind, so much so I had to take a pause on writing. But I did manage to check out some pretty awesome films. Tops on my list are The Blackening, Summoning Sylvia, They Cloned Tyrone, and Totally Killer. The limited-series Swarm, and The Horrors of Delores Roach take the cuckoo cake. I love weird, wild and different, and ALL of these hit those marks for me.
Thomas Gleba:
Malum is a brutal, unrelenting, terrifying ride into the dark where the slasher and occult genres collide.
Chris Filipowicz:
Skinamarink is one of those rare flicks that feel like they encompass that dream/nightmare logic. It’s a slow burn for sure, but a unique horror experience fans should look into. (Check out our interview with the director here)
Talk to Me – Ironic, since most horror fans are already talking about it. When I saw this at Sundance earlier this year, I was transfixed and stunned. It’s a nasty new turn in modern horror, with clear sequel potential written all over it.
Jennifer Bonges:
Knock at the Cabin is intense, and it absolutely had me fully invested. Bautista gives such an underrated performance.
The Boogeyman is really good Stephen King adaptation. This movie is a classic jump scare movie and I loved it.
If you love classic Twilight Zone episodes, No One Can Save You is for you. It is an alien invasion movie that packs a punch. Controversial ending for some… but personally, I loved it.
The Pope’s Exorcist. This one I went in blind. There was no disappointment with this movie. I am a fanatic of possession movies, and his one is so well done. I loved it from start to finish. I didn’t realize this was based on real events, so I am definitely going to check out the book it’s based on in 2024.
Talk to Me – I actually didn’t watch the previews on purpose. I didn’t want to spoil it. This movie is worth all the hype and legit it messed with my head quite a bit.
Kenn Hoekstra:
No One Can Save You was a wonderful sci-fi/horror film that came out of nowhere and surprised me in the best way. It was creepy and thought-provoking, and I absolutely loved the ending! My favorite of 2023.
Thanksgiving – The 15-year wait was worth it. Eli Roth’s holiday slasher was everything I hoped for. It was a great theatrical experience and I look forward to adding it to my annual November rotation.
Totally Killer was the most fun I had all year with a horror film, in part because I was in high school in 1989, so this was a blast from start to finish. Not quite perfect, but so much fun I didn’t care.
