Scares of the Century: Must-See Modern Horror Movies

Horror is timeless. From ghost stories by candlelight to B-movies at the drive-in, we’ve always had a taste for terror. These days, horror movies pop up all throughout the year. Halloween is merely the pinnacle of a long procession of scream scenes.

Every decade of horror has elevated the genre. During this century, we’ve seen the rise of new production powerhouses such as A24 (The Witch, Midsommar, etc.) and Blumhouse (Paranormal Activity, The Purge, The Black Phone, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and so many more). Plus, new horror icons have been added to the slasher pantheon, like M3GAN and Art the Clown. In no particular order, the following films are my choices for some of the most influential additions to the horror genre after 2010. Turn the lights down low and see how it all matches up to your own watchlist.

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Companion (2025)

If there’s one thing in the world that’s consistently scary, it’s love. Throw in some AI-fueled dating and a weekend trip with your boyfriend’s friends and the scares are basically writing themselves. In Companion, Iris is an artificial intelligence girlfriend. She was ordered by Josh, arrived in a box, and was calibrated to his exact specifications. But don’t worry — settings can always be readjusted. Once Iris finally unplugs, the film really kicks it into high gear for humans versus machines. And you know what? This time I’m rooting for machines.

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Bones and All (2022)

Sometimes the most intriguing horror is the one we don’t quite understand. Maren is a young woman whose condition causes her to engage in cannibalism. The details surrounding this way of life are murky but understanding Maren’s urges becomes sidelined when she meets Lee. Together, they attempt to carve out a life on the road, somehow finding a sense of normalcy amid the people eating. Bones and All is moody and visually stunning, a slowly rotting glimpse into the life of a “monster.”

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The Substance (2024)

Youth is fleeting — but the chase to remain young is never-ending. And for a movie-star-turned-aerobics-instructor like Elisabeth Sparkle, image is everything. The perfect body is not only an asset but a necessity. Without it, you might as well be invisible. Faced with the reality of her age, Elisabeth turns to a black market drug known only as The Substance that promises to bring her beauty back. But such promises are never without rules, and a rule is a hard thing to not break. Body horror fans, this one’s for you.

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Parasite (2019)

Horror is endlessly adept at putting a spotlight on social issues. Parasite, directed by Bong Joon Ho, depicts a lower-class family of four’s struggle to scratch out a living. One by one, they finagle employment in a wealthier household, taking advantage of all this rich family can offer. Though their methods are more than dubious, Parasite challenges its viewer to consider what they might do to gain an upper leg. Privilege is a sharp weapon, indeed.

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Pearl (2022)

Have you ever been so desperate to escape that you would do anything to get away? Pearl knows this yearning all too well. She’s stuck on her family’s farm in rural Texas, with only the cinema to grant her a window into a life beyond the barn. Pearl is the middle child of Ti West’s X film trilogy, a prequel to X and followed by the sequel Maxxxine. Mia Goth is the connecting force between all three films and her performance is charming, disturbing, and relatable all at once. Who doesn’t want to be a star, just for a moment?

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Get Out (2017)

The United States has its own history of horrors to contend with when it comes to racism. Jordan Peele’s Get Out examines how the bits of our country’s past that some would rather forget have a way of creeping back into our heads. Peele’s directorial debut plays with horror tropes, such as the villain drinking milk and even the title phrase itself, which audiences often yell at the characters they see on screen. For Chris, a Black man dating a white woman and visiting her family, getting out is much easier said than done.

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The Conjuring (2013)

Creepy doll, creepy house, creepy family … add a dash of ghost-hunting and that’s the recipe for horror franchise success. After six Saw films and Insidious, director James Wan had already cemented his status as a horror visionary. The Conjuring, based on the real-life events that inspired The Amityville Horror, began a new chapter in his story repertoire. Ed and Lorraine Warren, a pair of paranormal ghost hunters, started off the franchise. Their compelling dynamic brings depth to the already riveting haunting story, which spawned three sequels, three spinoffs for Annabelle, and two featuring Valak, AKA The Nun.

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Hereditary (2018)

There really is something inherently horrific about family, isn’t there? A little dysfunction is enough to let in some serious paranormal problems for the Graham family. Annie discovers her estranged mother held some very occult (heavy on the cult) secrets, and a jaw-dropping tragedy is all it takes for everything to unravel. Hereditary has some truly unforgettable scenes that depict what it feels like to absolutely lose control. Your next family dinner will feel like a piece of cake compared to this story.

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Barbarian (2022)

Knock, knock … it’s a twist you won’t see coming. Barbarian is one of those horror movies that rewards you for going in with little to no information. If you’ve avoided plot points this far, take the plunge and step into Zach Creggar’s rental home with a secret. You’ll definitely think twice before making that next reservation or opening doors without knowing what’s on the other side. Renter’s tip: Always filter out the ones with basements.

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Talk to Me (2022)

Some horror movies manage to bring an audience to the pit of despair, with horrifying consequences to seemingly harmless actions. However, can it really be that harmless to play with a possessed limb? Teens will be teens and it wouldn’t be a party without some danger involved. Gotta hand it to this Australian film, ouija boards certainly seem tame after watching Talk to Me.

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Honorable Mention: New Monster Movies

Push those slashers, demons, and ghosts aside — monster movies will always be the backbone of horror. Of course, the Universal Monsters are hailed as the top tier of monster movies, and for good reason. They’ve managed to immortalize mythology and, at the same time, inspire a new mythos all their own. Years later, past the advent of color film and computer generated effects, we still find ourselves returning to the monsters.

In recent years, four monsters in particular have found new cinematic life. Thanks to Guillermo del Toro, we have breathtaking Gothic romance in The Shape of Water (2017) and Frankenstein (2025). Leigh Whannell, a frequent collaborator of James Wan, brought The Invisible Man (2020) to a new level of madness with surveillance tech and domestic abuse. And finally, Dave Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) is an entrancing tale of inner darkness and the temptation to let that darkness prevail.

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Even with powerful films like these, there are still many more dark, dank corners of horror to explore. What else lies waiting in your top choices for modern horror movies?

Join the conversation with other horror fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!

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