The spooky season has arrived. It’s time for things to turn up at night, and we’re rounding up the best selection of new horror movies streaming right now to get you in the mood. Over the past year, there have been a number of solid horror films released, from some spiritual ones to vampires. “Abigail” Russell Crowe as a violent priest.
There’s a lot to consider, but if you choose one of the horror movies on this list, you’re guaranteed to be satisfied.
“Abigail”
Stream on Peacock
While this interesting twist on the vampire genre doesn’t quite match the perfection of 2019’s horror comedy, director Tyler Gillette and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin are back to fight tooth and nail. Survive the night in a spooky castle. Synopsis: A group of anonymous criminals, the “Reservoir Dogs,” have teamed up to kidnap a wealthy man’s daughter. The only task is to keep an eye on the girl until the ransom is paid. Except it’s not that simple. Melissa Barrera (“Scream”), Kathryn Newton (“Freak”) and Dan Stevens (“The Guest”) are among the criminals who slowly realize that their kidnapped girl is not a scared, out-of-the-blue girl, but a cruel and cunning vampire. -Sharon Knoll
“net”
Stream on Hulu
One of last year’s best sleepers was The Cobweb, a chiller that sounds more like a dark fairy tale than a midnight movie. Woody Norman (the youngest son of the great Mike Mills’ C’Mon C’Mon) dreams of a missing sister hiding within the walls of their suburban home. His parents (Lizzy Kaplan and Anthony Starr) are relentlessly happy and insist that he’s imagining things, which is always a red flag. And his teacher (Cleopatra Coleman) suspects trouble at home, which his parents vehemently deny. Of course, everything works out, which is very satisfying. Samuel Bodin makes his directorial debut from a Blacklist-approved script by Chris Thomas Devlin, creating a tense atmosphere full of dread and dark humor. And the film’s Halloween setting makes it the perfect movie to get you into the psychedelic spirit. But “Tura” is like the damn “The Ring” tape: after watching it, you have to show it to five people. This ensures that it will be important as a future cult classic. Let’s make it happen. Drew Taylor
“Night with the devil”
To transmit in shudder
Jack Delroy (the always terrible David Dastmalchian), a once-popular 1970s talk show host, tries a stunt to boost his sagging ratings: he invites a crazy girl on and demonizes his channel, Live! Cameron Cairns and Colin Cairns’ film not only perfectly captures the bygone era, but skillfully builds tension with minor broadcast errors that create chaotic horror to rival Jordan Peele’s terrifying chimpanzee attack. Sharon Knoll
“Proper meat”
Stream on Hulu
Joe Lynch’s occult horror story, based on the H.P. Lovecraft story, begins when psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby (a terrific performance from Heather Graham) becomes obsessed with her troubled young patient. He tells her a strange story about how he was possessed by the spirit of his late father – which can’t possibly be true, right? Yeah, that’s where we find out about him, Derby’s happy-go-lucky husband (Johnnathan Sheech) and his fellow doctor (horror icon Barbara Crampton). This is for the right kind of horror fan. Sharon Knoll
“flawless”
Stream on Hulu
In Michael Mohan’s church-horror thriller “Poke,” Sydney Sweeney plays an American nun named Cecilia who joins a coven in a remote part of the Italian countryside. But the dark secrets of the sacred tower come to life in the form of terrifying apparitions and bloody hauntings that will leave you speechless and on the edge of your seat. The film was written by Andrew Lobel and stars Benedetta Porcaroli, Alvaro Morte, Simona Tabasco, Julia Heatherfield and more. -Raquel “Rocky” Harris
“The first fortune”
Stream on Hulu
One of the best horror movies of the year is also one of the best movies of the year (period). Nell Tiger Free plays an American newcomer who travels to Rome in the early 1970s. She works at an orphanage where she fears one of the young girls might be part of an evil church conspiracy. If you’ve seen the original The Omen, released in 1976, then you probably know where this is going, but it’s a testament to co-writer and director Arkasha Stevenson that it still delivers some great surprises, including one of the most shocking moments in modern horror history. The film has a nice ’70s vibe and clearly pays homage to Italian horror films of the era (it’s got more than a little classic Suspiria in its DNA), without being too reverent. If you’ve been on the fence about this — and we get it, the 2024 Omen prequel is an interesting proposition — put those fears aside. “First Amen” fully delivers. It’s a devilishly good time. – Drew Taylor
“We X”
Stream on Starz
For 20 years, James Wan and Lee Whannell’s Saw franchise has haunted audiences and garnered a devoted following. That’s why the universe is expanding with its latest addition, “Saw X.” In the 10th episode, John Kramer (Tobin Bell) returns and watches a group of con artists trick thousands into investing in a fake medical procedure that they claim can cure even the deadliest of diseases. For Kramer, who is battling terminal cancer, his plot runs deeper — but his revenge runs even deeper. The film, directed by Kevin Graetert, stars Bell, Sinnew Makody Lund, Shawnee Smith, Renata Vaca, Kostas Mandilor and more. -Raquel “Rocky” Harris
“Death of a Sister”
Stream on Netflix
Do we already have too many “young nuns threatened by evil forces” movies on this list? Which one? “Death of a Sister” seemingly serves as a prelude to the 2017 gem based on the true story “Veronica.” This time the story is set in 1940s Spain, where a young nun tries to uncover the truth in a convent converted into a girls’ school following the Spanish Civil War. Co-writer and director Paco Plaza, returning from the original film, skillfully uses the young nun’s experience as a metaphor for the tragedy and horror experienced by Spain during the war, and the truth of that experience deepens the horrors of the supernatural (and vice versa). It’s a wonderful, deeply creepy piece of work and a worthy follow-up to the equally unremarkable “Veronica,” which somehow deepens the previous film, while also expanding the scope of the franchise. Are you ready to meet “Sister of Death”? Drew Taylor
“thank you”
Stream on Netflix
More than fifteen years later, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse continues to pay dividends. As part of this two-way experience, there were a number of fake movie trailers that played as a sort of interlude. One of those fake trailers, Rodriguez’s Machete, spawned two (!) movies. And Roth eventually returned for his horror film Thanksgiving. How could he resist? (The trailer version of “Thanksgiving” featured Michael Biehn, Jordan Ladd, and Jay Hernandez; none of them returned for the extended version.) Roth clearly loves the holiday movie (among them: “My Bloody Valentine,” “Night Silent, Dead Night,” and of course “Halloween”) and tries to treat Thanksgiving the same way, placing it in a town with a holiday (Plymouth, Massachusetts) that just suffered a shared tragedy (Black Friday) (bloody sales gone awry), with a masked killer dressed as Mayflower Pilgrim John Carver and out for revenge. It’s all very easy, with Patrick Dempsey as the town sheriff and the lovely Nell Verlak as our final girl. Of course, where the movie shines is in the elaborate murder sequences, just a couple lifted directly from the original “Grindhouse” trailer. (There’s a float in the parade, which is a favorite, among others.) And with “Thanksgiving,” Roth achieved something he couldn’t even imagine with “Badlands”: a heartfelt concession. To be continued next year. Let’s hope it’s not just warm leftovers. Drew Taylor
“The Worship of the Pope”
Stream on Netflix
Earlier this year, Russell Crowe starred in the meta-horror The Exorcism. It’s great, but it’s not streaming yet (we’ll update this list if that changes). A few months ago, Crowe starred in otherthe best exorcism movie ever called “The Pope’s Knights.” And just to be clear, he’s playing an exorcist working for the Vatican, not someone who excommunicates the Pope (although that would be cool). Crowe plays Father Gabriel Amorth, a real-life Vatican extremist (director William Friedkin made a documentary about him a few years back). In The Pope’s Exorcist, Amort travels to Spain to help a family tormented by their new (old) home. It’s worth noting that the movie is set in 1987, so you get a great scene like The Cult’s She Sells a Resort. Australian director Julius Avery, who also made the WWII zombie movie Overlord for JJ Abrams (another great Halloween choice), knows how to mix the horror of the situation with some moments of transcendent comedy. And everything Crowe does with the accent is worthy of praise. Rumours have been rife about a sequel to the film, which will be a hit and a blockbuster. We need more Crowe love-stomping sex scenes. The sooner the better, please. Drew Taylor
“Apartment 7A”
Stream on Paramount+ September 27
“Rosemary’s Baby” is back. Type. “Apartment 7A” follows the final months of Terri Jonofrio (now playing Julia Garner), the woman who dies in front of Guy and Rosemary Woodhouse in Roman Polanski’s original 1968 film. Played by Garner, she’s an aspiring dancer who injures her leg and is taken in by the loving Minnie and Roman Castavetti (Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally as Ruth Gordon and Sydney Blackmer). But, as we know, there’s more to the Bramford Building than spacious New York apartments, and Terry’s starting to feel unwell, too. (Jim Sturgess trades in his effortless charm as Bramford’s menacing theater director and neighbor.) Garner is a powerhouse as ever, and co-writer-director Natalie Erica James delivers classic thrills with a modern sensibility, never veering into unnecessary fan service or Easter eggs that are easily found. This would make a great double feature with The First Omen from earlier this year (it’s on Hulu). Make sure to check out Apartment 7A, especially if you want a cool and spooky treat this Halloween. Drew Taylor
