By George Bate
Horror remains the one genre that endures despite trends, changes in movie-going habits, and more. With a slew of excellent films and television shows, 2022 has been an extremely strong year for horror films so far – perhaps, the strongest for quite some time. Here’s a breakdown of this year’s best horror films so far.
Fresh
Fresh is so delightfully refreshing (excuse the pun). A stylish, disturbing movie sporting commanding performances from Daisy Edgar Jones and Sebastian Stan, Fresh debuted on Hulu earlier this year and is a must-watch for horror enthusiasts.
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Euphoria meets Agatha Christie in this witty, visceral slasher. Although heavily leaning into its humor and Gen Z commentary, Bodies Bodies Bodies works best as a horror film about strained friendships, whose fragility is exposed in a moment of crisis.
The Black Phone
Scott Derrickson is one of the best directors working in the horror genre, and The Black Phone further cements his status among the greats. The Black Phone feels as close to a 1970s horror film as one can get in contemporary filmmaking.
Men
Certainly not for everyone, Men is the sort of abstract, disturbing, and poignant horror film fans love from A24.
Nope
Jordan Peele asserts himself (somehow) as this generation’s Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg with this masterful sci-fi horror film.
Prey
Breathing incredible new life into the Predator franchise, Prey has taken audiences and critics by storm. As intense as it is captivating, this Predator prequel blows the door wide open for what franchise filmmaking can look like.