This past year has been an eventful period of time for horror, with a healthy blend of both untapped haunts and familiar creativity - largely due to studios' conscious effort to lean into the bountifully expansive genre fandom. Now that there's been such traction in both blockbuster titles along with first impressions of fresh blood, there are several horror titles worthy of revisiting when moviegoers are in need of a good scare.
As the year is rapidly approaching its end and there's now been enough time to digest every facet of horror provided, a few contenders emergy that should be rewatched to fully appreciate their pleasures. From Edgar Wright's dreamy psychedelic mystery Last Night in Soho to Nia DaCosta's unsettling remake of Candyman, these films not only terrified audiences but provoked them into discussions of race, gender, and the capacity of evil in human nature.
A House on the Bayou
One of the year's well-kept genre secrets comes from the Blumhouse/Paramount film A House on the Bayou, a direct-to-streaming title that relishes in a complicated family dynamic - with a number of misdirects to keep viewers invested.
The horror film sees a family taking a vacation to a massive estate in Louisianna after experiencing betrayal, setting them up for plenty of grounded human chaos. As they provide enough impressive horror reveals and focus on faltering interpersonal relationships, the movie shows its audience the idea that they won't completely comprehend everything until the end. Even with some creative hiccups, the revelations about characters make for an interesting rewatch to better understand certain key players more thoroughly.
Spiral
The return of the Saw franchise through a new title (Spiral) immediately accessed its substantial fandom, which has helped create 9 Saw movies in total, and a billion-dollar box office profit combined. Spiral even hoped to set itself apart from Saw to some capacity, but it's very apparent Jigsaw DNA made the film another wild ride.
Spiral attempts to go the upcoming Scream route in making it a sequel/new take, but by the end of the film struck a chord in preexisting fans for its relentless parallels. The movie only created an even larger outcry for more Saw films, contributing to its campy, outlandish, and overtly gory legacy. Spiral is a true treat for Saw aficionados, but that doesn't mean that one has to necessarily freshly witness every Saw film to properly enjoy this fun chapter in "The Book of Saw."
Malignant
Jame's Wan's film Malignant was one of the strangest films of the year, and by far, horror's most off-the-wall inspired releases for 2021. In fact, even if a viewer guessed the film's big twist early on, there's no way that the experience alone won't evoke a desire to give it at least one more shot to understand this unconventional story.
Malignant feels like Wan's fever dream film without any studio restrictions, making it highly polarizing to fans and critics - so usually that's enough reason to draw in those who enjoy more originality in storytelling. The film's third act makes such a drastic change in its usage of stunts and practical effects that Malignant morphs into a film that no matter what the stance, is a conversational movie that genre fans will see twice (if they haven't already.)
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
With the knowledge that The Conjuring franchise is now 3 chapters deep, there comes a little more expectations about a potential quality decline. In this case, the third time (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) is the charm to switch up the usual haunted house approach that the first two followed for a more memorable trip down the paranormal rabbit hole.
There are still some attributes that didn't quite land as well per se, but for the most part, the film had some really zany horror elements that Wan's titles represent. There's also the pure heart and soul of the film, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who make each of the films a worthwhile story in every capacity.
Seance
When watching the trailer for the film Seance, it's easy to feel confused as to what the characters are facing. For a good portion, its audience might be wondering if they're watching a supernatural film or a slasher in the making, as a prominent (but self-deprecating) addition to the genre this year.
Seance's own Suki Waterhouse brings her distinctive flair to her leading role, making the character a stellar horror heroine that isn't at all what someone would expect going into the movie. By the time the film enters its reveal stage, Waterhouse's character has a few curveballs of her own that elevate her solid inclusion and presents a final act that pushes Seance to end as a desirable title.
Slumber Party Massacre
Just in time for the spooky season, Syfy debuted their stab at a classic' 80s slasher film known as Slumber Party Massacre - and much like its predecessor, has the potential to become a total cult classic. The new Slumber Party Massacre almost acts as a modern remake/spiritual sequel-ish version of the first film's premise, an entirely unique contribution to today's horror slate.
Though some of the aforementioned rewatchable titles might have aspects that divide viewers, the fresh adaptation of Slumber Party Massacre brings generational trauma, gender role reversals, and plenty of humor to make this a widely beloved film. Slumber Party Massacre plays up all of the fun to be had from its original source material but effortlessly adapts to the interests of mainstream horror fans with a niche style that doesn't compare to other releases this year.
Last Night in Soho
Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho was one of the zaniest, most eclectic tales in recent years, dabbling in a lot of concepts - with the first half exhibiting a great use of suspense and the tension behind it.
Anya-Taylor Joy is absolutely spectacular when it comes to her performance as Sandie, easily proving to be the biggest highlight of the film (and the best returning quality of the title). Even when the film goes somewhat off the rails, its dazzling cinematography, shocking climax, and Taylor-Joy's acting aid Last Night in Soho's investment in long-term viewership.
Halloween Kills
The 2018 version of Halloween found a new style to reintroduce the franchise to viewers, and Halloween Kills felt like a vintage slasher movie that goes the extra mile in brutality. At this point, it's safe to say that Halloween property as a whole might have played out a wider variety of horror scenarios than most.
In this second chapter of David Gordon Green's film, we see Michael get the largest body count to date - supplying sub-genre slasher lovers a genuine cinematic prize. Even taking the film's occasional lows into account, Halloween Kills is the type of slasher movie that you can enjoy watching - or have on for a little background horror ambiance. Either choice is valid!
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin
When Paranormal Activity previously ended with Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, it felt like that ongoing storyline had rightfully needed to come to an end. Just months ago, the recent Paramount Pictures return to the Paranormal Activity name brought back their customary supernatural chronicle with a new and self-contained version.
The newest film pulled from atmospheric horror of stories like The Witch, but stayed true to what fans have come to gleefully expect from the best of a Paranormal Activity film. The found footage exploration of occurrences is enhanced by an unsettling (unfamiliar) backdrop, injecting a new sense of uncertainty - whereas the others tend to play up the horrors within your own home. If Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin is the first to facilitate various concepts into their mythology and world-building, the franchise may have legs for even longer than most anticipated.
Candyman
Arguably the most rewatchable, and refreshing take on a longstanding horror legend came from Nia DaCosta's Candyman - an evolutionary step for the franchise and epic sequel/reboot.
The new film retains the title of the first film, welcoming its lore and expanding on what was more limited to one character. The movie's representation of unethical societal flaws and institutional racism gives horror a double meaning in DaCosta's Candyman and that's excluding the fictional horrors. With Yahya Abdul-Mateen II being the star that he is, and a film that has duality with scares and significance to viewers - Candyman is the ultimate horror standout of 2021.