Halloween is quickly approaching, which means it’s the perfect time of year to sit back and watch some horrifyingly good horror movies—that is, of course, if the films don’t scare you right out of your seat! Whether you’re a seasoned horror movie fan like me or a newcomer curious about the horror genre, below are my top five favorite horror movies released since 2020 that are sure to get you into the Halloween spirit.
1. “Weapons” (R, 2025)
Released on Aug. 8 of this year, Weapons quickly rose to number three on my list of all-time favorite horror movies. The film focuses on Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), a teacher who becomes the center of her small town’s attention after all of her students mysteriously disappear at the same exact time, leaving just one student behind: Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher). Archer Graff (Josh Brolin) is one of the fathers of a missing child, who takes it upon himself to find all the lost kids, and Ms. Gandy is the main suspect in his manhunt. All the while, Alex endures a visit from his eccentric, sickly, and uncomfortably sinister Aunt Gladys (Amy Madigan), whose presence prompts his parents to act in strange ways.
Packed with plenty of jump scares, time jumps, perspective changes, and enough humor to make you forget the sheer intensity of its use of body horror, this film keeps you on the edge of your seat—squirming, chuckling, and gasping. It’s no wonder it scored a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes—it’s just that good!
2. “Barbarian” (R, 2022)
Barbarian is undoubtedly one of the craziest horror films I have ever seen. I went into watching this film without any context or having previewed its trailer, and honestly, I wouldn’t suggest people watch it any other way. Experiencing this film without any prior knowledge lets you fully feel the perfectly crafted suspense that grows throughout the movie— the kind you feel in your bones, raising your heartbeat and making you audibly curse at each character’s hairbrained decisions.
With that being said, Barbarian, which aired on Sept. 9, 2022, follows Tess (Georgina Campbell) and Keith (Bill Skarsgård), two young strangers who accidentally double-booked the same Detroit rental home. The pair, however, doesn’t find this out until the first night, when Tess arrives late and finds that Keith has already been staying there. With all the local hotels booked and a job interview to prepare for the next day, Tess decides to stay the night, but soon discovers something much more sinister lurking in the basement that neither she nor her unexpected house guest could have ever imagined. The film earned a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and I recommend it for anyone seeking a terrifyingly weird horror experience!
3. “Smile” (R, 2022)
Smile hit theatres on Sept. 30, 2022, and is the first film in the Smile franchise, with the second movie premiering last October. Nothing is better than watching a scary movie with a jumpy horror movie first-timer, which is why this movie is close to my heart—it’s one of the first horror movies I watched with my boyfriend, who wasn’t a horror fan before meeting me. For this sentimental reason, I prefer the first movie over the second.
Smile tells the story of Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), who, after witnessing a traumatic event involving her patient, begins to see everyone around her wearing menacing grins and engaging in horrendous actions that no one else seems to notice. In a desperate plea to return to her normal life, Dr. Cotter sets out on a mission to uncover the cause of the terror and devise a plan to stop it.
The film relies on classic horror movie clichés—you know, the kind where a girl with a moppy head of hair tilts her head while sporting a devilish grin, or suspenseful music and uncomfortable silence that build up to jump scares. Even so, they employ them so well that you find yourself holding your breath and wanting to turn your eyes from the screen to avoid getting nightmares. For this reason, it earned an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and third place on my list. If you’re in the mood for a classic supernatural film, this one is for you.
4. “Talk to Me” (R, 2023)
After premiering in theaters on July 28, 2023, Talk to Me gained widespread popularity through TikTok, as viewers posted their horrified reactions after watching the film. As a result, it quickly became a commercial success, breaking A24’s record for the highest-grossing horror film ever, surpassing Hereditary (another movie I highly recommend watching). If it outperformed Hereditary, then you know it’s a good film, which is only reflected in its Rotten Tomato score of 94%.
Talk to Me follows Mia (Sophie Wilde), a young Australian teen grappling with the loss of her mother. One night, at a party, a classmate pulls out a severed, embalmed human hand and claims that holding it can conjure spirits. The teens quickly become addicted to the adrenaline rush of the ritual, just as Mia becomes obsessed with the chance to communicate with her deceased mother again. But when Mia breaks the crucial rule of never holding the hand for more than 90 seconds, she releases a demon into her world, who wreaks havoc on her life.
The film features some of the best graphics used in a horror movie in a long time, which truly sends shivers down your spine, as well as effectively making you empathize with Mia. But if you watch this movie for any reason, it would be for the devastating twist at the end, which even took hardcore horror fans by surprise.
5. “Evil Dead Rise” (R, 2023)
There is nothing more frightening for movie fans than a bad sequel. Equally, there is nothing more terrifying than a mother—who typically symbolizes safety and care—turning evil. Evil Dead Rise defies both of these trends, as it is not a poorly made sequel, nor does it feature an evil mother, but rather a demonic one who torments her young children with the intent of killing them. Now, what’s not scary about that!
The fifth Evil Dead film, released on April 21, 2023, centers on Beth (Lily Sullivan), who visits her older sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), a single mother of three children living in a cramped, run-down apartment. After discovering an old book in the basement of Ellie’s building, Beth accidentally releases demons into the world. When the demons possess her sister, the once-loving mother turns into “the most nightmarish version of motherhood imaginable,” according to Rotten Tomatoes, which scored the film an 85%.
Bursting with gore, blood, shockingly comedic moments, and intense scenes that make you clench your muscles, this film will keep you up all night. Consequently, this film is not for the faint of heart—so if you’re up for a blood-curdling, gruesome movie, then you should take it on!
So, whether you’re a horror movie fanatic looking for new recommendations to watch before Halloween or a scary movie newbie who wants all the details about recent horror favorites, this is my list of the best horror flicks since 2020. Watch them if you dare!