40 Favorite Horrors for 40 Years

Happy birthday to me. I've been around for 40 years now and I feel retrospective. While I'm neck deep in new projects (fiction, non-fiction, games, art, and so much more), I'm treating myself to a look back at 40 of my favorite horror films.

This is a year-by-year list with one film for every year since 1985. There are years here where I would choose more than one if I could, but I already set the restriction and I shall stick to it.

My gift to you: 40 amazing horror film recs for the past 40 years. Thanks for reading, thanks for being here, and thanks for your continued support.

1985: Phenomena

I'm not always the biggest Dario Argento fan, but it's hard to deny the excellent blend of casting, color, and concept in this film. Stick with the original 116 minute cut if you can, as the US release cut a whole 33 minutes from the film on its initial release. Fun fact: those cuts are why we don't get real theatrical releases for Dario Argento films in the US.

1986: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

1986 is a rough one to pick one film from. I went with Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer because Michael Rooker gives one of the best performances in the history of the genre as Henry. It is a dark, psychological horror film from the perspective of the killer and you won't easily shake it off.

1987: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors

Another hard year to choose just one. I went with my heart, and my heart has told me for most of my life that A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors is one of my favorite horror films. It strikes the perfect Freddy Krueger balance of menacing and darkly funny, and the cast of young actors does great work bringing their characters' worst nightmares to life.

1988: Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers

You know what? It's not often that a horror sequel tries to correct the sins of its past. As iconic as the twist is in the original Sleepaway Camp, even the creators realized it was problematic enough to gently retcon the series and let Angela be the horror icon she deserved to be. It's a fantastic, campy 80s slasher.

1989: Tetsuo: The Iron Man

Another tough year to pick one. Tetsuo: The Iron Man is another horror film with a singular vision you can't shake off. It's the debut of iconic Japanese horror director Shinya Tsukamoto and its one of the strangest (complimentary) sci-fi/body horror films you'll ever find.

1990: Jacob's Ladder

I'm a sucker for good psychological horror that actually confronts real issues. Jacob's Ladder is one of the realest feeling narratives confronting PTSD I've seen in film. Fantastic imagery, great acting, and a killer score make this a must-watch.

1991: Dolly Dearest

Listen. Sometimes, the knock-off of a popular series packs some heat. I'm aware Dolly Dearest exists because of Child's Play, but that doesn't take away from the genuine scares of this possessed doll film. Landing somewhere between Poltergeist and The Exorcist, this is a killer doll/possession/evil child film that doesn't pull its punches.

1992: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

I will not apologize for being a Twin Peaks fan. The prequel film is excellent. Also, read The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer.

1993: Hocus Pocus

One of the greatest child-friendly horror films of all time. The chemistry of Bette Middler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker as the immortal witches the Sanderson Sisters cannot be denied.

1994: In the Mouth of Madness

While Stuart Gordon is undoubtedly the king of making Lovecraft work onscreen, John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness is a fantastic cosmic horror in its own right. Am I biased because it's a horror film about horror novels? Perhaps.

1995: Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh

I'm always down to rewatch any of the Candyman films. Tony Todd makes any of them, even the WEAKEST among them, worth revisiting.

1996: The Craft

Another hard year to pick just one. The Craft might be my favorite teen horror film and certainly one of my favorite witch films. The good girls turned revenge-obsessed witches film has rightfully grown in appreciation since its initial release.

1997: Cube

Cube was a large portion of my childhood. SyFy (back when it was Sci-Fi) played this film for years almost every weekend and I became obsessed. It's a fantastic deadly game film with clever twists and traps.

1998: Bride of Chucky

1998 is a tough one. Sorry, Ring. The power of Tiffany compels me. This is my favorite Child's Play film because the addition of Tiffany as a character actually gives Chucky an equal to play off of. It shifts the entire dynamic of the series and helps all the films gel as this silly, gory, campy tribute to slashers.

1999: Audition

What can I say? I'm a sucker for good, psychological horror. Takashi Miike's dating scheme gone horribly wrong horror film is part of the horror canon for many good reasons.

2000: Ginger Snaps

There's no maybe about it. Ginger Snaps is my favorite werewolf film and one that I often revisit for a good time. If you haven't seen this Canadian classic about unpopular teen sisters promising to support each other no matter what, you're in for a treat.

2001: The Others

One of my favorite haunted house films of all time. That twist is still as beautiful today as it was 24 years ago. Also, this is the 2001 film featuring the best Nicole Kidman performance that year.

2002: May

May might still be my favorite film of all time. Lucky McKee and Angela Bettis make a perfect team in creating this psychological portrait of a young woman just trying to make a friend.

2003: High Tension

Name a more iconic duo that New French Extremity films and Robert J Gannon raving about their finer artistic merits. High Tension was my first, in theaters no less, and I still regularly think about its beauty, its carnage, and its psychology.

2004: Three...Extremes

Speaking of unforgettable theatrical experiences, I saw Three...Extremes in a creepy underground multiplex in NYC. All three short films from Fruit Chan, Park-Chan Wook, and Takashi Miike are fantastic. My favorite is Dumplings, and both the short version here and feature-length version are fantastic watches.

2005: The Exorcism of Emily Rose

One of the best parts of being a media critic is seeing how time impacts a film's perception. Back in 2005, I was beating the drum for how good The Exorcism of Emily Rose is. Now, in 2025, when I introduce people to the film, they're instantly obsessed with this unique courtroom thriller/possession film.

2006: Re-Cycle

The creators of The Eye, The Pang Brothers, followed it up with this fantastic fantasy/horror film about a novelist experiencing the unfinished potential of the next book her publisher promised to the public before she finished writing it.

2007: [REC]

Another difficult year to pick. Spain, in particular, had a lot of great horror films in 2007. [REC] might be my favorite found footage film, following the absolute chaos that unfolds as a zombie virus is contained by quarantine in a single apartment building.

2008: Otto; or, Up with Dead People

I told you back then and I still believe it now. We were in a horror Renaissance in the late 00's. I could pick a dozen films, easy, for 2008. I spun the wheel and landed on Otto; or, Up with Dead People, a psycho-sexual New French Extremity zombie film from provocateur Bruce LaBruce. A young man convinces himself he's a zombie and tries to start a new life for himself.

2009: Drag Me to Hell

Another challenging year to choose just one. I went with the feel-bad film of the year Drag Me to Hell. A young woman is cursed to go straight to hell because of her job. Chaos ensues. Sam Raimi leaves no crumbs.

2010: Tucker & Dale vs Evil

[Insert comment on how hard this is here]. Tucker & Dale vs Evil is one of the best meta-horror/comedy films in the post-Scream era. What happens if the stereotypical villains of a horror film turn out to be totally innocent bystanders to a series of horrific deaths?

2011: Scream 4

I'm not afraid of a controversial opinion. Scream 4 is my favorite Scream film. I like the focus on social media, I love the cast, and I think the killer is probably the best we've ever had.

2012: American Mary

An obvious choice for me in a difficult year. American Mary has been my comfort film for over a decade. The body-positive revenge film from horror masters Jen and Sylvia Soska features a career-best performance from Katherine Isabelle and a fantastic ensemble cast that makes you really care about this extreme body modification community.

2013: Only Lovers Left Alive

And you know what? Let's give it up for unapologetically sexy horror films about vampire lovers looking for new partners.

2014: As Above, So Below

Speaking of horror films finally getting their due, I've been tickled pink by all the videos I've seen discussing As Above, So Below and calling it a horror classic on TikTok. Where were you in 2014 when I was banging that drum by myself? I forgive you. Just watch it. So good.

2015: Krampus

This is, undoubtedly, one of the best Christmas horror films ever made. Funny, scary, and utterly demented.

2016: The Love Witch

This is another year where I could name a dozen films off the top of my head. I ultimately settled on The Love Witch, which is one of the most beautiful and intentional horror films ever made. Anna Biller crafts a genuinely beautiful portrait of a witch navigating love in the modern world.

2017: XX

I love a good anthology film. XX focuses on the women of horror, with a framing stop-motion short from Sofia Carillo and original short films from Jovanka Vuckovich, Annie Clark, Roxanne Benjamin, and Karyn Kusama. Vuckovich's short "The Box" is my favorite horror short film of all time. The sound, people. The sound.

2018: The Strangers: Prey at Night

Did I award bonus points for this sequel that no one knew was coming actually turning out to be a fantastic horror film? Yes I did. It's really a coin flip over whether the original or this is the better home invasion/slasher film.

2019: Saint Maud

No, this is not a fair year. Saint Maud is my other comfort film. No, I don't know why a psychological horror film about a young woman turning to extremely Catholic devotion after facing a tragedy is "comforting" to me, but it is. It's like a warm hug...

2020: The Turning

Still waiting on the rest of y'all to catch onto this heat. The Turning is a 90s-set retelling of "The Turn of the Screw," with heavy nods to the Grunge scene and the devastating impact of Kurt Cobain's death by suicide on his young fans.

2021: Malignant

Ok, this one hurt. Sorry Candyman. Malignant is the kind of bonkers, b-movie action/horror film I grew up on and this one scratched that itch so much I saw it 3 times in 24 hours. Not since The Exorcism of Emily Rose have I managed that one.

2022: Bodies Bodies Bodies

If you, like me, need a break from constantly rewatching The Bling Ring but still wanted those characters to, I don't know, be in a slasher film, then have I got the horror for you. Bodies Bodies Bodies is stupid in the best way possible.

2023: Godzilla Minus One

If I may be brave and controversial again, I think Godzilla Minus One is the greatest kaiju film of all time. From the acting to the cinematography to the effects, I was hooked. Yes, I did go back for the black and white rerelease and it still held up.

2024: I Saw the TV Glow

This one hurts so good. A modern masterpiece of queer horror.

2025: Sinners

Another tough year. Sinners has one of the best horror movie scores of all time AND it has original songs performed as part of the film. I'm a sucker for that. I'm also a sucker for deeply political horror films and vampires onscreen, so really, Sinners is right up my alley the same way The Hunger or Phantom of the Paradise are.

This was hard. I'm tired. Thank you for sticking around. I have so many wonders to share with you this year.