GBHBL’s Top 10 Horror Movies of 2024

It’s been an interesting year for horror, both in the mainstream and in the indies. With the mainstream, we’ve seen the Speak No Evil, and we’ve seen an iconic cast reunite for the dark comedic antics of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

With the indies though, that’s where the madness can be found, and a lot of talented, creative people have brought us unforgettable experiences. Experiences like Curtains for Christmas. Just a few indie horrors that we’ve seen, reviewed, and crowed about.

Which brings us to this article and ten films we want to crow about particularly. Ten of this year’s finest horrors. This is our top ten horror movies of 2024.

10. Stupid Games

A micro-budget horror with a simple premise transforms into a compelling and tension heavy watch. It’s Stupid Games, and it comes from directors Nicolas Wendl and Dani Abraham, who co-wrote the story with Tanner Adams.

How about a game of Quest for Truth?

A new game that mashes together elements of other games and seems designed to get the players to open up about themselves, all while completing silly tasks. It is fun and everyone gets into it, even if there is a competitive edge as its girls vs boys. That is until some truths start to cause tension and the tasks start to get darker.

A highly impressive horror film that proves, once again, that budget is no limit to quality filmmaking.

9. Speak No Evil

Speak No Evil is a 2024 American psychological horror thriller film written and directed by James Watkins. A remake of the 2022 Danish-Dutch film of the same name. Where a family goes to stay with another that they met while on holiday. There, a fun and jovial experience slowly turns sinister as the film reminds you that you shouldn’t be too trusting of people.

It’s all about James McAvoy, and the movie is worth watching for him alone. He delivers such a layered performance and is heads and shoulders above the rest. It’s tense, it’s uncomfortable, and it stays with you, even if it isn’t as brave as the original film was.

8. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

From legendary director Tim Buton comes the sequel few were asking for. After being burned by legacy sequel after legacy sequel, no one expected much from this seemingly unnecessary horror comedy. Thankfully, this is an absolute outlier amongst a sea of disappointing continuations of much-loved franchises. It somehow manages to perfectly capture the tone and feel of the original film. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life gets turned upside down when her daughter discovers a portal to the afterlife. When someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times, the mischievous demon soon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem. Michael Keaton fits effortlessly back into that striped suit. The practical effects and sets are amazing. In short, it is very entertaining.

7. Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch

Written and directed by Dutch Marich, Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch is the third entry in the found footage/mockumentary series of Horror in the High Desert films. A series that has, so far, delivered smart storytelling with chills and thrills, while also not adhering to the expected drawbacks of the filming style they employ.

Not just expanding on the stories around those who disappeared in the first two films, but offering up explanations for certain events, revealing new details, adding even more horror to things, creating a tone that is tension heavy throughout, and introducing the best character of the series so far, Oscar Mendoza (Marco Antonio Parra). Who, unlike anyone else who has ever tried to find Gary Hinge, knows something nobody else does and that is what the film explores.

6. Longlegs

Longlegs is a horror-thriller film written and directed by Osgood Perkins, Releasing in 2024. It stars Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage. Set in the 1990s, it follows an FBI agent tasked with tracking down an occultist serial killer responsible for murdering multiple families, without having been physically present in the crimes.

Thick with tense atmosphere, Longlegs has a similar feel to films like Silence of the Lambs or Seven, which firmly places it in good company. There’s this unsettling low-level vibe that hits a couple of high notes at just the right time. It’s a slow-burn of a film and patience is necessary, but the uncomfortable experience makes it all worthwhile.

5. The People in the Walls

Imaginative, well written, impressively acted, and with some strong scares, The People in the Walls is a highly enjoyable horror from writer Gerald Crum and director Michael Crum.

Telling the story in chapters, focusing on a younger cast in the lead roles, and adding layers of fantasy to the horror, makes The People in the Walls feel almost fairy-tale like. There is strong crossover between childhood fears about the boogeyman and adult terror around things like home invasion. Two contrasting ideas that combine perfectly because both deal with the unknown and allow the imagination to run wild.

4. Alien: Romulus

Alien: Romulus is a 2024 American science fiction horror film directed by Fede Álvarez. Part of the Alien franchise, Romulus is set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), and proudly resurrects the franchise. It follows three pairs of siblings, all downtrodden young space colonists, who board a derelict spacecraft to retrieve cryostasis chambers, and find something much worse aboard.

Romulus delivers a film that is in part, the best aspects of Alien & Aliens combined. The action is fast and intense, and it has moments of genuine dread. It may lack subtlety, but it makes up for it with standout performances and creativity.

3. Advent

Not only is it a fantastic Christmas horror film, but it’s also a fantastic horror film overall. One with a clever story that leaves room for the imagination to fill in the blanks and some genuinely strong scares. While Advent may not initially impress, it is a film that gets better and better as it goes on. Were, come the end, you’ll be unable to think of little less.

Presented as a documentary (mockumentary) made by folklore Professor Richard Hill (Nicholas Vince), the story of Advent surrounds his former student Hayley (Rasina Pavlova). She is a struggling YouTuber trying to make it big with content related to debunking urban legends and folklore alongside her friend Charlie (Cian Lorcan). This year she’s going big, focusing on the Christmas period having acquired a ‘Krampus Calendar’. Which is an ancient German calendar that involves opening its doors and following the sinister instructions inside.

Advent is a brilliant film. One of the creepiest and darkest Christmas horror films ever made. However, it’s so good that it can easily be enjoyed at any time of the year. A must watch.

2. Compression

Directed by Jakob Bilinski, who co-wrote it with Peter Matsoukas, Compression is a surreal psychological horror and dark drama film that stars Emily Durchholz, Kevin Roach, and Michele Rose. A psychological horror that sees a young woman forced to face her fears while experiencing a bad drug trip. Yes, this is a ‘trip gone bad’ film, but there’s a deeper story being told here about trauma and how it can define the rest of your life, if you let it.

It requires some patience and a willingness to be open-minded but pays all of that off in super satisfying fashion. What it offers is far more psychological and based in dark drama. Yet, it has an inordinate amount of impact and is one of the best modern examples of so much talent coming together to create something special. Simply put, this is a fabulous experience and one that everyone should consider having.

1. Strange Darling

Written and directed by JT Mollner, nothing is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree. The way this movie tells its story is so compelling. It subverts your expectations at every turn. Additionally, it’s shot beautifully on 8MM film and has a delightfully stylish feel. Just a genuinely fantastic film all round.