24 Must-See Horror Movies You May Have Missed in 2024

Overlooked Horror of 2024: 1-12

1. Oddity

Oddity, directed by Damian McCarthy (the visionary behind the exquisite Caveat), is a masterclass in psychological horror, blending surreal imagery with unnerving atmospheric tension and inventive storytelling. The film follows Darcy, a blind psychic and oddities shopkeeper, as she delves into the mysterious circumstances surrounding her twin sister’s murder.

Carolyn Bracken delivers a remarkable performance as Darcy and her twin sister, Dani, bringing depth and nuance to the dual roles. Her portrayal enhances the film’s exploration of themes such as grief, revenge, and the supernatural.

With meticulous production design and a chilling soundscape, an atmosphere of unease permeates every frame. McCarthy’s masterful direction balances a compelling narrative with relentless scares—making it easily one of the scariest films of the year.

2. I Saw the TV Glow

Jane Schoenbrun’s (We’re All Going to the World’s Fair) I Saw the TV Glow is a deeply personal and nostalgic horror experience that taps into the collective memory of ’90s pop culture while delivering a chilling story about identity and belonging.

The film follows teenagers Owen and Maddy, portrayed by Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine, who bond over their shared obsession with a supernatural TV show, “The Pink Opaque.” Schoenbrun’s direction creates a haunting atmosphere, utilizing visually stunning lo-fi visuals and a moody soundtrack to immerse viewers in a world where reality and television blur.

The film’s emotional core is its greatest strength. Offering both a profound exploration of the trans experience and a universally relatable portrayal of adolescent alienation and the search for connection, it’s a poignant, unsettling film that resonates on a deeply human level.

3. Infested

Infested is a 2023 French horror film conceived, co-written, and directed by Sébastien Vaniček in his feature directorial debut. It’s a claustrophobic, high-octane horror that revitalizes the creature feature subgenre.

Set in a dilapidated apartment building, the film follows a group of residents who must band together to survive an infestation of deadly arachnids. What makes this creepy-crawly, hair-raising film so special is its commitment to practical effects, which bring the spiders to life in horrifying detail.

The tension is relentless, with tight spaces and clever camera work amplifying the fear. The characters are well-developed, adding emotional weight to the survival narrative. It’s a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat experience that will leave you checking your corners for weeks.

4. Stopmotion

The visually arresting Stopmotion is a 2023 British live-action/adult animated psychological horror-thriller film directed by Robert Morgan in his feature-length debut. A meditation on artistic obsession, it’s a mesmerizing and highly original meta-horror film that’s both dark and breathtakingly beautiful.

The film’s protagonist, Ella (played with haunting intensity by Aisling Franciosi), is an animator whose latest project begins manifesting in reality. The painstakingly crafted stop-motion sequences serve as both a testament to the art form and a source of creeping dread.

The film delves into themes of creativity, mental illness, and the cost of artistic ambition. It’s a unique, unsettling experience that stands out for originality and craftsmanship.

5. Exhuma

 This South Korean occult thriller, directed by Jang Jae-hyun—the highest-grossing South Korean film of 2024 and the sixth highest-grossing South Korean film of all time—is a gripping tale of superstition and supernatural terror. The film follows a group of shamans and morticians who unleash a dark secret while exhuming a grave.

Exhuma excels in its atmospheric storytelling, with lush cinematography and a haunting score that heightens the tension. The film’s exploration of Korean folklore and rituals adds depth and authenticity to the narrative. The practical effects team creates some of the year’s most memorable imagery, particularly in sequences involving traditional funerary practices gone horrifically wrong.

Veteran actor Choi Min-Sik (Oldboy) delivers a potent performance as a Feng Shui expert, bringing gravitas and complexity to a role that grounds the supernatural elements in emotional reality.

It’s a masterfully crafted horror film that balances scares with a compelling mystery, making it a must-watch for fans of international horror.

6. MadS

MadS, directed by David Moreau, stands out as one of 2024’s most compelling horror films, notable for its technical prowess and innovative storytelling. The film is presented as a single continuous take, immersing viewers in a relentless, real-time descent into chaos. This ambitious approach enhances the tension and immediacy, drawing audiences into the harrowing experiences of its characters.

The narrative follows Romain, whose night of youthful indulgence spirals into a nightmare after a chance encounter with a mysterious, injured woman. As events unfold, the film transitions focus to Anaïs and Julia, with compelling performances that convey the escalating dread and confusion of a sudden viral outbreak.

Offering a fresh take on the zombie genre, the film’s intimate approach, combined with its innovative presentation, make it a must-watch.

7. Cuckoo

Set in a remote alpine resort, Tilman’s Singer’s atmospheric slow-burn Cuckoo combines psychological tension with surreal madness and haunting visuals to create a memorable viewing experience.

The deliberately paced experimental film revolves around a grieving teen named Gretchen (Hunter Schafer), who moves to a remote resort to help her father build a new hotel following the death of her mother. Taking a job at the front desk, she is plagued by increasingly strange experiences and finds herself at the center of a chilling, otherworldly conspiracy.

Shot on 35mm film by cinematographer Paul Faltz, with striking practical effects, the film is stunning to behold. Singer’s use of sound is particularly noteworthy; the film employs a complex sound design that makes subtle use of infrasound frequencies to create physical discomfort in viewers.

The film is anchored by a captivating performance by Schafer, portraying convincible vulnerability and resilience as the film’s protagonist. Her thrilling cat-and-mouse clash with Dan Stevens—a master of mixing charm with menace—is intense and wildly fun.

8. Heretic

The A24 standout Heretic, directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, blends intellectual discourse with genre thrills to deliver one of the year’s absolute bests.

The narrative follows two young Mormon missionaries, portrayed by Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets) and Chloe East (True Blood), who encounter the enigmatic Mr. Reed, played with a gleeful mix of disarming magnetism and unnerving threat by Hugh Grant at his absolute best.

Heretic’s atmospheric cinematography and sound design enhance the suspenseful and thought-provoking narrative. The use of dim lighting and ambient sounds creates a claustrophobic environment that mirrors the protagonists’ psychological entrapment. The film delves into themes of faith, autonomy, and the psychological complexities of belief systems, offering a nuanced critique of religious dogma with scintillating scripting that makes the dialogue-heavy first half as riveting as the more harrowing thrills of the latter half.

The film’s ability to intertwine deeper themes with traditional horror elements results in a unique and engaging cinematic experience that should not be missed.

9. What You Wish For

Nicholas Tomnay’s What You Wish For is a razor-sharp psychological thriller that deftly explores the consequences of unchecked ambition and moral compromise. With a cleverly-crafted narrative, the film follows a struggling chef (Nick Stahl) who seizes an opportunity to infiltrate the extravagant life of his successful culinary school friend, only to discover that his pursuit of the good life comes at a staggering cost.

Tomnay’s script and direction weave an escalating sense of dread, pairing dark humor with gut-wrenching tension in a way that feels fresh and deeply unsettling.

Stahl’s performance anchors the film, portraying desperation, greed, and existential dread with striking nuance. It’s a smart and sinister film that challenges audiences to consider the cost of their desires and the moral lines they might cross to achieve them.

By blending Hitchcockian suspense with contemporary social commentary, Tomnay has crafted a gripping, thought-provoking, eat-the-rich tale that lingers long after the credits roll.

10. Sleep

Another South Korean standout of 2024, Sleep is the feature debut from Jason Yu (mentored by none other than Bong Joon-ho, having previously worked as Joon-ho’s assistant on Okja). It’s a chilling yet darkly comedic, deeply psychological exploration of fear and family.

The film follows a newlywed couple, Soo-jin (Jung Yu-mi; Train to Busan) and Hyeon-soo (Lee Sun-kyun; Parasite), whose lives unravel after Soo-jin discovers Hyeon-soo sleepwalking and exhibiting stranger behavior that makes her fear her husband may harm their newborn.

Yu’s direction, steeped in a slow-burn atmosphere, keeps the audience on edge, expertly building tension through a striking blend of surrealism and grounded reality. The cinematography amplifies the film’s sense of dread. The performances are nuanced and impressive, with strong chemistry between the two leads, making the couple’s unraveling both emotionally resonant and terrifying.

With a sizzling and deeply personal script praised by Bong Joon-ho as “one of the most surprising and smart screenplays I’ve read in the last ten years,” it’s a thought-provoking meditation on love, sacrifice, mental health, and the frailty of human relationships.

11. Red Rooms

Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms is a chilling exploration of voyeurism and moral ambiguity. The film’s meticulous direction and restrained storytelling immerse viewers in the unsettling world of Kelly-Anne, portrayed with haunting precision by Juliette Gariépy. Her performance anchors the narrative, capturing the character’s complex obsession with the trial of Ludovic Chevalier, the so-called Demon of Rosemont.

The French-Canadian film’s technical achievements are evident in its atmospheric cinematography, which employs long, lingering shots to build tension and convey the protagonist’s emotional isolation. The evocative score enhances the film’s eerie ambiance, complementing its minimalist approach to character-driven horror.

By focusing on psychological depth and the dark side of human nature, it provides a thought-provoking and disturbing commentary on society’s desensitization to violence and the allure of the macabre, positioning it as a compelling watch for fans of cerebral horror.

12. Chime

Though it’s the hardest-to-find film on this list, the brief 45-minute Japanese horror film Chime is also one of the scariest and most impactful horror films of the year, making it well worth the effort to track it down.

From the mind of Japanese horror master Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Curse, Pulse), Chime follows a culinary teacher named Matsuoka whose life becomes a nightmarish descent after a student starts complaining about a strange sound he can’t stop hearing, claiming half of his brain has been replaced by a machine that causes him to act erratic and even violent. Following a tragic event at the school, Matsuoka finds himself haunted by a terror that spreads like a virus.

Kurosawa crafts an atmosphere of creeping dread through meticulous sound design and cinematography. The film’s horror is primarily psychological and implied rather than grotesquely overt, but the effective portrayal of mental unraveling is riveting and deeply disquieting.

It’s one of my favorites of the year, and I was fortunate enough to experience it at a film festival. Unfortunately, it’s a well-hidden gem that requires a bit of patience and perseverance to experience. This article explains how to access it via the experimental Japanese digital video trading platform Roadstead.io. The industrious among you can also find the rare copy floating around online.

Find it. Watch it. Listen to it with headphones in a dark room. It’s guaranteed to burrow under your skin and infect your psyche. Absolute chef’s kiss.