When you’re in the mood to snuggle up with horror that’s heavy on the fun, these five killer horror comedies are sure to steal your heart.
In my ongoing “Date Night” series, I’ve covered a wide range of films and subgenres, and I’ve curated multiple movie nights for you and your first date or significant other. I happen to be a huge fan of horror comedies, and I think they are the perfect choice for date night. There’s usually enough horror to give you a good excuse for cuddles, but not so much that you can’t enjoy them with those who may be a bit more squeamish or averse to intense scares. And the lighthearted nature of these films sets the perfect tone for a lovely, relaxing evening with someone special.
I previously shared five of my favorite picks for a horror comedy date night. But I’m back with five more killer picks guaranteed to set the mood.
If you’re single and a fan of gore and laughter in equal measures, perhaps you’re also seeking a partner with whom you can share your passion. The best place to track down a fellow comedy horror aficionado is to get into digital dating. Finding local hookups can be fun if you chat with prospective partners via your laptop, computer, or smart device. This discreet setting is conducive to flirty conversations. As a result, you’ll develop a rapport in no time.
1. We Have a Ghost (2023)
Directed by Christopher Landon, this unusual feature stars David Harbour (Stranger Things, Violent Night) as a ghost who becomes friendly with a young lad who moves into the home. The back story for how he became a specter, doomed to be trapped in a limbo between this world and the next, sets the scene for some detective work. As well as following this trail into sinister past events, there are frequent moments of comedy genius, not the least of which is the ghost becoming a TV celebrity. Without giving away spoilers, the final scenes veer away from laughter into genuine heartbreak. This is a must-see for your comedy horror date night!
2. Benny Loves You (2019)
If you’re a fan of the killer toy subgenre, Benny Loves You is an absolute riot that may have flown under your radar. Currently boasting an impressive 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s a creative, demented, endearing tale about how difficult it can be to let go of our childhood innocence and wonder and embrace the pain, loneliness, and responsibilities of adulthood. It’s also a love letter to horror fans and the misfit weirdos of the world. Benny Loves You leans heavily on the gore and has no shortage of nastiness, but it’s also wickedly fun and impossibly charming. Even as the violence escalates and things get more and more unhinged, the Elmo-inspired Benny is an absolute delight and impossible not to love. It’s imaginative, fun, and never once feels like a generic killer toy movie.
3. Zombieland: Double Tap
For my first five recommendations, I included Zombieland. But the outstanding sequel, Zombieland: Double Tap, is another surefire hit. While there have been many previous films, not to mention hit TV series, featuring the murderous activities of undead cannibals in a post-apocalyptic world, most of them are pretty bleak and upsetting. I’m a huge fan of zombies, but laughing at this legitimately terrifying scenario is much more fun. This superb cast of this stellar sequel includes veteran actor Woody Harrelson (Triangle of Sadness), ably aided and abetted by Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Luke Wilson, and Abigail Breslin. A box office smash, this follow-up to the wonderfully charming and laugh-out-loud Zombieland proved why a Double Tap is always a good idea — when it comes to both the apocalypse and great horror comedies.
4. Zombeavers
Could there be any more unlikely murderous creatures for a horror film than those cuddly tree-gnawing rodents? In this wacky 2014 movie, a group of college students book a weekend getaway at an isolated cottage. Unknown to them, the landscape outside harbors a dark secret: toxic chemicals have seeped into the river, causing beavers to mutate into vicious killing machines. The bikini-clad heroines go for a dip in this polluted river but quickly regret not having checked for the existence of mutated monsters with a taste for half-naked human teenagers. Sure, it’s campy and ridiculous. But it’s also ridiculously fun.
5. Cocaine Bear (2023)
While we’re on the subject of animals gone wild, we can’t forget the high-octane, ultra-violent horror comedy hit Cocaine Bear, directed by Elizabeth Banks. Unbelievably, this darkly hilarious film was loosely inspired by a true story of an American black bear that ingested nearly 75 lb of lost cocaine in 1985. The cocaine had been dropped out of an airplane piloted by Andrew C. Thornton II, a former narcotics officer and convicted drug smuggler. He dumped it because his plane was carrying too heavy a load. Thornton then jumped out of the plane with a faulty parachute and died. The film’s plot differs from real-life events in a number of ways. Notably, the real-life Cocaine Bear is not known to have killed anyone after consuming drugs. Though this wildly fun, adrenaline-fueled romp received mixed reviews, it became a certifiable hit among audiences and grossed more than four times as much as projected. It’s the perfect film for B-movie enthusiasts.
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