Most horror fans agree that 2024 was a phenomenal year for horror—as most years are, honestly. As a way to honor some of the top-rated hits of 2024, we've made a list based on the official ranking released by the popular film-centered social media app Letterboxd.
The company released a list chronicling the top 10 highest-rated horror movies of last year, according to user ratings. You might be surprised by which movies ended up on this list and the few that were left off!
10. I Saw the TV Glow
Jane Schoenbrun's phenomenal 2024 film with themes about being trans, gender identity, isolation, and more, was one of my favorite movies of the year, and I would have ranked it higher on this list, but am pleased to see it managed to nab a spot. Justice Smith delivers a truly heart-wrenching performance as Owen, an outcast who befriends another lonely teen after she introduces him to the world of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer-esque television show known as The Pink Opaque. Their shared obsession sends them down a rabbit hole that will forever change them.
Streaming on Max
9. Exhuma
A haunting, gothic Korean horror film about the secrets buried deep in an ancestral gravesite, Exhuma is such a good horror movie. It's another one of my favorites from 2024, and I wish it had received more hype! It's great for those who enjoy Korean horror, especially films like The Wailing. In this one, a wealthy family hires a shaman to relocate the remains so they can purchase the burial plot as land. And we all know how well moving dead people goes.
Streaming on Shudder
8. Strange Darling
An underrated thriller from last year featuring two incredible performances from the leads Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner, Strange Darling is a twisted film about a one-night stand that soon spirals out of control. The less you know going into this one the better. It's also a beauty to look at, having been shot on 35mm and featuring some wondefully hypnotic cinematography.
Now on VOD
7. The Girl with the Needle
Loosely based on the true story of a female Danish serial killer, The Girl with the Needle is a historical horror movie about Dagmar Overbye and her horrific journey of manipulating mothers into giving up their children and then later murdering them. The Girl with the Needle is critically acclaimed and competed in several notable film festivals last year, including the Palme d'Or.
6. Alien: Romulus
The latest chapter in this long-running sci-fi/horror franchise started with Ridley Scott's 1979 classic is a wonderful feat in practical effects. Director Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead) did a great job bringing the Xenomorphs to light and crafting a harrowing experience for the viewers and characters. Cailee Spaeny stars as a miner who ventures out to a derelict spaceship with a few friends in search of salvage they can sell to fund a trip to another planet. Unfortunately, aboard the ship, which happens to be the Nostromo, they come face-to-face with terrifying creatures.
Now on Hulu
5. Your Monster
Scream star Melissa Barrera gets to flex more of her comedic chops in this endearing horror rom-com featuring Barrera as a recently dumped actress struggling to figure out the next chapter of her life. Enter the literal monster in her closet, who also happens to be surprisingly charming.
Now on VOD
4. Dead Talents Society
One of the few horror-comedy films to rank on this list, Dead Talents Society is such a blast. It's campy and it has a unique plot revolving around ghosts and other supernatural entities who want to become legends in their own right, hailed as some of the scariest stories and myths around.
3. Chime
If Kiyoshi Kurosawa is the director, you watch it. It's that simple. The director of Cure and Pulse returns with his latest horror-thriller film, Chime. A simple premise about a chef haunted by a dread-inducing chime, this Japanese movie is full of existential terror and a gripping central performance.
2. Bramayugam
It's unfortunate that the number two movie on this list doesn't appear to be available in the United States yet, but people have nothing but positive things to say about this Indian folk horror movie shot entirely in black-and-white.
1. The Substance
It's unsurprising that Coralie Fargeat's wonderfully grotesque masterpiece landed in the top spot among Letterboxd users. Demi Moore recently walked away with her first Golden Globe Award for her poignant and often hilarious portrayal of Elisabeth Sparkles, a former actress who film executives believe is past her prime. Seeking a way to get her career back, Elisabeth participates in an experimental beauty treatment that allows her to access a much younger version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley. The Substance has earned rave reviews from critics and will soon be re-released in theaters nationwide ahead of the Oscars.
Streaming on Mubi