Best horror film of the 2010s

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Last decades poll. I'll combine the results and do the HF top-10 of all time once this one is done (last chance to vote on the other polls).

Thoughest poll to put up for me by far. I really don't know much about the films of the last 10 years, haven't seen much, and have no idea what's been popular.

Please post the films you'd like to vote for so I can add them to the poll.

Again, lots of remakes, some of them actually pretty good*.

Child's Play
Carrie
Evil Dead *
Suspiria *
Poltergeist
The Woman in Black
Fright Night
Let Me In *
Maniac *
A Nightmare On Elm Street
I Spit On Your Grave
The Crazies
Pet Semetary
It

also some other stuff (including some very good films, but borderline horror)

Mama
Halloween
Insiduous
The Lighthouse
A Quiet Place
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
The Strange Colors of Your Body's Tears
Mother!
La piel que habito
Annihilation
Alien: Covenant
The Loved Ones
Raw
The Thing
Oculus
Attack the Block
What We Do in the Shadows
1922
A Cure for Wellness
Sinister
The Girl With All the Gifts
The Cloverfield Paradox
The Last Exorcism
Annabelle
The Green Inferno
Bird Box


The previous polls are still open:

- Still some ways to go for the 2000s, with Let the Right On In on top as of now:
Best horror film of the 2000s

- Silence of the Lambs gets an easy win in the 90s poll:
Best horror film of the 90s

- The Thing is back for a tie with The Shining:
Best horror film of the 80s

- Still a nice fight in the 70s:
https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/best-horror-film-of-the-70s.2728965/

- Pretty good trio of films took the 60s poll:
Best horror film of the 60s

- Need more votes on the 40s & 50s!
Best horror film of the 40s & 50s

- Nosferatu is no surprise for the 20s and 30s, but still not a lot of votes:
Best horror film of the 20s & 30s

Click to read more...

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Anybody has seen one of the Dabbe films?

 

[Trap Jesus]

This is my favorite decade for horror. I'm not sure if I'd call Under the Skin a horror, but it's my favorite movie so I have to vote for it.

The Witch is my favorite pure horror movie of the decade. I was expecting to vote Hereditary as well before seeing Under the Skin, it's so close to The Witch for me.

I also love Cabin in the Woods, although I really don't see it as horror.

It Follows, The Babadook, Train to Busan and Gerald's Game are all honorable mentions.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

What a great decade for horror. If anyone hasn't seen The Wailing, do yourself a favour and watch it.

 

[kihei]

Under the Skin by miles and miles in my case. Though there are some good films on that list, my second pick would be Iran's Under the Shadow.

 

[kihei]

What a great decade for horror. If anyone hasn't seen The Wailing, do yourself a favour and watch it.

Horses for courses. It didn't seem like that strong a decade to me. But I completely agree that The Wailing is among the best of the decade. Probably would be my third pick. Another plug: fans of lighter horror might want to check out the New Zealand horror/comedy Housebound.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Under the Skin by miles and miles in my case. Though there are some good films on that list, my second pick would be Iran's Under the Shadow.

Added

 

[RobBrown4PM]

Cabin in the Woods, and it's not even close to being a competition.

2. Heredity
3. The Babadook

Why is Prometheus on here? It's sci-fi, and bad sci-fi at that to.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

This is my favorite decade for horror.

What a great decade for horror.

I don't see it. Well, there's a lot of films still to see for me(The Wailing and Under the Shadow, I haven't seen, and most of all I'd like to see The Neon Demon), but from what I've seen, there's a bunch of fun and somewhat original top-end (voted The Babadook and Berberian Sound Studio, which are only 8/10 for me) but the drop seems steep and quick. There must have been something that went over my head with Under the Skin, which I thought was a very nice but thin film (and on that front, there's The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears that's pretty much as pretty and thin), The VVitch had great moments but didn't quite sustain them, and Hereditary would have been my third choice. I think there's better films in any of the other polls but the 40s/50s.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Voted The Witch though Under the Skin is on the short list for my favorite films of the past decade. I didn't vote for it only under the pedantic grounds that I don't see it quite as horror so I opted to vote for something more straight line horror.

Good decade though.

Suggested add: You're Next. Won't win, but a lot of fun.

Although I HATE It Follows.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Voted The Witch though Under the Skin is on the short list for my favorite films of the past decade. I didn't vote for it only under the pedantic grounds that I don't see it quite as horror so I opted to vote for something more straight line horror.

Good decade though.

Suggested add: You're Next. Won't win, but a lot of fun.

Although I HATE It Follows.

I'll add You're Next if someone wants to vote for it. Under the Skin is effectively borderline horror, Berberian Sound Studio, for which I voted, is too.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Child's Play
Carrie
Evil Dead
Poltergeist
Fright Night
A Nightmare On Elm Street
I Spit On Your Grave
Pet Semetary
It

Based on previous comments here, I might have a minority opinion on the 2010s.. I find the endless remakes to be pathetic. It signals to me how little originality exists in current movie-making.

My opinion, Elm Street remake wasn't bad, but completely unnecessary, did nothing to enhance the Elm Street' canon..

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

I'll add You're Next if someone wants to vote for it. Under the Skin is effectively borderline horror, Berberian Sound Studio, for which I voted, is too.

Yeah. I didn't mean my comment in an outraged, HOW DARE YOU way. Just being a little more traditional with my vote. My feelings are similar with Aliens and Silence of the Lambs as well.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Yeah. I didn't mean my comment in an outraged, HOW DARE YOU way. Just being a little more traditional with my vote. My feelings are similar with Aliens and Silence of the Lambs as well.

Oh don't worry, I got you, and appreciate that you self-contain your vote. I would have prefered not to include any borderline stuff, but then that would have been a mess of 'what's in and what's not?'.

Based on previous comments here, I might have a minority opinion on the 2010s.. I find the endless remakes to be pathetic. It signals to me how little originality exists in current movie-making.

My opinion, Elm Street remake wasn't bad, but completely unnecessary, did nothing to enhance the Elm Street' canon..

Ironically, I think that the posters that said it was a great decade didn't really have the bunch of remakes in mind, while I, who like you didn't care much for the decade, did enjoy quite a few of them...

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Cabin in the Woods, and it's not even close to being a competition.

2. Heredity
3. The Babadook

Why is Prometheus on here? It's sci-fi, and bad sci-fi at that to.

For one thing, I think Prometheus is a pretty good film. I agree that it's not horror, but since Alien and Aliens did good in the polls - the second one being even less horror than Prometheus - I decided to give it a try. If it doesn't get any votes and people want to add other stuff, I'll take it out.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Ironically, I think that the posters that said it was a great decade didn't really have the bunch of remakes in mind, while I, who like you didn't care much for the decade, did enjoy quite a few of them...

Some of the remakes aren't bad at all. Evil Dead and Suspiria are both interesting. Interesting enough to at least justify their existence, which is something most can't say. Let Me In is surprisingly effective. The most recent Halloween reboot is completely and totally fine. For as memorable as Tim Curry is, the original It is trash so the remake almost wins by default, though in fairness, I haven't seen Part 2 yet. The bummer of a missed opportunity was Fright Night, which somehow managed to take a fun story, actually assemble an almost perfect cast to pull it off and then completely proceed to fumble it away.

I look at this decade and my big takeaway is some of this new generation and the fresh eyes and ideas (mostly) that they're bringing to the genre. Robert Eggers for sure. He's two-for-two in my mind. So is Jennifer Kent although her second movie, The Nightingale is more horrifying than horror. Ari Aster is undeniably talented. I'm not a fan of Midsommar at all, but I would not deny the guy has an eye and innate directorial senses. Jordan Peele is clever. Though I was lukewarm on Us, I appreciate the vision and execution.

Whereas I think the previous decade was defined by physicality and viscera, the last decade has felt more intellectual and thoughtful, which appeals more to me. Even though I think It Follows doesn't work, there's still a freshness to it. Mandy is another one whose parts don't totally equal a whole to me, but there isn't a moment in the movie that doesn't feel new to me. I like that.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I don't see it. Well, there's a lot of films still to see for me(The Wailing and Under the Shadow, I haven't seen, and most of all I'd like to see The Neon Demon), but from what I've seen, there's a bunch of fun and somewhat original top-end (voted The Babadook and Berberian Sound Studio, which are only 8/10 for me) but the drop seems steep and quick. There must have been something that went over my head with Under the Skin, which I thought was a very nice but thin film (and on that front, there's The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears that's pretty much as pretty and thin), The VVitch had great moments but didn't quite sustain them, and Hereditary would have been my third choice. I think there's better films in any of the other polls but the 40s/50s.

I think a lot of it is just how much I've seen. I've seen way more horror movies from the 2010s than any other decade.

In a broader context I think there seemed to be a big movement for "arthouse" horror brought to the mainstream. A lot of A24 stuff and something like The Babadook, It Follows or Get Out that were critical darlings and were hyped up as being great movies and not just great horror movies.

Beyond that the 80s nostalgia renaissance was a big thing in horror, and being a huge fan of 80s horror, that worked really well for me.

There was also a big uptick in self-aware horror. I think when you're producing any kind of media a lot of it is riffing off of tropes we already know, so it's a natural extension for this type of horror movie to pick up a lot of steam. Scream is always seen as the granddaddy of this type of movie, but I think The Cabin in the Woods did so much to influence other movies of this nature as the decade went on.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Out of the options, I've seen The Cabin in the Woods, Prometheus, The Conjuring, The Babadook, It Follows, The Witch, Train to Busan, Get Out, Hereditary, Us, and Midsommar.

I think you're missing a fair amount of options (and I wouldn't really consider Prometheus a horror, otherwise Alien Covenant would be one too). I would add A Quiet Place, The Gift, The Lighthouse, Halloween, IT Chapter 1, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Hush, and maybe Shutter Island/Life/Don't Breathe.

My favourite was easily Hereditary. Loved the slow burn. It had some of the most realistic and uncomfortable grieving scenes I've ever seen in film.

 

[aufheben]

Prometheus definitely had me horrified.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Ranking all the ones I've seen that were mentioned in the OP (bold for the ones I consider horror first and foremost):

Under the Skin
The Lighthouse
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
The VVitch
Hereditary
The Cabin In the Woods
Annihilation
The Babadook
It Follows
Train to Busan
Raw
Midsommar
Mandy
Suspiria
Get Out
Prometheus
Green Room
Under the Shadow
Sinister
The Wailing
It
The Woman in Black
The Crazies
Us
A Quiet Place
Alien: Covenant
Bird Box
The Cloverfield Paradox

 

[ghostnights]

Voted It Follows .

Green Room a close second

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Some of the remakes aren't bad at all. Evil Dead and Suspiria are both interesting. Interesting enough to at least justify their existence, which is something most can't say. Let Me In is surprisingly effective. The most recent Halloween reboot is completely and totally fine. For as memorable as Tim Curry is, the original It is trash so the remake almost wins by default, though in fairness, I haven't seen Part 2 yet. The bummer of a missed opportunity was Fright Night, which somehow managed to take a fun story, actually assemble an almost perfect cast to pull it off and then completely proceed to fumble it away.

I look at this decade and my big takeaway is some of this new generation and the fresh eyes and ideas (mostly) that they're bringing to the genre. Robert Eggers for sure. He's two-for-two in my mind. So is Jennifer Kent although her second movie, The Nightingale is more horrifying than horror. Ari Aster is undeniably talented. I'm not a fan of Midsommar at all, but I would not deny the guy has an eye and innate directorial senses. Jordan Peele is clever. Though I was lukewarm on Us, I appreciate the vision and execution.

Whereas I think the previous decade was defined by physicality and viscera, the last decade has felt more intellectual and thoughtful, which appeals more to me. Even though I think It Follows doesn't work, there's still a freshness to it. Mandy is another one whose parts don't totally equal a whole to me, but there isn't a moment in the movie that doesn't feel new to me. I like that.

I think a lot of it is just how much I've seen. I've seen way more horror movies from the 2010s than any other decade.

In a broader context I think there seemed to be a big movement for "arthouse" horror brought to the mainstream. A lot of A24 stuff and something like The Babadook, It Follows or Get Out that were critical darlings and were hyped up as being great movies and not just great horror movies.

Beyond that the 80s nostalgia renaissance was a big thing in horror, and being a huge fan of 80s horror, that worked really well for me.

There was also a big uptick in self-aware horror. I think when you're producing any kind of media a lot of it is riffing off of tropes we already know, so it's a natural extension for this type of horror movie to pick up a lot of steam. Scream is always seen as the granddaddy of this type of movie, but I think The Cabin in the Woods did so much to influence other movies of this nature as the decade went on.

Two great posts, and spot on. That I don't think it's an amazing decade for horror in terms of quality does not alter the fact that there's been indeed a shift back to more serious horror and that most of it is really refreshing and was absolutely needed. I think we're all greatful for the newcomers and that the Eli Roth/Rob Zombie direction is behind us.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Out of the options, I've seen The Cabin in the Woods, Prometheus, The Conjuring, The Babadook, It Follows, The Witch, Train to Busan, Get Out, Hereditary, Us, and Midsommar.

I think you're missing a fair amount of options (and I wouldn't really consider Prometheus a horror, otherwise Alien Covenant would be one too). I would add A Quiet Place, The Gift, The Lighthouse, Halloween, IT Chapter 1, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Hush, and maybe Shutter Island/Life/Don't Breathe.

My favourite was easily Hereditary. Loved the slow burn. It had some of the most realistic and uncomfortable grieving scenes I've ever seen in film.

If there's a film you want to vote for in the poll, I'll gladly add it. Otherwise, no need to put in more stuff that won't gather a single vote.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

I wasn't referring to remakes when I said it was a great decade for horror. I guess I was glad to just see more horror movies that got away from slasher movies or gory just to shock.
I thought The Wailing was not only great horror, but a great film, period.

Hereditary had a building sense of dread I've rarely felt during a movie, plus it has some amazing acting performances, even if it was flawed.

The VVitch was another one I really really enjoyed, love those slow burns.

Get Out felt like something new I hadn't seen before.

The Cabin in the Woods was some great horror-comedy.

Speaking of "horror"-comedy, I LOVED What We Do in the Shadows.

The Babadook was another good one when you realize what it's actually about.

It Follows had technical moments that were great (camera work, mainly) though the plot wasn't great.

Train to Busan was a decent one worth watching in an otherwise tired genre.

Under the Shadow I felt was similar to the Babadook (in a good sense) in that there's more going on than just some monster.

Green Room was yet another one I enjoyed.

It gave us a version that, while it didn't have Tim Curry, did allow us to watch Stephen King's story without having to see John Boy with a pony tail. That first version was damn near unwatchable with the exception of Tim Curry's amazingly hammy performance so in this case I'm glad we got a remake.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I have to recommend 2014’s “As Above, So Below”. A bit like the Descent, but in the catacombs and a lot more surreal. It was an absolutely horrifying concept and it delivered very well.

Midsommar and the Witch weren’t scary IMO. They were twisted and weird, but lacked majorly in the fright department.