Mark O. Estes’ Top 10 Movies Of 2024

It is almost the end of the year, which means it’s time to reflect on the horror movies bestowed upon us throughout 2024. To be honest, not much tickled this gay horror Blerd fancy this year. Throw in unforeseen personal circumstances, overhype, and the ultimate villain (which is time), and the list you are about to read may throw many a fan off. However, that’s okay with me. I usually wait until January to drop a best-of list of stuff, but 2024 has said screw tradition. So, I’m just going with the flow. Anywho here is my Top 10 Horror of 2024 (subject to change at the flash of some fangs):

10. The Coffee Table

I just found out about Caye Casas’ The Coffee Table last month and didn’t do any research on it. I went in blind with the thought the movie was gonna be about a demonic coffee table. However, I was met with a gag-worthy story (on so many levels of gaggery) that still haunts me as I type this. I’m sending Sharai my therapy and wine bills after digesting this movie.

9. Late Night With The Devil

Another movie I was looking forward to mainly because it is horror and my horror crush David Dastmalchian was starring in it. I also love a good found-footage film that takes place on Halloween night. All those ingredients came together and left no crumbs. Yum, yum, gimme more!

8. The First Omen

Just like Smile 2, I didn’t expect much with The First Omen. However, like that sequel, this prequel of The Omen franchise was right on time and delivered the goods. In an age where body autonomy is under attack under the guise of the greater good, I implore people to watch this movie and see how timely it is now.

7. Mr. Crocket

Based on his Huluween short of the same name, Brandon Espy gave us a new Black horror villain in Mr. Crocket. A demonic entity that snatches kids into his nightmarish Mister Rogers world and kills their parents in the process. This movie was released the same weekend as Terrifier 3 hit theaters, so most people didn’t experience it. Which is why I’m giving it much love here. We need more Black horror icons now that we lost Tony Todd, and hopefully, more eyeballs find Mr. Crocket.

6. Milk & Serial

Talk about a left-field surprise. Milk & Serial is the prime example of what you can do with a great story, word of mouth, and a small fanbase. The movie isn’t long and still managed to shock and awe where most big studio theatrical and direct-to-streaming films wished they could’ve had such an effect.

5. Alien: Romulus

To be honest, this was the horror film I was looking forward to the most this year outside of Abigail. And boy did it deliver! Fede Alvarez did what needed to be done for the Alien saga, just as he did with the Evil Dead franchise. Alvarez managed to give us a fresh spin on the Xenomorph while also setting the stage for more films set during the time of Ellen Ripley without having to rely on said character. More stand-alone films within this universe, please, and thank you!

4. Smile 2

Smile was a fun time, but I didn’t see the point of the second movie. So, when a sequel was announced, I was not in a rush to see it in 2024. However, when the word-of-mouth machine started, I decided to take a gander to see if this sequel was another victim of the Hype Syndrome. I am happy to say that it is not, and it passed the vibe check and then some. 

3. A Quiet Place: Day One

This movie prompted me to watch the first two entries in this franchise. While those movies are top-tier in their own right, I could’ve gone into this one without seeing them and still be pleasantly surprised. Lupita Nyong’o is That Horror Girl, and she shines bright like a diamond in this bleak landscape. 

2. In A Violent Nature

While most people felt In a Violent Nature was a boring stroll in the woods, I beg to differ and not just for the kills. The movie still had something fresh that made you want to see how things played out after the carnage started. Then you’re hit with the last ten or fifteen minutes of the film, which serves up enough tension to make you pray for it to be over only because you (sort of) want the bloodshed to end. And the final frames are reminiscent of the closing moments of John Carpenter’s Halloween. All in all, it’s a great 2024 film.

1. Abigail

Monster High for the gore fans. Abigail was a fun ride, a breath of fresh air, and another win for Radio Silence, especially after the Scream debacle (that they didn’t have anything to do with). Dracula’s daughter gave M3GAN a run for her money, and I pray we get another outing with her.

Check out Mark O. Estes’ last article and be on the lookout for his next column early next year.