Another year just flew by, and I watched a hell of a lot of movies. Mostly horror, of course, with a splattering of action and an occasional comedy. What does that mean for you? Well, I have another list of movies- My top 10 horror movies of the year. This list was actually tricky to compile, but I think I’ve got a great variety, and they’re what I enjoyed most.
10. V/H/S/Halloween
One of my favorite franchises, V/H/S, brought me the best Halloween present this year: V/H/S/Halloween. The anthology was another great addition to the franchise, and I especially liked the segments directed by Paco Plaza and Anna Zlokovic.
9. Black Phone 2
I liked the original, so of course I had to watch the sequel. Each was great in its own right. However, Black Phone 2 kicked the scary up a notch, and I enjoyed the extra frights. The Grabber is back, and he is even stronger now in death. Gwen is dreaming of the past, and Finn is getting phone calls. How do you fight a ghost?
8. Companion
A weekend getaway devolves into chaos when plans don’t go the way they should. First of all, Harvey Guillén is present, and it’s all you really need to know. But I guess you should know that I walked into this movie without watching the trailer, and I had a hell of a great time.
7. Queens of the Dead
On the night of a huge warehouse party in Brooklyn, a zombie apocalypse breaks out and ruins the show. Zombies and drag queens, that’s all I needed to hear. The makeup, costumes, characters, and coolest-looking zombies had me glued to the screen. I wish I had been able to catch this on a big screen, but I did rent it a couple of times already, and it’s on Shudder this Friday, December 19th!
6. The Long Walk
How long have we known of this Stephen King movie adaptation? We were waiting a long time. The rules are simple. Fifty young men must keep walking at a predetermined pace until only one man remains. Oh yes, they are executed if they can’t keep up or stop. This takes place in a dystopian alternate America, so at least they get warnings.
5. Fréwaka
I love being terrified, and Fréwaka is full of that strange, uneasy, and ominous energy we love so much. Heavy on folklore and rich with Irish traditions, oral history, themes of intergenerational trauma and violence, traditional gender roles, and mental health stigma. I could not escape the film’s mood, and I was genuinely frightened. This should be higher on my list, but I am more of a slasher and action fan.
4. Heart Eyes
This was an easy choice for me. Josh Ruben directs Heart Eyes, and I am a big fan. He gave us this slasher rom-com full of fun kills, and I was surprised by how much I had such a great time. I am certainly not going to the movies for romance, but a Valentine’s slasher was precisely what my cold heart needed.
3. Predator: Badlands
I am going to watch every Predator or Alien franchise film. I went in with my expectations low, just in case. It was interesting to follow from the predator’s (Yautja) point of view. The planet, the monsters, and the battles were made for the fans, and I loved it.
2. Bring Her Back
Bring Her Back is on my list for scaring the shit out of me several times. I love being scared! A brother and sister lose their father and move in with a foster mother, hiding a terrible secret. I love secrets, and this one is frightening.
1. Sinners
Sinners was set in stone as my number one film of the year as soon as the credits started to roll. What more can be said? I loved the music, the characters, the vampires, everything was exciting. Ryan Coogler delivered the year’s most incredible cinematic experience. Best of all, Wunmi Mosaku graces the screen.
So, there we have it, my top 10 horror movies of 2025. Although I thought the competition was brief, I wound up with a great list. I am already excited for the new year and new movies.
