If there’s one thing horror fans love, it’s going back to films they’ve already watched to see what they missed the first time around. Crafting a re-watchable scary movie is a tough feat to pull off for an incredibly competitive and often predictable genre, but year after year, certain writers, directors, and actors prove that it is possible to bring audiences back for more of the same scares.
The 2010s acted as a rebirth for horror, bringing audiences films that not only broke box office records, but earned Academy Awards,an extreme rarity for an often overlooked genre.Not only are scary movies a chance for stellar acting performances, but also for bringing important messages to the big screen. FromGet OuttoThe Conjuring, here are the most rewatchable horror films of the 2010s.
10’Us' (2019)
Directed by Jordan Peele
2019’sUsfollows a woman named Adelaide and her family of four as they head out for a nice beach vacation in California. Little does this family know, they are about to meet their evil doppelgängers who have come to kill them. The mystery deepens as viewers learn more about Adelaide’s mysterious disappearance from that same beach when she was a child. Will Adelaide and her family be able to figure out what these intruders want with them, and stay alive in the process?
Uswas writer and directorJordan Peele’s highly anticipated follow-up to his Academy Award-winning film,Get Out.The film is a visual treat, with incredible cinematography by Mike Gioulakisand a fun score byMichael Abels. With terrific acting performances by its entire cast,Usis a fantasticvisual representation that people are their own worst enemies.
Rent on Prime Video
9’A Quiet Place' (2018)
Directed by John Krasinski
When audiences meet the Abbott family, they are already living in a post-apocalyptic world caused by aliens that, although they are blind, will kill any living being that makes the smallest sound. The Abbotts have managed to survive through their use of sign language, a skill they’ve learned due to their daughter, Regan, being deaf.A Quiet Placebrings viewers along with the struggling family as they must deal with a new obstacle: mother Evelyn Abbott’s pregnancy.
While many scary flicks attempt touse silence as a tool,A Quiet Placetakes this to new level. Written, directed, and starringJohn Krasinski, the film was a triumph at the box office,grossing $340 million worldwide, and earning an Academy Award nomination for its achievement in sound editing.The acting performances by Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmons, Noah Jupe, and Cade Woodard are fantastic,and are what make spending time with the Abbott family, even in these life-or-death circumstances, such an enjoyable time.
A Quiet Place
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8’Halloween' (2018)
Directed by David Gordon Green
40 years after the events of the originalHalloweenfilm, Laurie Strode is forced to face her mortal enemy once again, as Michael Myers escapes from jail during a routine prison transfer. What the masked murderer might not realize, however, is how much Laurie has grown since his arrest, and how now, she might just be more dangerous to him than he is to her.
Director David Gordon Greenbreathed new life into theHalloweenfranchisewith his 2018 reboot, with fans flocking to theaters to see what was considered the only real sequel to the original film. WithJohn Carpenterreprising his role as composer,Halloweenis an inventive, and insanely fun, ride from start to finish.
7’Get Out' (2017)
Get Outtakes the often nerve-wracking idea of meeting a significant other’s parents and turns the volume up to eleven. The film follows Chris as he goes to meet his girlfriend Rose Armitage’s family, and slowly begins to realize that everything within the tight-knit Armitages might not be what it seems. When the family throws a party and Chris has an eerie interaction with one of the guests, it becomes clear that Chris really does need toGet Out.
Jordan Peele shocked audiences with his directorial debut,Get Out, as fans knew Peele from his sketch comedy show,Key and Peele.The film is an incredible feat for the horror genre, not only because ofits important underlying message,but also through its critical reception and for winning an Academy Award for “Best Screenplay.” Additionally, its wild plot twist has audiences revisiting the flick to see what they missed the first, second, or hundred time around.
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6’The Babadook' (2014)
Directed by Jennifer Kent
Scary stories mix with children’s literature inThe Babadook, a film that follows a grieving single mother named Amelia and her son Samuel after they receive a mysterious picture book. The book, which tells the story of “Mr. Babadook,” begins to wreak havoc on their lives, and it’s not long before the sleep-deprived Amelia struggles to figure out what is real, and what is a nightmare.
The Babadookhas a clear message for audiences, as it tacklesthe difficult topic of grief and single parenting.Because fighting inner demons is a universal struggle,even if the audience isn’t viewing it with the same life experiences as Amelia, they can still connect to her experience.This sense of relatability is rare in a genre where audiences are most likely not ever going to experience what the main character is going through, butThe Babadookmanages to bring this emotion through in its storytelling.
The Babadook
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5’The Conjuring' (2013)
Directed by James Wan
The Conjuringbrings horror fans the wonderful paranormal investigator couple, Ed and Lorraine Warren, as they are called to help the Perron family, who have recently moved into a home with evil spirits inside. While the Warrens are used to dealing with paranormal activity, this particular haunting wears heavily on Lorraine, who is unsure if she has the strength to save this suffering family.
The likability of Ed and Lorraine Warren is the secret sauce ofThe Conjuringfranchise, which has gone on to consist of three films and five spin-offs. More than that,a “based on a true story” horror is always enticing,as audiences leave not only spooked, but wondering if these supernatural happenings could happen to them.The Conjuringdoes what many horrors fail to do: give audiences heroes in Ed and Lorraine that viewers spend more time with after the final credits' roll.
The Conjuring
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4’Insidious' (2010)
Insidiousfollows the Lambert family after their son, Dalton, falls into a coma and is subsequently taken over by a demonic force. The Lamberts call in psychic Elise Rainer, alongside her paranormal investigators, Specs and Tucker. It’s not long before this investigation reveals that Dalton isn’t actually in a coma, but is dealing with something much more sinister. Now, the Lamberts are in a race against time as they attempt to find the key to bringing their son back to them.
Seasoned horror directorJames Wancreatedan incredible thrill ride withInsidious,a project so popular with audiences that it now has a total of five films within its cinematic universe.It’s the twists and turns within the movie that had audiences on the edge of their seats,and the screenplay bySaw’sLeigh Whannellhas layers that allow repeat viewings to uncover details that were missed in the first viewing.
WATCH ON NETFLIX
3’Midsommar' (2019)
Directed by Ari Aster
InMidsommar, a young woman named Dani suffers an incredible loss, all while on the brink of a breakup with her longtime boyfriend, Christian. When the two are invited to go to a summer solstice festival in Sweden that only occurs every ninety years; however, it’s not long before Dani and her friends realize that this seemingly peaceful gathering is much more sinister than it appears.
While writer and directorAri Astercould’ve simply madeMidsommarabout a creepy festival that leads to a couple realizing they’re not right for each other, it’s the added layer of Dani (Florence Pugh) grieving the loss of her entire family, that makes the film one to watch again and again. Audiences loved the hints of Dani’s grief hidden within the scenery of the film as well as the brilliant detail thatthe entire plot of the film is revealed in the opening shot. While the more graphically violent scenes of the film may not want to be revisited, it’s the amount of care that went into the film that fills it with meaning.
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2’The Cabin in the Woods' (2011)
Directed by Drew Goddard
When five friends arrive at the remote cabin they’ve chosen for their getaway, they have no idea that there are a group of mechanical engineers who are manipulating their stay. When one of the house guests unknowingly summons zombies to their location, the friends must fight to survive, all the while not knowing an audience is watching them.
The Cabin in the Woodsbrings the self-aware horror movie to a new level,with the victims being directly manipulated behind the scenes in the same way the writer and director of the film do.A satirization of age-old horror tropes,the movie doesn’t give away everything to the audience like they may initially assume. In fact, its final moments are still so unexpected in their reveal that it’ll have audiences restarting the film to see all the clues they missed the first time around.
The Cabin in the Woods
1’IT: Chapter One' (2017)
Directed by Andy Muschietti
Based on the belovedStephen Kingnovel of the same name,ITfollows a group of unlikely friends in Derry, Maine, as they attempt to battle Pennywise The Clown, a demon that appears every twenty-seven years and takes the form of whatever its victim fears the most. Almost more terrifying than this evil clown are the adults that reside in Derry, whose lack of compassion for the kids who live alongside them only brings more danger to their lives. As Pennywise’s power grows, it’s up to these seven middle schoolers to save themselves, and the rest of their town, from this ancient cycle.
Andy Muschietti’s brilliant adaptation ofITis the perfect combination of horror and heart, proven by fans likening it toStand By Me, another film inspired by King’s writing. What makesItsomething to revisit is its emotional maturity, a trait best captured in its incredible score byBenjamin Wallfisch; a musical composition that, without context, sounds as if its from a romance film.The love that the main characters possess for one another, matched with the universal relatability of facing life’s biggest fears, makesItan absolute triumph.The unmatchable performance ofBill Skarsgårdas Pennywise andthe film’s $704 milliongross at the box office, which made it the highest-grossing horror film of all time, is just icing on the creepy clown cake.
