The 15 Best Horror Movies Available on Shudder
Halloween is approaching—the perfect time to watch horror movies. I’ve dug up 15 of the scariest, weirdest, creepiest, and funniest movies from Shudder, the horror-only streaming service. I’m skipping the obvious choices like Psycho and Halloween —if you’re a Shudder subscriber, you’ve probably seen all those “classics” at least twice—and focusing on films guaranteed to make you squint, laugh out loud, or exclaim, “What the hell is that ?”
Dark Song (2016)
If you enjoy intelligent, unhurried horror, watch Dark Song . Like its characters, this debut film from director Liam Gavin explores themes rarely explored in cinema. Sophia is a grieving mother whose longing for her murdered child drives her to hire Joseph, a self-proclaimed occultist, to attempt to bring him back through a mysterious ritual. Locked together in a house for months, they undergo a series of grueling rituals that become increasingly horrific.
Mads (2024)
“Mads” seems dangerous . This deranged nightmare film tells the story of a group of French teenagers whose inhalation of a drug turns them into bloodthirsty killers. Or perhaps they are infected, and the armed groups hunting them are trying to prevent the end of the world. Or perhaps all this chaos is a figment of their drug-addled imaginations. Either way, the story unfolds in a single, deranged frame that only gets more deranged as the world derails.
Crazy Family (1985)
If you’re looking for something little-known but unforgettable, watch “Crazy Family.” Until recently, this Japanese horror/comedy was virtually unknown in the United States: after a limited theatrical release in the mid-1980s, this gritty and dark family comedy has never been released in any format. But it’s a great film. The social subtext in this story of a family falling apart after achieving material prosperity was perhaps more acutely felt in 1980s Japan, but it’s still a hilarious and chilling family portrait unlike anything else.
Oddity (2024)
Unlike some films on this list, “Strange” doesn’t try to reinvent the horror wheel. It’s a good, old-fashioned gothic ghost story about a blind psychic searching for her sister’s killer. “Strange” is full of creepy characters, unexpected plot twists, and a palpable sense of dread that almost suffocates you until it explodes at the end. It may not be the most original film, but the clever script, confident acting, and precise direction in “Strange ” create a wonderful, slightly creepy, yet terrifying film.
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
This is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in the last decade. “Late Night with the Devil” is a contender for the final broadcast of the 1970s late-night talk show “Night Owls with Jack Delroy .” To win his never-ending ratings war with Johnny Carson, Delroy invites a possessed girl to his Halloween show. She turns out to be a terrifying guest. The innovative found-footage concept, meticulous attention to period detail, and top-notch performances (especially David Dastmalchian in the title role) make “Late Night with the Devil” a must-see horror film.
Irreversibility (2003)
Gaspar Noé’s harrowing masterpiece of provocateur cinema , Irreversible, is the scariest film on this list, and perhaps the scariest film ever made. It’s not scary for entertainment—there’s nothing funny about Irreversible —it’s scary because its violence feels real . We’ve all seen countless brutal crimes in movies and on TV, but the atrocities in Irreversible evoke the sickening, devastating, and insane feeling that must be felt by someone who has truly suffered. Don’t put it on for a Halloween party, but if you’re looking for a truly dark place, Irreversible will take you there and make you regret ever going.
Grabbers (2013)
“Grips” is the polar opposite of “Irreversible .” The film grips from first frame to last, serving as a simultaneously hilarious and terrifying tribute to monster movies, the soul of Ireland, and the power of positive alcohol consumption. When sticky, bloodthirsty, tentacled monsters invade a remote Irish village, the townspeople learn the only way to escape capture and consumption is to poison their blood with alcohol. So everyone locks themselves in the local establishments to get thoroughly drunk, while the “Grips” congregate outside. Good horror comedies are a nearly impossible tonal trick, but “Grips” effortlessly balances the horrific and the funny.
The House of the Devil (2009)
Set around 1983, The House of the Devil might be mistaken for a film from the early ’80s. Ti West’s first feature film has a classic premise: college student Samantha gets a job as a nanny in a remote country house, and the strange people who hired her reveal they don’t have a child, but the mother is asleep upstairs and can’t be disturbed. From there, the tension and dread gradually build. It’s a masterclass in horror pacing and atmosphere that’s not to be missed.
Slaxx (2021)
With so many horror films like “Deathbed: The Bed That Eats,” it’s easy to believe someone would make a horror film about a pair of possessed jeans, but the fact that Slaxx is actually good is a huge surprise. This comedy horror, which satirizes the fashion industry, modern employment, and horror films themselves, stands out from the “Attack of the Killer, Some Killer” genre by being both witty and terrifying.
Dark Forests and Enchanted Days: A History of Folk Horror (2021)
If you’re the kind of person who takes horror seriously, you’ll love Woodlands Dark & Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror . This meticulously researched three-and-a-half-hour documentary delves deep into the world of horror, exploring rural settings, paganism, and the clash of ancient and modern beliefs. It’s the kind of film that will make horror fans take out their notebooks: whether you’re a fan of Midsommar , The Wicker Man (original only), and/or The Witch , Woodlands Dark will introduce you to dozens of films that inspired them.
Frankie Freako (2024)
Making self-deprecating, prissy parodies is no easy task, but Frankie Freako pulls it off perfectly. Reminiscent of 1980s films like Gremlins, Ghoulies, and Critters , the film tells the story of a nerdy gentleman who invites a gang of “freaks” into his life, with disastrous consequences. Filled with inventive and tacky practical effects, a hilarious script, and superb performances, this nostalgic film is definitely worth a watch.
In the Cruel Nature (2024)
If you’ve ever heard of horror films, the plot of In the Cruel Nature will be familiar: a masked madman murders a group of teenagers in the woods in horrific, inventive ways. But In the Cruel Nature flips the genre on its head by telling the story entirely from the killer’s perspective. It’s not exactly a horror film—slashers don’t exactly evoke the most terrifying terror; what’s there to fear?—but it’s a gripping and hypnotic film, earning extra points for featuring one of the most horrific and original murders ever filmed. (If you’ve seen it, you know what I’m talking about.)
Dog Warriors (2002)
If The Howling and Evil Dead had a child, it would be Dog Soldiers . When a squad of hapless British soldiers finds themselves trapped in a remote cabin by a pack of bloodthirsty werewolves during training in the Scottish Highlands, everything spirals out of control. Dog Soldiers combines claustrophobic survival horror, dry British humor, and just enough plot to keep you guessing, resulting in a beloved film for action and horror fans of all time.
V/H/S: Halloween (2025)
The eighth (!) film in the V/H/S franchise is arguably the best. A collection of six found-footage shorts loosely united by a Halloween theme, V/H/S feels like a talented group of directors were given free rein to film their most perverse scenes. The tone shifts wildly from short to short, from the comedic horror of Casper Kelly’s “Fun Size” to the grueling and dark “KidPrint” by Alex Ross Perry, but the quality is consistently high, making V/H/S “Halloween” a cut above most anthologies.
Rare Export Products (2010)
October won’t last forever, so Rare Exports can be considered a bridge between Halloween and Christmas. In it, a mining company unearths an ancient frozen corpse from beneath the ice in Northern Finland, but upon thawing it, they discover it’s neither dead nor human. It’s an elf, and he brings death instead of toys, especially when he discovers the mining company is also defrosting his terrifying boss: Santa.