It’s the new year! Time to set a bunch of new year’s resolutions that involve over-ambitious movie watchlists! Luckily, we’re here to help you make headway on that goal because, honestly, what better way to kickstart 2024 than by settling in for a slew of the best horror movies on the likes of Netflix, Paramount Plus and Peacock.
Whatever you’re in the mood for there’s something on this list for you. This month’s selection accommodates all tastes with a ’90s sci-fi classic, recent hits from James Wan and Jordan Peele, and a handful of brand new flicks hitting horror streamer Shudder that you cannot afford to miss if you’re a genre fan.
Event Horizon (1997)
When: January 1
Where to stream it: Paramount Plus (US, UK), rent or buy (AU)
If Alien mastered the haunted house in space concept, then Event Horizon drenched that idea in blood and grue and dragged it across space and time. Paul WS Anderson’s late ’90s sci-fi horror is a magnificent exercise in over-the-top performances and stomach-churning grot. Set in 2047, the movie follows the crew of the rescue vessel Lewis and Clark, tasked with investigating long-lost starship Event Horizon when it mysteriously reappears.
While its plot resembles direct-to-video flimflam, this ensemble cast and its commitment to bloodshed make its cult classic status. Sam Neill steals the show as Dr. Weir, chewing all of the scenery and dispensing a trove of one-liners.
Malignant (2021)
When: January 1
Where to stream it: Netflix (US, UK), Foxtel Now (AU)
Taking a break from Aquaman movies, James Wan dives back into horror for a wacky body horror that feels plucked from the 2000s. Akela Cooper’s screenplay warrants acclaim for its ability to pull off a maelstrom of twists and wild setpieces all at the same time. Annabelle Wallis stars as Madison Mitchell, a woman whose life begins to untangle with the onset of visions chronicling the actions of a serial killer. Of course, nothing is as it seems, and before long Madison realizes she may be connected to the murderer. If you’ve not yet had the twist spoiled then read nothing else about this campy horror and savor the madcap revelations.
The Lodge (2020)
When: January 1
Where to stream it: Max (US), Netflix (UK), rent or buy (AU)
Snow-capped landscapes! Christmastime! A quaint holiday village! Don’t be fooled by the wintry components of this 2020 thriller – this isn’t a warm and fuzzy horror flick. The Lodge is an uncomfortable and deeply disturbing watch that revolves around a family who venture to a remote cabin for the holidays. When Richard (Richard Armitage) has to leave on a work commitment, he leaves his two children in the care of their stepmom Grace (Riley Keough) for the duration.
What follows is a twisted nightmare when a blizzard traps Grace and the children indoors, where it’s unclear who or what is happening. Don’t expect a happy ending but instead a journey into the abyss that concludes with a wild final act.
Destroy All Neighbors (2023)
When: January 12
Where to stream it: Shudder (UK, US, AU)
Cruise into 2024 with this wild, madcap horror comedy directed by Josh Forbes. Destroy All Neighbors conjures the early movies of Peter Jackson (think gross, gloopy FX) with a musical twist. William Brown (Jonah Ray Rodrigues) is a rocker whose mission in life is to craft a prog opus despite everyone in his life refusing to support his goals.
That includes his new neighbor from hell Vlad (an unrecognizable Alex Winters) whom he accidentally decapitates during a heated confrontation over the noise. William is then taunted by Vlad’s corpse who refuses to leave him in peace while trying to craft his masterpiece, which, honestly, fair?
The Passenger (2023)
When: January 15
Where to stream it: Shudder (UK, US, AU)
Are we in the era of Kyle Gallner? The indie actor continues to dominate horror with stand-out performances in recent pics Scream, Smile, Mother, May I? [I remember him in the phenomenal but under-watched Veronica Mars! – Ed] and now The Passenger in which he tackles the part of an unhinged fast food employee.
The critically-acclaimed film follows Gallner’s character Benson, who goes on a workplace rampage in an effort to support his co-worker Randy (Johnny Berchtold), but instead makes his life a living hell. Horror hounds will recognise director Carter Smith who helmed 2008 plant horror The Ruins, Jamie Marks is Dead and 2022’s Swallowed. Expect this one to be part of the social-media chatter when it drops mid-month.
Nope (2022)
When: January 18
Where to stream it: Peacock (US), Sky Cinema (UK), Netflix (AU)
Proof that lightning strikes thrice for Jordan Peele. The comic-turned-horror filmmaker delivers another winning entry into the genre canon with Nope. Despite its unabashed horror tropes, it carries a summer blockbuster aesthetic thanks to its locale; sunny Agua Dulce in California.
Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer play siblings Em and OJ Haywood, who inherit their family’s horse training business following the mysterious death of their father. The pair discover a mysterious object flying above their home which may be responsible. To say more would ruin one of last year’s most surprising and genuinely creepy horror movies. Watch and be amazed at the lengths Peele goes to to prove the villainy of its monster.
Suitable Flesh (2023)
When: January 26
Where to stream it: Shudder (UK, US, AU)
A Lovecraft adaptation that sheds light on one key factor most of the modern world has overlooked: Heather Graham deserves to be a bigger genre star. In this modern retelling of The Thing on The Doorstep, Graham tackles the lead role of psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby who becomes enveloped in the world of one of her patients Asa Waite (The Babysitter‘s Judah Lewis) who comes to her with a strange proposition: he believes his body is sporadically occupied by his father. Joe Lynch directs the hell out of this otherworldly premise that co-stars horror legend and Lovecraft stalwart Barbara Crampton.
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