Best Horror Films of 2016
My favourite horror films *released* in 2016 - films made in 2016 but released in 2017 appear on the 'Best Horror Films of 2017' list :)
The list is in a vague order, starting with the better ones.
Honourable mentions:
Pet, The Monster, Underworld: Blood Wars, Blair Witch.
The list is in a vague order, starting with the better ones.
Honourable mentions:
Pet, The Monster, Underworld: Blood Wars, Blair Witch.
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- DirectorYeon Sang-hoStarsGong YooJung Yu-miMa Dong-seokWhile a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan.Brilliant zombie horror from South Korea. All the thrills and spills of a Hollywood blockbuster combined with a really solid script. Better than the likes of World War Z, really good big-budget horror!
- DirectorRobert EggersStarsAnya Taylor-JoyRalph InesonKate DickieA family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.A very slow-burning psychological horror. If you're in the right frame of mind this is one hell of a good horror film. The ending is magnificent.
Released in the US in February 2016. - DirectorJames WanStarsVera FarmigaPatrick WilsonMadison WolfeEd and Lorraine Warren travel to North London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by a supernatural spirit.I'd say this is a little better than the first Conjuring film, and I thought that was a very solid horror flick in a sea of generic jump-scare fests. Definitely a cut above the majority of big-name horror films.
- DirectorKaryn KusamaStarsLogan Marshall-GreenEmayatzy CorinealdiMichiel HuismanWhen a man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, the unsettling past reopens old wounds and creates new tensions.One of my favourite horror films of 2016. It's more of a thriller than a traditional horror film, so don't go in expecting a slasher / ghost flick. Once things get moving, however, things do get quite nasty.
Released in the US in April 2016. - DirectorColm McCarthyStarsSennia NanuaFisayo AkinadeDominique TipperA scientist and a teacher living in a dystopian future embark on a journey of survival with a special young girl named Melanie.This was a pleasant surprise! A very good, thoughtful zombie film. Reminiscent of 28 Weeks Later, although less action orientated.
- DirectorFede AlvarezStarsStephen LangJane LevyDylan MinnetteHoping to walk away with a massive fortune, a trio of thieves break into the house of a blind man who isn't as helpless as he seems.More of a thriller than outright horror, but too nasty to fit in with the standard thrillers. Really tense viewing! Not perfect, but nothing is.
- DirectorBabak AnvariStarsNarges RashidiAvin ManshadiBobby NaderiAs a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war-torn Tehran of the 1980s, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home.Great psychological horror film from Iran! If you enjoyed The Babadook this will be right up your street, as the premise is quite similar. Some really creepy moments and a great third act.
I saw a dubbed version, it was passible but I'd recommend finding the original version with subtitles. - DirectorDan TrachtenbergStarsJohn GoodmanMary Elizabeth WinsteadJohn Gallagher Jr.A young woman is held in an underground bunker by a man who insists that a hostile event has left the surface of the Earth uninhabitable.I really enjoyed this. The mish-mash of genres may be an acquired taste, but I'd loved it due to its unpredictability and quirkiness. A combination of thriller, comedy, horror and sci-fi make for something really quite unique!
- DirectorAndré ØvredalStarsBrian CoxEmile HirschOphelia LovibondA father and son, both coroners, are pulled into a complex mystery while attempting to identify the cause of death of a young woman who was apparently harboring dark secrets.
- DirectorBilly O'BrienStarsMax RecordsChristopher LloydLaura FraserIn a small Midwestern town, a troubled teen with homicidal tendencies must hunt down and destroy a supernatural killer while keeping his own inner demons at bay.I'm sure this will pick up steam and become more well known over time, it's really well made and is pretty unique. Leans quite heavily on drama in the first half, but gets more into the horror as it progresses
- DirectorBen FranklinAnthony MeltonStarsAaron Thomas WardCorinna MarloweCharlie VenablesA bullied schoolboy takes drastic measures against his tormenter, summoning an ancient being in the woods using a spellbound book passed down through the generations of his family.Only a short, but well made and with a great "monster" design. Would love to see this get fleshed out into a feature-length, it could almost work as a horror version of A Monster Calls.
- DirectorNa Hong-jinStarsJun KunimuraHwang Jung-minKwak Do-wonSoon after a stranger arrives in a little village, a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman, drawn into the incident, is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter.It's a bit long, but this is another really well made South Korean thriller/horror film. Don't go in expecting a traditional gore-fest / slasher, it's not all that scary and there's no boogyman cutting everyone up. It's just a really good mystery thriller with a supernatural horror element.
- DirectorKasra FarahaniStarsJames CaanLogan MillerKeir GilchristA pair of mischievous high school kids create the illusion of a haunting on an unsuspecting elderly neighbor while keeping his every reaction under surveillance. A series of coincidences leads to tragedy.A solid thriller that kept me guessing. Fairly unique premise and well executed, well worth a watch.
- DirectorNicolas PesceStarsKika MagalhãesWill BrillOlivia BondIn their secluded farmhouse, a mother (a former surgeon) teaches her daughter, Francisca, anatomy, and how life and death are not to be feared. One afternoon, a mysterious visitor shatters the idyll of their family life, and deeply traumatises Francisca, but also awakens curiosities. Years later, Francisca clings to her increasingly distant father, but the trauma she sustained reawaken when her desire to connect with the world around her takes on a dark form.Not an easy watch; it's quite slow moving, but it leaves a strong impression. Don't expect much in the way of scares or gore, it's the situations that are horrific.
- DirectorSophia TakalStarsMackenzie DavisCaitlin FitzGeraldLawrence Michael LevineTwo women with differing degrees of success travel north from Los Angeles to Big Sur for a weekend vacation. Both see the trip as an opportunity to reconnect after years of competition and jealousy have driven a wedge between them.Psychological thriller. Very well made with great production values and superb acting.
The film is split into two distinct sections; the first half is absolutely brilliant with a constant mounting tension, while the second half is more sedate and feels a bit meandering - even though it does work very well with the first half in terms of character progression, it's just a bit too uneventful. Great end scene tho! - DirectorRichard Bates Jr.StarsAdrian GrenierAngela TrimburFionnula FlanaganWhen Owen is forced to confront the past he's been running from his whole adult life, he and his girlfriend, Isabel, become entangled in a horrifying web of lies, deceit and murder.A damn good film that's slightly flawed; the main guy is pretty unlikable and it's slow to get off the ground. That said, it's quite amusing in places, but it's the show-stealing performance by Fionnula Flanagan as the mother that's the reason to watch this. I really liked the ending, too!
- DirectorRod BlackhurstStarsLucy WaltersGina PiersantiAdam David ThompsonA young woman struggles to survive on her own in the wake of a mysterious epidemic that has killed much of society, and forced her deep into the unforgiving wilderness.Don't expect much action here - this is a slow-moving, character-driven drama that is set after a viral (zombie) outbreak. Excellent performances and a very believable depiction of what life would be like trying to survive a zombie infested world. If you liked The Road you'll probably dig this.
- DirectorJeremy SaulnierStarsAnton YelchinImogen PootsAlia ShawkatA punk rock band is forced to fight for survival after witnessing a murder at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar.Solid thriller involving a punk band trying to escape from a bunch of Neo-Nazi's. Most people loved it, but I thought it was just decent - it came off as pretty silly and unbelievable when it seems to be trying to be taken seriously. Patrick Stewart is the films standout, with a brilliant performance as the lead Nazi.
Released in the US in May 2016. - DirectorMike FlanaganStarsJohn Gallagher Jr.Kate SiegelMichael TruccoA deaf and mute writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.Although I didn't like it as much as everyone else seemed to (as far as home invasion films go, it's nothing new and is fairly formulaic) it's still a good thriller-horror flick. It's a shame the USP (a deaf women) didn't really add as much to spice up the formula as you might think it would.
- DirectorDavid F. SandbergStarsTeresa PalmerGabriel BatemanMaria BelloRebecca must unlock the terror behind her little brother's experiences that once tested her sanity, bringing her face to face with a supernatural spirit attached to their mother.What was a terrifying short film is now a decent, but slightly disappointing, feature-length. It's not a bad film by any means, but the ideas it has just don't seem to stretch to a full length film. It's worth a watch, but don't expect anything too amazing.
- DirectorMike FlanaganStarsKate BosworthThomas JaneJacob TremblayA couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams - and nightmares - manifest physically as he sleeps.
- DirectorJaume Collet-SerraStarsBlake LivelyÓscar JaenadaAngelo Josue Lozano CorzoA mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.Very well made, beautifully shot, superbly acted and with a neat premise that almost makes for a great film, but at the end of the day it's just good.
It's perhaps just a little too silly in places, but they've got to stretch the runtime out for a feature, and I'd rather have dumb stuff happen than nothing at all!
It's definitely worth a watch, just note that it gets a bit goofy by the end. - DirectorMarcus DunstanStarsJosh StewartBill EngvallAlexandra EssoeSet in Cutter Mississippi, the film follows a man who discovers the dark truth about his neighbor and the secrets he may be keeping in the cellar.An over the top horror-thriller that definitely gets the job done. Not amazingly memorable, but it's nice and nasty and a solid watch.
- DirectorJesse HollandAndy MittonStarsAnnette O'TooleClark FreemanJohn GloverMiles Grissom offers $30,000 to the first person who can prove to him that we go on after death.Very interesting low-budget drama-horror flick that definitely deserves a look. Engrossing and quite creepy in places.
- DirectorDamien PowerStarsAaron PedersenIan MeadowsHarriet DyerA couple's camping trip turns into a frightening ordeal when they stumble across the scene of a horrific crime.
- DirectorLuke ScottStarsKate MaraAnya Taylor-JoyRose LeslieA corporate risk-management consultant must decide whether or not to terminate an artificially created humanoid being.A decent slice of sci-fi horror. Worth a look!
- DirectorHenry JoostAriel SchulmanStarsSofia Black-D'EliaLio TiptonTravis TopeFollowing the outbreak of a virus that wipes out the majority of the human population, a young woman documents her family's new life in quarantine and tries to protect her infected sister.
- DirectorNicolas Winding RefnStarsElle FanningChristina HendricksKeanu ReevesAn aspiring model, Jesse, is new to Los Angeles. However, her beauty and youth, which generate intense fascination and jealousy within the fashion industry, may prove themselves sinister.Very nice to look at, but this film tends to lean a bit too far into style over substance for my liking.
Check out 2014's 'Starry Eyes' for a similar film with a bit more meat on its bones. - DirectorAnthony Scott BurnsKevin KölschNicholas McCarthyStarsMadeleine CoghlanSavannah KennickRick Peters'Holidays' is an anthology feature film that puts a uniquely dark and original spin on some of the most iconic and beloved holidays of all time by challenging our folklore, traditions and assumptions.Passible horror anthology. One segment is really good, the others not so much. It's ok.
- DirectorMike FlanaganStarsElizabeth ReaserLulu WilsonAnnalise BassoIn 1967 Los Angeles, a widowed mother and her daughters add a new stunt to bolster their seance scam business by inviting an evil presence into their home, not realizing how dangerous it is.Decent but extremely generic horror movie. Same old plot and characters that you've seen one hundred times before, as well as the usual box-ticking jump-scares and CGI screaming ghost faces. Might be worth a look as a last resort, or if you're in the mood for a shlocky horror flick! :)
- DirectorGregg BishopStarsChase WilliamsonHannah FiermanJustin WelbornA bachelor party becomes a savage fight for survival when the groomsmen unwittingly unleash a fabled predator upon the festivities.
- DirectorJason StutterStarsJed BrophyJeffrey ThomasLaura PetersenWhen a terrified family flees a desolate southern New Zealand farmhouse, two cynical scientists and a young psychic are sent to investigate their claims of a haunting. There they encounter a powerful spirit that will protect the house's secrets at all costs.Deserves a bit more than the current IMDB score, it's not that bad! A solid 6/10 for me. Have a look and give it some love :)
Released in April 2016 - DirectorDan PringleStarsEwen MacIntoshReece NoiDarren MorfittA kebab shop owner's son, Salah, turns vigilante after his father's death in an effort to clean up the relentless onslaught of boozed up thrill seekers waging war on his doorstep.
- DirectorAmat EscalanteStarsRuth RamosSimone BucioJesús MezaA couple in a troubled marriage locate a meteorite, initiating an encounter with a mysterious creature. Their lives are turned upside down by the discovery of the creature, which is a source of both pleasure and destruction.