Best Horror Films of 2015
My favourite horror films *released* in 2015.
2015 was a pretty good year for horror films, following up a strong 2014, so there's quite a few that I'd recommend.
I've given every film on this list at least a 6/10.
List is in a vague order, starting with the best.
2015 was a pretty good year for horror films, following up a strong 2014, so there's quite a few that I'd recommend.
I've given every film on this list at least a 6/10.
List is in a vague order, starting with the best.
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- DirectorDavid Robert MitchellStarsMaika MonroeKeir GilchristOlivia LuccardiA young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.I daresay this will become a modern classic! Another film with a very simple premise that you wouldn't expect to be so scary, but damn, it works really, really well! I wasn't too keen on the end "confrontation" scene, it felt a bit too Hollywood and out of place with the rest of the film, but aside from that, top marks all around.
Released in the US in March 2015. - DirectorsJemaine ClementTaika WaititiStarsJemaine ClementTaika WaititiCori Gonzalez-MacuerViago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are struggling with the mundane aspects of modern life, like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts.Yeah, it's a comedy, but it really is absolutely brilliant! It's already garnered a huge cult following and is still finding new fans every week, this one's easily going down as a classic! Possibly the funniest horror movie ever made, at least funny enough to give Young Frankenstein a run for its money.
Released in the US in February 2015. - DirectorJoel EdgertonStarsJason BatemanRebecca HallJoel EdgertonA married couple, Simon and Robyn, run into Gordo, an old classmate. Things take a turn when Gordo begins to drop in unannounced at their house and inundates them with mysterious gifts.Another film that leans more toward thriller than traditional horror, but it's a damn good one! Great stalker film.
- DirectorsSeverin FialaVeronika FranzStarsLukas SchwarzElias SchwarzSusanne WuestTwin boys move to a new house with their mother after she has face-changing cosmetic surgery, but under the bandages is someone the boys don't recognize.Such a simple premise, but it works incredibly well. Although a bit slow, this one is genuinely creepy. Absolutely recommended if you don't mind a slow burner.
Released in the US in September 2015. - DirectorMichael DoughertyStarsAdam ScottToni ColletteDavid KoechnerA boy who has a bad Christmas accidentally summons a festive demon to his family home.A really cool throwback to the oddly "adult" family horror films of the 80's. Quite funny and some great practical effects make this easy to recommend!
- DirectorJason HowdenStarsMilo CawthorneJames Joshua BlakeKimberley CrossmanTwo teenage boys unwittingly summon an ancient evil entity known as The Blind One by delving into black magic while trying to escape their mundane lives.A real treat for gorehounds and fans of horror-comedies. Add extra points if you like (or are familiar with) metal music.
- DirectorM. Night ShyamalanStarsOlivia DeJongeEd OxenbouldDeanna DunaganTwo siblings become increasingly frightened by their grandparents' disturbing behavior while visiting them on vacation.Don't be put off by the director, this is a really good thriller / horror. Suspenseful and with a couple of really creepy scenes.
- DirectorsJustin BensonAaron MoorheadStarsLou Taylor PucciNadia HilkerFrancesco CarneluttiA young man in a personal tailspin flees from US to Italy, where he sparks up a romance with a woman harboring a dark, primordial secret.Something a little different. What starts out as a slightly po-faced holiday romance film turns in to something very unique. Not for everyone, but I really liked it.
Released in the US in March 2015. - DirectorPatrick BriceStarsMark DuplassPatrick BriceKatie AseltonA young videographer answers an online ad for a one-day job in a remote town to record the last messages of a dying man. When he notices the man's odd behavior, he starts to question his intentions.A very solid found-footage horror film. It's well written and has enough originality to avoid drowning in the sea of other, sub-standard found-footage films. Wonderfully unsettling.
- DirectorAdam MacDonaldStarsJeff RoopMissy PeregrymNicholas CampbellAn urban couple goes camping in the woods and find themselves lost in the territory of a predatory black bear.A damn good thriller / horror. No masked killers or ghosts here, just a couple lost in the woods trying to get a way from a huge bear. Really well made and incredibly tense in places.
- DirectorS. Craig ZahlerStarsKurt RussellPatrick WilsonMatthew FoxIn the Old West, a small-town sheriff and his rag-tag posse set out to rescue several townspeople from a brutal cave-dwelling, cannibalistic Indian tribe.The horror aspect is pretty tenuous, it's more of an offbeat western with a couple of nasty moments near the end. It's still a great film, regardless of genre.
- DirectorHenry HobsonStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerAbigail BreslinJoely RichardsonA teenage girl in the Midwest becomes infected by an outbreak of a disease that slowly turns the infected into cannibalistic zombies. During her transformation, her loving father stays by her side.Surprisingly good horror / drama starring The Guvernator, of all people! A slow-burner that is pretty engaging. Recommended.
- DirectorMarjane SatrapiStarsRyan ReynoldsGemma ArtertonAnna KendrickA likable guy pursues his office crush with help from his evil talking pets, but things turn sinister when she stands him up for a date.Really enjoyable black comedy / horror. The humour is dark enough to appeal to the horror crowd (the film is rated R) and comes with a good performance by Ryan Reynolds, too.
Released in the US in April 2015. - DirectorTed GeogheganStarsAndrew SensenigBarbara CramptonLarry FessendenIn the cold, wintery fields of New England, a lonely old house wakes up every thirty years - and demands a sacrifice.A good haunted house film. As with pretty much every ghost film there's the standard unfolding mystery, and although it's nothing original it's very well made and worth a watch if that's your bag.
- DirectorsMatt DufferRoss DufferStarsAlexander SkarsgårdAndrea RiseboroughEmily Alyn LindA family takes refuge in a bomb shelter to avoid a dangerous outbreak.A good post-apocalyptic thriller / horror film. Claustrophobic and with enough tension and mystery to keep you invested throughout.
- DirectorsTomm JacobsenMichael RousseletJon SalmonStarsAlec OwenBen GigliOlivia Taylor DudleyIn the wake of two back-to-back mass murders on Chico's frat row, loner Brent Chirino must infiltrate the ranks of a popular fraternity to investigate his twin brother's murder at the hands of the serial killer known as "Motherface."A really funny comedy-horror, I laughed out loud multiple times. It's low-budget but has a hell of a lot of heart. Fans of Troma will get a kick out of this, average movie-goers will probably think it's just cheap crap tho!
- DirectorCorin HardyStarsJoseph MawleBojana NovakovicMichael McElhattonA family who moved into a remote mill house in Ireland finds themselves in a fight for survival with demonic creatures living in the woods.A decent horror film that's elevated by some absolutely brilliant creatures designs that come into play later in the film. Make sure you watch until the end, it's definitely worth it!
- DirectorsAaron KeelingAustin KeelingStarsEmily GossTaylor BottlesCathy BarnettA psychological horror film about a young woman coping with an unwanted pregnancy after moving into a seemingly haunted house.A slow-burning haunted house flick that delivers enough chills to easily warrant recommending. A solid psychological ghost film.
- DirectorTodd Strauss-SchulsonStarsTaissa FarmigaMalin AkermanAdam DevineA young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s, finds herself pulled into the world of her mom's most famous movie. Reunited, the women must fight off the film's maniacal killer.Good comedy-horror with the same post-modern flavour as Scream, albeit more focussed on the laughs than the thrills.
- DirectorsGrant HarveySteven HobanBrett SullivanStarsWilliam ShatnerGeorge BuzaRob ArcherInterwoven stories that take place on Christmas Eve, as told by one festive radio host: A family brings home more than a Christmas tree, a student documentary becomes a living nightmare, a Christmas spirit terrorizes, Santa slays evil.A pretty good horror anthology set at christmas. An enjoyable performance by William Shatner and some very good practical creature effects make this worth a watch.
- DirectorPerry BlackshearStarsMacLeod AndrewsEvan DumouchelMargaret Ying DrakeSuspecting that people around him are turning into evil creatures, a troubled man questions whether to protect his only friend from an impending war, or from himself.Slow moving but I found it quite engaging. It kept me guessing and I really liked the premise. Something a little different.
- DirectorAdam LevinsStarsJoe CoenCraig ConwayJames CosmoA woman returns home to her estranged family after a near-fatal accident, but begins to suspect something is not right.Engrossing British mystery-thriller with some light horror elements. The IMDB rating seems a little low, different strokes for different folks I guess! I liked it, give it a go if you can find it.
- DirectorsRoxanne BenjaminMatt Bettinelli-OlpinDavid BrucknerStarsChad VillellaMatt Bettinelli-OlpinKristina PesicFive interlocking tales of terror follow the fates of a group of weary travellers who confront their worst nightmares - and darkest secrets - over one long night on a desolate stretch of desert highway.Anthology film with a hell-based theme. Not every segment is great, but the strong segments really deliver the goods!
- DirectorMiguel Ángel VivasStarsMatthew FoxJeffrey DonovanQuinn McColganAnd suddenly, overnight, the world came to a halt. Two men, two survivors, one kid, and hatred that separates them. A place forgotten by everyone, including the creatures that inhabit the Earth... until now.A well-made drama / horror about three people trying to get by after an apocalyptic event. The production values are a lot more impressive than the awful cover art would have you believe - so don't be put off!
- DirectorBrian O'MalleyStarsLiam CunninghamPollyanna McIntoshBryan LarkinHeld in a remote police station, a mysterious stranger takes over the minds and souls of everyone inside.Good thriller / horror / mystery. It's well made and I found the mystery aspect very engaging. Easily recommended.
Released in Ireland in June 2015.
