Even though many people might not suspect this, horror films are a staple of cinematography. They have many advantages over other genres. For one, they're easy to understand across different cultures since everybody knows what it's like to be afraid. And from a more practical point of view, horrors often don't cost a lot of money and make much more in the cinemas.
Just like any year, the year 2020 was also rich in regards to the number of new horror films. Some of them then deserve more attention than others, either thanks to their story, acting performances, or overall quality.
10 The New Mutants
The New Mutants had a long and complicated road. Its premiere got postponed multiple times, and not just because of the covid-19 pandemic. And when it finally arrived, it wasn't as successful as its creators might have wished for.
Nevertheless, it's still worth watching because it has intriguing characters, frightening settings, and it's one of the few superhero horrors that exist. Plus, superhero films rarely ever portray LGBTQ+ relationships in a convincing way, which makes the film even more unique.
9 Books Of Blood
Even though it has a lower rating on film databases than most films on this list, Books of Blood still deserves the audience's attention. At least of those who like the source material on which the film is based, Clive Barker's work. The film contains three horror stories, each of which focuses on a different topic. That means that even if the viewer doesn't like one of the stories, they don't have to wait that long for another one to start.
8 Underwater
Underwater might not have been such a hit as many people hoped but as far as water-themed horrors are concerned, the last year didn't give horror fans much more material to work with. With a star-studded cast (Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassell, and others), the film offers more than one scene in which nobody would want to be in the characters' shoes. The film will be also an intense experience for all people who are afraid of water, dark, and depths (or all of these combined).
7 Freaky
A combination of the horror genre and comedy is still somewhat rare and not everyone is willing to accept it. However, when it works, it can be both frightening and hilarious. Freaky plays more on the funny side but it does have a few fear-inducing scenes.
The best part about the film is its story, though. The main heroine, a shy high school student, switches her body with a serial killer and she only has a limited time to figure out how to reverse the change.
6 Possessor
Losing control over one's body because someone else inhabits it is the stuff of nightmares for many people. And this film shows it's a justifiable concern - at least in the world of science fiction horror. Director Brandon Cronenberg proves that he inherited his father's talent to create disturbing stories that will make the audience think. What makes the film even more worth watching is its strong cast. It stars Sean Bean, Andrea Riseborough, or Jennifer Jason Leigh, to name just a few.
5 The Hunt
A story about a group of evil hunted by someone - or something - isn't brand new in the world of film. Despite that, The Hunt still manages to capture the audience's attention and keep it to the very end. Funnily enough, the film does a clever trick similar to Alfred Hitchcock's iconic Psycho. Even the characters portrayed by the most famous actors of the cast don't have to survive for long. That, as well as the almost detective story, keeps the viewers invested.
4 Bloody Hell
This Australian and American co-production piece is another horror that manages to combine multiple genres - comedy included. Its main hero, Rex, is actually far from heroic. He was in prison because even though it wasn't entirely his fault, a woman died because of him.
When he gets released, he travels to Finland and faces an unexpected danger there. Taking the story to a different country made the story different from a lot of horrors and Ben O'Toole gives an excellent performance as Rex.
3 Run
Good horror doesn't always need a lot of locations and a complex story. Sometimes it's enough when it focuses on complex relationships between people. In this case, a young girl Chloe who's home-schooled begins to suspect there's something seriously wrong with her mother. Both Kiera Allen (Chloe) and Sarah Paulson as her mother Diane give excellent performances. Plus, Paulson already has a strong experience with horror as she starred in the iconic TV series American Horror Story.
2 The Invisible Man
Monster movies often end up as one of the most popular ones. In this case, the Invisible Man gets a new face. This time, the story focuses more on Elizabeth Moss' Cecilia who realizes that her boyfriend Adrian is a psychopath and decides to leave him. Unfortunately, even though it looks like Adrian is dead, Cecilia soon realizes it's not the case. Elizabeth Moss gives one of the best acting performances of her career and the film manages to effortlessly combine both horror and drama.
1 The Call
South Korea often makes wonderful horror movies that are even more frightening than American films. The Call is no exception to this rule. It tells the story of two people who live in different times. At least until a phone call creates a connection between them. In a romantic movie, this could be the start of their romance, but in this case, the result will be much more frightening. The film is available on Netflix for everybody who would like to watch it.