The 20 best horror flicks of the 2010s

by Steve Newton on December 18th, 2020 at 11:16 AM

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The last decade of movies produced some truly memorable horrors.

Nothing approaching the true-life horrors of 2020, mind you.

But still, some pretty scary stuff.

Get Out (2017) "I've been reviewing horror movies professionally since 1988...and I can honestly say that [Get Out] is in my top 10 of all time."

The Cabin in the Woods (2012) “It’s the best horror flick ever made in Vancouver.”

Lili Sepe and Maika Monroe in It Follows.

It Follows (2015) “Every once in a while a low-budget indie fright flick comes along that makes everything on the major studios’ horror plate look like a pile of steaming crap.”

Hereditary (2018) "The wrath of Satan seems pretty tame compared to the suffering that damaged family members can inflict on one another."

A Quiet Place (2018) "...ultimately A Quiet Place emerges as an effective nightmare-maker for parents that is one of those rarest and most welcome commodities for fright-flick fans: horror with heart."

The Babadook (2014) "Forget Insidious and its ilk, The Babadook is where it's at for supernatural horror in the home."

Creep (2015) "Duplass's whacked-out performance keeps you fairly riveted to the screen, wondering what crazy s*** Josef's gonna pull next-and how the tormented Aaron will respond."

In Fear (2013) “A masterful example of lean ‘n’ mean outdoor nightmare-making that resonates with the same power of Wolf Creek, but without all the torture and gore.“

Frozen (2010) “Green avoids Hatchet‘s corny clichés and totally redeems himself with a harrowing portrait of humans at the mercy of the great outdoors.”

Don't Breathe (2016) "Don't Breathe is destined to battle it out with the likes of Green Room and 10 Cloverfield Lane for the title of Top Hollywood Fright Flick of 2016."

Evil Dead (2013) “In memory of beloved horror-booster Roger Ebert I’m gonna give it one hideously mangled tongues-up.”

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010) "An insidious supernatural force invades the peaceful home like ghostly termites, gnawing at universal comfort zones before Williams shocks you to the core with a cooking pot or some cupboard doors."

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) "...go into 10 Cloverfield Lane mostly blind and let its mysteries unfold like a long-lost, newly discovered Twilight Zone episode. Because that's kinda what it is."

Ryan Reynolds in Buried.

Buried (2010) “A gripping real-time experiment in close-quarters dread.”

Devil (2010) "The relatively unknown cast delivers solid performances all round, and director John Erick Dowdle keeps things interesting and well paced."

The Woman in Black (2012) “Creepy enough to recommend to long-suffering horror fans who are due for an old-fashioned respite from the gory, hyperactive shockfests of today.”

The Crazies (2010) "Activism-minded moviegoers will welcome the second coming of Romero’s cautionary tale, but they’ll have to sit through one hell of a nasty pitchfork scene to get the message."

Bel Deliá in The Tunnel.

The Tunnel (2011) "Director Carlo Ledesma and writers-editors Julian Harvey and Enzo Tedeschi make great use of the less-is-more approach. When scary shit happens, the terror sticks with you because you’re never shown enough to be certain of anything."

The Eclipse (2010) "With its leisurely pace, melancholy score, and low-key lead actor, The Eclipse is a curious supernatural drama that quietly lulls you into complacency. But just try holding onto your popcorn when its horrors are unleashed."

Green Room (2016) "Around this time the movie viciously transforms from a semi-hokey portrayal of a struggling punk band to a gritty survival-horror flick that keeps you transfixed till the bitter end, ladling on the tension and nasty violence, and offering up some of the most terrifying Rottweiler attack scenes since The Omen."