Netflix and chills – stream and scream with these great horror movies.
Hi There! Welcome to TechRadar’s guide to all of the best horror films you can stream on Netflix, Amazon or Hulu in the US.
For one reason or another, people just love scaring themselves senseless with horror movies. There’s not really any other genre that can evoke the same raw emotion that a well-crafted horror movie can, and the best horror movies are likely to stick in your head for weeks (or even months) on end.
After traversing our nightmares from years of horror film consumption, we’ ve compiled a list of the best horror movies you can stream from the comfort and supposed safety of your own home.
Now, sit down and prepare yourself while you still can; we’ re diving right into the best horror movies available to stream today.
Roman Polanski’s horror classic
With the exception of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Rosemary’s Baby is likely one of the most iconic horror movies of its time. Roman Polanski’s unrelentingly dark story of an expecting mother and the evil that befalls her is a classic by any measure, even earning a prestigious spot in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress. If you’ ve never seen Polanski’s terrifying film, it sinks into deep and dark territory that is still unsettling even 50 years after its initial release.
(Chest) bursting with fun
Directed by the peerless Ridley Scott, Alien remains a landmark of both horror and science fiction. The story of the hapless crew of the spaceship known as the Nostromo, led by Sigourney Weaver’s iconic Ripley, and their run-in with a vicious alien stowaway is still a ruthlessly exhilarating thrill ride from start to finish. While the later films in the Alien franchise took a different route and flip-flopped on their genres, the original from 1979 still stands as a perfectly executed monument in horror cinema with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Don’ t let it in
The Babadook takes the cheap jump scares and loud violins of horror’s past and replaces them with a subtle and chilling story of a troubled mother and her relationship with her son. Revolving around a creepy children’s book, the plot weaves together a traditional horror story with a down-to-Earth look at grief, loss and other psychological issues with great expertise. The final product is a film unlike any other on this list and is absolutely essential viewing for anyone who cares about horror movies.
Sharp knife, sharper satire
Much like Joss Whedon’s recent film Cabin in the Woods, Scream is a razor sharp satire of the norms we have come to expect in the horror (more specifically slasher) movies. Even beyond the commentary however is an intriguing “whodunit” mystery that quickly turns into genuine horror. The late legendary director Wes Craven helms this instant classic and helps make it the intelligent and downright horrifying Halloween night benchmark that it is.
“You’ re gonna need a bigger boat”
Steven Spielberg’s breakout hit famously created a nationwide paranoia of swimming in the ocean in the summer of 1975 and still sticks in our mind every time we go for a dip. While limitations of the time kept the shark itself from being a realistic horror to behold, Spielberg wisely kept the beast hidden for most of the runtime, ramping up the suspense to an almost unbearable level. While we wouldn’ t classify this film as a horror movie first and foremost, it’s undeniable that Jaws has horrified viewers for over 40 years.
Scared to close my eyes, scared to open them
The mother of modern found footage horror films is still the one that did it best. The Blair Witch Project is a cheaply made flick that details three film students who’ re looking to investigate an urban legend known as the Blair Witch. They vanished into the woods and never came back. A year later, the footage is found (hence the name “found footage”) and the horror that waylaid them is shown for all to see.
The Blair Witch Project works so well because of its gimmicky shooting style. The found footage element give it a sense of realism that is often missing from horror flicks. This is a legendary cult horror film and should be viewed by anyone who cares about the genre.
Evil takes many forms
The Witch is…not like any other horror film you’ ll see. Robert Eggers’ tale of a family in 1630 New England is a subtle yet deeply traumatizing spiritual thriller that takes all sorts of unexpected turns.
The story is of a devout Christian family who is befallen with all sorts of evil, which causes them to turn on each other and reveal a brand new evil altogether. While it isn’ t a wholly accurate reflection of America’s Puritan past, it’s a dark and haunting art film that is unlike anything you’ ve ever seen.
If you go outside you’ re entering a world of pain
Although the Cloverfield name is attached, don’ t be fooled — it’s barely related to the first monster flick. Instead, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a dark and sinister thriller that keeps you wondering which side you’ re on for much of its runtime. Anchored by solid performances from its small cast, 10 Cloverfield Lane is deeply unsettling and will rattle around in your brain for hours on end long after the credits have rolled, even if it doesn’ t fit perfectly into the generic horror movie genre.
Tiptoe through the tulips…
James Wan is quickly becoming the best horror director around, continuously delivering frightening and unique films in a genre that’s become plagued with generic copycats. (Spoiler alert: this isn’ t the last time you’ ll see Wan on this list.) Insidious could have been a throwaway film in lesser hands, being yet another film about a family who moves into a mysterious home and things began to go awry. With a great cast and an even better director however, the tried and true horror tropes feel fresh, at least for the first two acts. While this isn’ t Wan’s best film, it’s a brilliantly made horror film that does all the old tricks right.
Going down
If you’ re afraid of tight spaces and the walls closing in around you, this is the horror film for you. Director Neil Marshall, helmer of the upcoming Hellboy reboot, delivers a horror film that’s stuffed with jump scares and cliches, but remains a terrifying experience that literally takes your breath away. If the premise of trapped cave divers and horrible creatures in the dark is scary to you, just wait until you’ ve sat through it.
“We’ ve had a doozy of a day”
The most fun film on this list by a country mile has to be Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. The film begins on solid ground by casting two of the funniest, and sadly underrated actors working today: Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk. Pepper in an insane premise where these innocent and lovable hillbillies are mistaken for chain-saw wielding maniacs and you’ ve got a blood-ridden good time. If blood and guts aren’ t a dealbreaker for you, throw this one on with some friends and get ready for a great time.
Kurt Russell at his best
Sadly, Bone Tomahawk was almost wholly overlooked by the general moviegoing audience. For those who missed out, Kurt Russell leads a stellar cast in a film about the collision of a classic cowboy sheriff and a gang of vicious cannibals. The end result is a brilliant marriage of the western and horror genre’s that plays to the strengths of both. While it’s not a perfect film, Kurt Russell and his supporting cast are all perfect in it. Although it’s a bit longer than your standard horror flick, Bone Tomahawk is well worth the investment.
“Heeere’s Johnny!”
When Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick are both in a film’s credits, you know you’ re in for a treat. And while King hasn’ t been shy about his disdain for this “unfaithful adaptation, ” there’s no one that knows film like Kubrick. Although its immortalized by the infamous axe scene in the image above, the entire film is comprised of a tight script, suspenseful direction, and a brilliant performance by Jack Nicholson as the increasingly terrifying Jack Torrence. Stephen King may not have liked this one, but we sure love it.
Best enjoyed with fava beans and a nice chianti
Silence of the Lambs virtually wrote the playbook on psychological thrillers. This Academy Award-winning adaptation of the novel of the same name is propelled by characters as timeless as film itself.
