While the film industry has been ravaged in 2020, the year has nonetheless seen many incredible releases in the horror genre. Here are the 10 best horror films of 2020.
2020 was certainly one of the most bizarre and harrowing years in recent memory, with the entire world dealing with the novel COVID-19 pandemic, massive shutdowns, and all their consequences. It was a year that shook the entertainment industry to the core, threatening theaters, disrupting premiere schedules and productions, and shifting massive industry power towards streaming services in unprecedented ways. With all the postponed premieres and shifting schedules, it is still a year with many films that would stand out in any year of recent memory. Notably,2020 has seen the premieres of some truly exceptional entries in the horror genre, ones that undoubtedly will be watched for years to come. Here are the 10 best horror films of 2020.10. The Platform (dir: Galdar Gaztelu-Urritia) The Platform is a 2019 Spanish horror-thriller that saw worldwide release in 2020 on Netflix NFLX. The film takes place in an extremely large vertical tower whose center is a platform that continually falls until it rises once again to the top. The tower is a self-managed prison of sorts—the platform is constantly filled with a considerable amount of food for the ‘prisoners’, two per floor. As it descends the pickings get more and more scarce, until those at the bottom suffer scraps. Residents are periodically switched to different floors, giving extraordinary luck to those at the top… and destitution to those at the bottom. It’s a smartly written, well executed film with strong social messaging that you’ll be thinking about for some time. An absolute must-see for fans of smart horror. The Platform is available on Netflix.9. The Mortuary Collection (dir: Ryan Spindell) Well executed horror anthologies are often some of the greatest fun you can have with a horror film. They provide a host of smaller, distinct horror films that allow a wide variance in theme, subgenre, and story—you get a lot for your time, and it’s a ton of fun. The Mortuary Collection is just that—the frame story sees a young woman respond to a Help Wanted posting for the local Raven’s End Mortuary. They proceed to tell each other stories about death, and it’s a great set of stories with a solid ending. This anthology is loads of fun and a solid love letter to horror storytelling. The Mortuary Collection is available on Shudder.8. The Dark and the Wicked (dir: Bryan Bertino) Two distant siblings come home to their family farm when they’re informed their father is gravely ill. Upon arrival, they discover the farm is beset by evil forces, forces that desperately want their father’s soul. The Dark and the Wicked is a bleak, suspenseful supernatural horror film—indeed one of the scariest supernatural horror films of all time and certainly in the running for the scariest film of the year.
