ARKTOBER ARTICLE - SUNSHINE's Top 20 Horror Movies You Probably Haven't Seen (UPDATED, 2020)

Another year has come and gone and we are back to ARKTOBER, so bring on the horror movies! Every year I like to shout out some of my favorite genre’s hidden gems, so below is my annual article, updated with some new quality flicks. Enjoy 2020’s 20 Best Horror Movies You Probably haven’t seen! 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Not because you can finally get your pumpkin-spiced everything that you’ve been waiting for. Not because the leaves are starting to change to beautiful colors. Tis’ the season of Halloween, bringing with it the annual bingeing of horror flicks, but great horror movies can be hard to find. So I took it upon myself to find some solid horror flicks that you probably haven’t seen (less than 50,000 ratings on IMDB). So let’s get to it. 

20. Apostle (2018) - 41,560

Slow burn, Folk-horror, with a side of cultish surrealism. Gareth Evans gives us a twisted and bizarre fairy tale with a splash of gore. Let us not forget the wonderful performances of Dan Stevens and Michael Sheen. This Netflix Original is certainly worth your attention. 

19. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) - 42,746 

Yes, there is a lot of hate for this movie but poor marketing and no Michael Myers upset fans of the franchise and for good reason. However, as a stand alone movie, Season of the Witch provides us with an outlandish story, deranged imagery, and a clever critique of corporate America. 

18. Under the Shadow (2016) - 23,234

This is one of the coolest ghost stories seen in recent memory.  It’s an intimate horror that feeds on the fears of shame and inadequacy, set up against an interesting backdrop and layered with strong performances and deep social commentary.  

17. The Devil’s Candy (2015) 16,755

This isn’t a flick that is likely to give you nightmares or stick with you long after you’ve finished watching but it is a lot of fun and does have a few moments guaranteed to make you feel uncomfortable. It’s a short and stylish homage to occult films and adds another strong film to Byrne’s resume. 

16. Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006) - 21,431

 Filled with wit and charm, Behind the Mask perfectly deconstructs the slasher genre which the creators clearly love. It is incredibly intelligent and has plenty of horror elements that will make genre fans pleased. 

15. Peeping Tom (1960) - 30.564

 If you are wondering where the cliche of watching victims from the killer’s point of view comes from, look no further. Peeping Tom barely beats out Psycho as the first slasher movie ever and it totally warrants the watch. 

14. A Horrible Way To Die (2010) - 3,358

Here is a stripped-down thriller that relies on storytelling rather than effects and it flat out delivers. Adam Wingard knows what he is doing behind the camera and when he pairs up with writer, Simon Barrett, it turns to go well. 

13. Eyes Without A Face (1960) - 26,745

This chilling fairy tale of guilt and obsession, that made audiences faint when it was first released, still holds up almost 60 years later and is poetically horrific. 

12. Lake Mungo (2008) - 17,233

Another strong story that uses the frame of a documentary to help shape a creepy movie-going experience that is guaranteed to satisfy those who are patient.

11. Host (2020) - 9,284

This is not the first time that conference-call cinema has been used but it is certainly the most effective attempt that I’ve seen. Rob Savage and his team have delivered a quarantine flick that is tonally spot on while delivering genuinely creepy jump scares and some brutal imagery. The short runtime allows for this flick to give you feature-length frights without overstaying its welcome. 

10. A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) - 30,374

This unique genre-bending vampire film is equal parts romantic, emotional, and creepy as all of the elements come together to create something truly astounding. Ana Lily Amirpour directorial debut is one that surely should not be missed.  

9. Tigers Are Not Afraid (2019) - 5,301

Issa López gives us a wonderfully dark fairy tale about a group of children fighting to survive the violent environment created by drug cartels. The imagery is unforgettable as we watch this story perfectly blend grounded realism with magical fantasy, with a result that is guaranteed to garner an emotional reaction. 

8. Goodnight Mommy (2014) - 42,936

When two kids can’t decide if their mother is who she says she is, they make it their mission to find out in this dark and twisted tale that makes us question our own reality. This movie is shrouded in a cloud of ominous tension and when the ending hits, you are left with your jaw on the floor. 

7. Black Christmas (1974) - 32,039

When you think of incredible slasher movies, very rarely does this movie get mentioned along with the other greats. That is a travesty as this could very well be the best the genre ever was. The imagery is downright terrifying and sets the stage for all those that came after. 

6. The Loved Ones (2009) - 36,844

Sean Byrne has made two movies and they are both on this list. The Loved Ones is horrifically mesmerizing and filled with so many WTF moments that you will wonder why you are still watching but won’t want to turn away. 

5. Honeymoon (2014) - 24,105

This incredibly uncomfortable film will have your skin tingling by the end of it and it’s stars (Rose Leslie and Harry Treadaway) give two all-out performances that make the horror feel so real because of its roots in real-life fears and anxieties. 

4. Thirst (2009) - 41,922

This unique story adds a refreshing breath of life into the Vampire sub-genre that has been poorly done so many times before. Add Chan-Wook Park’s insane ability to make every frame breathtakingly beautiful and you have a movie that shouldn’t be missed. 

3. Murder Party (2007) - 10,588

The Horror/Comedy sub-genre is one filled with incredible films but Murder Party may very well be the best!  The first outing of Jeremy Saulnier is top-notch filled with incredible banter and a gnarly finale that is unlike any other.

2. Climax (2018) - 48,981

Gaspar Noé delivers uniquely visceral “entertainment” in ways few directors would dare, and Climax is one of his best. The first half of this movie is a beautifully choreographed dance number that is wonderfully constructed. Then the flick takes a complete left turn and we are left with some incredible long shots through a hellish nightmare of paranoia and anxiety. 

1. The House of the Devil (2009) - 40,290

This is a nostalgic homage to 70’s horror that is downright perfect! Perfect pacing and well placed scares make The House of The Devil a beacon of everything that horror movies should strive to be. 

….Now, if You’ve made it this far, Our Editor In Chief (Noah Blanchard) thinks You deserve a few BONUS PICKS…

Other Suggestions, Guest Writer : Noah Blanchard

One Cut of the Dead (2017) 16.393

Simply put, it’s the Best Horror Comedy since Murder Party. Don’t read reviews, in fact don’t even watch this trailer I’m about to imbed; instead, remember this one piece of advice, if at any point during this film you feel like bailing, DON’T.

The Rental (2020) 12,226

Dave Franco & Co. deliver a sly little entry in the “weekend get away gone wrong” sub-genre that manages to subvert expectations at virtually every turn. It’s well worn territory, but clearly executed by students/fans of the genre who know exactly which buttons to press.

Possessor UNCUT (2020) 3,160

Director Brandon Cronenberg has firmly established his own unique voice in the horror landscape, and it only took him 2 films to do it. Possessor is every bit as viscerally brutal and intense as the trailer would lead you to believe, it’s also one of the most thematically rich, impeccably acted, and haunting films I’ve seen in recent memory. If you’re lucky enough to have it screening near you, and you can SAFELY attend, I can’t recommend it more highly, but rest assured it will arrive on VOD SOON…