It's a time-honored tradition to watch horror films in October, but spooky good times at
the movies don't have to wait until Halloween.
To make sure you're keeping up with the best new horror movies in the genre, we've got
a list of the best horror movies of 2018 so far.
Annihilation
Subtlety and style don't often rule the box office, particularly when it comes to the
horror landscape, which is dominated by in-your-face slashers, squeamish torture marathons, and
gritty found-footage outings.
It can come as a pleasant surprise, then, when a movie gets enough of a budget for some
striking visuals while remaining quiet enough to leave you with lingering questions and
a genuine sense of unease.
Alex Garland, an author and screenwriter who made his directorial debut with the 2015 sci-fi
sleeper hit Ex Machina, returned in 2018 with Annihilation.
The movie follows a group of scientists investigating a mysterious disaster zone filled with strange
creatures.
Hailed by critics with phrases like "nightmare fuel," Garland's sophomore effort deftly blends
a metaphor-laced space invasion story with creeping dread and uncanny imagery.
Though it was a financial disappointment in theaters, word of mouth has continued to build
around Annihilation since its home release.
Add in a cast of fan-favorite actors including Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar
Isaac, and Annihilation is one of the scariest and strangest movies you'll see all year.
"It wasn't destroying… it was changing everything.
It was making something new."
Upgrade
In a not-too-distant future where computer-assisted body modification is the norm, Grey, played
by Logan Marshall-Green, remains staunchly defensive of his own humanity, refusing to
become augmented.
That is, until an attack leaves him wheelchair bound and his wife dead.
Enter a mysterious tech innovator who offers to restore Grey's motor functions with his
newest AI chip.
As any horror aficionado could guess, this melding of man and machine has some gruesome
results.
Directed by Leigh Whannell of Saw fame and produced by genre juggernaut Blumhouse Upgrade
blends topical concerns with an old-fashioned sense of gritty grindhouse fun.
Wildling
The feature debut from director Fritz Böhm, Wildling is anchored by stunning performances
from genre favorites Brad Dourif and Liv Tyler.
Bel Powley takes the lead as Anna, a teenage girl who has grown up under the abusive thumb
of a father figure who claims to be protecting her from man-eating creatures outside.
When she's rescued by the local sheriff, played by Tyler, Anna begins to realize that the
stories were true… in a way.
Wildling has been hailed by critics for its powerhouse performances and striking visuals.
The Hollywood Reporter listed it as one of the ten best films debuting at South by Southwest,
and it's hard to argue with the mountain of praise the movie has earned.
"The Wildling."
"What's the wildling?"
"He eats children."
Ghost Stories
After the 1980s saw the release of the cult favorite Creepshow, horror anthology films
went mostly dormant.
Luckily recent years have seen a revival of the formula with Trick 'r Treat and the V/H/S
series bringing the horror anthology back to mainstream audiences.
In 2018, American audiences were treated to a new British horror anthology, Ghost Stories.
The project began its life as a stage play by Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson, who share
writing and directing duties on the finished film.
The story follows a professor known for debunking hoaxes as he investigates three cases of alleged
paranormal activity.
The lines between reality and fiction blur as the anthology builds to a startling surreal
climax that's absolutely jaw-dropping.
A Quiet Place
Directed and co-written by John Krasinski, A Quiet Place captured the attention of audiences
and critics when it crept into theaters in April with a clever premise and minimalist
presentation.
The film follows a family trying to survive creatures that attack anyone who makes a sound.
Krasinski anchors the film as the stoic patriarch trying to keep his family alive in a role
about as far away from The Office's Jim Halpert as it's possible to get.
The film's cast is rounded out with a stellar performance by Emily Blunt, newcomer Noah
Jupe, and young deaf actress Millicent Simmonds, who made sure that the film's portrayal of
a deaf child remained authentic.
[Spooky music]
[Scream]
Cargo
With the glut of zombie fare over the past decade, it's understandable that a drama about
the walking dead might get lost in the shuffle.
Cargo, however, brings some fresh brains to the sub-genre with a quiet story about one
family's post-outbreak life in rural Australia.
Directed by the filmmaking team of Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke and anchored by an understated
but intense performance by Martin Freeman, Cargo is a fitting descendent of George Romero's
original zombie films.
Hereditary
The feature debut from writer/director Ari Aster, Hereditary sets out to unnerve you
with a cornucopia of disturbing omens, bizarre visuals, and surreal nightmare logic.
Critics immediately got behind it in a big way, heaping particular praise on the lead
performance by Toni Collette.
She absolutely deserves the praise, giving a performance so overcome with guilt and anger
that you're likely to be frightened even before anything supernatural shows up.
"Don't you swear at me you little s---!
Don't you ever raise your voice at me!
I am your mother!
Do you understand?"