The genre has been embattled quality wise, but which is the best.

I think I’d say The Exorcist with Halloween, Psycho and the Ring up there.

It's so hard to choose the absolute best or even your favourites because of how genres merge. What is horror exactly? Like, is Predator considered a horror movie? Is it an acceptable pick? Is From Dusk Till Dawn? Is The Terminator? So I've chosen ten based on what most people would consider horror movies:

American Psycho, Dog Soldiers, From Dusk Till Dawn, Halloween (1978), John Carpenter's Vampires, Paranormal Activity 2, Paranormal Activity 3, Predator, Saw, and Scream.

Of course, these are chosen for different reasons, not because they're the most scary. Though some have genuined petrified me, such as the Paranormal Activity movies. The Strangers also scared me but doesn't make the list. Eden Lake repulsed me and this doesn't make the list. It's never as simple as Most Scary = Best Horror.

Good time for this thread since I rewatched most (but not all) of my favorites this spooky season rather than plowing through a new series like usual (blame Leprechaun for this... I just couldn't take another one.)

It's been a long time for some of these. And I was pretty sure I'd have a new #1 by the end of it ... but that didn't happen. Still the reigning, defending, undisputed champion of horror is...

1. The Shining
2. Scream
3. An American Werewolf In London
4. Halloween
5. Jaws
6. Evil Dead 2
7. The Descent
8. Train To Busan
9. Alien
10. Deep Blue Sea
11. Rec
12. Final Destination 2
13. A Nightmare On Elm Street

Did not include: Shaun of the Dead or The Menu as I consider them comedies not horror. Same with Aliens and Attack The Block as sci-fi actioners.

While I gave most of these 5 stars (or 4.5 at the lowest) , The Shining is a level above the rest. It is such a wild movie that is pretending to be a slow-burning bore while disturbing shit is subtly (or not subtly) happening in every scene. Not only did the recent rewatch place it firmly #1 among horrors, but I think I'd bump it into my top 5 all-time of any genre.

Scream is the best series.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre fell out of the top 13 and was replaced by Nightmare. Psycho fell out too cause I did not feel like rewatching it but it could return at any moment! Keep on your guard, Mr. Krueger.

My personal favorites:

Dawn of the Dead (‘78)
Halloween (‘78)
The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (a.k.a Let Sleeping Corpses Lie)
The Beyond
Day of the Dead

I have to go the thing, or I’ll lose my mind. Great jump scares are not easy even if most critics say they are. I’m with Algren though, Shawshank Redemption is in many ways a horror film., but if we’re going for the genre it’s hard to beat.

My top 3 are
1. The Exorcist
2. The Thing
3. Alien

Hereditary is my favorite of the past 20 years.

The Exorcist
Alien
The Thing
The Shining
Psycho
Halloween
Friday the 13th
A Nightmare On Elms Street
Jaws
Scream
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
The Ring
The Grudge

Dunno where to post this list, but since I've watched most of Dario Argento's giallo movies this year, I'd rank em as such:

1. Suspiria
2. Tenebrae

3. The Bird With The Crystal Plumage
4. Opera
5. The Cat O Nine Tails

6. Phenomena
7. Inferno
8. Two Evil Eyes

9. Deep Red
10. Four Flies On Grey Velvet


Would highly recommend going through at least the top 5. The third tier are still good, though their stories are kinda messy. The last tier are boring, but most people disagree with my assessment of DR.

I think Psycho

Unironically 'The Substance' deserves a Top 20 placement

Recency bias