With recently successful horror releases like Costs and Yell, what better time to take a look at some of the best horror films of the past decade, according to thousands of moviegoers across private soldier?
The 2010s were amazing for horror fans. The decade included both a slew of iconic reboots, as well as completely original visions from some truly incredible filmmakers, both new to the genre and familiar faces.
ten Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
Insidious: Chapter 2 is writer Leigh Whannell and director James Wan’s second film in the popular Insidious series of paranormal horror films. The film is set after the events of the first film, when the Lambert family believe they have defeated the evil spirits that haunt them, but they quickly discover how difficult evil spirits actually are to shake off.
Although not one of the best Insidious movies and wasn’t as critically acclaimed as the original, it did much better at the box office and sparked a franchise, with several movies to follow.
9 The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
The cabin in the woods is a highly creative horror flick from director Drew Goddard that manages to take many well-known horror tropes and poke fun at them by flipping them around and making the movie something completely original.
The film tells the story of a group of friends having fun in a remote cabin, but they soon begin to uncover the truth behind the cabin. The cabin in the woods is an unexpected cult classic that stars Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly and Richard Jenkins.
8 Get Out (2017)
get out is a groundbreaking social horror film about a young black man who visits his white girlfriend’s family for the first time, and his unease at their welcome quickly reaches a boiling point. The film is written and directed by Jordan Peele, who was relatively new to the genre at the time of the film’s release and known primarily for his work in comedy.
get out is the most successful horror film of the 2010s, earning Peele the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The film is truly chilling and thought-provoking and features one of the best horror movie sidekicks of all time.
7 A Quiet Place (2018)
A silent place is a post-apocalyptic horror film about a family who are forced to live in silence as they hide from monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing. The film is written and directed by John Krasinski, another newcomer to the horror genre, and did very well critically as well as at the box office, sparking several sequels.
The film also stars Krasinski, along with his wife, Emily Blunt, as a husband-wife duo fighting for the lives of their family, and fans absolutely loved the on-screen chemistry the two shared. Fans often quote A silent place as one of the best alien invasion movies ever made.
6 The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
Jane Doe’s autopsy is about a father and son, who are both coroners, and revolves around a mystery involving the murder of an unidentified young woman while working on the body. The film is directed by Andre Ovredal and features incredible performances from Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch as the titular father-son.
The movie is one of the most underrated horror movies of the 2010s, as it had a relatively low budget and didn’t do so well at the box office. However, fans loved the simple and straightforward narrative that featured well-acted twists.
5 The Conjuring 2 (2016)
The Conjuring 2 is director James Wan’s horror sequel to the Conjuring candor and is about Ed and Lorraine Warren traveling to North London to help a single mother raise four children on her own in a house plagued by evil spirits.
The movie wasn’t as critically acclaimed as the original, but it was still a box office success, as fans absolutely adored the movie’s incredibly haunting antagonist, The Nun. The Conjuring 2 stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson and Madison Wolfe.
4 It (2017)
This is the terrifying adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic novel of the same name and is about a group of bullied children banding together to fight a shape-shifting monster, then returning to slay the monster once and for all as as adults upon his return.
Both the movie and the eventual sequel were incredibly successful commercially and critically, as fans loved how faithful the adaptation was to the novel. It also features incredible performances from the entire all-star cast, featuring Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Martell, and Finn Wolfhard. Many fans consider it one of Stephen King’s films with the best viewing value.
3 Insidious (2010)
Insidious is a paranormal horror film about a family trying to stop evil spirits from trapping their son in a coma in another realm called “The Further”. The film is written by Leigh Whannell and directed by James Wan and is the directorial debut of the Insidious franchise.
Insidious was made on a relatively low budget, but was incredibly well received upon release and went on to spark three sequels. It features outstanding performances from Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Ty Simpkins.
2 The Conjuring (2013)
The horror genre in the 2010s was truly dominated by James Wan, as he directed or at least helped direct many of the best and most successful horror films of the decade.
Conspiracy is just another example of this, as Wan stunned and absolutely terrified audiences with the film about paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren as they work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence. The film features iconic performances from Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in the titular roles of Ed and Lorraine Warren.
1 Sinister (2012)
Claim is a terrifying horror film about a true-crime writer finding a box of old Super-8 movies in his new home that suggests the murders he’s currently investigating are tied to a serial killer from the 60s.
The film is written and directed by Scott Derrickson and features standout performances from Ethan Hawk, Vincent D’Onofrio and Juliet Rylance. Claim takes familiar horror tropes and uses them in new and unique ways to scare everyone who watches it.
