10 Best Horror Movies Of 2018

Here's to a year of techno-horror, eldritch monsters, and some real bad drug trips.

A Quiet Place John Krasinski
Paramount

Horror movies have had a wonderful resurgence in recent years. From last year's mainstream hit It: Chapter One showing audiences that horror can appeal to the masses, to developing art house darlings getting fully realised in this year's Mandy, we've had a solid rise of the spooky that only gets better as it goes on. And 2018 has continued that trend in outstanding fashion; decapitated heads, possessed puppets, and gloomy anthologies included. All the good stuff.

Whether it's brooding indie fare or big, brash releases, we've been spoilt for choice when it comes to the blood and guts over the past 12 months. This years horror has leaned towards original content, bringing about the start of plenty of new concepts as well as actual fresh takes on past successes rather than straight remakes - but only 10 can make it to the top, and only one can be hailed as the king.

Get your sound-proofing sand down and cancel that dance school scholarship, as these are the very best horror films of 2018. It's not like you wanted to sleep tonight, anyway.

10. Possum

A Quiet Place John Krasinski
BFI Film Fund/Dark Sky Films

A gloomy, oppressive story told in classic British filmmaking style, Possum isn't your average horror movie, and by extension really isn't really a film for everyone: one look at the titular 'Possum', a strange amalgamation of a doll's head stuck in a permanent scream and eight hairy spiders legs makes that very, very clear. Ugh.

Arthouse and reflective but still bone-chillingly scary, Possum is a deep dive into one troubled man's attempt to reconcile his past with his present, returning to his childhood home and his decidedly disturbing stepfather, Maurice, in the process.

All we know is that Philip is a disgraced child's puppeteer seemingly unable to rid himself of the monstrous puppet he carries with him in a simple leather bag - until Possum unravels completely and reveals the dark heart at the centre of this story.

It's a film that leaves you with that sick, lonely feeling, capturing the essence of nastiness and unease in stark visuals and a bloody horrid bag-dwelling beastie, pulling off a simplicity that most horror films struggle with. Possum is short, but definitely not sweet.

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Contributor

Horror film junkie, burrito connoisseur, and serial cat stroker. WhatCulture's least favourite ginger.