50 Greatest Horror Movies Of The 21st Century

35. Host (2020)

Get Out Daniel Kaluuya
Shudder

Plot: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of British students experience supernatural hauntings during a Zoom call.

Host could be called '2020: The Movie'.

As a movie filmed through Zoom during the pandemic, it's a film intrinsically tied to that year, and let's be real, 2020 was a real-life horror story and this terrifying scare-fest conjures the emotions associated with that year awfully well.

Still, it's also a very uplifting film in a different sort of way, in that it's a lovely display of creativity and innovation in an unprecedented time when the world had gone to s**t. Even when they were all in lockdown, this cast and crew were able to come together and deliver one of the finest horror films of the decade so far - that's something to treasure.

It's a very strong horror film beyond the historical context though. The characters are engaging, the pacing is watertight and the film's great jump scares prove that, in the right hands, that often-maligned scare tactic can work really well.

Contributor

Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.