In this eighth special edition KBZ article, we’re going to review the best horror films by decade for your Halloween movie night. We’ll select the best and scariest films from the 1970’s up to the most recent horror films from 2023.
These articles will act as more detailed companion articles to our previous Halloween articles which covered some lesser-known horror films to watch on Halloween. Our article on the Top Scariest Halloween Films for Adults You Haven’t Seen covered a mix of obscure and bone chilling horror while also breaking down some recommended horror films by popular horror subgenres. And we also have a list of the Top Scariest Halloween Films For Kids You Haven’t Seen if you’re looking for some tamer scares for various age groups.
This eighth article will cover the Best Horror Films of 2022 for Halloween and you can view articles as we release them from the list below:
- The Best 1970’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best 1980’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best 1990’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best 2000’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best 2010’s Horror Films for Halloween
- The Best Horror Films of 2020 for Halloween
- The Best Horror Films of 2021 for Halloween
- The Best Horror Films of 2022 for Halloween
- The Best Horror Films of 2023 for Halloween
For our rankings we’re going to use some criteria to help define and refine our list. First, we’re going to rank each film by how scary it is (and is known for). Though how ‘scary’ a film might be is subjective and older films might not be deemed scary by today’s standards, there are quite a few films that even decades later, will have you cringing in fear.
Second, we aren’t going to cover every sequel of every horror franchise out there. Horror is known for milking a franchise as much as possible with often increasingly subpar films. Unless a sequel or reboot is worth noting, we’ll be focusing on the initial iterations of these horror classics.
Third, we’ll try to make sure at least one film from every year per decade is included. Decades such as the 1980’s were top heavy with the amount of horror films released in the first half of the decade compared to the latter half.
And fourth, we had to follow our rule for all of KBZ’s film listings where we only list films that have a 4.0/10 or higher rating. We’re also only considering films released after 1970.
Our complete list of Horror Films for Halloween features over 167+ films from 1931 – 2023 and this is a good staring point if you’re looking for some of the best and classic Halloween Horror recommendations. And if you’ve seen most of the films on this list, we also have various articles reviewing the best obscure films by subgenre including the Best Body Horror films, the Best Space Horror Films, the Best Films about Ghosts and Hauntings, the Top Dark Fantasy Films and so on. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to get updated as we release future articles on these special edition Halloween lists or future articles on recommended horror films by subgenre.
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The Best Horror Films of 2022 for Halloween
Honorable Mentions: Mad God (2022), Day Shift (2022), Beast (2022), Werewolf by Night (2022), Mr. Harrigan’s Phone (2022), Deadstream (2022), The House (2022), Fresh (2022), You Are Not My Mother (2022), Valley of the Dead (2022), The Cellar (2022), You Won’t Be Alone (2022), The Twin (2022), Choose or Die (2022), Virus:32 (2022), Veneciafrenia (2022), Final Cut (2022), Who Invited Them (2022), Nope (2022), The Harbinger (2022), Skinamarink (2022), Orphan: First Kill (2022), Attachment (2022), Resurrection (2022), The Invitation (2022), All Eyes (2022), Sick (2022), Pearl (2022), Evil Eye (2022), Spoonful of Sugar (2022), My Best Friend’s Exorcism (2022), Masking Threshold (2022), Terrifier 2 (2022), Significant Other (2022), Prey for the Devil (2022), Hellhole (2022), Play Dead (2022), Bed Rest (2022), Bones and All (2022), Nocebo (2022), Sissy (2022), Something in the Dirt (2022), Ivanna (2022), Piggy (2022), Re/Member (2022), Cracked (2022), Men (2022) and Firestarter (2022).
Rank 20-1:
#20 Tin Can (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#19 Speak No Evil (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#18 Monstrous (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#17 Incantation (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Netflix
#16 Fresh (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Hulu
#15 Hatching (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#14 Viking Wolf (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Netflix
#13 Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#12 The Innocents (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#11 Scream (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#10
Venus
Plot: Lucía, a club dancer on the run, takes refuge in a sinister building on the outskirts of Madrid where her sister Rocío lives with her daughter Alba.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About Cosmic Horror, Films About The Occult & Witches, Splatter & Gore Films, World Cinema Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: This Spanish Cosmic Horror film flew under the radar but is one of the underrated gems of the 2022’s. It develops a great sense of dread as Lucía (Ester Expósito) deals with external forces chasing her down while internal evil manifests in her home. The film starts off with a bang and doesn’t let up, but be warned, this is a very violent and gory film.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: While under heavily armed guard, the dangerous convicts aboard a cargo ship unite in a coordinated escape attempt that soon escalates into a bloody, all-out riot. But as the fugitives continue their brutal campaign of terror, they soon discover that not even the most vicious among them is safe from the horror they unknowingly unleashed from the darkness below deck.
Horror Subgenre(s): Survival Horror Films, Horror Films From Korea, Splatter & Gore Films, World Cinema Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: While the squeamish might want to pass on this film, for other hardened horror fans, it’s a must-see film. Once the prisoners arrive on the cargo ship, it’s wall-to-wall action and violence that is only surpassed once the ‘thing’ below deck is discovered. Then it turns into a suspenseful (and even bloodier) Survival Horror Film with quite a few revelations and twists. We don’t want to reveal too much to spoil it for others, but we can confidently say this is one film you won’t soon forget after watching.
Additional Lists: Best Recent Films About Genetic Engineering #7
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#8
Prey
Plot: When danger threatens her camp, the fierce and highly skilled Comanche warrior Naru sets out to protect her people. But the prey she stalks turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About Monsters, Survival Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: This latest entry in the Predator franchise embraces horror elements much more than previous films. It’s also a stand-alone film so previous Predator films are not required viewing to check this film out. It’s a great action and sci-fi/horror hybrid with some novel Predator monster designs that’s a great selection for Halloween.
Where to Stream / Buy: Hulu
#7
The Menu
Plot: A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
Subgenre(s): Horror Comedies, Survival Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: If you’re looking for a film that’s equal parts satiric and horrific, The Menu is the best of the lot from 2022. This isn’t a typical horror film with slashers or other popular horror elements. What the film does well is satirize high society against some unique horror sequences. The horror (like the satire) quickly evolves from subtle to over the top and it’s a film even non-horror fans should enjoy.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#6
Hellraiser
Plot: A young woman struggling with addiction comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites, a group of sadistic supernatural beings from another dimension.
Horror Subgenre(s): Body Horror Films, Cosmic Horror Films, Films About The Devil, Demons & Hell
KBZ’s Take: The latest Hellraiser reboot took quite a few risks to re-establish the franchise. And we can definitively say it has helped bring Hellraiser and the Cenobites back to the forefront of horror. From the new female ‘Pinhead’ Cenobite to new (and refreshingly bizarre) Cenobite creature designs to even more demented Cenobite ‘kills’, everything that made the original Hellraiser (1987) great can be found in the reboot. And unlike other Horror reboots such as Friday the 13th (2009), this film feels like it has re-established the franchise for some even better Cenobite pleasure ahead.
Additional Lists: Top Films About The Devil, Demons & Hell You Haven’t Seen – 2010 – 2022 #1
Where to Stream / Buy: Hulu
#5
X
Plot: In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the cast find themselves fighting for their lives.
Horror Subgenre(s): Gothic Horror Films, Survival Horror Films, Films With Slashers
KBZ’s Take: If you’re a fan of 1970’s survival and slasher horror, Ti West’s X is one of the best recent horror films that replicates that era of horror long gone. It’s very reminiscent of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and much better than the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) reboot. If you were disappointed by the reboot or are just looking for some old school horror, go with X on Halloween. You won’t be disappointed…
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#4
Barbarian
Plot: In town for a job interview, a young woman arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that it has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway, but soon discovers that there is much more to be afraid of in the house than the other guest.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About Home Invasion
KBZ’s Take: This is a film of two halves. The first portion plays more like a Home Invasion thriller with Stalker Film elements, while the second half shifts gears quite a bit. We don’t want to mention the horror subgenre the second half turns to; we’ll just say it’s just as scary and unsettling as the first half. This was one of the most popular horror films in 2022 for a reason and one definitely worth checking out if you missed it.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#3
Smile
Plot: After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.
Horror Subgenre(s): Psychological Horror Films
KBZ’s Take: Smile came out of nowhere to scare viewers and become one of the most successful horror films of 2022. We can say the hype is real and this is a film that will stay with you long after you’ve seen it. The psychological horror in the film is some of the best of the subgenre with an intense and horrific finale. This is one film we’ve been recommending to others lately, and it’s one of the scarier (and unsettling) recent films you can watch on Halloween.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#2
M3GAN
Plot: M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that’s programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by Gemma, a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate and protector. When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, she decides to give the girl an M3GAN prototype, a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences.
Horror Subgenre(s): Horror Comedies
KBZ’s Take: Though M3GAN fits squarely in the Horror Comedy subgenre, it has some surprisingly detailed looks at seldom tackled themes of artificial intelligence. And like Child’s Play (1988), it balances the horror with comedy effectively. If you’re looking for a Techno Thriller-filled Halloween, we would recommend a double feature of M3GAN and Child’s Play (2019) for a hilarious and horrific night of killer robot dolls.
Additional Lists: Best Artificial Intelligence Films #8
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
Horror Subgenre(s): Films About The Paranormal, Hauntings & Ghosts
KBZ’s Take: Based on Joe Hill’s collection of short stories in 20th Century Ghosts, the film is a unique mixture of child abduction, serial killers, psychic powers and the supernatural. Also, like Talk to Me (2022), it’s a throwback to 1970’s and 80’s horror with a dark theme and even darker content. It replicates an era of horror where what you are watching is not only unsettling but increasingly frightening. If you have somehow missed this film, we would strongly recommend checking it out as soon as possible. It’s one of the best and scariest films you can watch on Halloween.
Additional Lists: Best Recent Films About Ghosts & Hauntings #1
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
