The horror genre is one of the most consistently popular in modern cinema. Since the concept of horror movies first gripped audiences, the genre has been constantly evolving. This endless innovation has largely been in pursuit of ways to continue to frighten horror fans, keeping the genre’s ideas fresh while ultimately adhering to its most sacred tenet of delivering frights that live long in the audience’s memory. Many of the best horror movies don’t just scare viewers; they worm their way deep into fans’ heads, where their terrifying stories and characters often sit for years. This has led to the birth of many horror movie icons, and the classic status of many of the genre’s best movies.
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Whether a horror movie is underrated or widely beloved, the genre boasts many excellent additions. As of July 1, many of these great horror movies can actually be enjoyed completely free on different streaming platforms. This makes the summer the perfect time for horror fans to delve into these incredible movies, whether they’ve seen them a hundred times before or want to take the opportunity to enjoy them while they’re streaming free.
10) American Psycho (2000)
Sometimes, even supposedly “unfilmable” books get great movie adaptations, and American Psycho is a prime example. Based on Bret Easton Ellis’ novel of the same name, American Psycho tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a vapid investment banker in 1980s Manhattan who conceals his dark and violent nature behind the ruthless facade of a high-flying finance executive. Starring Christian Bale alongside Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Chloรซ Sevigny, Reese Witherspoon, and Justin Theroux, American Psycho has become a horror-thriller classic.
Though it received positive reviews upon release, American Psycho was considered a pretty divisive movie for some time. It eventually achieved a cult following and has since been far more favorably reappraised, now rightly being cited as an incredibly daring and thematically rich movie that also happens to feature several acts of extreme violence. American Psycho is a twisted journey into the mind of a deeply disturbed individual, played to perfection by Christian Bale, and can now be streamed free on Tubi.
9) Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Over the years, there have been many great examples of “When Animals Attack” movies, although Deep Blue Sea isn’t often considered among the best. It often sits squarely in the shadow of Jaws, the ultimate shark attack movie, but it’s still fondly remembered by many. It concerns a group of researchers stranded in an underwater facility and menaced by a group of highly intelligent genetically enhanced sharks, and features an impressive ensemble cast featuring Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Rapaport, and LL Cool J.
Despite receiving only mixed reviews, Deep Blue Sea managed to begin its own horror movie franchise and secure a lasting place in the genre’s history. It’s got a great B-movie feel, and what it lacks in genuine quality, it makes up for in sheer ridiculous thrills. Its visuals might not have aged particularly well, but many still enjoy Deep Blue Sea for what it is: a shark-infested bloodbath that leans on tropes established by classics of the genre. Deep Blue Sea can currently be streamed free on Tubi.
8) Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)
2010’s Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is a remake of the 1973 dark fantasy horror of the same name, written by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins. Starring Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, and Bailee Madison, it follows a family who move into a 19th-century mansion in Rhode Island, only to be plagued by malevolent beings emerging from the basement. Considering its source material was not overly well-known, even the movie’s strong central cast wasn’t enough to establish it as an especially successful film.
Even so, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is a great haunted house horror movie. The movie has many excellent aspects, including the performance of its cast, Troy Nixey’s direction, and its suspenseful musical score that helped to build a true horror movie atmosphere, though it was criticized for its perceived lack of originality and reliance on jump scares. Even so, it’s a great and often overlooked chapter in horror movie history which can currently be streamed on Tubi free of charge.
7) Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
As Exorcist II: The Heretic is remembered as one of the worst horror movie sequels of all time, it’s obviously not a great movie. However, it continues the story of one of the best horror movies ever made, and was followed up by a far better sequel in the form of The Exorcist III. It’s not just its place in a great horror movie franchise that makes it worth watching, though. Instead, it’s one of those films that’s essentially so bad it’s good.
Exorcist II: The Heretic lacks the frightening depiction of possession that made the original movie so exceptional. Instead, those scares are replaced with some of the most ill-advised and poorly executed ideas imaginable, making Exorcist II an overly self-serious horror movie that inadvertently parodied itself. Some critics have even labelled it one of the worst movies ever made in any genre, which, combined with its connection to one of the most influential horror movies of all time, means that it’s well worth watching while it’s streaming free on Tubi, if only for its unfortunate comedy value.
6) Insidious (1-3)
Although the Insidious movies might not have quite managed to cement themselves as one of the best horror movie franchises, they have established a solidly scary narrative that helps them stand out even in an oversaturated genre. The movies concern the haunting of the Lambert family, who become aware of the dangers of an astral plane known as the Further, hiring paranormal investigators in the hopes of saving themselves from the malevolent beings who reside there.
With five films already released and more on the way, the Insidious franchise has been quietly building its success since the first movie’s premiere in 2011. They consistently draw considerable audiences thanks to the strength of their scares, with the paranormal aspects perfectly lending themselves to jump scares and impressive visual set pieces. As of July 1, the first three Insidious movies are all streaming free on Tubi, making this summer a perfect opportunity to catch up on the franchise’s beginning.
5) Lamb (2021)
A24’s horror movies over the past decade or so have become some of the best-loved entries into the genre in recent years, but they haven’t all received as much attention as the likes of Midsommar and Hereditary. 2021’s Lamb received some hype based on its unique premise alone, but failed to really find a wider audience upon release. It’s a shame, too, because it’s an excellent and vivid piece of Icelandic folk horror that really deserves much more attention.
Lamb‘s story follows an Icelandic couple who adopt a human-sheep hybrid born from one of their pregnant sheep, raising it as their own. It’s a stark and memorable movie that makes use of some truly haunting visuals to bring its narrative ideas to life, making it one of A24’s underrated gems. Though many remember the buzz around the movie ahead of its release, nowhere near as many have actually seen it. Now that Lamb is streaming free on Tubi, it’s the perfect chance to watch this unique folk horror.
4) The Shallows (2016)
Over the years, there have actually been a considerable number of thrilling shark attack movies, and while The Shallows might not be the most innovative, it’s certainly far from the worst the subgenre has to offer. It stars Blake Lively as a medical student who gets stranded at sea off the shore of a secluded beach and must survive an attack by a great white shark. Whatever The Shallows may lack in originality, it makes up for in sheer pulse-pounding suspense.
As it received positive reviews and proved to be a considerable box office success, The Shallows qualifies as a reasonably underrated horror movie. Its appeal might not be as broad as other entries into the horror genre, and its narrative may not be as thematically rich or thought-provoking, but it’s a solidly entertaining and persistently unnerving movie that brilliantly depicts the sheer panic of a sudden shark attack. As of July 1, The Shallows is now streaming free on Tubi.
3) The Witch (2015)
The past decade has seen the release of several great Robert Eggers movies, but the director’s feature directorial debut still stands out as one of the best recent horror releases. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy alongside Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, and Harvey Scrimshaw, The Witch leans into the idea of folk horror, following a Puritan family in 1630s New England. With their farm failing, the family begins to feel as though they are being preyed upon by an evil entity lurking in the woods, with suspicion mounting against their daughter, who is accused of witchcraft.
There haven’t been too many horror movies in recent times that can claim to be quite as atmospheric and bleak as The Witch. Its relatively small cast all deliver exceptional performances to really sell its horror premise, and the subtext of its narrative is enough to keep its audience coming back to reexamine Eggers’ excellent debut. Currently, The Witch can be streamed for free on both Tubi and Kanopy.
2) Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)
There have been several versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but the 1978 movie starring Donald Sutherland is often considered the best. With a supporting cast including Brooke Adams, Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum, and Leonard Nimoy, its story of a health inspector discovering that humans are being replaced by alien doppelgangers devoid of humanity is one of the most iconic pieces of sci-fi horror ever made. Remembered as one of the best entries into the subgenre, Invasion of the Body Snatchers‘ legacy is unquestionable.
Remembered as much for its final shocking twist as for its overall quality, Invasion of the Body Snatchers remains every bit as classic today as it did upon release. It’s a bleak and harrowing tale that combines the best elements of sci-fi and horror, layering on psychological elements along the way. With great performances from its cast and a well-considered approach to the source material, now is the perfect time to watch the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as it’s streaming free on Plex.
1) The Mist (2007)
Over the years, we’ve seen many Stephen King adaptations, but few are as singularly memorable as The Mist. Frank Darabont’s 2007 adaptation of King’s novella of the same name follows an ensemble cast of characters led by Thomas Jane’s David Drayton who seek shelter inside a supermarket when their town is enveloped by a mysterious mist containing deadly Lovecraftian beings. As well as receiving generally positive reviews and securing box office success, The Mist is widely remembered for its shocking ending.
When it comes to great horror movies with bleak endings, there aren’t many better than The Mist. However, the rest of the movie is great too, with suspense continuously building as its characters become increasingly unnerved by their situation. It’s a visually striking movie that raises many questions with its audience, and its story finds a way to haunt those who experience it for years to come. It can now also be enjoyed for free, as it’s streaming at no cost on Plex.
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