For the film industry, 2022 was a terrifying year in many ways (would audiences return? ought they to? However, horror proved to be yet another lucrative and inventive subgenre. That's due, in part, to the fact that this is a low-budget genre that values unexpected twists and turns. The following are the ten best horror stories of the year, ranging from savage aliens to homicidal Santas. Bonus: Only one of these titles is based on a previously owned IP.
1. Barbarian:
Barbarian Disney and 20th Century Fox made a success of Barbarian at the box office by disclosing virtually nothing about the film's second and third acts in a world where trailers frequently reveal plot points that take place far into the film. And what profound gratitude we ought to have for that. Watching this sleeper hit from Zach Cregger, a member of the Whitest Kids U' Know sketch troupe, with almost no idea what was going to happen was one of the best movies of the year. In line with this, we won't go into more detail except to say that Justin Long is always welcome in any horror film he chooses.
2. The Menu:
Our favorite book of the year is about a wealthy guest's evening spent dining in a remote, posh restaurant run by the celebrity chef played by Ralph Fiennes. The film, which co-stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo, and Hong Chau, was directed by Mark Mylod (Succession). It skillfully extracts comedy and tension from its setting while also providing some one-percenter food for thought (though not enough to give anyone indigestion). But is it really a horror film or just a satirical thriller with elements of horror? In this regard, we will refer you to C. Robert Cargill, the screenwriter for Black Phone and all-around skeptic. He tweeted about this very question and stated that "The Menu is a f---ing horror movie, full stop." I'm sick of people who, out of embarrassment, try to remove the best horror from the genre. Thus there.
3. Bodies Bodies Bodies
Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, and a hilarious Rachel Sennott play zoomers in Bodies Bodies Bodies. Their weekend at a remote mansion goes horribly wrong, with blood everywhere. Halina Reijn, a Dutch actress who has now taken up the role of director, oversees the proceedings in a manner that brilliantly emphasizes the comedic aspects of the film while still making you worry about her collection of characters, many of whom are rather unlikeable.
4. X and Pearl:
Is it a ploy to combine these two films into a single entry? Maybe. However, it would be strange to separate the two 2022 films directed by Ti West because they are so intertwined. X is a fun bloodbath set in the 1970s about a porn shoot where a pair of old people threaten the cast and crew. Mia Goth is excellent in both roles. Goth is once again fantastic as the younger version of her killer from X in the 1918 prequel Pearl, which is the more interesting, serious, and slightly better movie. No, Jordan Peele delivered 2022 horror's greatest big-screen spectacle and two of this year's best performances regardless of the genre with his story of siblings Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya attempting to obtain footage of a UFO. Although Peele's third film after Us and 2017's Get Out appeared less cohesive than its predecessors, The child actor version of Steven Yeun's character in the flashback scenes is absolutely terrifying, but they are oddly semi-detached from the main story.
5. Christmas Bloody Christmas
"What if Richard Linklater remade The Terminator?" asks Christmas Bloody Christmas. isn't a question that many filmmakers would ask, but Joe Begos' response is one of the most entertaining and chaotic releases of the year. A horny small-town record store owner played by Riley Dandy has a violent night out with the employee of Sam Delich when a robot Santa Claus goes insane.
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