The best horror movies of 2023 were a mix of ones that had new, original ideas and ones that completely surprised us. A lot of these unfortunately got overshadowed throughout the year for bigger (and tired) releases like Scream 6 and Saw X, but they all deserve a watch.
Here are our picks for the best horror movies of 2023.
Talk to Me
In this Australian horror a group of teens use an embalmed hand to conjure spirits as a party trick for TikTok videos until they unleash something sinister. With a fresh cast and some hair-raising scenes, Talk to Me caught critics and genre fans by surprise and became a late summer sleeper hit. Talk to Me has an 94% critics score with an 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. You can watch Talk to Me on Netflix Canada.
When Evil Lurks
This supernatural horror from Argentina came without much hype and left a huge mark on us. It’s haunting, unsettling and even has a few scenes that will make you turn your head away. When Evil Lurks has an 98% critics score and an 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. You can watch When Evil Lurks in Canada on Shudder/AMC+.
Totally Killer
Although it technically falls under the horror genre, Totally Killer also offers up a lot of laughs as it takes down ’80s slasher films and how different teens were portrayed in the ’80s compared with today. Totally Killer has an 87% critics score and an 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. You can watch Totally Killer on Prime Video Canada.
Evil Dead Rise
We had very low expectations going into Evil Dead Rise and maybe that’s why we enjoyed it so much. Setting it all in one location, the movie gets the vibe of the original films while also helping move the series in a new direction. Evil Dead Rise has an 84% critics score with an 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. You can watch Evil Dead Rise in Canada on Crave.
No One Will Save You
No One Will Save You is a unique take on alien invasion movies that goes nearly the entire length of the film without any dialogue, which is almost unnoticeable because of the intensity of it. It also has some very creepy moments and is one of the best shot horror movies of the year. This is one where the general audience didn’t get it as No One Will Save You only has an 56% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, but an 84% critics score. You can watch No One Will Save You on Disney+ Canada.
The Pope’s Exorcist
Starring Russell Crowe as the real-life Father Gabriele Amorth, The Pope’s Exorcist felt much more like a sequel to The Exorcist than the The Exorcist: Believer did. Crowe is great in the film, which left us feeling uneasy throughout. The Pope’s Exorcist has a 50% critics score with an 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. You can watch The Pope’s Exorcist in Canada on Crave.
What were your favourite horror movies of 2023? Tell us in the comments below.
Check out our other year-end lists, including the top 20 movies of 2023, the 8 movies that disappointed us in 2023 and the 6 longest movies from 2023 you should watch.
