Joey Magidson
The Sunday Scaries are upon us once again! Yes, as the weekend concludes, most of us feel an oncoming sense of anticipatory dread about the week ahead. Anxiety about work manifests itself into a feeling that’s known as the Sunday Scaries. However, we at Awards Radar are here to combat that, by taking back the name. Now, we want you think about a horror-centric piece on the site when you hear the term. So, let us continue on with another installment of the Awards Radar Sunday Scaries! Today, the last 2023 installment of the column looks back on the horror efforts of the year…
Horror in 2023 was a top heavy experience for me. The films that I loved, I really loved. The Saw franchise was back, baby! However, there weren’t a ton of surprises, which was a bit of a bummer. I will say that next year is looking pretty stout, so we may see the 2024 slate of horror movies just blow us away. That’s next year, however. Right now, we’re closing out this year!
What you’ll see below are ten scary movies that were the cream of the crop this year. This here is where I stood at the midway point of 2023, so there’s definitely been an uptick in high quality horror. I’ll be linking to my reviews, so give them a look, but anything that made this list is certainly something I recommend. There’s original films, prequels, sequels, and just an overall sense of creativity that made me very happy. Now, on to the list…
Enjoy my top ten, and as a special added bonus, let us begin with our own Myles Hughes’ list for 2023:
10. M3GAN
9. The Last Voyage of the Demeter
8. Knock at the Cabin
7. Evil Dead Rise
6. When Evil Lurks
5. Cobweb
4. Saw X
3. It’s a Wonderful Knife
2. No One Will Save You
Now, here are some of the best fright flicks of 2023, according to yours truly:
Honorable Mention: Knock at the Cabin, Talk to Me, and V/H/S/85
10. Infinity Pool
Infinity Pool is pretty out there, though the perception that this is one of the more extreme films in recent memory is a bit misguided. There’s graphic content, both sexually and violently, but it’s not presented as shock value, but merely the new normal for our characters. Outside of one shot of an ejaculating penis early on, there isn’t a ton that we haven’t seen. It’s more the premise that’s on the singular side.
9. Brooklyn 45
Period horror usually just goes for an old world, and often gothic, setting. That’s all well and good, but it’s a repetitive notion that robs the genre of some real variety. It’s too rare that we see a unique period depicted, but along comes Brooklyn 45 with a hell of a setting. Here, we’re watching something horrific occur in the aftermath of the end of World War II. If that’s not a fresh part of the past for horror then I don’t know what is.
Brooklyn 45, in a strange way, almost feels like it’s from a bygone era. If this had been unearthed and discovered, as opposed to a new release, I wouldn’t have been shocked. Apart from a little extra gore, the film is downright classical. It all contributes to a movie that marches to the beat of its own independent cinema drummer, but with the confidence to take you along for the ride.
There are two types of Evil Dead projects. There are the serious ones and there are the ones with their tongues planted in their bloody cheeks. Now, the serious gore outweighs the silly gore, but there’s an interesting middle ground to be found with Evil Dead Rise. It’s not meant to be funny, but there’s a sense of fun and play, as well as elevated stakes, on display that make it one of the better installments in the franchise to date. Lean, mean, and ruthlessly efficient, this film has teeth.
Evil Dead Rise is a cut above due to the acting, the practical effects, and the impactful story that is far more than just an excuse for viscera. Now, if it had just been that, few would have been upset. However, the reason this flick is getting such a strong reception is that it aims higher. Without ever ignoring what’s been locked into the DNA of the franchise, the creativity here goes in a new and exciting direction.
The Wrath of Becky is an improvement on the already solid prior installment. There’s a sense of fun that wasn’t really there the last time. It was ridiculous, but started from a serious position. Here, it’s a lot more sarcastic, while never shortchanging the lead’s trauma. It ends up making for an even more satisfying experience.
6. Scream VI
Now six films in, the Scream franchise has managed a remarkable run of quality. In particular, after the last effort, simply titled Scream, was as good as it was, expectations for another sequel were higher than most horror series that go on this long. It’s a testament to how fun and meta the genre flicks are, veering towards horror comedies at times, even. Now, we have Scream VI following the prior film going in such an interesting new direction. While it can’t maintain all of the freshness from the last movie, it’s still a top-notch slasher, one that clearly is enjoying playing around with various tropes. Bring on another sequel!
Scream VI is tackling the concept of legacy sequels again, even acknowledging that it’s a sequel itself. Along with a change in setting to New York City, there’s an evolution of the franchise’s feel. That and the film might be the most violent one to date, which is really saying something. If I found it less surprising than the last one, the movie still almost entirely works, with any nitpicks being of the fairly small variety.
While it’s no secret that I love a good fright flick, I don’t talk nearly as much about a certain type of holiday film. Honestly, when it comes to a Christmas movie, I’m not huge on them. Some, whether it’s Love. Actually or Die Hard (yes, it counts), shine through, but the old standbys don’t do a ton for me. So, while a horror take on It’s a Wonderful Life intrigued me, my indifference to the latter kept me from being as pumped as I normally would be for a Michael Kennedy script (Freaky is amazing, simply put). Silly me, as It’s a Wonderful Knife is a clever and fun take on the tale, clearly homaging with affection, while spilling more than its fair share of blood. In terms of hybrids, this is a cut above.
It’s a Wonderful Knife works as a Christmas movie, to be sure, as long as gore doesn’t bug you. As for horror fans, they’re bound to be tickled by this violent take on the story. The film doesn’t take itself seriously, but it does opt to take the homaging seriously, which is a nice choice. It makes both sides of the coin feel equal to each other, raising both sides up in concert.
4. Cocaine Bear
Sometimes, a movie just knows what its audience wants. No matter the genre, if a film can do exactly what a viewer wants, it can be something special. When you deliver on exactly what you promise? Yeah, that’s a cinematic sweet spot. I’m here to tell you that Cocaine Bear does exactly that. The flick has a bonkers premise, albeit one based on a true story, and shows you everything you could hope for. On a pure entertainment level, nothing has compared to this in 2023. It represents my number one film to date, and while it’s early, I think it has a great chance of hanging on in my top ten throughout the year. It’s just that much of a twisted treat.
Cocaine Bear is an absolute blast. It makes no bones about being anything other than a zany action comedy about what happens when a bear in the woods gets into some cocaine. Hilarity and insanity ensues, with a game cast, as well as a director clearly enjoying herself, letting it all play out to the extreme. It tickled me pink from start to finish, resulting in my favorite film experience of the year so far.
3. Thanksgiving
It’s no secret that I’ve wanted to see Thanksgiving as a feature film ever since I saw Eli Roth‘s fake trailer during Grindhouse. It just tickled my fancy so much, a slasher movie set during Turkey Day. Well, it’s now real, it’s here, and folks…it’s bloody glorious. Roth has made this horror flick for everyone who loves those good old fashioned slashers. It’s a hoot.
Thanksgiving deserves to play on Black Friday at midnight every year, going forward. It’s a future cult classic, for sure, but it’s also just a good horror movie. There’s plenty of homage to the trailer, but the film definitely exists of its own accord. It’s a throwback type of slasher, but considering how few we get at all these days, that’s still very much a compliment.
2. Saw X
The Saw franchise has shown incredible life over the years. What was just a small independent horror film has now become one of the biggest properties in the genre. After going nonstop for over half a decade, there were pauses, but it always comes back to Saw. While both Jigsaw and Spiral: From the Book of Saw weren’t quite able to relaunch it back to its horror heights (though the latter is one of the best films they’ve done), Saw X has a great chance to do it. By going back to its roots, namely with the return of Tobin Bell, this is what many have been asking for. The results are deeply satisfying, provided that this is your sort of thing.
Saw X is both old and new, which very much works in its favor. Taking place in the early days of the series, when the central character was still alive (remember, there have now been seven follow ups to the third installment, where he died), this one is able to fill in blanks, while also telling a different kind of a story. Here, you’re with Bell’s character throughout, which is a notable difference. Not only is his presence a real boon to the work, it almost makes for a bit of nostalgia. Overall, this is an upper echelon Saw film.
This is the pairing that I never knew I wanted. I’ve long been a fan of Kaitlyn Dever, considering her one of the more underrated actresses in Hollywood. Moreover, Brian Duffield‘s directorial debut Spontaneous blew me away. So, combining the two for a science fiction film like No One Will Save You is a recipe for success. Not only is this a combination that works for me, it’s one that should appeal to all of you as well. This movie is hitting Hulu today, but honestly, should be closing out the summer in theaters. It’s that fun and that thrilling.
No One Will Save You mixes the home invasion genre with the alien invasion genre. Not only that, it’s essentially a one character thriller, raising the stakes. Every single time in this flick that you think we’ve reached the point where things can’t get any weirder or more intense, Duffield asks you to hold his storyteller beer. The results are quite successful, even if the ending may not be quite what you’d have preferred.
What were your favorite horror films of 2023? Let us know!
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