All the early Oscar bait, indie darlings and critically acclaimed films show up on “best-of-so-far” lists, but how about the movies that really stick with you – as in visiting your nightmares every so often, doling out heebie-jeebies and just freaking you out in general?
Plenty of cool horror films have haunted cineplexes this year, with “Us” as another crafty bit of terror from “Get Out” fear-meister Jordan Peele and the return of killer doll Chucky in a “Child’s Play” reboot. The latest is simply super-fun and crazy bloody: The horror comedy “Ready or Not” (in theaters Wednesday) stars Australian actress Samara Weaving as a new bride forced to play a seriously gnarly game of hide-and-seek against her murderous in-laws.
We’re dedicated to keeping you on the edge of your seat, so here are the best scare-fests of 2019 so far, ranked:
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17. ‘Child’s Play’
High-tech doll Chucky (voiced by Mark Hamill in full creep-out mode) is a best friend to the end for tween Andy (Gabriel Bateman) – which leads to some violent outcomes and Chucky hijacking a bevy of personal tech devices in this savvy remake of the 1988 cult classic.
16. ‘Pet Sematary’
While the 1989 adaptation of the Stephen King novel was forgettable, this sinister redo has some bite with the story of a family who just can’t let things go: first with the family cat and then a human youngster, both of whom come back in a supernaturally not great way. Campier than you’d expect but with all the dread you want and need.
15. ‘Annabelle Comes Home’
Third time’s the charm with the devil doll, which is housed by paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) in this 1970s-set tale. When mom and dad are on assignment, Annabelle gets loose and rounds up a demonic posse to attack young Judy Warren (Mckenna Grace) and her babysitters.
14. ‘The Perfection’
Former cello prodigy Charlotte (Allison Williams) seeks out current string superstar Lizzie (Logan Browning), and they go on a road trip that veers scarily off course in the musically tinged thriller, which is chock-full of disturbing images and storytelling surprises.
13. ‘The Wind’
Isolated on the American prairie, Lizzy Macklin (Caitlin Gerard) is a 19th-century frontierswoman who feels a sinister force all around her, though her husband (Ashley Zukerman) doesn’t believe her. It grows worse when a newlywed couple arrives and Lizzy’s home on the range becomes ground zero for darkness.
12. ‘Lords of Chaos’
In the 1980s, teenage musician Euronymous (Rory Culkin) starts a band devoted to “true Norwegian black metal.” Instead of just hailing Satan, the dude goes to extreme lengths to prove his metal-ness, and finds an outcast acolyte (Emory Cohen) even more committed to the cause.
11. ‘Happy Death Day 2U’
The first “Death Day” was a slasher take on “Groundhog Day,” and the horror-comedy sequel uses “Back to the Future II” as its primary inspiration in sending fed-up college student Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) through yet another time loop where she has to avoid being killed by a baby-masked murderer.
10. ‘Climax’
An international best-of-the-best dance troupe (featuring stars Sofia Boutella and a bunch of real-life artists) works hard and plays harder. They spend one crazy night letting loose with cool moves but also unleashing violent tendencies – all thanks to some LSD-laced sangria – in the psychological thriller.
9. ‘Hagazussa’
If you liked the occult period weirdness of “The Witch,” you’ll dig its European cousin “Hagazussa.” Albrun (Aleksandra Cwen) is a young 15th-century goat herder and single mom who’s shunned as an outsider. Revenge and supernatural goings-on are both afoot in the unnerving German tale.
8. ‘Velvet Buzzsaw’
Netflix’s satirical gore-fest centers on a gallery owner (Rene Russo), her ambitious assistant (Zawe Ashton), an eccentric critic (Jake Gyllenhaal) and other oddballs in the highfalutin L.A. art scene who become enamored with the found masterworks of a random dead man with a very strange backstory.
7. ‘I Trapped the Devil’
The slow-burn horror film finds Matt (A.J. Bowen) visiting estranged brother Steve (Scott Poythress) for an impromptu Christmas family reunion. Things take a turn for the worse when Matt finds out that his unhinged sibling has locked a stranger in the basement (“This Is Us” star Chris Sullivan) whom he believes is Satan.
6. ‘The Hole in the Ground’
Sarah (Seana Kerslake) is a young Irish mother who’s moved with her son Chris (James Quinn Markey) to a rural home right next to a gigantic sinkhole. That’s the first sign that something’s about to go very wrong – the second is when an elderly neighbor tells Sarah that’s not her kid and she seriously starts to wonder about that, too.
5. ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’
Co-written and produced by Guillermo del Toro, this is proof positive that you don’t need gore to make an audience cringe. The 1960s-set tale digs into racism and politics in addition to its fear factor pitting small-town teenagers vs. creatures spawned from a haunted tome. Good luck sleeping after you witness the grotesque Pale Lady and a pimple that’s totally not a pimple.
4. ‘Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror’
The fascinating documentary explores the complicated relationship between horror and black audiences, as seen through the lens of several luminaries in the genre, including 1990s “Candyman” star Tony Todd, “Blacula” director William Crain and filmmaker Jordan Peele, the latter whose breakthrough “Get Out” gets lots of love in the social-issues discussion.
3. ‘Midsommar’
Young couple Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor) have their not-that-great relationship tested when they bear witness to cult craziness while attending a Swedish summer solstice festival. What will really stick with you, though, is how universally relatable writer/director Ari Aster’s messed-up breakup film is.
2. ‘Ready or Not’
We dare you to find a more enjoyable 96 minutes of mayhem, gore and gallows humor. Poor newlywed Grace (Samara Weaving) gets put through hell on her wedding night with her wealthy new family trying to kill her in this excellent cross between “Clue,” “You’re Next” and “The Purge.” A star-making vehicle for Weaving, “Ready” also unleashes the old-timey “The Hide & Seek Song” as the spookily catchy cherry on top.
1. ‘Us’
Yes, “Us” is also one of the very best flicks of 2019, but don’t sleep on the inherent fears mined and villains conjured (i.e., us) in Peele’s thought-provoking follow-up to “Get Out.” A family is beset one night by their murderous doppelgängers, giving Lupita Nyong’o a killer chance to shine in dual roles.
