A lot of people don’t understand the attraction towards horror films. Sometimes, the passion is met with disgust or concern. At the core of the question is the curiosity of knowing why someone might deliberately want to watch gore, violence, terror and unease. As Halloween approaches, we’ve rounded up the most prominent 2024 horror film releases. Better yet, an analysis on why horror is one of the most watched genres.
The Year of Sequels… Every Year
Horror movies are known for being made in franchises. We have the Halloween franchise with thirteen films, the Scream franchise that keeps getting renewed. Many more horror films that receive their sequel ages after the first installment’s release. It’s not simply a Hollywood phenomenon. The people I’ve talked to admitted they’ve been watching horror since they were young, or it is a family tradition. Horror, more than other genres, has the reputation of leaving a mark, whether it’s positive or negative. The demand for sequels, whether direct or indirect through the success of the previous installments, is due to the fans. In 2024, we have the return of known universes.
Alien: Romulus, dir. Fede Alvarez
How could I talk about franchises without mentioning Alien (1979), whose success perdures through the decades? The new installment in the Alien franchise, Alien: Romulus (2024) brings a breath of fresh air to the story. Despite being a sequel to Prometheus (2012) and Covenant (2017), the newest update has innovative elements. It does all this while still keeping the old tropes of the franchise. Taking place in a future where people live in space colonies, Rain, our protagonist, attempts to escape poverty for a better life with her brother and a group of space misfits. We find the signature stamp of gore and body horror. However, the cinematography takes us to another level than what we’ve witnessed. Using gravity and tension, Alien: Romulus proves the addictive genes of the horror franchise.
A Quiet Place: Day One, dir. Michael Sarnoski
Who hasn’t seen A Quiet Place (2018) by now? Although the first film was well received, the second one left a bitter taste for a lot of people. There were doubts concerning another sequel, but A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) proved that the universe can be revived – as long as it remembers what made it successful. In this year’s release, Sam and her cat attempt to navigate a world that is invaded by aliens who are driven to kill by sound. Sam has terminal cancer, which creates a complex dilemma. Are human instincts to survive no matter the circumstances, or is there more to value in a world that is ending? Sam is only in New York City for a day trip, yet she finds herself stuck there when the aliens attack. The atmosphere is dark, with Lupita Nyong’o’s performance bringing emotions that cannot be captured by words. More so, the possibility of the scenario happening in real life is what makes the watch bone chilling.
MaXXXine, dir. Ti West
Who doesn’t love a trilogy? MaXXXine (2024) is the last installment in the X (2022) trilogy, and it did not disappoint. Each one of these films has a distinct atmosphere, with Pearl (2022) being the one that stands out the most. However, Mia Goth excels at playing both of her characters in the series. Her performance is outstanding as Maxine, a character who knows what she wants and is not afraid to get there by any means necessary. Maxine becomes famous after years of trying to make a name for herself through sex work. However, her rise to fame is eclipsed by the presence of a serial killer who goes after young women in Hollywood. The film happens in the 80s, and the cinematography, outfits and soundtrack exceed expectations.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, dir. Tim Burton
Beetlejuice (1988) is a cult classic. Focusing on the comedy side of horror, Tim Burton leans into the ridiculousness of summoning a demon. It is a film that withstood the proof of time not only in the genre of horror, but in general consensus. Revisiting the classic makes sense, although there’s dividing opinions surrounding the revival of horror movies after decades. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) stars the original cast, as well as Jenna Ortega, one of the most prominent names in new horror. Lydia Deetz, interpreted by Winona Ryder and a teenager in the original Beetlejuice (1988), now has a teenage daughter of her own. After a recent loss, the specter Betelgeuse comes back to haunt her. Despite the predictability of the plot, the film received overall positive reviews.
Horror Sends A Message
People who aren’t familiar with the horror genre will dismiss it under the guise of being surface-level violence. However, there are many subgenres of horror. A slasher might be what comes to mind when thinking of horror, where the decisions made aren’t the brightest and the focus is on the jumpscares and gore. This is not the case for these next releases, whose stories are worth analyzing for the message they focus on.
I Saw The TV Glow, dir. Jane Schoenbrun
The A24 production made waves, despite just having been released this year. Justice Smith and Bridgette Lundy-Paine star as teenagers Owen and Maddy in I Saw The TV Glow (2024). This movie questions our relation to screens and media. The two protagonists are obsessed with a television show called The Pink Opaque, who brings forth questions of living in the past. One day, Maddy disappears after revealing her need to run away. The meta nature of this horror film doesn’t escape me. It makes a commentary on the escapism we receive from the media and how facing away from your problems contributes to remaining in the past. I Saw The TV Glow (2024) is a psychological masterpiece that puts us face to face with our own mechanisms. It creates a discussion beyond the image of horror.
The Substance, dir. Coralie Fargeat
How do you function in a world who values youth and beauty beyond well-being? Do you become disposable once you’re no longer useful to the system that made you? Those are some of the questions that The Substance (2024) asks. Demi Moore plays a 50 year-old celebrity named Elizabeth Sparkle who gets fired from her aerobics television show because of her age. Being sold a drug called The Substance, she’s promised a younger and prettier version of herself, who is played by Margaret Qualley. It all seems to work in Elizabeth’s favor, until strange side effects appear. Not only does The Substance (2024) point out the impossible beauty standards women are subjected to, there is a direct correlation between one’s appearance and one’s self worth – how does our perception of self define us and our actions?
The Classic Comfort of the Unsettling
Above everything, people who watch horror regularly find comfort in it. Whether it is because of the formula of horror franchises, or the important messages hidden behind all the blood and gore, there are a lot of reasons why someone might find refuge in the genre. Some of the reasons mentioned were the building of a spooky atmosphere that becomes comforting, others because it gives a break from our own body and mind. When you live with mental or chronic illness, there is distraction in seeing horror outside of the one taking place in your body and mind. These next psychological horrors follow codes that have been instated in the genre for decades. These films challenge our capacities and are the source of great emotion, due to the suspense, anticipation and unknowing of what will happen next.
Longlegs, dir. Osgood Perkins
Longlegs is the highest grossing independent film of 2024, which shows the impact of the horror genre in the overall cinema releases. Maika Monroe stars as Lee Harker, an FBI agent with the gift of clairvoyance. She investigates a series of murder-suicides who leave behind letters signed with “Longlegs”. Lee discovers a possible connection between her and “Longlegs” as she searches further in this supernatural horror-thriller. The supernatural subgenre is one of the most popular ones in horror. Combined with the murders and the investigation, it’s a classic scenario.
Trap, dir. M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan is known for his contributions to the horror genre. Trap (2024) follows a serial killer who goes to a concert with his daughter, except the whole setup is a bait for the police to catch him. Josh Hartnett who plays Cooper, the protagonist, attempts to escape his arrest by creating distractions. Shyamalan excels at building suspense and tension little by little, by putting us into situations that could happen, then revealing that they are more than what meets the eye. This psychological film also finds itself at the intersection between horror and thriller.
The Watchers, dir. Ishana Night Shyamalan
Ishana Night Shyamalan’s follows her father’s footsteps in the horror genre with her debut feature-length film. The Watchers (2024) happens in a world where our protagonist, Ciara (played by Dakota Fanning) gets stranded in the woods and joins a bunker under the orders of a woman living there. The woman warns Ciara of the existence of The Watchers, omniscient beings that can be seen through the refuge’s mirrored window. The film creates an atmosphere of fantasy and supernatural horror.
Immaculate, dir. Michael Mohan
Religion and spirituality are huge inspirations when it comes to horror, as what is more unsettling than these centuries old traditions and devotion? Nuns are often the protagonists of these stories, which is the case for Immaculate (2024), starring Sydney Sweeney as Sister Cecilia. There is a perpetual confusion on why a woman would dedicate her life to an unseen being, which is why they are often our subjects in religious themed horror. Sister Cecilia leaves for an Italian convent that seems immaculate from the outside, but harbours dark secrets. The unsettling nature of the secrecy surrounding convents helps create the atmosphere we often seek on our silver screens.
If there’s any of these that you haven’t yet watched, there’s plenty of time to catch up on these releases (for example, during your Halloween night marathon)! Need more tips on how to spend Halloween this year? Caring for the planet is an all-day holiday:
Sustainable Halloween: Ways to Have A Green Spooky Season
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