2023 wasn't a great year for horror films in my opinion, not helped on a personal level with some issues I had which meant I did not get to see as many as I normally would, but regardless, I am not sure it was a very good year overall, although you might disagree.
Here are my top 5 though, and while some of these films got festival releases before 2023, I count them as 2023 films as that is when they had a theatrical release.
When Evil Lurks
When Evil Lurks was the best horror movie of 2023, in my opinion.
The film is set in a secluded village, where two brothers, Pedro and Jimmy, come across a demon that is on the brink of being physically manifested.
Driven by their desire to safeguard their community, they attempt to perform an exorcism, but their efforts fall short, unleashing a wave of destruction and carnage upon their nearest and dearest.
It's is a fantastic horror film that doesn't shy away from the violence and gore.
The characters' actions, driven by fear and genuine emotions, make the story easy to connect with and it's a must watch for horror enthusiasts seeking a raw and intense viewing experience. [When Evil Lurks on IMDB] [Where To Watch When Evil Lurks]
Huesera: The Bone Woman
Evil Dead Rise
The latest installment in the Evil Dead franchise revival, Evil Dead Rise, takes the torment to a dilapidated high-rise in LA, while still capturing the essence of the series.
Director, Lee Cronin skillfully blends the best elements of Sam Raimi's original films and Fede Álvarez’s 2013 reboot, creating a modern remix that is both fresh and gory and resulting in a film that is both a tribute to its predecessors and a bold step forward for the franchise.
It takes a darker tone without losing the essence of its predecessors and it is a cool addition to one of the best film franchises of all time. [Evil Dead Rise on IMDB] [Where To Watch Evil Dead Rise]
Sick
Sick is a film that surprised me a lot, I went in blind expecting a sub standard slasher film, but actually became quite fond of it.
It doesn't really try to do anything new or reinvent the genre, but I certainly had a lot of fun with it, and while you need to ignore certain things with the plot, if you can, its a film you might also have a lot of slasher fun with.
Co written by Kevin Williamson of Scream fame, Sick is a film you should watch if you want some fun slasher action. [Sick on IMDB] [Where To Watch Sick]
Talk To Me
Talk To Me revolves around a preserved hand that grants teenagers the ability to communicate with the dead, but if they allow the spirits to linger for more than 90 seconds, they may never leave.
Fortunately, the teens’ timekeeping skills are less than perfect.
The movie might not have fully matched the buzz, but it came pretty close, and it has its moments and was occasionally quite brutal, and turned a typically teen friendly horror into something much more intense and adult-rated.
While it might not be as terrifying as some early reviews claimed (Are they ever?), and wasn't anything groundbreaking, what it did I thought it did quite well for this type of film. [Talk To Me on IMDB] [Where To Watch Talk To Me]
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