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It is officially Halloween season, the time of year we turn to the best horror films in history for serotonin. We are lucky because Max (formerly HBO Max) is giving us so many iconic titles that we could lose days on the streamer. So, I pulled the ten highest-rated horror films, according to Rotten Tomatoes, that you can watch on the app today. Grab your favorite snacks, get out your TV blanket, and prepare to become one with your couch this weekend.
The Exorcist (dir. William Friedkin)
A woman seeks the help of two catholic priests when a demonic presence possesses her young daughter. This film, led by Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair, obviously deserves to be on the list. It has been arguably the most terrifying exorcist movie for over 50 years. It has also spawned many questionable sequels and one great short-lived TV show. I am glad Max is allowing us to watch it this spooky season. The only thing I find surprising about this entry is its score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes. I assumed this would be toward the top of the list instead of the bottom. I imagine some of your heads are also spinning with this development.
Scream (dir. Wes Craven)
A teen is stalked by a masked killer a year after her mother was murdered. Wes Craven really reset the slasher subgenre with this film. I do not know many people in my generation who do not list Scream among their favorite movies. It shook the film landscape so much and immediately picked up a very vocal fanbase. I love that it’s on Max, and in the top 100 movies on the streamer, but I keep looking at the 81% Rotten Tomatoes score and I have questions. I am very tempted to see what issues critics had with this perfect slice of 90s cinema because 81% seems low for this beloved title.
The Shining (dir. Stanley Kubrick)
A family is stranded in an isolated hotel for the winter with a sinister presence. The Shining remains the gold standard for many horror fans and filmmakers. This movie has a cool aesthetic and greatly benefits from a cast featuring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Scatman Crothers. So, I’m not surprised it’s on the Rotten Tomatoes list. However, as with the previous two movies, I am shocked it is not ranked higher. This first attempt at adapting the iconic Stephen King novel holds an 83% on the site, which puts it in a very odd tie with two completely different kind of horror movies. Brace yourself.
Beetlejuice (dir. Tim Burton)
The spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home. So, they hire a malicious spirit to drive them out. We all love Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder, and Michael Keaton. This movie was also one of the gateway horror films for most of us weirdos. However, I was today years old when I found out critics dug Beetlejuice enough for it to hold an 83% Rotten Tomatoes score. Seeing it tied with The Shining might send me to the afterlife with the ghost with the most.
Paranormal Activity (dir. Oren Peli)
A couple moves into a suburban home and begins to experience disturbing and unexplainable events. Watching Katie (Katie Featherstone) battle her literal demons while putting up with her starter boyfriend still chills me to my core. I love most of the entries in this franchise, and Paranormal Activity is one of the reasons I started giving found footage a little more respect. So, it is cool knowing critics also loved this first installment of what has become a popular franchise. However, I am shocked that it also sits at an 83% score with The Shining and Beetlejuice. To make things even wilder, it is the most reviewed of the three movies, with 210 reviews.
Black Swan (dir. Darren Aronofsky)
A ballerina on the verge of stardom is pushed to her breaking point by a rival and her artistic director. A tale as old as time, really. This psychological horror movie stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis alongside beloved actors like Winona Ryder and Barbara Hershey. This movie struck a chord with critics and became part of the annoying elevated horror conversation. So, seeing it on the list of best-rated horror movies with an 85% weighted score is not too shocking. While this is not my cup of tea, I appreciate dance horror movies because they prove anything can be deadly if you work hard enough.
The Sixth Sense (dir. M. Night Shyamalan)
A child psychologist starts treating a young boy who sees dead people. This movie was the first step towards Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collette becoming genre staples. While I was salty as a kid because I clocked the twist almost immediately, many people somehow missed all those clues. So, this movie is among their favorite M. Night Shyamalan titles and has probably been holding onto that 86% score for years. Now that I have healed and matured, I can see that it might objectively be Shyamalan’s best feature. Which makes it extra cool that critics rated it so highly.
Aliens (dir. James Cameron)
The lone survivor of the Nostromo incident is sent back into space, where she finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring. The follow-up to the classic Alien is much more action-packed than the first installment. It is also one of the few genre sequels that is near perfection. The Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn of it all should land it on more lists to be completely honest. As much as I hate they had an actor in Brownface, I have to admit this movie is otherwise one of the best sci-fi horror films I have ever seen. I might revisit it while it is on Max because it has been a few years since I last watched it. Aliens has a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Diabolique (dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot)
A principal’s wife and mistress plan to murder him, thinking they have the perfect alibi. I’m so happy this is currently streaming on Max because it’s the one title on the list I haven’t seen yet. This is wild because I love movies where women join forces and commit crimes. It is even more embarrassing because the film has been around since 1955, meaning my film classes could have done me a solid here. So, I plan to finally cross this beloved French gem off my list of movies I missed out on. I am also extra jazzed because it has a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. I cannot wait to see what all the fuss is about.
Eyes Without a Face (dir. Georges Franju)
A surgeon disfigures his daughter’s face and then sets out to get her a new one. Eyes Without a Face is a wild time! I’ve wanted to revisit it because I recently watched Circus of Horrors for the first time, and my brain is now connecting both of these 1960s plastic surgeons who belong in Arkham Asylum. This film holds a 97% score, and I encourage you to add it to your weekend plans if you are into classic French cinema. I was not expecting things to escalate how they did, and my own face took a journey.
I am also shouting out Stalker (1979), Parasite (2019), and Love Lies Bleeding (2024) for being in this Top 100 list but sadly not being labeled as horror. You should still watch them on Max because they deserve your attention and are doing so much under their respective corners of the horror umbrella.
Are you surprised by which horror titles are the highest rated on Rotten Tomatoes? Or are all ten movies among your favorite genre movies? We should discuss either way at @Misssharai.
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