Once it’s getting dark and you’re ready to test your nerves, try out Katie Parker’s spooky recommendations for the greatest horror movies to stream on NEON.
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* Best new movies & TV series on NEON
* All new streaming movies & series
Annabelle (2014)
Telling the origin story of the horrific haunted doll from The Conjuring, Annabelle follows an expecting couple terrorised by a satanist cult—and a very creepy doll. It may not have quite the same chill factors as its source material, but it’s a worthy watch for anyone who likes a good jump scare.
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
Expanding the cinematic universe first seen in John Krasinski’s 2018 hit A Quiet Place, Day One takes us back to where it all started, when the mysterious and aurally acute visitors arrived on earth. This time we join a pair of survivors in New York City. Starring Joseph Quinn and Lupita Nyong’o, this is a gripping addition to the franchise.
The Conjuring (2013)
Directed by horror maestro James Wan, the original movie in this massively successful franchise is a masterclass in old-school scares and pure entertainment. The story follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) as they assist a family who’s newly acquired farmhouse appears to be haunted.
The Craft (1996)
This is a cult classic for a reason, pairing campy black comedy with a rousing feminist message that resonates to this day. Following a coven of teen witches and charting the pitfalls of their growing power, The Craft deviated from the clichés of 90s teen movies to paint a nuanced portrait of female empowerment.
Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter (2023)
Adapted from a chapter in Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 novel, this gleefully gory take on literature’s OG vampire is a satisfyingly bloodthirsty affair. Telling the story of Dracula’s passage from Bulgaria to England, and the various ill-fated crew members who he met along the way, Voyage Of The Demeter is a surprisingly nasty affair—and has plenty of surprises up its sleeve for a story that is over 100 years old.
Five Nights At Freddy’s (2023)
Starring Josh Hutcherson as a troubled security guard on his first night shift at Freddy Fazbear & Pizzeria, things take a turn for the bloody when animatronic mascots come to life. Based on the video game series of the same name, Five Nights at Freddy’s may be packed full of lore and easter eggs for fans, but still contains plenty of thrills and chills for the uninitiated.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Horny teens, lakeside cabins and hockey masks have never been the same since the arrival of this cult classic, which remains the blueprint for slasher films to this day. It’s an endlessly rewatchable, deliciously nasty nostalgic gem that more than deserves its place in the horror pantheon.
Get Out (2017)
Few films have changed the game for the horror genre like Jordan Peele’s 2017 directorial debut. This terrifyingly astute critique of cynical white liberalism remains as potent, and chilling as ever, anchored by a star-making lead performance from Daniel Kaluuya and sprinkled with Peele’s signature wry humour.
Gremlins (1984)
Joe Dante’s cult classic is perhaps the defining creature feature of contemporary genre cinema. Set in a small town under siege by mysterious and mischievous hard-partying critters, there’s a deliciously dark streak to Dante’s sense of humour that makes the film equal parts funny and horrifying.
Immaculate (2024)
Sydney Sweeney leads this deliciously audacious 2024 horror set in a claustrophobic and remote Italian convent. Following a devout young nun who inexplicably falls pregnant, this provocative, bloody meditation on female bodily autonomy walks a fine line between smart and silly, building to an ending that will stay with you.
Infinity Pool (2023)
Brandon Cronenberg’s follow up to his stunning 2020 debut Possessor, Infinity Pool proves that while he may share his father’s penchant for perversion, David’s son has a style all his own. Following a struggling novelist (Alexander Skarsgard) whose vacation in a mysterious, fictional foreign land takes a dark turn when he is involved in an accident—and must face the country’s unorthodox justice system. Weird, wild and deeply depraved, Infinity Pool is a satire that feels entirely unique.
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)
Making his directorial debut with the latest—and perhaps last—instalment of the Insidious franchise, Patrick Wilson’s 2023 film joins the Lambert family nine years after their last brush with the bizarro realm known as ‘The Further’, as they discover that it is not done with them just yet. Nailing the original films’ silly-yet-scary tone, Wilson’s knack for suspense and set pieces make The Red Door a fun, popcorny horror flick.
Interview With The Vampire (1994)
For fans of a more cerebral brand of scares, Neil Jordan’s adaptation of Anne Rice’s classic novel is a dark and brooding tale of bloodlust, bromance and the boredom of eternal life. Starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and launching the career of a then 12-year-old Kirsten Dunst, this highbrow horror classic is about what it’s like to be emo…forever.
Longlegs (2024)
One of the most buzzed about horrors of 2024, Oz Perkins’ already legendary film lives up to the hype, earning instant cult status as one of the most atmospheric chillers in recent years. Starring Maika Monroe alongside a near-unrecognisable Nicolas Cage, this story of a young FBI agent’s hunt for a serial killer is a must-see for horror fans.
Loop Track (2023)
Thomas Sainsbury writes, directs and stars in this nifty little chiller about something New Zealanders are all too familiar with: tramping. Pairing a taut atmosphere with Sainsbury’s signature sense of irreverent humour, Loop Track’s efficient 94 minute runtime sees a solo hiker encounter peril and paranoia in the bush. It builds to an explosive finale you won’t see coming.
Night Swim (2024)
Proving that even the silliest plots can be chilling in the right hands, Night Swim’s tale of a family who discover their new home’s backyard pool might be evil is the kind of popcorny genre fare that’s become rare in the age of elevated horror. It might not be the smartest film, but it’s an undeniably fun watch.
Salem’s Lot (2024)
Based on horror maestro Stephen King’s 1975 novel, Salem’s Lot follows an author returning to his hometown for inspiration, but instead finds that his friends and neighbours are being gradually turned into blood-thirsty vampires. This effective, crowd-pleasing little chiller harks back to the classic spookfests of yore.
Saw X (2023)
There may not be many surprises left in this seemingly never-ending franchise, but Saw X still packs an incredibly gruesome punch. It chronicles John “Jigsaw” Kramer’s trip to a Mexican treatment centre that goes awry, resulting in—you guessed it—diabolical traps.
Thanksgiving (2023)
Eli Roth’s gleefully silly slasher perfectly revives the tropes of the genre while adding plenty of fresh twists for a new generation. Set in the aftermath of a Black Friday sale gone horribly wrong, a masked killer picks off those responsible one-by-one—in ways so nasty and inventive they must be seen to be believed.
There’s Something Wrong With The Children (2023)
If you thought something was a bit off about your friend’s kid, would you tell them? A childless couple face this awkward dilemma when they go on a camping trip with some buddies and their children—who after a visit to a mysterious cave, start acting pretty weird. Social niceties soon go out the window as the situation escalates and the adults are forced to realise that, actually, there is something really wrong with the children.
Titles are added and removed from his page to reflect changes to Netflix’s catalogue. The reviews no longer available on this page can be read here.
