Horror movies are definitely not for the faint of heart. While some say the movie genre is an acquired taste, horror can and should be appreciated by everyone. It isn’t reserved just for lovers of guts and gore (though that certainly helps).
Recently, horror movies have evolved to include intricate plotlines and psychological twists, which leave audiences speechless and full of dread. If you are a horror lover like myself, that dread transforms into a complete adrenaline rush.
Fan or not, 2019 is home to some of the most highly anticipated horror movies of the decade. This list is a small portion of what is yet to come, but will leave everyone sleeping with the lights on for the rest of the week.
1. Pet Semetary (2019)
Based on Stephen King’s book, “Pet Semetary” this remake of the 1989 horror movie will prove to new and younger audiences that you can’t mess around with the dead.
The story follows a couple who moves to a new home, located near a cemetery that is rumored to bring pets back from the dead. When their daughter suddenly dies, they think that burying her in the pet cemetery will bring her back. As most post-mortem tales go, this situation certainly doesn’t go as planned.
With the successful remake of King’s “It,” this adaptation of “Pet Semetary “will use newer CGI and film technology to make the living fearful of the dead.
“Pet Semetary” was released on April 5.
2. La Llorona
“La Llorona” takes childhood scary stories for a spin when a frightening entity starts to kidnap children in 1970s Los Angeles. A social worker quickly finds her own kids in danger as they begin to see warning signs of La Llorona. Soon, the family finds a priest who attempts to keep La Llorona at bay, but good can do only so much against this horrifying evil.
According to critics, this film ties loosely to the universe captured by James Wan’s “The Conjuring” films.
“La Llorona” will release on April 19.
3. Brightburn
A meteor lands and a baby is found in the woods. It sounds like a miracle, but for a young couple it will soon be a disaster.
The young couple raises their newfound son, Brandon, but quickly discover that something is off with the child. After being constantly picked on in school, Brandon injures a fellow classmate in a rage. Things begin to snowball as Brandon’s extra-terrestrial abilities come to light and hundreds of people are killed.
Above all, Brandon’s mother is desperately trying to see the good in his heart. Do beings from other beings have hearts, or is Brandon simply out to kill?
“Brightburn” has a release date set for May 24.
4. Ma
Starring Oscar-award-winner Octavia Spencer, “Ma” is a teenager’s worst nightmare. Spencer plays Sue Ann, a quiet, harmless woman who lives on her own. One day, Sue is approached by a teenager, Maggie, who asks her to buy alcohol for her and her underage friends. Sue demonstrates her hospitality to Maggie and her group by offering her house as an outlet for the kids to avoid drinking and driving.
With this new arrangement, Sue establishes simple house rules. One of these rules requires the kids to call Sue “Ma.” What seems like an act of kindness quickly elevates into a terrifying obsession, and Ma isn’t going to let her new kids get away.
“Ma” will be released on May 31.
5. Little Monsters
The comical zombie horror flick, “Little Monsters” combines comedy with the fear of the living-dead. The film, which stars Lupita Nyong’o and Josh Gad, follows Dave, a musician who decides to chaperone his nephew’s class field trip after he discovers that his nephew has a hot teacher. Dave is quickly blindsided by another man trying to win the teacher’s heart. What could be worse? A zombie outbreak, apparently.
“Little Monsters” originally premiered at the Sundance Festival on Jan. 27. Hulu currently has distribution rights to the film.
6. Child’s Play
Rotten Tomatoes called this modern remake a contemporary reimaging of the classic 1988 horror movie. “Child’s Play” stars Aubrey Plaza as Karen, a single mother who absentmindedly gives her child a new doll. Eliminating the supernatural and demonic element, the doll seems to have a glitched programming and soon goes on a violent rampage.
Fans of the original and newcomers alike will enjoy this remake, which takes a spin on the future of robots, which is quickly becoming a reality in 2019.
“Child’s Play” is set to release on June 21.
7. Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf0JwXkXs0c
’90s kids everywhere will be rushing to the theatre. Based on the book series by Alvin Schwartz, Sarah Bellows has a lot of secrets to share. She writes her secrets down in a book, interpreted into variations of frightening stories of torture.
When, years later, a group of teenagers find Sarah’s book in the Bellows’ abandoned mansion, the stories suddenly turn real. For the teenagers who discovered Sarah’s secrets, they quickly discover that you don’t read the book: the book reads you.
“Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark” will be released on August 9.
8. Midsommar
Cult movies are definitely the most unnerving, mainly because they’re so realistic. “Midsommar” follows a young couple who visit a rural town in Sweden for a midsummer festival. At first all seems well — almost utopian — but slowly, the couple is subjected to horrifying cult activity.
“Midsommar” was written and directed by Ari Aster, creator of 2018’s “Hereditary”, which is arguably the most terrifying horror movie of this decade. With Aster’s genius behind the scenes and on set, “Midsommar” is definitely a movie you need to see before the year closes.
“Midsommar” will be released August 9.
The fear of the unknown is what keeps horror movie fans up at night. After leaving the movie theatre, they’re constantly in search of the next scream or relentless night of sleep. There is a strange sense of awe and panic when watching a horror movie, especially new ones coming this year.
