In the mood to watch a scary movie? Some great titles, like The Exorcist, It and The Shining, may have slipped off of Max recently, but plenty of excellent flicks are still up for grabs. You can stream classics like The Silence of the Lambs and newer films like Evil Dead Rise.
Here are the horror movies you should make time for on Max. All these films received generally favorable reviews or better, according to Metacritic. If you’re wondering what Max is all about, here’s more on the streaming service, which unites the HBO Max and Discovery Plus libraries.
This is one you shouldn’t watch alone. Ari Aster’s feature directorial debut about what a family uncovers after the death of its matriarch may be the scariest entry on this list. If you’re up for a disturbing flick with great performances, venture cautiously into Hereditary.
Anya Taylor-Joy shines in this horror satire about an elaborate dinner with a dark twist. It presents an assortment of guests gathering at Hawthorne, an exclusive restaurant on an island. Renowned chef Julian Slowik, played by a magnetic Ralph Fiennes, has planned every detail of the evening except for the inclusion of Taylor-Joy’s Margot. Dishing out thrills and social commentary, The Menu will have you pleading for seconds.
A family accidentally unearths some unimaginable evils in this gory supernatural horror story. It’s the fifth entry in the film franchise after The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness and 2013’s Evil Dead.
A young woman travels to Detroit for a job interview and discovers her Airbnb has been double-booked. That may be how this engrossing horror film starts, but it soon descends into complete chaos. With twists in the story and superb acting all around, Barbarian is freaky, five-star horror fare.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Jodie Foster interviews Anthony Hopkins’ evil Hannibal Lecter in this classic psychological thriller. Foster plays FBI agent Clarice Starling, who’s determined to bring down a killer. It’s the only horror movie ever to win a best picture Oscar, and also won for best director, screenplay, actor (Hopkins) and actress (Foster) in 1992.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
For surprises and plenty of nightmare fuel, The Cabin in the Woods is the way to go. The twisty and terrifying horror comedy introduces a group of unsuspecting college kids, including Chris Hemsworth, who head to a remote cabin for a fun weekend. The first half hour or so is relatively calm, but when the horror show starts, it doesn’t let up.
This historical horror movie pretty much guarantees nightmares. The disturbing flick centers on a family in 1630s New England and marks Anya Taylor-Joy’s film debut. Over the 90-minute flick, strange and shocking things happen to a farmer, his wife and their five children who’ve relocated to a remote area on the edge of a forest.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
George Romero’s first horror film is an easy recommendation. A group of survivors take refuge in a house while members of the undead swarm outside. The influential flick is often regarded as the first modern zombie movie, and while it may not offer Freddy Krueger-level frights, you’ll be drawn in by the characters at the center of its story. You’re going to want to leave the door open for this one (but in the case of an actual apocalypse, keep it very, very shut).
David Lynch’s first feature-length film will make you feel like you’re in a bizarre nightmare. The 90-minute black-and-white horror flick is packed with odd sounds and imagery, and the result is incredibly eerie. Don’t even get me started on the main character’s freakish, otherworldly-looking “baby” (that is oddly still kind of cute?). There are messages about men and parenthood here, but setting aside the bigger picture, Eraserhead’s surreal world is absolutely worth a visit.
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