Stream Screams: 13 of the Best Horror Movies on Hulu

Writer-director Anna Zlokovic’s psychological body-horror flick (a Hulu Original) is about what happens when you believe your negative inner voice. Young fashion designer Hannah’s (Hadley Robinson) personal turmoil manifests as an evil twin that grows from her abdomen, eats her bad feels, and intends to replace her. Some might find this metaphor for spiraling into depression too on-the-nose, a clumsy attempt at elevated horror. Others will take Zlokovic’s message to heart (hang in there, friends)—they’ll get the most from the film. But everyone should dig Appendage’s unique creeps, which evoke Frank Henenlotter’s Basket Case (1982) and Brain Damage (1988). —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

In the mid-’80s, Enid (Niamh Algar) works as a content censor for the British Board of Film Classification, cracking down on extreme and violent “video nasty” exploitation movies. When she sees a horror flick whose plot eerily resembles the disappearance of her sister, Enid spirals to the point where she can’t discern reality from fantasy, with grisly results. Censor is a taut psychological thriller that’s as unpredictable as it is viscerally frightening. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

Part of Hulu’s Into the Dark horror anthology series, Crawlers might be the only St. Patrick’s Day alien-invasion flick ever made (the Leprechaun franchise doesn’t quite count). When aliens begin taking over the bodies of drunken college bros in a pub crawl, it’s up to a trio of coeds (including a snarky vlogger capturing it all) to save them. The green beer is optional. —Bill Frost, Senior Staff Writer

Mark Jenkin’s Enys Men (Cornish for “Stone Island”) is more dream than film. For much of its 91-minute run time, we’re alone with an unnamed wildlife volunteer (Mary Woodvine) living on England’s Cornish coast in 1973. As she keeps daily logs on the growth of a rare flower, she encounters mysterious ghosts/people who may represent important figures in her life. It’s often unclear what’s happening in Enys Men, but it instills a creeping dread similar to The Wicker Man (1973—coincidence?). Recommended for audiences who enjoy slow arthouse horror stories with skeleton casts and minimal dialogue that leave you confused—but strangely, and truly, satisfied. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

Expect the unexpected when comedy people dabble in the horror genre—or a baby, in the case of False Positive. Director John Lee (Wonder Showzen, Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday) puts Lucy (Illana Glazer, Broad City) through maternity hell with a fertility doctor (Pierce Brosnan) who for sure has evil intentions. Lucy finally has a healthy baby girl with her husband Adrian (Justin Theroux), but she’s still determined to find out the sinister truth about Dr. Hindle. Hint: ick. —Bill Frost, Senior Staff Writer

Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel to Richard Donner’s iconic The Omen (1976) shares a conceptual kinship with Immaculate, another devil-baby movie recommended here. In The First Omen, we anticipate the arrival of Damien Thorn—The Antichrist and centerpiece of the Omen movies—through yet another mysterious and sinful conception. However, this prequel shifts the focus to Damien’s mother, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), unveiling the dark forces orchestrating his imminent birth. After being let down by the sequels’ lack of suspense and chills, we were pleasantly surprised to find that The First Omen captures much of the original’s horror effectively. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

In Oscar-winner Bong Joon-ho’s (Parasite, Snowpiercer, Okja) The Host, a negligent, carless, corporate leader orders a subservient underling to dump 200 bottles of excess formaldehyde into the sea. Of course that creates a gargantuan, ravenous sea monster, and now a hapless father must embark on a quest to save his daughter from the beast. Both terrifying and humorous, The Host appeals to fans of blockbuster creature features like Godzilla and Jaws while also captivating cinephiles eager to explore Joon-ho’s early work. —Randy Harward, Senior Staff Writer

In Willy’s Wonderland, Nicolas Cage stars as a scruffy drifter trapped overnight in an abandoned family fun center, battling demon-possessed animatronic mascots—cue the “Take my money!” meme. Cage’s nameless character has no backstory or dialogue, just 88 solid minutes of furry ass-kicking and grim smirks. It’s best to not think too hard and just enjoy the Willy’s Wonderland ride. —Bill Frost, Senior Staff Writer