The Best Horror Of The Year. Volume 9 — Instant

The Quiet Dread: OddityProving that you don't need a massive budget to create nightmare fuel, this Irish supernatural thriller centers on a blind medium and a terrifying wooden mannequin. Its mastery of "the jump scare" is unparalleled, using silence and timing to create genuine jolts that feel earned rather than cheap.

The Midnight Favorite: Late Night with the DevilThis clever "found footage" experiment captures the grainy, desperate energy of 1970s variety television. David Dastmalchian is brilliant as a talk show host willing to sell his soul for ratings. The slow-burn build-up leads to a practical-effects finale that is as messy as it is terrifying. The best horror of the year. Volume 9

Stopmotion: A harrowing look at artistic obsession through unsettling animation. The Quiet Dread: OddityProving that you don't need

The First Omen: A rare prequel that surpasses expectations with bold imagery. David Dastmalchian is brilliant as a talk show

The Body Horror King: The SubstanceA neon-soaked, visceral assault on the senses that examines the agony of aging. Demi Moore gives a career-best performance in a film that starts as a sleek satire and ends in a glorious, blood-drenched explosion of prosthetic mastery. It is loud, gross, and impossible to look away from.