Kara Gray Ramirez’s Top 10 Horror Movies of 2025 [Dread Central Selects]
2025 was an incredible year for horror, bringing stunning visuals and strong messages that resonate long after the fact. From Sinners to Marshmallow, there is a vast range of compelling horror to explore this year. A variety of offerings stood out for me, some that flew under the radar, others that garnered widespread critical acclaim. Keep reading to see my top 10 picks.
#10 Marshmallow
Marshmallow follows young Morgan, a boy traumatized after witnessing the passing of his grandfather. He is plagued with nightmares of water and drowning, and his parents send him to summer camp to cope, where things absolutely do not go as planned.
I decided to check this one out after reading the rave reviews, and I was not disappointed. Marshmallow presents itself as a very basic summer camp story, but it is much more than that. The plot twists and turns to a place you do not see coming, and you find yourself invested in the campfire story the kids tell each other about a crazed doctor who experiments on campers. Kue Lawrence delivers a stellar performance as Morgan and gives the audience a reason to root for him throughout.
#9 Locked
Locked is a horror thriller starring one of my favorite scream kings, Bill Skarsgård, as a thief who breaks into a luxury SUV and becomes hopelessly locked in. He quickly learns he has been lured into a trap by a stranger acting as a vigilante (Anthony Hopkins).
I was invested in this film the second Skarsgård came on screen, looking like 2018 Pete Davidson with bleached hair, a bright pink sweatshirt, and covered in tattoos. His character is not a good person, but you might just find yourself rooting for him to escape the SUV because you know he needs to get home to his daughter. Anthony Hopkins is always a joy, and it’s fun to watch him terrorize Skarsgård for 96 minutes.
#8 Companion
The sci-fi horror thriller Companion stars Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid as a young couple taking a weekend trip to a remote cabin that goes terribly wrong. We ultimately learn that one of them is a robot built for companionship, which leads to deadly consequences.
With AI very much on the rise, this plot feels eerily plausible. It feels like we are not far from sex/companion robots becoming the norm, and this film showcases the ethical dilemma we face with artificial intelligence. Sophie Thatcher absolutely nails the role of Iris. She carefully crafts her facial expressions with such precision that I felt incredibly connected to her character, while Jack Quaid does a great job playing an insufferable jerk.
#7 Bring Her Back
Bring Her Back is the second film written and directed by the Philippou brothers, and it is easily the “feel-bad” movie of the year, in the best way possible. The story follows two step-siblings (Billy Barratt and Sora Wong) who go to live with a strange foster mother after tragically losing their father. Upon their arrival at their new home, they can see something sinister at play beneath the surface.
Sally Hawkins plays Laura, the foster mother, and she is a force to be reckoned with. Themes of grief and the occult manifest to craft a truly troubling film that makes you wonder how far a person will go to be reunited with a loved one, and the ethical boundaries they are willing to break to get there. There is also an incredibly fantastic and bizarre use of “Untouched” by The Veronicas that left me scratching my head. This is a film that you will likely think about for a while after taking it in.
#6 The Monkey
The Monkey follows twin brothers (both played by Theo James) who find a bizarre wind-up monkey that leaves a trail of death and destruction in its wake. Twenty-five years later, the monkey is back and sets out on a new killing spree, and the boys must find each other again as adults to stop it.
This film is a very good time, full of dark humor and blood splatter. Writer/director Oz Perkins has a very specific sense of humor that I have come to really appreciate. It was enjoyable watching James play two different characters, and he is convincing in both roles. I loved the look and style of the titular toy, and I was captivated from the opening scene. I thought the kills were very creative and bleak, and I was happy to see Perkins pop up in a hilarious cameo.
#5 Dangerous Animals
Aquatic horror Dangerous Animals takes place in Australia, and follows a shark-obsessed serial killer (Jai Courtney) who abducts a young woman (Hassie Harrison) while she is out surfing. The young woman, Zephyr, must find a way to stop the killer before she is quite literally fed to the sharks.
I had a ton of fun watching this film and loved Courtney’s performance as the killer. He effortlessly commands the screen in a bizarre dance scene to Stevie Wright’s “Evie,” propelling his character directly into madness. His character is a terrible human, but he sure gives us plenty to laugh at and cringe over. Harrison is also very effective in her role as Zephyr, giving us every reason to root for the bad-ass character.
#4 Weapons
Written and directed by Zach Cregger, Weapons is a suspenseful horror film that tells the tale of all but one child from the same classroom mysteriously running out of their homes at the same time one night, never to return, leaving their community shaken and looking for answers.
I was very excited for this film due to my love for Cregger’s previous film, Barbarian. I appreciate his sick sense of humor and storytelling approach. Weapons is shown to us from multiple character perspectives, which captivated me right off the bat. Julia Garner is convincing in her role as a messy but lovable schoolteacher stuck in an impossible situation. Weapons is a film that is great to go into with as little knowledge as possible. You truly find yourself unsure if you should laugh or wince during this thrilling ride. You probably won’t want any Campbell’s soup for a while once the credits roll, trust me.
#3 The Rule of Jenny Penn
The Rule of Jenny Penn is a captivating story following Geoffrey Rush in a career-best performance as former Judge Stefan Mortensen, who is confined to a retirement home and struggling to accept a loss of control as he recovers from a stroke. Unfortunately, he is unable to relax as he starts being tormented by one of his elderly peers (John Lithgow), who dons a puppet he calls “Jenny Penn.” Once Stefan understands the gravity of the abuse, he must take matters into his own hands.
This film is so incredibly unique and thrilling, I haven’t seen anything like it before. John Lithgow takes his role as the unhinged Dave Crealy so seriously that you start to forget he is acting. My favorite thing about the film is the star of the show, the puppet, Miss Jenny Penn herself. She is very basic in her look, but she is so sinister and almost cute. I am hoping for a replica prop ASAP. Honorable mention to the custom gnarly teeth and contact lenses Lithgow wore for the role. Chef’s kiss for sure.
#2 The Long Walk
Following a group of boys forced into an endurance competition, The Long Walk is a dystopian horror that needs to be seen. The setup sees the group of young men forced to walk nonstop at 3 miles per hour until only one remains standing. The winner receives endless riches and one wish during these impossible times, but it doesn’t seem worth it after you watch your fellow competitors get shot down one by one.
The themes explored in this film could not come at a more tumultuous time in world history. I felt extremely present for every moment of this film, and found the idea of walking to your own televised demise for a prize not too far off from reality. Director Francis Lawrence does not shy away from the violence inflicted upon the boys, making the film truly hard to watch.
#1 Sinners
Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, is a smooth and stunning period film likely to become a classic for any music-loving horror fan. Michael B. Jordan effortlessly carries out two roles as the identical twin brothers Smoke and Stack as they return to their hometown to start over and open a juke joint, only to find evil waiting for them.
I found myself captivated by the soundtrack and completely immersed from the moment the twins’ cousin, Sammie (Miles Caton), started playing the blues. Not only is Sinners visually stunning, but it is also intellectually written. The story perfectly combines themes of redemption, love, blues music, and community. While the film takes its time reaching the horror, when it arrives, it executes it perfectly.
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