“Your Favorite 21st Century Horror” is today’s topic in the 30-Days of Horror Challenge.
So it’s presently October 14th, 2025. Previously we’ve had horror eras broken down into the decades they were built in, but for day 13 we’re told to pick out a favorite from some very good horror spanning 25 years. How do I approach that?
Well, actually, I can see the point. Somewhere after the 1980’s, so much of pop culture kinda blended into a homogenous slurry, most likely due to the influence of the internet on all things cultural and how it sort of blends all manner of inspiration of future projects. Or maybe because I’m a Gen X’er and everything that happened after the 90’s just kinda runs together in my mind. Still, starting in the mid to late 90’s there felt like there was less visual definition between specific eras. Not as easily defined by haircuts or design elements or musical styles or clothing designs, but by social movements and technological realities…. internet-driven stuff, basically! I see a 2003 movie and then a 2018 movie and, stylistically, I can’t tell the difference. However, if you get a 1975 movie and stack it up next to a 1986 movie you can definitely tell which one is which.
It doesn’t help that the last 25 years in horror have been phenomenal. There have been just So Many hits… and so many dramatic misses too. I guess it’s like the modern era in TV-type shows… we’re in a time of the very best that TV (aka streaming services) has to offer, as well as the very worst.
Suffice it to say, back in the 50’s or 60’s there isn’t a single production studio that would greenlight “Return to Blood Fart Lake.”
Top contenders for my top 21st Century horror are Wolf Creek, The Witch, Session 9, It Follows, Midsommar, House of the Devil, 28 Days Later, Martyrs, and Tucker and Dale vs Evil. I think, though, that I have to go with Hereditary.
I know, I know, it’s such a a common declaration that it’s sparked a wave of knee-jerk contrarians on the intramanets to say “Lame! Overrated! Everyone likes it but I say it sucks because everyone likes it!”
Fun fact – I’m not 15 years old, so I’m not impressed with this pseudo-edgy reaction. You know why people like it so much? It’s not because they’re all just blind sheep following the herd, it’s because Hereditary is a really good movie.
Some things are just good. Learn to live with it, you’ll be much happier in the long run.
I mean sure, I’d LIKE to be able to tell you “Actually, the best 21st Century Horror is this very little-known 55-minute independent effort that no one has heard of but me and three other people, and it’s so next-level that most people won’t be able to understand how next-level it is because you just don’t understand fine cinema” but no. It’s Hereditary.
Besides, nothing is esoteric in the internet age. Anyone can get access to anything, all the time.
Know what it’s not? “Lake Mungo.” I STILL don’t see why everyone loves that movie so much. That one and “Be My Cat.” I just don’t get it! I guess you like what you like, and you don’t like what you absolutely do not like!
Like country music. Bleh.