Best Horror Movies on HBO Max Right Now (May 2023)

Another streaming platform, another horror catalog that users must sift through for hidden gems. You’d think that an oversaturated streamer market would thin selections between too many providers, but that’s not the case. HBO Max has everything from classics to remakes and whatever’s in between. All the titles that were pulled from Netflix horror movie and Amazon horror movie collections once contracts expired are now back home where they belong.

Since HBO Max is the destination for Warner Brothers content, James Wan’s The Conjuring Universe alone provides a strong horror draw. That’s the game of musical chairs currently at play. Where Netflix once had one, or even both The Conjuring films available to stream, the emergence of HBO Max has stolen away titles not already locked into contracts elsewhere. Diving deeper, let’s look at the growing horror film catalog HBO Max has to offer.

Please note: This list pertains to U.S. HBO Max subscribers. This article is frequently amended to remove films no longer on HBO Max and to include more horror movies that are now available on the service.

Cast A Deadly Spell (1991)

Cast a Deadly Spell feels like Gremlins meets H.P. Lovecraft meets a gumshoe detective noir. It’s a batty 90s monster movie starring Fred Ward as Harry Philip Lovecraft (wink wink), a man who refuses to use magic in a world filled with zombies and creatures. There’s commentary as the undead are used for hard labor and monster dynamics become social satire, but also tons of zaniness as gargoyles take nut shots as a cheap joke. From death by a thousand paper cuts to downpours of blood rain, Cast a Deadly Spell is a unique mystical caper that’s having a blast living its goofiest gangster lifestyle.

Insidious (2010)

The Conjuring might be James Wan’s best haunted house movie, but Insidious could be his scariest. Between The Further ghouls and “Tiptoe through the Tulips,” Wan proves a mastermind behind morphing the comforts of home into the devil’s playground. From Patrick Wilson to Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye to Leigh Whannell, Insidious is such an expertly cast horror movie that takes the familiar and makes it exceptional. We’re still talking about trailer shots like the red-faced demon behind Wilson because they’re that impressive, and that’s just in a few-minute glimpse. The rest of the film keeps pace with ease, giving The Conjuring a run for its money.

The Crazies (2010)

The Crazies is one of those rare horror remakes that trounces the original. Easily one of the best horror remakes from the 2000s era. Breck Eisner finds breakneck terror in a doomsday scenario where it’s fight or die, layered with plenty of dystopian commentary about the societal breakdowns that are destined to occur. When you think about the dictionary definition of “horror movie,” The Crazies fits the bill in terms of ruthless tension, terrifying concepts, and an ability to keep your pulse pounding to the beat of each scene’s rhythm of scares. Plus, you’ve got Timothy Olyphant among a stellar cast, confronting hopelessness without a choice. We love horror movies that hit as hard as The Crazies, right?

Ghost Ship (2002)

There was a period in the late 90s into the early 00s when Dark Castle Entertainment was putting the amount of money into horror budgets that the genre deserves — hence why the opening of Ghost Ship is so memorable. It’s a film that goes all-in on the nautical atmosphere of a voyage gone bloody and starts with such a visually repulsive bang as a rogue wire slices through the necks, torsos, and other body parts of everyone on a dance floor. A movie like Ghost House lives and breathes its haunted horrors at sea, much like the superb production design of Dark Castle remakes Thir13en Ghosts and House on Haunted Hill. When a movie shows how far it’s willing to go in the first few minutes, take notice — Ghost Ship sets the bar early and keeps the pedal pressed to the floor.

Cooties (2014)

Would you like to watch Elijah Wood, Jack McBrayer, and Leigh Whannell kill children? Don’t worry — they’re monster children who’ve been turned into what presents as zombies. Cooties is a hoot of a horror comedy that follows summer school teachers dealing with an unprecedented infection spreading throughout their classrooms thanks to contaminated chicken nuggets. Kids turn into feral demons that must be dealt with violently, as visuals hold nothing back whenever someone has to die (of any age). If you hate pipsqueaks, chances are you’ll love Cooties.

Child’s Play (1988)

Bride of Chucky might be my favorite film in the famous killer doll franchise, but Child’s Play still fills more of my memories. The introduction of Chucky to Lil’ Donato’s life put me off watching horror movies for multiple years. Much like how Bruce (the shark) in Jaws keeps us waiting for his grand appearance, Child’s Play withholds Chucky until the perfect moment to pounce into view for maximum effect. It’s an absurd soul-transference premise that I eventually fell in love with thanks to Don Mancini’s further leans into comedic horror, starting with one of the most iconic O.G. slasher origins. I’ll never forget how gnarly that charred and barbequed Chucky gets at the end and how he’s seared into my nightmares.

The Menu (2022)

Mark Mylod’s The Menu has a few of my “favorites” from 2022. The Menu is easily one of my favorite movies of the year, roasting the relationship between art, artist, and consumer over an open flame. Ralph Fiennes delivers one of my favorite actor performances as Chef Slowik, the mastermind behind each diner’s final dinner experience. It’s hilarious, it’s aggressive about thematic frustrations, and it skewers all parties involved — from culinary masters to Instagram wannabes. Thankfully it’s on HBO Max now, because I’m craving s’more watches.

Piranha (2010)

Alexandre Aja is the remake whisperer, and Piranha might be his best. Lake Victoria plays host to a wet and wild spring break filled with all the lewd deviance you’d expect, until prehistoric piranhas interrupt festivities. An absolutely stacked cast dives into waters stained with (once) record-setting gallons of fake blood, challenging the goriness of Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan beach scene. Practical effects withstand the unforgiving rays of sun that leave prosthetic wounds nowhere to hide, which is no issue for veteran effects master Greg Nicotero — Piranha might be some of his best work. It’s the epitome of summer vibes horror (despite spring break settings), right down to a piranha scarfing down Jerry O’Connell’s severed dong.

Green Room (2015)

Jeremy Saulnier hasn’t outdone himself since Green Room, where an opening band tells Nazi punks to ‘eff off and pay the price with their lives. Saulnier’s representation of violence is so brutal throughout his catalog, which is a trademark of Green Room. Innocent musicians find themselves fighting out of a white supremacist bar that’s been locked down like a backwoods fortress, and oh yeah, Patrick Stewart plays the skinhead leader. From Anton Yelchin to Imogen Poots to Macon Blair, Green Room is bursting with talent ready to become fodder for unchecked aggression. It is undoubtedly one of the scariest movies of its generation — mainly because it lays plain the inhumanity people can achieve.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

From Dusk Till Dawn is one of those movies I don’t need an open IMDb tab for while I write. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s mashup of styles ranks high in both their filmographies. George Clooney battles vampire strippers in an ancient bar tended by Danny Trejo? Music by “American chicano rock band” Tito & Tarantula? Everything about this sleazy, brow-sweat horror flick drips with booze, blood, and seduction, especially when Salma Hayek hypnotizes us with her center stage dance number. Once the fangs come out and Tom Savini fires back with his cod-piece shooter, it’s the best kind of midnighter chaos — although there’s rarely a scene where From Dusk Till Dawn disappoints.

Tusk (2014)

Yes, the Tusk defender has logged on. Kevin Smith’s insane story about a podcaster who’s turned into a walrus is one of the more original horror concepts since the film’s release. Justin Long and Michael Parks sell each scene as, respectively, an unwilling prisoner in a walrus suit and his deranged captor slash trainer. It’s a story about exploitative media as much as a genre-bending tale of karmic justice under a skin-stitched costume. As a character study, horror comedy, or however else you’d classify this Kevin Smith standout? Tusk rules, and I’m not going to stay quiet about that reality.

The Fly (1986)

David Cronenberg’s remake of The Fly is an outstanding display of 80s horror artistry. Special effects morph sexy-as-ever Jeff Goldblum into a man-bug abomination, dripping with goop and slick with juicy ickiness. Geena Davis appears as Goldblum’s love interest as he begins to undergo his Brundlefly transformation, and their chemistry hits all the notes between mad scientist and innocent romantic. When horror fans reminisce about the good old days of practical effects, they’re talking about The Fly.

Barbarian (2022)

One of the wildest horror movies of 2022 hit HBO Max this month. Zach Cregger’s Barbarian opens as a riff on Airbnb horrors, but quickly proves — again and again — to be something incredibly uncontainable. What begins as tense banter between renters played by Georgina Campbell and Bill Skarsgård evolves into a no-holds-barred genre buffet that’s better experienced with no reveals. Justin Long interjects as Barbarian dares to express the meanest of streaks, as Cregger explores decades of evil without any safeguards. You can check my full review for more, but I’d suggest hitting play with blind eyes.

My Bloody Valentine (1981)

George Mihalka’s 1981 slasher My Bloody Valentine is one of the best 80s slashers around. It’s got everything you need! An investment in holiday traditions and decorations, excessively gory kills, a memorable villain, an end-credits song that’s an original about the film’s killer — My Bloody Valentine encapsulates everything we love about throwback slashers. Canada may be known for its good manners, but they’ve churned out some of the gnarliest slashers that’ve influenced the genre since. My Bloody Valentine utilizes its miner town setting of cavern labyrinths as an added dash of unique production value, wrapping everything together with a bloody bow on this full-package horror champion.

The Blob (1988)

It’s nice to know where your favorite horror remakes come from, like Chuck Russell’s 1988 The Blob. Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.’s ‘50s The Blob is the story of an American town battling an unstoppable evil from outer space and depending on one another — neighbors are allies, and the town is their safety bubble. The blobby effects still hold up, and Pleasantville aesthetics are like opening a Hollywood time capsule, which is so much fun. If you’ve never given the oldies their time, why not give The Blob a stream and see how old-school filmmakers could still make magic without today’s technological advancements?

Cronos (1993)

Guillermo del Toro’s feature debut is a vampire film barely interested in Dracula prototype vampires. No bitten necks or missing reflections in mirrors. Cronos is an alternative take on vampires that questions the imprisonment that is eternity and introduces common vampire mythology using a golden insect-shaped device. GDT directs the vampire movie of his dreams, challenging the way audiences comprehend familiar tropes in unfamiliar ways. Worth it for GDT’s ever-interesting perspective on humanity and his beginning collaboration with a babyfaced Ron Perlman playing some international goomba crime goon.

Take a look at all Guillermo Del Toro movies explained by the director himself.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Joe Dante’s Gremlins typically gets all the attention in the original + sequel combination, maybe only because Gremlins 2: The New Batch was ahead of its time in 1990. Wes Craven hadn’t yet popularized meta storytelling in horror with Scream, and audiences might have received Dante’s absurd creature follow-up with confusion. Gizmo and Billy Peltzer are back, taking the Big Apple by storm in a more outrageous, more insanity-fueled adventure that breaks fourth walls like it’s already in style. Hardly the continuation fans of Gremlins expected, but that doesn’t negate its value — who doesn’t want a Looney Tunes cartoon come to life with gremlins made of vegetables, electricity, and spider DNA? It’s crazy, it’s kooky, and ends with a massive Broadway dance number because everything else wasn’t bonkers enough. Dante and Warner Brothers took a massive swing with Gremlins 2: The New Batch, a film I’ll forever turn on when I’m in the mood for a pick-me-up puppet party that redefines the rigidity of how sequels must honor their beginnings.

The Lure (2015)

Agnieszka Smoczynska’s The Lure is one of the more remarkable horror debuts in recent memory. This bloodthirsty Polish mermaid musical balances levels of Eurotrash venue performances, aquatic folklore, and stylish creativity. Smoczynska shows her leads Silver and Golden as scaly mermaids, unlike beautified fantasies, and strikes gold as glitzy nightclub lust threatens mermaid ways of life. The Lure is one of those films that you need to see to believe — just a starburst of imagination that washes over audiences in the mood for lounge fishes pursuing careers, passion, and yummy humans.

Malignant (2021)

If I didn’t put Malignant on this list, I feel like there’d be a riot. Jame Wan’s throwback to late 90s, early 00s horror where anything goes takes huge scripted swings on a studio budget. There’s bone-snapping action, gothic dread, Giallo lighting, and plenty of blood — a bit undefinable, but that’s why people love Malignant. In a time where horror’s so reliant on trends like haunted house crazes after The Conjuring or trauma-based storytelling after Hereditary, Malignant defies all expectations. Wan embraces camp, randomness, and unpredictability, which is so much fun to behold. Wan earned Malignant, and we deserve Malignant.

Looking for more good horror films to stream? You can also check out our lists of the best horror movies on Netflix , top horror movies on Amazon Prime, and the best thriller movies ever.

Author: Matt Donato. [Source Link (*), IGN All]

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