A24's Pearl
This year has been all about horror. When you look at film's 2022 output, the very buzziest have all been a little sisnister (yes, we're looking at you Don't Worry Darling). But before you buy a movie ticket or commit to an at-home rental, we want you to pick the right kind of movie— in other words, the very best. Whether you love thrillers, the supernatural, extraterrestrial or slashers, this list has it all. Hate or love horror, these eight movies are worth watching.
When Bee (Maria Bakalova) and her girlfriend Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) go to Sophie’s childhood friend David’s (Pete Davidson) hurricane party, things quickly turn to chaos. In an attempt to keep themselves entertained despite having no cell service, the group of rich 20-somethings decide to play “bodies bodies bodies”, a grown-up version of hide and seek. In the game, the players feign dead when tagged, which spirals out of control as a real killer begins to play. The A24 film reimagines the iconic Clue trope and has you screaming as much as you are laughing when the fake friends turn against each other to unearth the killer among them.
Tess (Georgina Campbell) booked an Airbnb months ago for a job interview, but when she arrives, she finds the home already occupied by a man named Keith (Bill Skarsgård). Since there are no vacancies left in nearby hotels and a storm rages outside, Tess decides to spend the night with the stranger against her better judgment. As her time at the Airbnb progresses, she learns the dark truth hidden in the basement of this sinister house. Directed by Zach Cregger, Barbarian will have you flailing in your seat in fear.
A group of wannabe stars decide to take a road trip to an isolated farm in Texas to create an adult film that is a cinematic masterpiece. When the group arrives at Howard (Stephen Ure) and Pearl’s farm, they find themselves dodging the creepy elderly couple. Throughout shooting The Farmers Daughters, Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) explores the farm while being stalked by the senile Pearl. The horror ensues as the pornographic filming commences and the day becomes night. Ti West’s slasher film brings a sexy twist to the scary movie.
See Also: The Best New Horror Movies of 2021
The "X"-traordinary origin story of Pearl (Mia Goth) and prequel to X, Pearl tells the story of a young Pearl who wants nothing more than to become a star. As she embarks on a mission to stardom, she commits violent acts at her family’s isolated farm in Texas. Pearl will let nothing stand in her way of having the life she deserves. The second film in the soon-to-be trilogy by Ti West will give you a new look at Pearl’s villainous begnnings.
Siblings OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) own the only black-owned horse training farm in Hollywood. Away from city life, they start seeing things out of this world, so they attempt to capture evidence of the UFO on Haywood Ranch. However, the extraterrestrial creature begins to torment neighbors, the family and their horses, forcing the siblings to come together.
Modern online dating can be tricky, but when Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) meets Steve (Sebastian Stan) at a grocery store, she takes a chance and gives him her number in hopes of a real connection. After hitting it off, Noa decides to go all in and accepts an invitation for a romantic getaway with Steve. While away, Noa quickly realizes that Steve has an appetite for the sinister. Fresh will have you rooting for Noa and her concerned, loveable best friend, Mollie (Jojo T. Gibbs).
When a small suburb in Denver is reeling from the kidnapping of several young boys, another named Finney (Mason Thames) undergoes the same fate. The masked abductor, known as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke), locks Finney in a soundproofed basement with a mysterious telephone. Despite the phone not being plugged in, Finney begins getting eerie phone calls from previous victims of the Grabber. The supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson has viewers second-guessing the phone’s existence alongside Finney.
Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) witnesses an unexplainable suicide of a patient in her care. While reeling from the trauma of the incident, she starts to see smiling faces at every corner, haunting her with frightening experiences only she can see. Rose must confront her long past to survive and get to the bottom of this deathly smile. Smile is not for the faint of heart; even horror lovers watching the screen through parted fingers.
Snuggle up on the couch with some friends and popcorn because it’s time for a 2022 horror marathon. And for more movies and TV shows streaming this month, check out our roundup of what's being added to Hulu, Disney Plus, HBO Max and Netflix this month.
Photography by: Photo by Christopher Moss for A24
