There are brands you trust with your eyes closed. Sometimes you choose them thinking “at least it won’t turn out bad.” The independent film distribution and production company A24 has been serving this role for cinephiles since 2012. Almost all of the horror films we could categorize as arthouse are above a certain quality threshold. They’re also incredibly successful at advertising and promotion. I occasionally criticize excessive advertising. I find raising expectations too high to be negative from a viewer’s perspective. But still, especially when it comes to horror cinema, A24 is like a lifeline for us. So I thought, why not create a list of “the top 15 A24 films” for you.

This time, I’m stepping into uncharted territory by going from my least favorite to my most favorite. I await your congratulatory messages for this monumental display of courage.

15. IT COMES AT NIGHT

A 2017 film written and directed by Trey Edward Shults. The internal struggle and desperation of a family that survived a viral outbreak. The main character Travis is trying to stay away from the dangers of the virus with his family in a protected house. However, a stranger family showing up at their door one day causes them to question their sense of trust; the fear inside them ignites paranoia and Things Happen…

“It Comes at Night” is distinguished by its atmosphere. From this perspective, I think it’s a film that perfectly reflects what A24 represents.

14. LAMB

A 2021 Icelandic film written and directed by Valdimar Jóhannsson. A couple living in the countryside and farming sheep have one of their ewes give birth to a half-human, half-sheep offspring. This event deeply affects the couple’s life and leads them on a journey that has them wandering on either side of the reality line. It’s a film that questions concepts like emotional state, grief, and family. In other words, a production that strains you by leading you into thoughts. Definitely a good thriller. However, I must note that there’s a question mark about it being a horror film. I should also mention that you’ll see this caveat plenty throughout this list.

13. SAINT MAUD

A 2019 film written and directed by Rose Glass. Maud, who works as a caregiver, begins taking care of Amanda, a former dancer now on her deathbed. The two women have very different outlooks on life. This process becomes a time when Maud confronts her own religious beliefs and life views. During this process, we watch Maud’s struggle between her own beliefs and reality, and her spiritual collapse. The film’s atmosphere is very successful and Morfydd Clark, who brings the character of Maud to life, has done an excellent job. Once again, we’re faced with a film that doesn’t scare but strains, and while straining, makes you think.

12. MEN

A 2022 film written by Alex Garland. It begins with a woman going on a solo vacation to the English countryside after her husband’s death. However, this trip doesn’t go as planned and Things Happen… Harper is disturbed by the men around her on this journey to rediscover her inner peace, and once again experiences a blurring of fantasy and reality. The film’s point and the way it conveys it were much debated. Let me state that I want to take a middle-of-the-road stance regarding this film. Jessie Buckley in the lead role gives quite a good performance, but primarily we witness Rory Kinnear’s one-man show. I should also mention that I really enjoyed the film’s sound design.

11. THE HOLE IN THE GROUND

A 2019 film written and directed by Lee Cronin. Our main character Sarah decides to make a fresh start in an old house in a quiet town with her son Chris. However, one night they come across a mysterious hole in the forest. Following this incident, oddities begin in Chris’s behavior and Sarah starts to question who or what her son really is. Being an A24 production, this film of course tells what’s beyond the surface. It throws a bunch of metaphors about the fear of motherhood, parenthood, and family bonds at us. Don’t think I’m making a negative criticism just because I’m writing it this way. Although this metaphor situation is often very boring, I can say this film has pulled it off nicely. If you’re familiar with Irish fears and stories, let me note that you’ll enjoy the film even more.

10. THE BLACKCOAT’S DAUGHTER / FEBRUARY

A 2015 film written and directed by Oz Perkins. The story shaped around two students, Kat and Rose, who remain at a Catholic boarding school during the holidays actually takes place in 3 different time periods. This narrative style combined with successful editing has managed to become a surprising film. However, I must note that the film also resorts to a bit of trickery in this surprising aspect. Without giving spoilers and explaining in its simplest form, I can say it’s the story of a woman experiencing demonic possession, but this time the possession situation is a bit different from what comes to mind. The film’s pace is quite slow and requires some attention, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

9. THE LIGHTHOUSE

A 2019 film written and directed by Robert Eggers, one of the most important names in recent horror cinema that we sometimes jokingly refer to as “elevated horror” on the site and podcasts. Two lighthouse keepers begin to experience tension between them as their time on the island extends. A film where themes of loneliness, madness, and paranoia are handled with a very powerful atmosphere. The fact that it was actually shot in a lighthouse, used analog cameras, and is in black and white are elements that strengthen the atmosphere. However, I placed this film in 9th place due to the high expectations situation I mentioned at the beginning of the article. Because I watched it with great hopes and didn’t quite find what I was looking for. One last note; mystery hunters like me know the story of the two lighthouse keepers who disappeared on the Flannan Islands. Those who don’t know should research it, they won’t regret it. We can’t say this film tells that story, but it’s obvious it was inspired by it.

8. BODIES BODIES BODIES

A 2022 film directed by Halina Reijn and written by Maren Louise Käehne. I mentioned it before in another list. A group of wealthy friends who seem to have no serious pursuits in life throw a party at a house. They decide to play Bodies Bodies Bodies. This game can be said to be a somewhat different version of the vampire-villager game. At some point, something happens to one of them and Things Happen… I tried to explain without giving any spoilers. Because it’s one of those films whose pleasure increases when watched with little information.

7. GREEN ROOM

A 2015 film written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier. The rock band called The Ain’t Rights is playing small bars during a music tour. However, one night, they perform at a bar run by an extremely radical neo-Nazi group. After their performance ends, a murder they witness drags the band members into a fight for survival. This film, which makes you feel the survival thriller to the fullest, doesn’t shy away from showing blood and violence unlike other A24 films. We watch Anton Yelchin, who tragically passed away due to a terrible accident, in the lead role and Patrick Stewart as the main villain.

6. X

A 2022 film written and directed by Ti West. In 1979, a film crew goes to an old farm to shoot a porn film. The farm’s owners are an elderly couple. Although there are minor frictions between them, how much trouble can an elderly couple be? If you’re into slashers and 70s aesthetics, you’ll love it. There are plenty of scenes in the film you could call clichéd, but they’re done intentionally and presented beautifully. I have three candidates for the Scream Queen title lately. They are: Mia Goth, Melissa Barrera, and Jenna Ortega. While I love all three, I admire Mia Goth’s acting much more. In this film, we watch both Mia Goth and Jenna Ortega. Also, this film is actually part of a trilogy. I placed the trilogy’s other film Pearl higher on this list. The other film MaXXXine is among the top films I’m excitedly waiting for this year.

5. MIDSOMMAR

A 2019 film written and directed by Ari Aster. It follows a young woman named Dani who, after her family’s tragic death, joins her boyfriend and friends at a traditional Midsommar festival held in Sweden. However, the festival has dark secrets, disturbing traditions, and Things Happen…

With its bright sunny atmosphere and its tempo that ebbs and flows, Midsommar has a style outside of conventional formulas and is perhaps this list’s most important cult film candidate. If things like folkloric themes, pagan rituals, mysterious communities interest you, you’ve already watched this film. Also, this film contains many subtexts such as grief and human psychology. It’s impossible not to shout “This is what elevated horror is!”

4. TALK TO ME

A 2022 film directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, who are actually YouTubers, with a screenplay written by Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman, and Daley Pearson. A group of high school teens gets their hands on a mummified hand and discovers they can communicate with the dead through this hand. However, this brings a curse in its wake and Things Happen…

This film isn’t exactly an A24 production. It was purchased by A24 after making waves at the Sundance Festival. The film absolutely deserves to be this high on my list. There are subtexts again, but they’re really fed and handled beautifully. In fact, if you’re a viewer who doesn’t want to think about that and you say “I just want to watch a straightforward horror film,” you’ll also find what you’re looking for. It’s also quite successful with sound and cinematography. Let me note that the jump scare scenes are tasteful and wonderfully used.

3. PEARL

A 2022 film directed by Ti West and written by Ti West and Mia Goth. While telling the story of a young woman wanting to escape the monotony of farm life, it also addresses the internal journey of a character being driven to the brink of madness. As you’ll understand from the names, Pearl is a sequel to the film X, actually telling what happened 61 years before X. If you’re wondering how that works, I won’t give more information and say watch the film. You’ll understand much better in this film why Mia Goth is the owner of the Scream Queen crown I mentioned in X. She’s given a truly flawless performance. Also, as I mentioned at the beginning, Mia Goth wasn’t just involved in acting but also in the screenplay. Just as the 70s atmosphere was successfully established in X, the 1920s period is wonderfully handled in this film. Let me also warn you that you’ll be watching a film with a heavy dramatic side but with scenes that will hit you suddenly.

2. HEREDITARY

A 2018 film written and directed by Ari Aster. We can also call it Ari Aster’s entrance onto the historical stage. I say this because beyond being a first film, he managed to present a screenplay that would be extremely ordinary in someone else’s hands to the audience in a very different way. Instead of quickly throwing us into the middle of events, the film weaves a structure around the main subject. It accomplishes this weaving through the relationship of the mother character at the film’s focal point with both her mother and her children. Although I find claims like “It brings a new breath to horror films!” “Nothing like this has been done before!” too bold, I think I’ve shown how much I liked the film by placing it in 2nd place on the list. As for the subject: After her mother’s death, Annie begins to uncover secrets about her family’s past. However, this search causes a horrifying legacy from the family’s past to emerge. Other current tragedies are added on top of this. Throughout this whole process, Annie is stuck between her own life and her family and Things Happen…

1. THE VVITCH: A NEW-ENGLAND FOLKTALE

We’ve arrived at number 1 on the list. The champion, the king, the best… This film being number 1 won’t surprise our podcast listeners at all. Witchcraft narratives. A film built on elements like the 17th-century Puritan Protestant society trying to establish itself on the American continent—things we’ll never get tired of talking about. This 2015 film, directed and written by Robert Eggers, is also the director’s second film on this list. A family that’s been ostracized even from their own Puritan society, banished from where they lived, and living in a desolate settlement has their newborn baby disappear. We watch the chaotic struggle the family gives between their beliefs, fears, and the flaws that come from being human as they attribute the blame to the dark forest right next to where they live. The film references many texts from holy books. It also conveys supernatural elements through these references. Although each character in the film is handled in detail, we primarily watch the journey and transformation of Thomasin, the family’s eldest daughter. It’s a film where everything is very successful—atmosphere, editing, acting, or whatever comes to mind. If you say “I want jump scares so I can get scared and then forget about it,” this film isn’t really for you. If you really learn a bit about the period and events beforehand, watch it, and then dive into review articles and videos, the pleasure you’ll get will increase considerably. When I first watched it, I remember saying I hadn’t watched such a film in a long time and wouldn’t be able to watch one for a long time to come.