The Absolute Best Horror Movies on Hulu – CNET [CNET]

April 13, 2024 Meara Isenberg technology

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Here are some highly rated scary films to try.

Meara covers streaming service news for CNET. She recently graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she wrote for her college newspaper, The Daily Texan, as well as for state and local magazines. When she’s not writing, she likes to dote over her cat, sip black coffee and try out new horror movies.

Hulu is packed with fascinating horror titles. Before we get into a list of the absolute best options on the streaming service, let’s cover some worthy alternates.

Hulu is home to David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future (2022) and Bong Joon-ho’s The Host (2022). There’s also action flick Shadow in the Cloud (2020), spine-chilling sci-fi Alien (1979) and romance-gone-wrong Fresh (2022). Finally, you should check out The Descent (2005), The Omen (1976) and post-apocalyptic sequel A Quiet Place Part II (2020).

Now on to a roundup of the best horror movies on the streamer. All these films scored higher than 70 on Metacritic.

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IFC Films

This Finnish creature movie is plucked straight from your feathery nightmares. The flick introduces Tinja, a 12-year-old girl who discovers a strange egg that hatches into a monstrous bird. The horrendous creature contrasts greatly with her family’s expectations of perfection. So it’s kind of like a cursed version of E.T. Well, maybe not. You can watch and come to your own conclusions.

The excellent Prey sees Amber Midthunder’s Naru hunted by a Predator.

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The excellent Prey sees Amber Midthunder’s Naru hunted by a Predator.

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The excellent Prey sees Amber Midthunder’s Naru hunted by a Predator.

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Hulu

If you count incredibly capable, invisible killing machines as scary, you may be watching some of the scenes in Prey through your fingers. This addition to the Predator franchise takes place in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago and centers on a young warrior named Naru. Watch this one for a compelling underdog story about a human determinedly fighting against a powerful alien.

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Lionsgate

For surprises and plenty of nightmare fuel, The Cabin in the Woods is the way to go. The twisty and terrifying horror-comedy introduces a group of unsuspecting college kids, including one played by Chris Hemsworth, who head to a remote cabin for a fun weekend. The first half hour or so is relatively calm, but when the horror show starts, it doesn’t let up.

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You Are Not My Mother is a creepy, slow-burn mystery you’ll want to stick with, anchored by a strong central character. The movie introduces Char, a bright teenage girl who’s living with her grandmother and mentally ill mother, Angela. Angela disappears, and when she returns, she acts eerily different.

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A teenage girl is viciously bullied at a local pool and then happens upon a stranger abducting her three tormentors. This gripping, Spanish-language movie is based on a short film and stars Laura Galán.

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Neon

Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgård star in this disturbing film directed by Brandon Cronenberg (son of horror filmmaker David) about a vacationing couple that ventures outside their island resort and accidentally commits a crime. You won’t be able to take your eyes off scream queen Goth, and Succession fans will enjoy more of the talented Skarsgård.

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A seemingly made-up monster creeps more and more into the lives of a single mother and her young son in this critically acclaimed movie. The horror escalates after a haunting storybook turns up. The film is written and directed by Jennifer Kent, who also wrote and directed the 2018 thriller The Nightingale.