The Best, Most Chilling Horror Movies of 2016

Coming to us courtesy of Netflix, Hush is so spectacular because it takes a common horror trope — the isolated terror of a cabin in the woods — and flips it on its head. It's not the dark forest that keeps viewers on edge; it's the fact that our heroine is deaf and mute. When faced with a psychotic killer, we're led through a story of harrowing tension, unbearable silence, and a few seriously unexpected twists.

Touted as a "New England folktale," this film plays off long-standing themes of paranoia and superstition. The incredible (and unsettling) thing about The Witch is that it's quite immersive and disturbing. The events of the film — up until the harrowing ending — play off this sense that a whole family might be driving themselves insane with their suspicions and paranoia. By the end, though, we know beyond all doubt that evil is very real and utterly horrifying.

This year, the sequel to 1999's The Blair Witch Project came roaring in disguised as The Woods. Of course, the iconic original film holds its place in the horror hall of fame, but I'd venture to say this one not only paid homage to its predecessor, but also elevated it. 2016's entry into this world adds more confusion, more terror, and more meat to the legend of the Blair Witch.

At its core, this heart-pounding sequel isn't really a horror film; it's more science fiction, more thriller, more drama. However, we'd argue that plenty the film's principle aspects place it under the horror umbrella. Some of the more gripping terror sequences will keep you consistently on edge, and the type of entrapment Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) experiences is enough to give anyone chills. And don't even get us started on John Goodman's character.

This one boasts a whopping seven different twists throughout the course of its pulse-pounding 88 minutes. What's more, it's well-paced, completely horrifying, and offers a pretty fresh premise for a genre that seems so saturated in cliché.

Yet another 2016 sequel, The Conjuring 2 focuses on Ed and Lorraine Warren's (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) involvement in the true story of the Enfield haunting. We have to say, this one really stacks up to the original. It has that same stylized feel as the first one, and the horror levels have reached new heights. Plus, with a nod to Amityville, one of the most widely recognized paranormal stories, it really meets all expectations and then some.

Another stunning horror release that Netflix introduced us to. This one offers a simple story with a disturbing premise: there are creatures taking over the world, slowly gaining control of the human race. The worst part is, they look just like humans. There's a catch, though. It's hard to tell if this apocalypse is really happening or if it's all in the main character's head.

What The Boy lacks in cleverness and uniqueness, it makes up for tenfold in surprise. Most of the film is fairly run of the mill: jump scares, tense moments heightened by stressful music, and so on. Once you get to the absolutely insane twist at the end, though, you realize just how singular and terrifying the film really is.