10 Best Horror Movies on Crave to Watch Right Now

Canadian subscription service Crave (once CraveTV) is one of the country’s top streamers, which isn’t so surprising considering it has a decent amount of content and what it does have is almost universally solid. This includes the streamer’s selection of horror films, which range from ’60s and ’70s classic creepers to more modern monster manias.

Crave’s content predominately comes from Warner Bros., so much of what’s seen here can also be found on Max in the US. So for those who want a cheaper service with most of the high-quality content, Crave is the way to go, especially for the horror aficionados of the world. These are the best horror films Crave has to offer, so grab the popcorn.

10 The Exorcist (1973)

Many cinephiles’ pick for the best religious horror movie of all time, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist follows a mother as she seeks every option to help her very sick daughter. But, it’s no flu that is consuming young Regan nor is it even a life-threatening illness. It’s worse: a demon.

What Makes It Great?

The performances in The Exorcist are what make it special. This is especially true of Ellen Burstyn, who makes Chris McNeil arguably the definitive stressed-out maternal character. Then there’s the involving cinematography, perfectly-written script (co-written by the author of the book much less), and the design of the possessed Regan…which truly couldn’t be any creepier and would be impressive for the 2020s much less the ’70s.

9 Alien (1979)

alien

Release Date

May 25, 1979

Director

Ridley Scott

Cast

Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

Alien was and remains one of cinema’s great films, regardless of genre. The plot tells the tragic tale of the low-wage crew members of the Nostromo, a vessel operating on behalf of the massive operation Weyland-Yutani. When the Nostromo picks up a signal from a local planet that just happens to be on the way, the crew decides to scour the surface in search of life. In a way, they find it.

What Makes It Great?

Jam-packed with unforgettable and terrifying scenes, Alien is the ultimate haunted house film…it just happens to be set in space. But, of course, tied with the design of the Xenomorph, the film’s ace in the hole is Sigourney Weaver’s commanding performance as Ellen Ripley, which rightly made her a star and has kept her as such to this day.

8 The Thing (1982)

The Thing (1982)

Release Date

June 25, 1982

Director

John Carpenter

Cast

Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

A sci-fi horror film that gets better with age, John Carpenter’s The Thing is a masterpiece of a Cold War paranoia allegory. The plot follows a group of researchers stationed on a remote Antarctic base that encounters an alien with the ability to replicate an entire human being. Naturally, tensions rise and trust is thrown to the wind.

What Makes It Great?

Every scene in The Thing works exactly as it should. It’s one of the few truly perfect films. The fact that it was met with terrible box office returns and, more so, a poor critical reaction, is baffling to this day. It’s a movie that should rightly be deemed one of the best made because that is precisely what it is.

7 Videodrome (1983)

Videodrome

Release Date

February 4, 1983

Director

David Cronenberg

Cast

James Woods, Sonja Smits, Deborah Harry, Peter Dvorsky, Leslie Carlson, Jack Creley

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

A thinking person’s horror film, body horror master David Cronenberg’s Videodrome is a scathing indictment of humans’ addiction to viewing violence. James Woods plays Max Renn, the president of a local TV station that is consistently looking for the next big thing. And, in his mind, the next big thing is all about showing real-world murder and sex crimes. Unfortunately for him, and those who crafted Videodrome, watching it may very well cost Renn his soul.

What Makes It Great?

Like with any Cronenberg work, Videodrome is going to reach some viewers but not all. However, those who do understand what it’s going for will be enamored with its themes just as much as its terrific but also terrifying practical effects that solidified Cronenberg’s status as a master of body horror.

6 The Lost Boys (1987)

The Lost Boys

Release Date

July 31, 1987

Director

Joel Schumacher

Cast

Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest, Barnard Hughes, Edward Herrmann, Kiefer Sutherland

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

Related: 10 Best Shows on Crave to Watch Right Now

Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys has a pretty fair claim to being the late, accomplished director’s best film. The fun narrative follows a family of three as they move to a seaside town and learn that some of their new neighbors are vampires.

What Makes It Great?

The Lost Boys has an energy that’s as palpably infectious as a vampire bite. And, with Corey Feldman, Corey Haim, Jami Gertz, Jason Patric, Alex Winter, and Kiefer Sutherland on the cast list, it couldn’t be any more of an ’80s timepiece to boot.

5 A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Release Date

November 16, 1984

Director

Wes Craven

Cast

Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

Wes Craven directed two stone-cold masterpieces throughout his career, and the first was A Nightmare on Elm Street. The classic tells the story of a few teens who are experiencing very unique nightmares. However, they’re not unique to the individual, they’re unique to the group because a dream stalker is after every one of them.

What Makes It Great?

Freddy Krueger wouldn’t be the ultimate horror cinema icon were it not for Robert Englund. Even his posture helps sell the character as this ethereal presence that could take out anyone if he wanted to, and given his victim’s vulnerable state, there wouldn’t be a single thing they could do about it.

4 The Fly (1986)

The Fly

Release Date

August 15, 1986

Director

David Cronenberg

Cast

Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz, Joy Boushel, Leslie Carlson, George Chuvalo

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

Videodrome isn’t the only body horror masterpiece under David Cronenberg’s belt, as there’s also his visceral and unforgettable The Fly. The story follows scientist Seth Brundle, who informs a female journalist that he’s figured out how to teleport. One night, when the journalist is away, Brundle enters his created pod and tests it out. Unfortunately, a fly is in there with him.

What Makes It Great?

The practical effects are what makes The Fly special, but they’re far from the film’s only asset. Cronenberg’s direction is airtight just as Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis are perfectly suited to their roles. But, again, the practical effects shine, making The Fly the only horror film to rival The Thing.

3 Saw (2004)

Saw

Release Date

October 1, 2004

Director

James Wan

Cast

Leigh Whannell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Ken Leung, Dina Meyer, Mike Butters

Rating

R

Main Genre

Crime

James Wan’s franchise-starting Saw tells the grisly tale of John Kramer, AKA the Jigsaw killer. The first round of his game isn’t as bloody as those that would follow, however, as it’s more of a restrained tale about two men trapped in a white room with just a corpse between them.

What Makes It Great?

With a terrific twist that no one predicted and a grimy ambiance that permeates the film and lays the foundation for a franchise, Wan’s first Saw film is an effective one. That said, save for Saw II and Saw X, the sequels are mostly skippable save for the die-hard fans of the series.

2 You’re Next (2011)

You’re Next

Release Date

September 10, 2011

Director

Adam Wingard

Cast

Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, AJ Bowen, Joe Swanberg, Margaret Laney

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

Adam Wingard’s ingenious You’re Next should have made a star of Sharni Vinson. She plays an outsider brought by her boyfriend to meet his family, but before long people in animal masks start picking off that family one by one. Will she be the only survivor of the night?

What Makes It Great?

Nothing in You’re Next feels all that removed from reality, and like Michael Myers in the original Halloween that makes it absolutely terrifying. But, again, the true highlight is Vinson, whose Erin is one of the 2010s’ best “Final Girls.”

1 Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Evil Dead Rise

Release Date

April 21, 2023

Director

Lee Cronin

Cast

Alyssa Sutherland, Lily Sullivan, Morgan Davies, Nell Fisher

Main Genre

Horror

Read Our Review

A phenomenal expansion of Sam Raimi’s beloved IP, Evil Dead Rise centers around a 30-something woman living with her two kids in a high rise. When a Deadite infests the matriarch, all Hell breaks loose, and it’s up to the now-Deadite’s younger sister to save not just the kids, but everyone else in the city.

What Makes It Great?

It’s very exciting to imagine where the franchise could go from here. Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams has had his time in the sun, and Evil Dead Rise proves that the IP can exist even beyond that chainsaw-wielding character and the rubber-faced actor who portrays him.