Horror is a pretty broad genre. There are films set in the deep darkness of space with terrifying aliens lurking around the corner, avant-garde flicks that have the most striking visuals (and sometimes hard-to-follow plots) and then the good ol’ slasher movies that are great to watch alongside some of your best mates.

However, it’s no secret that horror hasn’t always been the most progressive of genres, to say the least. A fair amount of otherwise good movies have been muddied by a voyeuristic male gaze and are more often than not exploiting their female characters in some particularly unsavoury ways, sometimes even behind the camera (looking at you, Alfred Hitchcock). Feminist and women-centric horror flicks are out there though – enough for us to write a whole list about some of our absolute favourites! Peruse our list down below of our ace horror recommendations to check out – if you're brave enough. 

THE STEPFORD WIVES This campy flick was made in 1975, so you already know it will be jam-packed with some super-dreamy visuals. Starring Katherine Ross in the main role as a talented photographer, this film follows her and her family’s relocation from New York to the small town of Stepford and her observations of the strange but uber-glamourous women who also happen to live there. She soon discovers a conspiracy enveloping the town involving the men of Stepford, with her equally intelligent female friends soon becoming subservient and vacant shells of their former selves, gaining a real uncanny valley feel about them in the process. It makes for a pretty wild ride. If gore and explicit scares aren’t your thing then you're in luck, this movie is perfect for dipping your toes into the horror genre.

JENNIFER’S BODY Finally revered as a beloved and feminist cult classic following years of obscurity, this film stars Megan Fox in what is regarded as her best flick, as well as Amanda Seyfried, Amy Sedaris, J.K Simmons and Chris Pratt. Directed by Karyn Kusama, this vengeful tale was first released in 2009 and sadly did not get the flowers it deserved, (mostly because the advertisers wanted to promote it to teenage boys to ogle at Megan Fox and didn't even attempt to grab a female audience's attention) but following the rise of the #MeToo movement and increased awareness of rampant sexual abuse, the film seems to be well ahead of its time and rightly appreciated. It doesn’t hurt that the soundtrack and costume design is top-notch.

THE LOVE WITCH If pretty visuals shot through a hazy lens are your thing, then this movie is an absolute must-watch. Adorned in a dreamy and camp ‘60s B-movie aesthetic, this flick was directed by Anna Biller and explores ideas such as the ever-present male gaze, desire, female sexuality and the trope of the femme fatale through a specifically female perspective. Samantha Robinson plays the eponymous love witch Elaine Park, a young woman who uses her expertise in witchcraft to achieve her goal of finding love, by any means necessary. The literary character of the witch has historically been used to display the dangers of female independence, and Anna Biller turns this preconceived idea of the witch completely on its head (and it’s dang nice film to look at it too).

FRESH Modern dating has never been portrayed in such a macabre way as how it’s presented in Mimi Cave’s 2022 directorial debut, which happens to star Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan in the main roles. Following a young woman struggling to find a good match on dating apps, (or at least, someone who isn’t a complete chauvinist) she soon builds a connection with a man she meets at a grocery store – the perfect meet-cute – but then, as always, things are not what they seem. This dark comedy is just as bonkers as it is spine-chilling, but here’s a fair warning: if you’re particularly squeamish, this flick might not be for you (and our advice is not to eat while watching).

BARBARIAN Another directorial debut, this Zach Cregger film is full of twists and turns that will keep your head spinning, so we recommend going into this one completely oblivious to the plot. The film follows Tess (played by Georgina Chapman) finding the house she’s renting already occupied by a man (Bill Skarsgård) and things just start getting completely out of control from there. There’s not too much we can say about this movie without giving too much away, but be aware that there’s a lot of heavy stuff to know about before you give it a watch – primarily some explicit mentions and scenes of sexual abuse.