Saw XPhoto: Alexandro Bolaños Escamilla/Lionsgate
Horror is, shall we say, a genre that’s very fond of sequels. We’re all for it when a part two (or a part 10) honors its inspiration while also justifying its own existence by delivering a satisfying, thrilling story. This year, the unkillable Saw franchise delighted fans by dreaming up Saw X, a tale that slotted into the time frame between its first and second film. The Nun II reminded us that the Conjuring Universe is still a reliable go-to for frights; Insidious: The Red Door, directed by star Patrick Wilson, overcame so-so reviews to become the highest-grossing entry in that long-running series; and while the Scream series recently hit a serious snag for behind-the-scenes reasons, Scream VI showed Ghostface could be an effective menace in any environment—even New York City.
Maybe the best franchise entry this year, however, was Evil Dead Rise—a film that introduced new characters (including kids, though this is not a movie for kids) and a new setting (a high-rise apartment building) but still felt spiritually linked to the cult-classic cabin-in-the-woods films that came before. We haven’t looked at a cheese grater the same way since we watched this one… and we probably never will.