In 2020, Shudder released 26 original movies in total, not counting exclusives or television programs. The titles range from foreign supernatural flicks all the way to COVID-19 pandemic inspired found footage movies, but how do they compare to each other? We've figured it out and ranked them from worst to best.
Shudder is a niche streaming service made by horror fans, for horror fans. It carries a vast array of titles that include exclusive content as well as original movies and series. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shudder expanded its lineup and became the digital platform that hosted the Etheria Film Night. After the release of Rob Savage's Host, it became apparent that Shudder would keep horror alive even in the midst of these trying times. Even when 2020's most anticipated releases were forced to postpone their release dates, the streaming service was able to offer horror fans brand new content on a weekly basis.
The year 2020 was just the beginning, as they've announced some of their 2021 original movies that seem sure to entice viewers with new, enthralling storylines. Shudder has long earned its reputation for being the go-to place for foreign, independent, and other lesser-known horror movies that aren't always attached to major studios. As 2021 approaches, it's time to look back on Shudder's biggest and most successful year to date. Without further ado, here's every single Shudder original ranked from worst to best.
26. 0.0MHz
Sun-Don Yoo's South Korean horror movie 0.0MHz follows a group of ghost hunters as they venture to the country to explore a supposedly haunted house. While the premise is a classic that is oftentimes airtight, it failed to add much innovation to the paranormal sub-genre, which was a major reason for its poor reviews from both fans and critics. It can be enjoyed for having a traditionally scary plot that doesn't necessarily evoke the deepest of fears, but, beyond that, it is lackluster in comparison to Shudder's other 2020 original movies.
25. Lake Of Death
Lake Of Death is a remake of the original 1958 Norwegian movie titled Lake Of The Dead. When a group of friends takes lodging in a cabin next to a mysterious lake, Lillian (Iben Akerlie) is forced to confront her past that's risen to the surface to take her under. The 1958 movie revolutionized Norwegian horror, often being recognized as the country's greatest in the genre. In comparison, the remake fails to bring the same charm as the original. While its plot is enough to pull in viewers, its acting and story grows increasingly dull as it progresses.
24. Lingering
In 2020, South Korean horror movies started to rise in popularity, and continue to do so as of this writing. With major releases such as Train To Busan 2 and #Alive, the zombie sub-genre was finally getting reinvigorated. But while other movies were adding new depths to horror through innovation, others such as Lingering attempted to mirror largely successful features with very little success. Following the story of family trauma set in a hotel, it is reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, except it lacks the same delivery that made the 1980 movie so incredible. Had it gone in its own route, it is possible that Lingering could've been far more entertaining.
23. The Marshes
When three biologists venture to the marshlands to explore its ecosystem, they quickly discover that they are not alone. The Marshes has a similar tone to Jeepers Creepers with a killer that stalks its prey through tall grass. It even wears a similar outfit to the iconic creeper. The Marshes begins as a psychological thriller, but quickly takes a sharp turn towards being a paranormal slasher flick. Its primary fault is that it doesn't truly define itself and, in turn, becomes an overly confusing as well as muddied story that lacks the pull of others on this list.
22. Metamorphosis
While Metamorphosis showcases how paranormal horror movies should be made in the 21st century, the poor acting and somewhat confusing death scenes leave a lot to be desired. This South Korean flick follows a family of five who are experiencing malevolent supernatural events throughout their home. When possession turns to evil doppelgängers, Metamorphosis gains its footing and makes for an incredibly unique story. Had it not been for the death of one character in particular that is largely ignored along with generally poor acting, it's likely that Metamorphosis could've become one of Shudder's greatest releases of the year.
21. Jessica Forever
Jessica Forever is a Brazilian sci-fi fantasy movie that demands the viewers attention from beginning to end. It tells the story of a woman named Jessica (Aomi Muyock) who navigates a dystopian world filled with violence. When she sets out to build a legion to fight for peace, the events transform from overly fantastical to action-filled science fiction. The main reason that Jessica Forever largely fails is due to its inability to solidify any true purpose or origin for its characters' actions.
20. May The Devil Take You Too
May The Devil Take You Too is a sequel to the 2018 movie, May The Devil Take You. It takes place two years after the events of the first movie, but does not offer the same unsettling and eerie atmosphere that made the original so incredible. What's even stranger than that is the fact that May The Devil Take You is a Netflix original movie while May The Devil Take You Too is solely distributed through Shudder. This discrepancy leads to some confusion, as not every viewer has both services and therefore, may not be able to watch both. While this is not the movie nor the companies' fault, it is important to note when discussing either of these features. The main reason that May The Devil Take You Too suffers is due to its over reliance on paranormal tropes and an overuse of jump scares that go from disappointing to completely unnecessary.
19. Warning: Do Not Play
When Park Mi-jung (Seo Yea-ji) sets out to make her own horror movie, she uncovers an eight year old banned movie that leads her down a dark path of discovery. As Warning: Do Not Play progresses, she comes face to face with the fact that her search for inspiration may be filled with far more danger than she could've ever anticipated. The plot of the movie has a lot to offer, but the final product did not deliver. It is regarded as one of the more underwhelming movies on Shudder in 2020, and had a lot of missed opportunities to explore the full extent of its horror.
18. The Pale Door
The Pale Door blends the American western genre with supernatural horror to create an unforgettable story about witches and gunslingers. After a train robbery leads a group of men to a ghost town in the middle of nowhere, they discover that they have become the targets of a malevolent cult of witches that need their essence to survive. An American western horror movie is a rarity in the genre, and The Pale Door ensures that it leaves a lasting impact. The primary aspect that causes it to fall so far down on this list is based in the poor chemistry between characters and the overall lack of explanation given to their backstories.
17. Random Acts Of Violence
Jay Baruchel's Random Acts Of Violence follows Todd Walkley (Jesse Williams), a comic book creator whose subject matter happens to hit closer to home than he realizes. When setting out on tour to market the final issue of Slasherman, he and his friends encounter gruesome deaths all modeled after those he has captured in the comic. The overall presentation of Random Acts Of Violence is impressive, as it captures an incredible amount of gore without veering too far towards being classified as torture porn, which can alienate some audiences. Despite everything it does well, the ending and Todd's past lead to an abundance of confusion, which could've been avoided had the creators been more attentive to the movie's original source material.
16. The Cleansing Hour
When a con man discovers the ability to make a quick buck off of creating a social media persona of a priest, the events of The Cleansing Hour cause him to recognize just how distasteful and immoral it is. After a performance turns real, Father Lance (Sam Jaeger) has no choice but to try his hardest to take what he's learned pretending to be a man of the cloth and apply it to a real demonic possession. The incredible special effects and performances by the cast make The Cleansing Hour one of the better uses of social media and demonic entities in the horror genre.
15. Spiral
Spiral begins as a happy couple moves into a new home in a seemingly innocent neighborhood. After homophobic slurs are spray painted on their living room wall, Malik (Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman) begins to think that their neighbors aren't so friendly after all. As he pleads with his husband to leave and never look back, he winds up in a similar situation to Get Out's protagonist, Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya). With incredible performances by the cast, there is nearly nothing wrong with Spiral, but there is some confusion that arises when they delve into the cult's past. This is never fully expanded on; it's up to the viewer to interpret it in any way they want, which isn't always the desired outcome of a horror movie like this one.
14. Yummy
After a couple travels to a hospital so that one of them can get a breast reduction, the realization sets in that there's something far scarier than going under the knife. In Yummy, a zombie outbreak runs rampant through a hospital, causing the characters to reconsider the various avenues of rejuvenation. While the zombie sub-genre has notably gone stale over time, movies such as Yummy introduce situational elements that lead to far more interesting plots than other, more traditional zombie flicks.
13. Scare Package
Rad Chad (Jeremy King) narrates the stories that come together to create the horror comedy anthology Scare Package. Nearly every segment takes on a different sub-genre and parodies it in an attempt to examine the ridiculousness behind the events of slashers and creature features. Scare Package is a fulfilling horror comedy that utilizes facetiousness to create an unforgettable story that takes the viewer from a video rental store to the middle of the woods, where a grotesque blob jokes about his melted appearance.
12. Scare Me
Unlike most horror anthologies, Scare Me uses an entirely different method to get its point across. After two horror authors meet while isolating to write their next great novel, they exchange stories with one another while interacting with their environment. Josh Ruben's movie references several iconic creatures and characters all while covertly weaving in the narrative that Fred (Ruben) could be even scarier than the stories he and his colleague are exchanging. With a blend of horror and comedy, as well as an unexpected musical number, Scare Me creates an all new way of anthologizing scary stories, especially when the goal is to one-up the terrors of the previous tale.
11. Blood Quantum
Set in Quebec, Canada, Blood Quantum follows several people of the Red Crow Indian Reservation as they fend off hoards of bloodthirsty zombies. The undead of the movie aren't entirely different from those familiar to the sub-genre, but the circumstances are entirely new. While most zombie flicks have a basic rule that the virus doesn't impact animals of any kind, Blood Quantum's characters become aware of the situation once several gutted fish begin to flop around and come back to life. Alongside its blood and gore, it also features a lot of heart with incredible chemistry between every single character, making it a solid, well-rounded horror movie.
10. Z
Joshua (Jett Klyne) has an imaginary friend, but, as it turns out, it may not be entirely in his head. When he begins to exhibit violent behaviors, his mother starts to believe that his imagination is taking him in a dark direction. What she doesn't expect is that his imaginary friend may be something entirely beyond her own beliefs. Z brings together a lot of common themes from Sinister, The Babadook, and The Omen, which could've caused it to suffer, but ultimately worked in its favor. By utilizing the successes behind these iconic movies, Z becomes a unique depiction of an unsettling child whose imaginary friend may be more than anyone bargained for.
9. Dogs Don't Wear Pants
Dogs Don't Wear Pants explores the dangers behind becoming immersed in a BDSM community that has ill-intent in mind for outsiders. After Juha (Pekka Strang) loses his wife and has to raise his daughter on his own, he takes the opportunity to explore his sexual desires with a dominatrix. In this black comedy, the terror of being exposed is magnified when Juha's secret ventures into the BDSM community, may be revealed and, in turn, ruin his life.
8. Monstrum
Monstrum is a classic monster movie with a period specific twist. Set in 1527, a plague spreads throughout Korea that brings a bizarre creature to life that threatens to destroy the entire country. While most monster movies fail due to an overuse of CGI, Monstrum seamlessly blends in the special effects that help bring its beast to life. For fans of warriors and creatures, Shudder's only release in 2020 of its kind is an unforgettable period piece, and one not to miss.
7. The Beach House
The Beach House navigates the possibility of the end of the world through climate change. When a bizarre vapor rises from the beach and ancient organisms wash ashore, a young woman has to try her hardest to save herself and the man she loves, but the irreversible effects of the Earth's climate changing could prove to be a major barrier. The Beach House is one of the scarier movies released through Shudder in 2020, but its overly confusing beginning may necessitate a second or third watch before fully comprehending the ending. Regardless, this science-inspired horror movie has a lot to offer, especially with its thought-provoking plot and The Beach House's unsettling ending.
6. The Mortuary Collection
In 2020, horror anthologies grew increasingly popular with the release of Rusty Cundieff's Tales From The Hood 3, the announcement of Ryan Murphy's upcoming series, American Horror Stories, and Shudder's The Mortuary Collection. It takes a route familiar to most anthology movies through introducing a narrator who guides a listener through the telling of several scary stories, but The Mortuary Collection separates itself from the rest by offering a major twist unlike any other. With an ending that sets up the perfect sequel, it's likely that Shudder hasn't seen the last of The Mortuary Collection, despite its minute fault of being somewhat cheesy overall.
5. La Llorona
While Blumhouse Productions released The Curse Of La Llorona in 2019, it did not capture the essence of the horrifying weeping woman like that of Shudder's La Llorona. Rather than rely on jump scares and CGI, it focuses on the sadness that can transform any woman into a version of the La Llorona spirit. It is an incredibly nuanced approached to a folk-legend that opens the door for others to follow suit in unpacking the truth behind a widespread story such as this one. While La Llorona captures the weeping woman with near flawless precision, its slow pacing can draw attention away from it entirely, but it's well worth it to get to the major reveal at the movie's end.
4. The Room
When a bizarre room promises to deliver everything and anything a couple desires, their wishes go too far when Kate (Olga Kurylenko) asks for a son. The Room forces the couple to examine what is more important to them, each other or the false promise of a happy family. It captures the sadness of loss as well as the struggles of grief, all under the horrifying guise of a mother's dream come true that swiftly transforms into a nightmare. The Room ends on an incredible cliff-hanger that opens the door to a possible sequel.
3. Impetigore
Joko Anwar's Indonesian folk horror movie Impetigore is one of the most successful features to come out of Shudder this year. It was nominated for the international category of the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, which is a major achievement, especially for a horror movie. Impetigore follows Maya (Tara Basro) who returns to her home village to uncover the truth of her past. When her trip takes an unexpected turn, the dark history of her mother and father resurfaces when she is receives blame for a decades long curse. Anwar's folk horror movie transcends the common conception of the sub-genre by centering it around Indonesian folklore and mythology rather than the traditional Swedish setting featured in Midsommar and The Wicker Man.
2. Anything For Jackson
Shudder's final original release of 2020, Anything For Jackson, is an incredibly horrifying paranormal horror movie. After an elderly couple kidnaps a pregnant woman, they express that they'd do everything in their power to bring back their dead grandson, including conjuring a demonic entity. When their ritual goes awry, it all takes a turn for the worst, leading to an ending that leaves fans questioning what will happen next for Jackson. With ghosts of the past invading the demons of the present, Anything For Jackson is a near perfect movie that perfectly sets up what's in store for Shudder in 2021.
1. Host
Out of every Shudder original, Host reigns supreme for several reasons. It was produced entirely during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and utilized Zoom as a means of connecting the horrors of the real world with that of the paranormal. As a group of friends gather to have a seance during a casual night of social distancing, they unexpectedly become the targets of a malevolent force. In just under an hour, Host amplifies the fear of COVID-19 isolation with the prospects that the technology needed for a new world of online classes, meetings, get togethers, funerals, and weddings could become a source of horror where each individual is left alone, trying to survive. Not only is Host the best horror movie of 2020, it is also Shudder's best original movie that released this year.
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Shudder's 2020 Original Horror Movies Ranked From Worst To Best - Screen Rant
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