Top 10 Female Directed Horror Movies To Watch This Spooky Season

TV & Film

Aug 30

With a couple of days left in August, it is time to start putting together our spooky season watchlists. This year I will be breaking down the watchlists by different subgenres, categories, and streaming services so you are sure to find something you will love! To kick things off let’s give some attention to some of the most underutilized and underrepresented people in horror, women. Thanks to the success of Great Gerwig’s Barbie audiences are looking for more female-directed films to check out. So, here are 10 horror movies that were directed by women that I think you should add to this year’s spooky season watchlist!

10. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

This A24 film directed by Halina Reijn took TikTok by storm last year. I personally consider this more of a thriller than a horror film, but it is a lot of fun and features a fantastic mostly female cast. The film follows a group of 20-something friends who get stuck in a remote mansion when a hurricane hits. They decide to pass the time by playing a party game but things go horribly wrong.

Bodies Bodies Bodies is available to stream on Hulu.

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9. Revenge (2017)

French director Coralie Fargeat brings us this fast-paced and gore-filled film. While on a romantic vacation with her wealthy married boyfriend Jen finds herself fighting for her life after his sleazy friends show up out of nowhere. Unbeknownst to her the trio had planned a hunting trip around their getaway. After an incident between the friends Jen is attacked and left for dead. The rest of the film follows Jen as she enacts her revenge on the three men.

Revenge is available to stream on AMC+.

8. The Moth Diaries (2011)

Mary Harron known for her work on American Psycho brings us a beautifully gothic film set at an all-girls boarding school. The film follows Rebecca as she watches her life fall apart after the arrival of a mysterious new student, Ernessa. Everyone else seems to love the new girl, including Rebecca’s best friend Lucie. When Lucie falls ill Rebecca is convinced that Ernessa is a vampire and she sets out to prove this theory.

The Moth Diaries is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

7. XX (2017)

Horror anthology films have been growing in popularity since the 2012 release of V/H/S which has gone on to have multiple new installments. Annoyed with the lack of female directors being included in these horror anthologies Jovanka Vuckovic, Annie Clark, Roxanne Benjamin, and Karyn Kusama set out to make their own. The result is four horrifying tales The Box, The Birthday Party, Don’t Fall, and Her Only Living Son.

XX is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

6. American Psycho (2000)

Love it or hate it this Mary Harron film is an absolute classic. Many fans got their first introduction to Christian Bale through his portrayal of Patrick Bateman a young and handsome professional living in New York City who moonlights as a serial killer. The ending of this film made my head spin, but there is no denying the absolute genius of the directing in the film.

American Psycho is available to stream on Peacock.

5. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992)

Many fans of the television series may not realize that the lovable vampire slayer’s story started on the big screen. The film was written by Joss Whedon and directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui and would go on to be Whedon’s inspiration for the hugely popular series. In the film, Buffy is a regular cheerleader until she meets a man who tells her that he was sent to train her as a vampire slayer. The fight scenes are cheesy, but so much fun especially since there are appearances by Donald Sutherland, Luke Perry, and David Arquette.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Max.

4. Fresh (2022)

If you spent any time at all on TikTok last year then you have seen at least one scene from this Mimi Cave film. Sebastian Stan plays a lovable young man who sweeps the protagonist, Noa off her feet until she learns his dark secret. This film is wild and even though you know that Stan is a villain you can’t help but love him.

Fresh is available to stream on Hulu.

3. Pet Sematary (1989)

This film is an absolute classic and one that I did not know until I was putting this list together was directed by Mary Lambert. Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name the film follows a family who after suffering a tragedy bury their young son in the local pet sematary. After he comes back to life all hell breaks loose for the poor family.

Pet Sematary is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

2. Jennifer’s Body (2009)

This is another female revenge story, but it comes with a great twist! Written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama the film follows a young girl, Jennifer who after surviving a horrible fire at a local bar disappears only to come back a succubus. She feasts on the young men around her town and it is up to her best friend Needy to stop her.

Jennifer’s Body is available to stream on Max.

1. Fear Street Trilogy (2021)

I cannot talk about this Leigh Janiak-directed trilogy enough! The films are loosely based on the Fear Street novels written by R. L. Stine. They follow a group of friends who live in Shadyside and are terrorized by an ancient curse. The first film is set in 1994 where we meet the group and witness the horrors that the town has been living through. The second film is set in 1978 and shows us another glimpse into what life for the Shadyside residents looks like. The final film is set in 1666 and 1994 as it goes back to the founding of the town and the creation of the “curse”. These films do not get enough credit for how amazing they are!

The Fear Street Trilogy is available to stream on Netflix.

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