As a horror movie fan, I quite liked what 2015 had to offer. “Goodnight Mommy” wasn't as extreme as the hype promised, but it was probably the better for it; writer/directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala delivered a film of rare thematic depth and slow-burning visceral power. David Robert Mitchell's “It Follows,” meanwhile, was an out-of-nowhere sleeper that actually merited the attention. And Craig Macneill's “The Boy” (not to be confused with this year's Lauren Cohan-starring “scary doll” flick) was a solid slice of psychological horror that was unfortunately all but ignored on release.
Like last year, 2016's crop of horror movies is far less interesting for its big-studio releases than for its smaller, independent ones. I'll be completely honest: I could care less about most of the major releases, which include a slew of destined-to-be-formulaic sequels (“The Purge 3,” “The Strangers 2,” “Amityville: The Awakening”), slot-filling supernatural horror efforts (“The Forest,” “The Other Side of the Door,” “The Boy”) and a long-in-the-works book adaptation that could go either way (“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”).
That said, there are a few bright spots already on the horizon. Here are eight horror films slated for release (or expected to be released) in 2016 that are worthy of our attention. I've ordered them by my own personal level of excitement, from least to most anticipated.