Beginning in 1987 with the action film led by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Predator franchise has had a few good movies and many poor ones. But beyond quality, one thing has remained consistent: the monster has almost always been the villain. Aiming to change that, director Dan Trachtenberg presents Predator: Badlands, a bombastic sci-fi adventure featuring the alien hunter as the protagonist for the very first time.

Creating an effective horror sequel is not an easy feat. Some directors choose to repeat the same narrative, others opt for a complete reimagining, and a few strike a middle ground that builds on the previous story in new and exciting ways. Black Phone 2 is a horror sequel that struggles to execute on a remarkable premise. Despite jaw-dropping imagery and an imposing villain, the film too often finds itself bogged down by mediocre dialogue and ineffective emotional arcs.

Co-written and directed by Ben Leonberg, Good Boy is a horror film from a dog’s perspective. Although it may struggle to be a fully-fledged feature, this refreshing exploration of fear is an admirable effort all the same.

While rarely regarded as a science-fiction classic, 2007’s Sunshine remains an underrated masterpiece of the genre. Combining the strengths of an epic thriller with a deep psychological throughline, director Danny Boyle and Alex Garland quietly made a powerful movie deserving of immense praise.

Consisting of 9 films, The Conjuring cinematic universe has succeeded where many horror franchises tend to fade into obscurity. While the series is unlikely to end entirely, the latest release, The Conjuring: Last Rites, promises the end of an almost 15-year chapter. Directed by Michael Chaves, Last Rites offers a satisfying conclusion to Ed and Lorraine Warren’s story.