Summer and horror have a complicated relationship. Every August, Jaws gets its annual victory lap, and sure, it deserves it. But if you've already rewatched it twice and you're looking for something that'll genuinely unsettle you between beach trips, we've got you covered.
Midsommar (2019)
Ari Aster's folk horror masterpiece is peak summer horror — bright, sun-soaked, and deeply wrong. No darkness to hide the terror. Just endless daylight and a commune that's way too friendly.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Nothing says summer like a road trip gone catastrophically wrong. Tobe Hooper's grimy, sweltering classic still hits harder than almost anything made since.
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
The ultimate summer camp slasher. Campy (pun intended), mean-spirited, and home to one of horror's most genuinely shocking endings.
The Wicker Man (1973)
The original folk horror slow burn. A remote island, a missing girl, and a community with very particular traditions. Essential viewing.
Dagon (2001)
Stuart Gordon's underrated Lovecraftian nightmare set in a decaying Spanish coastal town. Wet, weird, and relentless.
Wrap-Up
Summer is the perfect time to go deep on horror. Turn the AC up, pull the blinds, and let these films remind you that the real monsters were never in the water.