9 Most Campy Horror Movies of the Last 5 Years, Ranked for Their Wildest Scares
Holiday Slasher With A Twist
In It's a Wonderful Knife, Winnie, played by Jane Widdop, kills the serial killer known as The Angel before more victims can be claimed. The killing leaves her with lasting emotional damage, and a year later, as her life unravels, she gets a chance to see how Angel Falls might have looked if she had never been born.
The film blends the familiar idea of seeing a world without oneself with frequent deaths and Christmas spirit. Justin Long gives a notably creepy performance as the town's ruthless mayor, adding to the movie's appeal as a festive horror watch.
A Mystery Turns Outrageous
Malignant follows Madison, played by Annabelle Wallis, a hopeful mother-to-be who suffers head trauma after her husband attacks her. Her visions begin matching murders around town, while police suspect her and she struggles to trust her own memories.
The story initially leans into a serious murder mystery. After the killer is revealed, it shifts into a large-scale supernatural rampage, a change that may test some viewers' patience but delivers a pulpy finish.
Drag Performers Face Vampires
Slay brings four drag queens—Trinity the Tuck, Heidi N Closet, Cara Melle, and Crystal Methyd—to a rundown bar after a misunderstanding about their venue. When vampires arrive, the performers and the local clientele must work together to survive until dawn.
The Tubi original had a limited release, which kept it from reaching a wider audience. Its low-budget visuals suit its B-movie style, and the result is presented as more funny than frightening.
Cage Battles Possessed Mascots
In Willy's Wonderland, a man played by Nicolas Cage agrees to clean a run-down children's restaurant overnight after blown-out tires leave him with a debt to pay. When the animatronic characters become violent, he has to take them on one by one.
Cage's character is silent, but the film gives him room for frenzied physical comedy. Between fights, he dances intensely and plays pinball, making this an oddball choice for viewers seeking little plot and plenty of irony.
Key points
- It's a Wonderful Knife combines a Christmas setting, a slasher story, and a vision of life without its heroine.
- Malignant moves from a murder mystery into an extravagant supernatural rampage after its killer is revealed.
- Slay pits four drag performers and local bar patrons against vampires until dawn.
- Willy's Wonderland features a silent Nicolas Cage fighting murderous animatronic characters.