Hi Again, Everybody!

We appreciate all of the support we got for last year’s list, so we’re doing it again, and the Thanksgiving episode of Why We Love Horror in 2024 will be dedicated to us going over the list that follows.

Just like last year, this is a 52-week challenge for all of horror aficionados out there. We'd prefer you make this all first-time watches, if possible, and feel free to do this in whatever order you want, at whatever pace you want, but get it done by the stroke of midnight on 12/31/25. or else...you didn’t finish the list on time.

Since there are 52 weeks in the year, we’ve grouped the portions of the challenge into 13 spooky sections of 4 movie categories.

Please tag any movies you watch with the tag "wwlh2025" to be included in all the action!

Sincerely,
John, Aaron, and Abby

[UPDATE: I'll keep including links to filters or other lists within the prompts to help with the movie selection process. -John]

Section 1: In Horrorville We Trust - Every year, the folks over at Horrorville put out the best Top 50 list we’ve seen for each year that passes, so your first four watches are going to come from their last four years of Top 50 lists.

1) Watch a movie from Horrorville’s The Official Top 50 Horror Films of 2024 list.
2) Watch a movie from Horrorville’s The Official Top 50 Horror Films of 2023 list.
3) Watch a movie from Horrorville’s The Official Top 50 Horror Films of 2022 list.
4) Watch a movie from Horrorville’s The Official Top 50 Horror Films of 2021 list.

Section 2: A Foundation in the Classics - Last year we went for recent decades. This year we’re going deep. Watch old stuff for these 4.

5) Watch a horror movie from the 1930s.
6) Watch a horror movie from the 1940s.
7) Watch a horror movie from the 1950s.
8) Watch a horror movie from the 1960s.

Section 3: An Ode to the New Synopses Categories in Why We Love Horror Trivia - We’ve done some rearranging of the Round 3 (5) categories, so let’s take a look and increase our knowledge in this area. Follow the extra guidelines. Get cultured.

9) Watch an Asian Horror movie (but not from Japan/South Korea).
10) Watch a European Horror movie (but not from Spain/France/Italy/Scandinavia/UK).
11) Watch a folk horror movie (non-English language).
12) Watch a World Horror movie (South America/Africa only).

Section 4: These People Are in Everything - Familiar faces in horror for these 4. I’m sure there’s at least one apiece we can find.

13) Watch a horror movie starring Barbara Crampton.
14) Watch a non-franchise horror movie starring Bill Moseley.
15) Watch a non-franchise horror movie starring Danielle Harris.
16) Watch a horror movie starring Eric Roberts.

Section 5: J-Horror Appreciation Segment - Rather than just have one week dedicated to J-Horror like we did last year, we’re doing 4. So, we chose 4 directors that should have enough stuff for you to delve into to find some good watches for yourself.

17) Watch a horror movie directed by Takashi Miike.
18) Watch a horror movie directed by Takashi Shimizu.
19) Watch a horror movie directed by Hideo Nakata.
20) Watch a horror movie directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

Section 6: Abby’s Choices - This section was curated exclusively by Abby.

21) Watch a movie that was featured on an episode of “The Last Drive-In w/ Joe Bob Briggs.”
22) Watch a movie from 1929 or earlier.
23) Watch a horror movie about an animal or animals attacking.
24) Watch a horror musical, or a horror movie centered around music.

Section 7: Aaron’s Choices - This section was curated exclusively by Aaron.

25) Watch a horror movie with a notorious slow burn.
26) Watch a horror movie where drugs are featured heavily in the plot/horror.
27) Watch a Jewish-themed horror movie.
28) Watch a giallo movie.

Section 8: John’s Choices - This section was curated exclusively by John.

29) Watch one of those cash grab public domain horror movies that are so popular all of a sudden.
30) Watch a horror movie that started out as a horror short film first.
31) Watch a horror movie that is “based on true events.”
32) Watch an 80 or 90s slasher horror movie where the whole bright idea is the killer has a certain profession.

Section 9: Studios that Make Movies - That’s what these companies do. There’s good stuff in here, I assure you. Or is there?

33) Watch a horror movie produced by Troma Entertainment.
34) Watch a horror movie produced by Full Moon Features (any era is fine).
35) Watch a horror movie produced by Vertical Entertainment.
36) Watch a horror movie produced by Jagged Edge Productions.

Section 10: Popular Fears - People keep going back to the well with common fears. These 4 movies will highlight the ones we see a lot.

37) Watch a horror movie that would freak out someone who is afraid of clowns.
38) Watch a horror movie that would freak out someone who is afraid of insects/spiders.
39) Watch a horror movie that would freak out someone who is afraid of snakes/reptiles.
40) Watch a horror movie that would freak out someone who is afraid of hospitals/doctors/needles.

Section 11: Obligatory Halloween Watches - Some people only watch horror movies in October because they are basic. These 4 are to pay tribute to those that can’t hang, but loooooooooooooooove Halloween.

41) Watch a slasher horror movie set on Halloween.
42) Watch a horror movie about witches/magic/curses set on Halloween.
43) Watch a monster horror movie set on Halloween.
44) You pick a horror movie, but it better be set on Halloween.

Section 12: Horror Icons, but Reverse it - Let’s watch these guys play against type for a change.

45) Watch a horror movie that Kane Hodder is in, but he doesn’t play the killer/antagonist.
46) Watch a horror movie that Robert Englund is in, but he doesn’t play the killer/antagonist.
47) Watch a horror movie that Brad Dourif is in, but he doesn’t play the killer/antagonist.
48) Watch a horror movie that Tony Todd is in, but he doesn’t play the killer/antagonist.

Section 13: You’ve Almost Made It! - Here’s some freeform categories for you.

49) Watch the highest rated horror movie on Letterboxd that you haven’t seen (that is also on the Letterboxd Top 250 Horror List)
50) Watch the most popular horror movie on Letterboxd (sort by popularity) that you haven’t seen.
51) Scroll through all your Letterboxd activity and watch the first horror movie a friend watched that you haven’t seen.
52) Watch any horror movie already on your watchlist.