Winter Horror Movies (January 2025)

The vacations are over, which implies we are actually knee-deep at midnight days of winter. In lots of components of the world, a bleak coldness has set in. As I sit right here scripting this, a bone-chilling wind is howling outdoors, actually shaking my home and making me need to burrow below some blankets and never go outdoors till April rolls round. Now could be the right time to hunker down and stream some icy horror motion pictures as you wait out the winter. Beneath, I’ve rounded up 10 wintry horror motion pictures you’ll be able to stream this month, in all their chilly glory. And since I do know somebody, someplace, might be questioning about this: no, “The Shining” is not on right here. And there are two causes for that. One: I already listed “The Shining” in a previous horror streaming column and I attempt to not double dip, and Two: consider it or not, “The Shining” is at the moment unavailable to stream wherever (you’ll be able to pay to lease it on-line, however that is not the identical factor). 

Streaming on Max.

It is the winter of 1996, and a snow storm is brewing outdoors. However inside an deserted college, a French dance troupe is gearing up for one wild night time. In Gaspar Noé’s absolutely bonkers “Climax,” a gaggle of dancers are secretly drugged with LSD, and all hell breaks unfastened. “Climax” is low on precise story, and the forged of dancers principally improvised all through the shoot. This solely heightens the chaotic nature of the movie, as we watch these dancers descend into complete insanity, all of it captured completely by cinematographer Benoît Debie. Noé opens the movie with a bang as we watch all of the dancers come out, one after the other, performing frantic strikes by the use of introduction. After which, somebody spikes a punch bowl of sangria, and every thing goes very, very fallacious, very, in a short time. The top result’s each darkly humorous and extremely disturbing. 

Streaming on Prime Video, Tubi, streaming on Shudder January 13.

A considerably underrated slasher, “Curtains” had a messy manufacturing, which resulted in two totally different administrators taking over the fabric (the primary director, Richard Ciupka, wished the film to be extra artsy, whereas the director who took over, Peter R. Simpson, was going for a extra conventional slasher pic). On account of all this turmoil, the film took virtually two full years to finish. Regardless of these issues, the movie finally works, due to some bizarre environment and memorable set items. The story focuses on a gaggle of feminine performers (all of them have totally different abilities: one is an actress, one other is an ice skater, one other is a musician, and so forth) who transfer right into a filmmaker’s secluded mansion within the useless of winter with hopes of touchdown a task in his newest image. However these aspiring main women are quickly focused by a killer. It is unusual, it is enjoyable, it encompasses a scene the place the killer places on some ice skates to chase down a sufferer. 

Streaming on Tubi.

No, not the Disney one. Adam Inexperienced’s splendidly nasty “Frozen” has a easy however efficient premise: three buddies get caught on a ski carry at a ski resort. It sounds type of foolish, however Inexperienced milks it for all its value. Because the night time comes on, the chilly units in. The three buddies dangle excessive above the bottom. The resort is about to shut down for a whole week — as a result of a storm is rolling in. And oh yeah, there are additionally wolves lurking about. Who will survive and what might be left of them? Filled with frostbitten pores and skin, damaged bones, and animal assaults, “Frozen” is extremely efficient and the right horror deal with for a chilly, snowy night time. When you watch this, you may by no means need to go snowboarding once more (or in any respect, in the event you’ve by no means been). 

Streaming on Prime Video, Tubi, Kanopy, Pluto TV.

“Let the Proper One In” has been remade a number of occasions (first as an American movie with its title inexplicably modified to “Let Me In,” after which once more as a TV sequence that was canceled after one season), however the unique is the perfect (and the one model you have to watch). Directed by Tomas Alfredson, “Let the Proper One In” is a wintry horror film that provides recent blood to the vampire subgenre. Set in Stockholm within the Eighties, “Let the Proper One In” introduces us to Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a lonely, bullied boy who befriends Eli (Lina Leandersson), who seems to be like somewhat woman however is definitely a really outdated vampire. These two outcasts bond and type an virtually candy, touching friendship — however there is a darkish, bleak undercurrent lurking beneath the floor that makes the whole movie further unsettling. 

Streaming on Max.

Robert Eggers’ best film so far, “The Lighthouse” is a hilarious, twisted oddity about two males caught on a wind-whipped rock guarding a lighthouse. Whereas the film’s seasonal setting is not specified, the fixed chilly wind and the perpetual darkness certain invoke winter chills, which makes it an ideal movie to look at proper now. Robert Pattinson performs a man new to the lighthouse keeper commerce, working alongside a seasoned professional, performed by Willem Dafoe. Whereas Dafoe tends to hang around within the lighthouse tower all by his lonesome, he ceaselessly sticks Pattinson’s character with all of the thankless, backbreaking work. And simply to make issues worse, he retains farting, too. Quickly, insanity units in as these males each bond in an virtually romantic trend and additionally attempt to kill one another. 

Streaming on Shudder January 14.

One of the scariest movies of 2024 and one of the best movies of that year in general, Pascal Plante’s “Crimson Rooms” is so bone chilling that it makes for the right winter watch. Actually, it is so icy chilly that you just may want to begin a hearth to heat up after. Set in Montreal, the movie follows Kelly-Ann (Juliette Gariépy, who ought to actually be getting awards season consideration), a trend mannequin and on-line poker addict who exhibits up day-after-day on the trial of Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos), a person accused of murdering three teenage women and importing movies of the murders to the darkish internet. Why is Kelly-Ann so obsessive about this case? The movie stays tight-lipped about this, and sharply contrasts Kelly-Ann with Clémentine (Laurie Babin), one other girls on the trial day-after-day, who’s 100% satisfied Chevalier is harmless and being framed. Whereas “Crimson Rooms” isn’t overly graphic (we by no means see the footage of the murders, though we do hear a few of it), the movie is genuinely terrifying as a result of it really works its method below your pores and skin and leaves you immensely uncomfortable within the course of. 

Streaming on Hulu.

The TV miniseries does not actually exist anymore — within the age of streaming, it has been changed by the “restricted sequence.” However as soon as upon a time, networks had been capable of create TV occasions by releasing miniseries, and Stephen King took advantage of that on multiple occasions. One among King’s greatest miniseries occasions was “Storm of the Century,” a 3-part sequence a couple of lethal winter storm that blows into the remoted Maine group of Little Tall Island. With the storm comes a mysterious, menacing determine often called Andre Linoge (Colm Feore), and he has a lethal proposition: the townsfolk need to determine at hand over a toddler to Lionge, or everybody will die. King makes use of this state of affairs to focus on how small city mindsets result in backstabbing and infighting, because the seemingly good individuals of Little Tall Island activate one another all within the title of saving their very own hides.

Streaming on Netflix, Prime Video.

Okay, it is a little bit of a cheat, as a result of “The Terror” is a TV sequence and never a film. However look, that is my record, and I can do what I need. Plus: “The Terror” feels extremely underrated, and I am joyful to have any probability to focus on it. For the needs of this entry, we’re speaking concerning the first season solely (the present is an anthology sequence, so season 2 is a totally totally different story — and it isn’t superb). Season 1 is predicated on the novel of the identical title by Dan Simmons, which in flip was primarily based on the true story of the misplaced expedition of the 2 ships the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, which got down to find the Northwest Passage within the late 1800s, solely to fade (the ships had been later discovered within the 2010s). In actual life, the 2 ships bought trapped within the ice within the Arctic and the lads perished. In Simmons’ novel, and the next TV adaptation, one thing supernatural is at play. And there are extra human horrors right here as properly — like cannibalism. Gothic and bleak, “The Terror” season 1 is horror TV finished proper. 

Streaming on Shudder.

The last word winter horror film (the film even begins on the primary day of winter!), John Carpenter’s “The Factor” wants no introduction. Virtually everybody is aware of that Carpenter’s remake was a flop when it opened in 1982, just for the movie to go on to be thought-about a traditional. The story follows a gaggle of men snowed-in at a analysis heart in Antarctica. Cabin fever is the least of their issues, although: there is a shape-shifting alien afoot, and it might seem like anybody, anybody in any respect. This state of affairs permits Carpenter to go wild with some improbable, gnarly sensible make-up results courtesy of Rob Bottin. Bonus: Kurt Russell sporting a wonderful beard and a giant hat. 

Streaming on Max.

M. Evening Shyamalan was driving excessive for some time there, however a sequence of vital and field workplace failures left his profession in a bizarre place. Quite than quit, Shyamalan determined to stage his personal comeback. He borrowed $5 million towards his dwelling and made “The Go to,” a pretend documentary about killer senior residents. The story follows a pair of siblings, Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and her very annoying brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould), who go to go to the grandparents they’ve by no means met. At first, Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) appear sort and welcoming. However because the go to stretches on, the siblings discover their grandparents are appearing type of … humorous. Are they a innocent pair of outdated of us going senile? Or is one thing extra sinister at play right here? Set towards a wintry backdrop, “The Go to” has an virtually schizophrenic mix of comedy and horror (Shyamalan says he went by way of a number of cuts of the movie earlier than he settled on the tone). Whereas not every thing works (there is a working “gag” about Tyler eager to be a rapper that is really terrible), “The Go to” finally ends up being numerous enjoyable. On prime of that, the movie was a minor hit, and M. Evening Shyamalan was again, child! 

The vacations are over, which implies we are actually knee-deep at midnight days of winter. In lots of components of the world, a bleak coldness has set in. As I sit right here scripting this, a bone-chilling wind is howling outdoors, actually shaking my home and making me need to burrow below some blankets and never go outdoors till April rolls round. Now could be the right time to hunker down and stream some icy horror motion pictures as you wait out the winter. Beneath, I’ve rounded up 10 wintry horror motion pictures you’ll be able to stream this month, in all their chilly glory. And since I do know somebody, someplace, might be questioning about this: no, “The Shining” is not on right here. And there are two causes for that. One: I already listed “The Shining” in a previous horror streaming column and I attempt to not double dip, and Two: consider it or not, “The Shining” is at the moment unavailable to stream wherever (you’ll be able to pay to lease it on-line, however that is not the identical factor). 

Streaming on Max.

It is the winter of 1996, and a snow storm is brewing outdoors. However inside an deserted college, a French dance troupe is gearing up for one wild night time. In Gaspar Noé’s absolutely bonkers “Climax,” a gaggle of dancers are secretly drugged with LSD, and all hell breaks unfastened. “Climax” is low on precise story, and the forged of dancers principally improvised all through the shoot. This solely heightens the chaotic nature of the movie, as we watch these dancers descend into complete insanity, all of it captured completely by cinematographer Benoît Debie. Noé opens the movie with a bang as we watch all of the dancers come out, one after the other, performing frantic strikes by the use of introduction. After which, somebody spikes a punch bowl of sangria, and every thing goes very, very fallacious, very, in a short time. The top result’s each darkly humorous and extremely disturbing. 

Streaming on Prime Video, Tubi, streaming on Shudder January 13.

A considerably underrated slasher, “Curtains” had a messy manufacturing, which resulted in two totally different administrators taking over the fabric (the primary director, Richard Ciupka, wished the film to be extra artsy, whereas the director who took over, Peter R. Simpson, was going for a extra conventional slasher pic). On account of all this turmoil, the film took virtually two full years to finish. Regardless of these issues, the movie finally works, due to some bizarre environment and memorable set items. The story focuses on a gaggle of feminine performers (all of them have totally different abilities: one is an actress, one other is an ice skater, one other is a musician, and so forth) who transfer right into a filmmaker’s secluded mansion within the useless of winter with hopes of touchdown a task in his newest image. However these aspiring main women are quickly focused by a killer. It is unusual, it is enjoyable, it encompasses a scene the place the killer places on some ice skates to chase down a sufferer. 

Streaming on Tubi.

No, not the Disney one. Adam Inexperienced’s splendidly nasty “Frozen” has a easy however efficient premise: three buddies get caught on a ski carry at a ski resort. It sounds type of foolish, however Inexperienced milks it for all its value. Because the night time comes on, the chilly units in. The three buddies dangle excessive above the bottom. The resort is about to shut down for a whole week — as a result of a storm is rolling in. And oh yeah, there are additionally wolves lurking about. Who will survive and what might be left of them? Filled with frostbitten pores and skin, damaged bones, and animal assaults, “Frozen” is extremely efficient and the right horror deal with for a chilly, snowy night time. When you watch this, you may by no means need to go snowboarding once more (or in any respect, in the event you’ve by no means been). 

Streaming on Prime Video, Tubi, Kanopy, Pluto TV.

“Let the Proper One In” has been remade a number of occasions (first as an American movie with its title inexplicably modified to “Let Me In,” after which once more as a TV sequence that was canceled after one season), however the unique is the perfect (and the one model you have to watch). Directed by Tomas Alfredson, “Let the Proper One In” is a wintry horror film that provides recent blood to the vampire subgenre. Set in Stockholm within the Eighties, “Let the Proper One In” introduces us to Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a lonely, bullied boy who befriends Eli (Lina Leandersson), who seems to be like somewhat woman however is definitely a really outdated vampire. These two outcasts bond and type an virtually candy, touching friendship — however there is a darkish, bleak undercurrent lurking beneath the floor that makes the whole movie further unsettling. 

Streaming on Max.

Robert Eggers’ best film so far, “The Lighthouse” is a hilarious, twisted oddity about two males caught on a wind-whipped rock guarding a lighthouse. Whereas the film’s seasonal setting is not specified, the fixed chilly wind and the perpetual darkness certain invoke winter chills, which makes it an ideal movie to look at proper now. Robert Pattinson performs a man new to the lighthouse keeper commerce, working alongside a seasoned professional, performed by Willem Dafoe. Whereas Dafoe tends to hang around within the lighthouse tower all by his lonesome, he ceaselessly sticks Pattinson’s character with all of the thankless, backbreaking work. And simply to make issues worse, he retains farting, too. Quickly, insanity units in as these males each bond in an virtually romantic trend and additionally attempt to kill one another. 

Streaming on Shudder January 14.

One of the scariest movies of 2024 and one of the best movies of that year in general, Pascal Plante’s “Crimson Rooms” is so bone chilling that it makes for the right winter watch. Actually, it is so icy chilly that you just may want to begin a hearth to heat up after. Set in Montreal, the movie follows Kelly-Ann (Juliette Gariépy, who ought to actually be getting awards season consideration), a trend mannequin and on-line poker addict who exhibits up day-after-day on the trial of Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos), a person accused of murdering three teenage women and importing movies of the murders to the darkish internet. Why is Kelly-Ann so obsessive about this case? The movie stays tight-lipped about this, and sharply contrasts Kelly-Ann with Clémentine (Laurie Babin), one other girls on the trial day-after-day, who’s 100% satisfied Chevalier is harmless and being framed. Whereas “Crimson Rooms” isn’t overly graphic (we by no means see the footage of the murders, though we do hear a few of it), the movie is genuinely terrifying as a result of it really works its method below your pores and skin and leaves you immensely uncomfortable within the course of. 

Streaming on Hulu.

The TV miniseries does not actually exist anymore — within the age of streaming, it has been changed by the “restricted sequence.” However as soon as upon a time, networks had been capable of create TV occasions by releasing miniseries, and Stephen King took advantage of that on multiple occasions. One among King’s greatest miniseries occasions was “Storm of the Century,” a 3-part sequence a couple of lethal winter storm that blows into the remoted Maine group of Little Tall Island. With the storm comes a mysterious, menacing determine often called Andre Linoge (Colm Feore), and he has a lethal proposition: the townsfolk need to determine at hand over a toddler to Lionge, or everybody will die. King makes use of this state of affairs to focus on how small city mindsets result in backstabbing and infighting, because the seemingly good individuals of Little Tall Island activate one another all within the title of saving their very own hides.

Streaming on Netflix, Prime Video.

Okay, it is a little bit of a cheat, as a result of “The Terror” is a TV sequence and never a film. However look, that is my record, and I can do what I need. Plus: “The Terror” feels extremely underrated, and I am joyful to have any probability to focus on it. For the needs of this entry, we’re speaking concerning the first season solely (the present is an anthology sequence, so season 2 is a totally totally different story — and it isn’t superb). Season 1 is predicated on the novel of the identical title by Dan Simmons, which in flip was primarily based on the true story of the misplaced expedition of the 2 ships the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, which got down to find the Northwest Passage within the late 1800s, solely to fade (the ships had been later discovered within the 2010s). In actual life, the 2 ships bought trapped within the ice within the Arctic and the lads perished. In Simmons’ novel, and the next TV adaptation, one thing supernatural is at play. And there are extra human horrors right here as properly — like cannibalism. Gothic and bleak, “The Terror” season 1 is horror TV finished proper. 

Streaming on Shudder.

The last word winter horror film (the film even begins on the primary day of winter!), John Carpenter’s “The Factor” wants no introduction. Virtually everybody is aware of that Carpenter’s remake was a flop when it opened in 1982, just for the movie to go on to be thought-about a traditional. The story follows a gaggle of men snowed-in at a analysis heart in Antarctica. Cabin fever is the least of their issues, although: there is a shape-shifting alien afoot, and it might seem like anybody, anybody in any respect. This state of affairs permits Carpenter to go wild with some improbable, gnarly sensible make-up results courtesy of Rob Bottin. Bonus: Kurt Russell sporting a wonderful beard and a giant hat. 

Streaming on Max.

M. Evening Shyamalan was driving excessive for some time there, however a sequence of vital and field workplace failures left his profession in a bizarre place. Quite than quit, Shyamalan determined to stage his personal comeback. He borrowed $5 million towards his dwelling and made “The Go to,” a pretend documentary about killer senior residents. The story follows a pair of siblings, Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and her very annoying brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould), who go to go to the grandparents they’ve by no means met. At first, Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) appear sort and welcoming. However because the go to stretches on, the siblings discover their grandparents are appearing type of … humorous. Are they a innocent pair of outdated of us going senile? Or is one thing extra sinister at play right here? Set towards a wintry backdrop, “The Go to” has an virtually schizophrenic mix of comedy and horror (Shyamalan says he went by way of a number of cuts of the movie earlier than he settled on the tone). Whereas not every thing works (there is a working “gag” about Tyler eager to be a rapper that is really terrible), “The Go to” finally ends up being numerous enjoyable. On prime of that, the movie was a minor hit, and M. Evening Shyamalan was again, child!