Women took control of the horror genre in 2018, that much is clear. To be fair, women ruled movies in general last year, but within a genre frequently — and, too often, rightfully — accused of gender bias, it was especially heartening to see ladies front and center in films as varied as Cam, Unsane, Hereditary and Revenge. Hell, a female-directed, female-written and female-led movie (The Ranger) opened Frightfest for the first time ever (the festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary in August).

There’s still a great deal of work to be done, of course, particularly considering that recent research suggests there are actually fewer women getting the opportunity to make their movies than in years past. This is in spite of the strength of the past year’s output from female talent, and the surge of support behind the burgeoning #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. Compounding this unfortunate fact are the all-male Best Director nominees for the 2019 Oscars (a disappointing step back from 2018 when Greta Gerwig was up for Lady Bird). It’s also worth noting that Luca Guadagnino’s wretched Suspiria was touted by many as a feminist picture in spite of the fact its protagonist is a man whose screen-time and story arc amounts to significantly more than the ostensible lead, Susie — but don’t worry, he’s played by a woman, so it’s totally fine!

In contrast, the backlash against Ari Aster’s disturbing debut Hereditary, a movie that, in stark contrast to Guadagnino’s, features a flawed and fascinating female character in the leading role, is sadly more evidence that sometimes horror fans still cannot appreciate what’s right in front of us. The idea that some poor critic’s misguided decision to compare Aster’s movie to The Exorcist somehow sullied its impact on hardcore fans is laughable, particularly as those same audiences flocked to worship the vacuous Suspiria. 

There’s a running joke about Toni Collette’s startlingly brilliant performance in Hereditary being annoyingly absent from basically every ballot, and what demons she might invoke to avenge her. The Aussie powerhouse is, quite simply, remarkable in the movie; strong yet vulnerable, desperately sad but clearly wrong in how she treats her grieving son; the uncomfortable but realistic picture of a struggling mother attempting to juggle everything in incredibly harsh circumstances. 

Aster’s debut rightly topped several Best of 2018 lists come year’s end, but it was just one of several horror movies, mainstream and otherwise, to put women at the forefront — not to mention the fact it features an older woman rather than an ingenue, a notable exception to a long established, and highly problematic, boobs ‘n’ blood rule. Likewise, David Gordon Green’s brilliant Halloween reboot put Queen Jamie Lee Curtis in the driving seat once more, catching up with her 40 years after the events of John Carpenter’s classic slasher to find a trauma survivor barely holding it together. 

Like Collette in Hereditary, Curtis is the focus here, the catalyst for the entire narrative. Her Laurie Strode is tough and strong, arming herself to the gills in anticipation of Michael’s return. But, when the villain does finally appear, Laurie falters. That 40-year-old terror is still just as fresh as it was back in 1978. Halloween was credited for being a #MeToo statement, even though it was conceived before the Weinstein scandal even happened. Regardless, the film feels remarkably current and razor-sharp in its depiction of female characters taking charge (three generations of Strode women, natch). 

Sure, Judy Greer doesn’t get enough to do until her BIG moment, but there will never be enough of her in any movie, and that’s just the reality of the situation. 

Also on the mainstream side was the masterful A Quiet Place, the sophomore feature from writer, director and star John Krasinski, who placed his real-life wife Emily Blunt opposite him as co-lead. Much like Collette in Hereditary and Curtis in Halloween, Blunt is a grieving mother tasked with surviving unthinkable horror. Her standout sequence finds Blunt’s tortured Evelyn attempting to give birth silently in the bathtub, while the monsters circle. It’s a terrific showcase for Blunt’s talents as a performer, but also of Krasinski’s faith in his exceptional wife to carry the film’s message about the importance of family. Both she and her deaf on-screen daughter are given the space to grow and fight back, rather than being relegated to whimpering in the background.

Indie horror didn’t disappoint in 2018 either, continuing to showcase some of the most interesting and eclectic voices working in the genre today. Dream team, and real life couple, Colin Minihan and Brittany Allen returned with their best offering yet. The shocking revenge tale What Keeps You Alive is a hugely emotional film brimming with brio and sensitivity. The beautifully shot movie was actually scored by Allen herself, her first time doing so. The prolific actress took one of the leading roles opposite her Jigsaw co-star Hannah Emily Anderson, with both women displaying depth and nuance hitherto untapped. The decision to feature a same-sex couple is admirable, but here it’s not a gimmick or an excuse for titillation. The romance is keenly felt, making the escalating tension palpable, the twists and turns nail-biting. 

Also taking a scenic trip that goes horribly wrong is The Transfiguration’s breakout star Chloe Levine who, along with her dodgy punk friends, ventures out to a cabin in the woods only to learn her past and present can’t quite be reconciled the way she imagined. Jenn Wexler’s The Ranger opened Frightfest 2018 in London. Her ferocious punk rock slasher movie was the ideal kickoff to a winning weekend of blood-soaked madness. More than that, though, Wexler’s film is a proudly female genre exercise. The soundtrack is loaded with bangers, the clothes are drool-worthy and the ending is a gory kick in the teeth. It’s a female slasher that’s still a slasher.

Never one to stay inside the lines, Stephen Soderbergh followed up the hilarious Logan Lucky with Unsane, a truly scary look at a woman in turmoil. The Crown‘s Claire Foy broke out in a big way as Sawyer, an isolated career woman committed to an insane asylum after foolishly confessing to dark thoughts. Once inside, she discovers her stalker (expertly played by The Blair Witch Project‘s Joshua Leonard) is in there too — but, naturally, nobody will believe her. Soderbergh, who shot the movie on iPhones, giving it a jittery, first-person feel, ruthlessly skewers the idea of women being disbelieved by virtually everybody they go to for help — in particular a flashback sequence, which finds Sawyer meeting with a security professional, showcases the struggle to be heard in a world that believes it’s always the victim’s fault.

She may perish within the first act, but the titular character in Panos Cosmatos’s life-changing Mandy is another standout female character who made a major splash last year. As played by the hugely underrated British character actress Andrea Riseborough, Mandy is the epitome of pure, untouchable love. Her death is heartbreaking precisely because her time with the audience is so short, and because its effect on her partner (played by Nicolas Cage in his strongest performance in years) is so plain to see. Riseborough haunts much of the movie like a ghost, her big eyes searching for meaning amidst the madness, and she shines in key moments including when Mandy laughs in the face of a terrifying cult leader for having the gall to think she’d ever give him even a moment of her precious time. 

Over on Netflix, Cam takes a no-nonsense approach to the business of selling sex online via a likeable and sprightly camgirl who wakes up to find her identity and, by extension, her business stolen from under her. Ex-camgirl Isa Mazzei co-wrote the script with longtime friend Daniel Goldhaber and, although he takes sole directing credit, her fingerprints are all over the finished product (which, notably, is presented as equally theirs). Cam has plenty to say about how women’s beauty is commodified online, but it’s never preachy or judgemental. Heroine Lola (bravely portrayed by Madeline Brewer) is a sweet and smart young woman who makes good money doing something she loves. Her punishment is cruel bad luck, random and unexplained, rather than as a result of her chosen career.