Despite seeming like they would be polar opposites in tone and approach, the horror and comedy genres have continued to prove themselves incredibly effective. For as long as films have brought scary and disturbing imagery to the big screen, there have been comedy films that shed a comedic light and levity to these types of stories. Especially with how much the horror and comedy genres have individually evolved and changed over the years, it's insightful to see how films that combine the two genres evolved as well.
The 2010s as a whole were an incredibly successful decade for horror comedies as a whole. There was a great mix of strong mainstream films, Happy Death Day films, and the rise of a number of key cult classics like What We Do in the Shadows and Ready or Not. Although these are far from the only great horror comedies to define the decade, as there were numerous underappreciated gems throughout the 2010s.
10 'Tucker and Dale vs. Evil' (2010)
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil follows the story of two well-meaning and kind-hearted hillbillies who are soon mistaken as vicious killers by a group of vacationing college students. Even without any sign of ill intent from Tucker and Dale, the college students still manage to become murder victims, implicating Tucker and Dale that much more. As more and more students meet their demise, distrust between both parties reaches an apex as the students try to avenge their fallen friends.
Tucker and Dale is a riff on the classic "murderous middle-of-nowhere hillbilly" story that we've seen before in famous horror movies such as the Wrong Turn series. Tucker and Dale take this story and provides its own comedic role reversal, where the hillbillies are honest and wholesome souls, and the college students are quick to judge and ready to kill. It makes for a hilarious premise that results in a number of equally gruesome and hilarious kills.
9 'Dude Bro Party Massacre III' (2015)
A feature film from the 5 Second Films YouTube channel, Dude Bro Party Massacre III, is a feature-length adaptation of one of their 5-second shorts. The film takes place after two previous murder sprees impacting a frat row, and following the death of his brother, Brent Chirino takes it upon himself to infiltrate the frat and find his brother's killer. Soon the entire frat is in danger as the serial killer "Motherface" has returned to wreak havoc on the frat boys.
Dude Bro Party Massacre III is a gracious and hilarious love letter to the cheesy and schlocky slasher films that defined the 80s, such as Friday the 13th and The Slumber Party Massacre. Although the film has excited the cheese, schlock, and overall absurdity to an immeasurable degree, as seen by the film's title, setting itself as the third movie in a trilogy that doesn't exist. It's a film that constantly throws jokes at the audience, some working extremely well, others too stupid to work: as a singular film experience, it is anything but forgettable.
8 'Mayhem' (2017)
Mayhem is a much more action-focused horror comedy that follows a group of white-collar office workers who soon find themselves stuck in their office under quarantine. Their imprisonment can be traced back to a "red eye" virus that, while not lethal, forces those it infects to act out and removes their inhibitions, causing deadly results. The workplace soon becomes a bloodbath as workers start killing one another, and we follow just fired Derek on his rage-filled quest to the top floor to kill his former bosses.
There's a level of brutality and rage that Mayhem's premise promises, and the film is definitely able to deliver on the bloodshed and exciting action. It definitely helps that the film touts great performances by Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving. The film is an exhilarating look at toxic work culture and the wrath that it incurs, complete with great bloody kills and lots of laughs.
7 'Little Monsters' (2019)
Little Monsters follows a washed-up musician who becomes a chaperone for his nephew's field trip to a farm to get closer to the kindergarten teacher, Miss Caroline (played by Lupita Nyong'o). Things immediately go wrong, however, as a massive outbreak of zombies occurs in the middle of this field trip. It soon becomes a fight for survival as Miss Caroline, the chaperone, all the students, and even a kids' tv personality have to bunker down and survive the zombie horde.
While zombie films were a trend that grew to be overplayed and overdone in the 2010s, films like Little Monsters show the creativity and strength still present in the subgenre. The simple addition of a group of young, innocent kindergarteners that must be taken care of adds many layers of tension, comedy, and challenges that help Little Monsters stand out. The film also touts great performances from Lupita Nyong'o and Alexander England and an arguably career-best performance from Josh Gad as the crashing drunken tv star Teddy McGiggle.
6 'Better Watch Out' (2016)
A much more horror-focused take on a yuletide classic setting and premise, Better Watch Out follows a young suburban babysitter and the 12-year-old boy she's watching for the night. However, the cold, quiet night takes a turn as the duo soon finds themselves hiding, following signs of a home invasion. Complete with several other twists and turns, things don't go as planned, and it becomes apparent that this is far from a standard home invasion.
It's hard to talk about all the great things about Better Watch Out without spoiling some of its greater twists and turns, as they are core to the strengths and experience of the film. However, it's important to note that the film's direction in the second half results in a uniquely hilarious and original approach to this Home Alone-inspired premise. It makes for one of the best choices you could have if you're looking for the perfect horror comedy to watch around the holiday season.
5 'The Final Girls' (2015)
The Final Girls follows the story of Max Cartwright, a young woman who is personally dealing with the loss of her mother, a woman who was a notable 1980s horror actress. On the anniversary of her death, Max and her friends end up transported into the cult classic '80s slasher that her mom starred in. It soon becomes up to this group to not only survive the events of this horror film but possibly even change the events of the film to save the character played by Max's mom.
With a silly premise like this, there are a lot of possibilities and opportunities for meta jokes and abstract writing, which this film delivers. The film also features a number of great comedic performances from the film's characters and the interactions our real-world characters have with these fictional ones. The Final Girls is an effectively sweet 80s slasher love letter that also works as an important and effective message about family legacy.
4 'John Dies at the End' (2012)
John Dies at the End is a surrealist sci-fi horror comedy that follows a young man named Dave's recollection of his life-changing adventure with his best friend, John. After Dave accidentally takes a new drug that gives him untold knowledge and other dimensions, it becomes up to him and John to save Earth from being invaded.
John Dies at the End thrives and works best when it makes the audience confused, terrified, and laughing. Its uniquely straight tone and approach to an increasingly absurd premise create a strange otherworldly experience where the only way you can react is to laugh at the insanity. It's a film that feels ahead of its time in terms of writing style and self-aware intentions and has amassed a cult following.
3 'Lake Michigan Monster' (2018)
Lake Michigan Monster is a strange, absurd, and wholly creative low-budget marvel of a film directed by, written by, and starring Ryland Brickson Cole Tews. The film follows the estranged and eccentric Captain Seafield, who gathers together a crew of the finest men and women he can find to take revenge against the monster who killed his father. As plans begin to fail, the crew begins to lose faith in Seafield, and he's left alone to take on the monster of Lake Michigan by himself.
Lake Michigan Monster is a crazy imaginative trip of a film that draws inspiration from the classic creature feature horror films of the 1920s, yet with all the tone and approach of a crazy internet edit. It makes for a visually unique and energetic experience that doesn't let up from the comedy and uses every frame and every individual dollar of its extremely low budget masterfully. It's truly a hidden gem that perfectly encapsulates what low-budget filmmaking can be in the digital era.
2 'Dave Made a Maze' (2017)
Dave Made a Maze follows the story of Dave, an artist who, while going through a depressive dry spell of creativity, creates a massive, unbelievable maze in his apartment. Dave quickly ends up stuck inside his creation before he can finish it and cannot leave due to the number of traps, monsters, and other obstacles in his path. It becomes up to Dave's girlfriend, Annie, to bring together a rescue team to traverse the maze and rescue Dave from his creation.
More than anything else, Dave Made a Maze is a film that makes for an absolute visual spectacle for the eyes from beginning to end. Dave's maze has some of the most beautiful and creative set designs possible, entirely committing to the hilarious cardboard and papercraft aesthetic to create a jaw-dropping backdrop. This aesthetic also carries over to the horror, with blood being replaced with red streamers and paper and several monsters and traps that are equally terrifying and imaginative.
1 'One Cut of the Dead' (2017)
One Cut of the Dead follows a low-budget film crew creating their own zombie movie in an abandoned World War II facility. Things quickly go wrong, however, as real-life zombies begin to attack the crew, and their fictional zombie film very quickly becomes their living reality.
One Cut of the Dead is one of the most unique and interesting approaches how to tell a zombie story that hasn't been seen before or since. It's a film that is most enjoyed, not knowing the numerous twists that completely change the perspective of the film. Yet it's because of these twists and how the film can cohesively come together into a singular satisfying package that it has become one of the best and most under-the-radar zombie films to come out in recent memory.