10 horror films whose opening 10 minutes convinced a critic they were masterpieces

Collider published 12 hours ago a list by Daniel, a 27-year-old List Writer from the south suburbs of Chicago, naming 10 horror films whose first 10 minutes convinced him they would be masterpieces.

The roundup spans classics and modern entries, from Wes Craven's Scream — ranked number one for its opening with Casey and the menacing phone call — to Ryan Coogler's Sinners (2025), which Daniel calls a visually intense, musically splendid opener that teases the film's themes. Other selections include Carnival of Souls (1962) for its shocking car-into-water sequence, Black Christmas (1974) for its stalking point-of-view opening, Get Out (2017) for an abrupt, mysterious kidnapping scene, Night of the Living Dead (1968) for its cemetery attack, It Follows (2014) for a disorienting early attack, Poltergeist (1982) for its suburban unease and Carol Anne's TV contact, Jaws (1975) for the swimmer pulled beneath the waves, and Halloween (1978) for the killer's POV and the fatal first murder.

The piece is presented as a personal ranking by the writer that emphasizes how opening minutes can establish tone, suspense, and questions that hook viewers; it lists each film with the specific opening moments that convinced him they were special.

Key Topics

Culture, Scream, Jaws, Halloween, Get Out, Poltergeist