Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    EA Sports Madden NFL 26 Head Coach But Why Tho 5

    Dear EA Sports, Why Can’t I Make A Hot Coach?

    08/14/2025
    Blade in Marvel Rivals Season 3.5

    Blade Can Shut Down The Other Team In Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 If You Know How

    08/08/2025
    John Cena and Cody Rhodes during Summerslam 2025

    The SummerSlam 2025 Main Event Was A Fever Dream We All Needed

    08/08/2025
    Street Fighter 6 Sagat

    Sagat Brings Depth And Approachability To ‘Street Fighter 6’

    08/07/2025
    Battlefield 6 Classes - Support trailer image

    Battlefield 6 Really Wants You To Play Support (But Knows You Won’t)

    07/31/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » BWT Recommends » Best Horror Films from SXSW 2023

Best Horror Films from SXSW 2023

Kate SánchezBy Kate Sánchez03/21/20234 Mins Read
Best horror of SXSW 2023 — But Why Tho (2)
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Best horror of SXSW 2023 — But Why Tho (2)

When it comes to horror, SXSW always comes to play. From its Midnighters programming to any number of Narrative Spotlights, it was no different when it came to choosing the best horror films from SXSW 2023. From simple podcast horror to the continuation of an iconic horror franchise or even another A24 gem of a horrific grief story, the best horror films of SXSW 2023 are ones to keep watch for when they make it to general audiences.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Monolith

Best horror of SXSW 2023 — But Why Tho

Director: Matt Vesely
Screenwriter: Lucy Campbell

Stripped down and laid bare, Monolith is a podcast horror that taps into its audience perfectly as we wind through the audio, unraveling an intricate and thrilling mystery. The sound design and Lily Sullivan’s performance showcase how beautiful and eerie simplicity can be. A podcast horror story, a sci-fi thriller, or a mystery to solve, no matter where you land on its genre, Monolith succeeds.

Evil Dead Rise

Watch Evil Dead Rise - But Why Tho

Director: Lee Cronin
Screenwriter: Lee Cronin

“In an Evil Dead film, I want humor, buckets of blood, gnarly deaths, and a vice grip of dread as the hero tries to survive the night. Evil Dead Rises delivers this all in spades. It taps into the terrifying and brutal nature of how the franchise started, puts the pedal to the floor, and doesn’t stop. With near-perfect pacing, stellar performances, and an embrace of erratic violence, Lee Cronin has crafted a tremendous entry into the Evil Dead franchise. Cronin honors the past while crafting a new legacy for the current generation to latch on to and leaves the door perfectly open for more without shoehorning it in either.”

Talk to Me

Talk to Me — But Why Tho

Director: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Screenwriter: Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman

“Talk to Me is yet another perfect film in A24’s roster, and I can’t wait for it to become necessary watching for those who love the horror genre. The film is brutal, stressful, terrifying, and somehow in all of it, exquisitely heartbreaking. The pain throughout the film isn’t just because something is going bump in the night, but because we are watching a child grieve a parent she so desperately needs in her life. I can’t wait to see what Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou do next.”

Hail Mary

Best horror of SXSW 2023 — But Why Tho (1)

Director: Rosemary Rodriguez
Screenwriter: Knate Lee

Genre-bending, Hail Mary is a fantastical horror story that uses religion to dissect motherhood and identity, pushing the audience to look long and hard at the monstrous ways humanity decides who belongs and who doesn’t. Natalia del Riego’s performance is vulnerable and empathetic as it is harrowing. A monster movie that uses society to make the stakes increasingly dire, this dark fantasy that uses reality as a springboard for its horror is one of the best of the SXSW line-up. Despite its smaller budget for effects work, the heart of this retelling of a religious corner-stone packs a punch.

The Angry Black Girl And Her Monster

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster

Director: Bomani J. Story
Screenwriter: Bomani J. Story

“The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is one of the best horror films I’ve had the pleasure to see. It not only represents a story, so many of us from gang areas know all too well, of losing those we love to violent cycles without rescue. It also takes a familiar story and expertly reimagines it from this crushing perspective. Add in stellar effects work and bloody horror moments. I hope this is a film that will make it to the top of everyone’s Best Horror of 2023 lists.”

Raging Grace

Raging Grace — But Why Tho - SXSW 2023 Jury and Special Award

Director: Paris Zarcilla
Screenwriter: Paris Zarcilla

“Raging Grace captures the nuances of racism and the way colonialism has impacted people from across generations. Zarcilla is able to capture the helplessness of being stuck with no way out and the only ally you see turning out to be worse than the first person who hurt you. Without spoiling any surprises, Raging Grace is a testament to the resiliency and delivers the comeuppance that you are rooting for from the very beginning of the film. While the film manages to enrage, it also delivers catharsis.”


Did your favorite make our best horror films of SXSW 2023 list? Let us know on social media.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘The Flash,’ Issue #795
Next Article Goodbye World Launching on Xbox and PlayStation
Kate Sánchez
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Kate Sánchez is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of But Why Tho? A Geek Community. There, she coordinates film, television, anime, and manga coverage. Kate is also a freelance journalist writing features on video games, anime, and film. Her focus as a critic is championing animation and international films and television series for inclusion in awards cycles. Find her on Bluesky @ohmymithrandir.bsky.social

Related Posts

A featured image of Kurosawa remakesa

If You Loved ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Watch These Three Kurosawa Remakes Next

08/16/2025
Summer Games on Xbox Game Pass

Beat The Summer Heat With These 8 Summery Xbox Game Pass Games

08/12/2025
Blade in Marvel Rivals But Why Tho

4 Great ‘Marvel Rivals’ Heroes To Team Up With Blade

08/10/2025
Images for See You Tomorrow at the Food Court, Detectives These Days Are Crazy, and Clevantess for the Summer 2025 Anime Round-Up

Summer 2025 Anime Round-Up: What To Watch

08/04/2025
Mamoru Hosoda But Why Tho

Mamoru Hosoda: The Iconic Animation Directors Best Feature Films

07/28/2025
Razer Pokemon Edition Collection promotional logo

PRODUCT REVIEW: Razer’s Pokemon Edition Additions Are A Must-Have

07/19/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Still from Shin Godzilla
8.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘Shin Godzilla’ Is More Relevant Than Ever

By Sarah Musnicky08/16/2025Updated:08/17/2025

It is understandable how Shin Godzilla succeeded at the box office nearly a decade ago. The strength of its story still stands today.

Botanical Bliss Update Palia But Why Tho 5 News

Palia’s New Botanical Bliss Update Brings New Flora, Decorations, And Quest Mechanic

By Matt Donahue08/18/2025Updated:08/18/2025

The Botanical Bliss update adds new event, more plushes, and a host of quality-of-life improvements and more to celebrate 2 years of Palia.

BOOTS Netflix First Look promotional images News

First Look at Coming-of-Age Story BOOTS, Coming to Netflix This October

By But Why Tho?08/17/2025

Netflix is reporting for duty this fall with the new eight-episode series BOOTS, a comedic drama starring Miles Heizer and Vera Farmiga

Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Art Interviews

EXCLUSIVE: How The ‘Nuestra Magia’ Secret Lair Found Its Identity And Raised Over $1M

By Kate Sánchez08/15/2025Updated:08/15/2025

We spoke with Ovidio Cartagena about Magic: The Gathering’s Nuestra Magia Secret Lair drop, its impact, and the real treasure within.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here