You Meta Believe It!: My Top Six Favorite Meta Horror Movies

It’s no secret I’m a massive horror fan, so it should come as no surprise I appreciate a good meta horror movie that bends the tropes of the genre and exposes the formulaic layout we often see. Thus, for your home viewing pleasure, I have comprised a list of my favorite meta horror movies, aka Scream, You Might Be The Killer, Cabin in the Woods, Funny Games (the US and Austrian versions), and Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. I’ve also included where they are currently streaming or where they can be purchased for convenience. BONE appetit (I’ve been rewatching all of Tales from the Crypt, so I apologize and already regret my actions). 

Scream is a given. Wes Craven redefined the horror genre in a multitude of different ways, so it was no surprise he was also the one to slice the genre wide open with a meta teen slasher. Scream gives us “the rules.” Scream gives us one of the best scenes in meta horror history where Jamie Kennedy’s character Randy Meeks (who sets forth the rules) screams at Jamie Lee Curtis’s character in Halloween, Laurie Strode, to watch out by screaming to “Jamie” aka himself while both he and Laurie are being stalked by murders. It spawned a franchise that not only adheres to the initial rules set forth but adds to them as the series goes on to mirror other franchises. It’s absolutely genius. Scream is now streaming on Showtime and Sling TV.

Another absolutely genius take on meta horror is Cabin in the Woods. Cabin in the Woods chooses to focus more on the archetypes set forth by the horror genre such as the “slut,” (I don’t agree with the word choice) the “athlete,”  the “scholar,” the “fool,” and the “virgin.” I don’t want to spoil this movie if you haven’t seen it, but I’ll say it has one of the best payoffs in a movie I’ve ever seen. The big reveal doesn’t sacrifice anything for shock value. Plus, Bradley Whitford basically steals the entire show. Cabin in the Woods is now streaming on Hulu. 

Interestingly enough, the “fool” from Cabin in the Woods, Fran Kranz, actually stars in another one of my favorite meta horror movies, You Might Be The Killer. I didn’t expect to enjoy this movie as much as I did, but it’s a lot of fun, and it has Alyson Hannigan, so I became a huge fan. You Might Be The Killer focuses on Fran Kranz’s Sam, who calls out to his best friend, Alyson Hannigan’s Chuck, for a lifeline. You see, Sam keeps losing consciousness and waking up surrounded by corpses, and unfortunately for Sam, he may be responsible. It’s up to Chuck to help him fill in the blanks of what is really happening to him by ruling out horror movie villain tropes one by one before it’s too late. It’s not a perfect movie, but it never takes itself too seriously. You Might Be The Killer is now streaming on the NBC and SyFy Now apps. 

It would be a sin not to include Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon on this list. I first saw this movie in high school and proceeded to make every single person I knew watch it. Behind the Mask creates this alternate reality where all horror villains are actually normal people who create their own mythos and chose terrorizing teens as a career path. There are Easter eggs GALORE (seriously, your  basket will overflow). Director Scott Glosserman has us charmed by the characters we’ve been taught to fear, and there’s a great little twist toward the end that flips the already genre-bending movie on its head. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is now streaming on Prime Video. 

Okay, so, this is a weird entry, but both the Austrian and American versions of Funny Games make my list. I feel the need to include both because the films are unique. The American version is almost a shot for shot remake of the Austrian version, and both are directed by Michael Haneke, who initially just wanted to make an American version and doesn’t consider either to be  a horror movie. I have to disagree with Haneke because I believe Funny Games is a meta horror movie through and through. The pair of male antagonists in both films (we never get their real names) break the fourth wall, provide commentary on the film industry, and give us surreal moments where they actually pause and rewind parts of the film. I’ll say Funny Games is (are?), by far, the most brutal movie (movies?) on this list, and it (they?) definitely isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for something a little more hardcore, I recommend it (them?). Funny Games and Funny Games (US) are both available for purchase for $1.99 each on Prime Video. 

Last but certainly not least, we have Tucker & Dale Vs Evil. This is easily the funniest movie on this list, and it’s probably also the most accessible for non-horror fans. Tucker & Dale vs Evil tackles the stereotype of the redneck ripper as Tyler Labine’s Dale and Alan Tudyk’s Tucker are just two best friends trying to fix up their cabin and take a vacation but are mistaken for murderers by a group of coeds through a streak of hilarious misunderstandings. Director Eli Craig effortlessly creates a comedic horror masterpiece that is, just simply put, a good movie. Tucker & Dale vs Evil is now streaming on Netflix.

Don’t get me wrong, there are several other honorable mentions that didn’t make my top list like Student Bodies, New Nightmare (If you haven’t guessed, I love Wes Craven and almost died when I got to talk to him a few years ago — RIP), and several others, but I chose the movies I keep coming back to over and over again. They’re entertaining and insightful and remind me why I love horror as a genre. Whether it’s through phone calls in Woodsboro or slashing through stereotypes in the woods, these movies rule, so grab your Jiffy Pop and cordless phone, and remember, things aren’t always as they scream. (Again, I’m so sorry).