Vanessa Maki serves up some bubblegum horror for your watch list…
When some people think about horror, they aren’t always thinking about colorful atmospheres or daylight terrors. Their minds are likely going to darker aesthetics, gothic/southern gothic architecture, and terror occurring during the late night hours. Despite all of that, horror can also feature bright colors, sickly sweet scares, upbeat moments etc, that contrast with their violence as well as darker themes.
Bubblegum horror is a subgenre of horror in which there are bright, colorful, and or beautiful aesthetics that contrast with the horrific, scary, and or violent themes. They are meant to be a flip on what people immediately assume horror is, which is often related to dark colors and atmosphere. Many horror favorites that people have might be considered bubblegum horror, and they might not even know it. The subgenre isn’t typically discussed as much as say: slashers, supernatural horror, psychological horror, and so on. Therefore, this list will focus on some relatively recent (2010s-2020s) bubblegum horror films you can watch. Keep reading and let’s run around in the daylight, wearing colorful clothing, while a killer is on the loose (or maybe not)…
The Neon Demon (2016)
The fashion industry can be a bit of a monstrous force, and in this film the forces manifest in terrifying ways. The Neon Demon follows an aspiring teen model (Elle Fanning) who moves to LA with hopes of being famous. Only her youthful beauty is envied amongst the older women, leading to dangerous situations. The bright colors and glitzy atmosphere really contrast with the bizarre and taboo sequences that occur throughout the film. There’s much to appreciate visually about The Neon Demon, and you’ll leave the film wondering about what you just watched.
The Babysitter (2017)
A silly horror comedy that shows Samara Weaving’s range in horror, The Babysitter follows a young boy who tries to survive the night when he realizes that his babysitter and her friends are in a cult. There’s an upbeat nature to most of the film that deliberately clashes with the over-the-top violence that’s happening, and since it’s a horror comedy, you’re not meant to take it all that seriously. It’s a playful horror film and certainly worth a watch.
M.F.A. (2017)
Rape-revenge horror is not an easy subgenre to dip your toes in, but M.F.A. is certainly a film to check out. M.F.A. follows a college student whose rapist accidentally dies, and she sets on a journey to take action against other men like him. It’s somewhat in the vein of Promising Young Woman, but it’s a much different story and plays out differently. Ultimately, the film will satisfy some folks who love a good revenge tale.
Bit (2019)
A queer horror film that’s unapologetic about being as such is such a treat, Bit follows a trans teen who goes on a vacation in LA and ends up tangled up with a group of vampires. It’s a very queer and feminist film that delights in revenge against predatory men within the film. The film is incredibly indie and it doesn’t shy away from that fact visually. The coming-of-age aspect adds to this being considered a bubblegum horror film. And if you find yourself wanting a horror film with a trans lead, then this one might be one to check out.
Freaky (2020)
A body swap involving a grown man who happens to be a serial killer and a teen girl is on the menu with this one. Freaky follows a teen named Millie (Kathryn Newton), who involuntarily switches bodies with a serial killer named the Butcher. The premise is obviously quite comedic and the film is as well. There happens to a lot of playfulness, and cheekiness throughout, even in the dialogue from the characters and the deaths themselves. It’s one of those horror comedies that has a certain type of heart to it, and that makes it worth watching.
Last Night in Soho (2021)
It’s a film that’ll elicit complicated feelings and thoughts, but there are a lot of electric sequences. Last Night in Soho follows a teen who finds herself experiencing visions while she studies fashion in London. The film is very psychological and plays around with different timelines to the point that it’s dizzying for the audience and the main character. Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie both deliver stellar performances, and help carry the film when it’s faltering a little. If you like either of them, this might serve as a good watch.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
It’s satirical, deliberately funny, and the performances are part of what makes the film work so well. Bodies Bodies Bodies follows a dysfunctional friend group who ends up stuck during a storm, and their game of Bodies Bodies Bodies goes horribly wrong. Using satire to highlight the weaponizing of language for selfish purposes, class privilege, and how the wealthy behave around those who are not is done so cleverly throughout. As a whole, this is a film that’s an excellent example of recent bubblegum horror because of is aesthetics and the violence that unfolds.
The Substance (2024)
It might not say anything new about beauty standards or the industry, but The Substance is one of those films that you won’t soon forget after watching. The Substance follows an aging actress who decides to take a serum that produces a younger version of herself, but there are consequences to her actions. Body horror being utilized to depict the dangerousness of beauty standards isn’t a new thing, though this film does well with its shock factor. The Substance is a body horror film that really embraces that fact, has very bright aesthetics, allows both Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley to shine individually, and its third act goes to bonkers places.
Grafted (2024)
Trying to achieve beauty standards can be a horror show, especially for marginalized people. Grafted follows Wei (Joyena Sun), a Chinese girl who has to move to New Zealand due to a scholarship, only to find that living with her cousin isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. A lot of important themes such as assimilation, Eurocentric beauty standards being so prevalent still, and more take center stage throughout the film. This is another example of bubblegum horror in which there’s a lot of playful coloring, all while violent things are happening to the characters.
Companion (2025)
It’s not classified as horror by everyone, but it certainly counts. Companion follows Iris (Sophie Thatcher) who goes on a getaway trip to visit her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid)’s friends, only for the weekend to go horribly wrong. The twist of the film is relatively obvious, especially in the marketing, but that doesn’t take away from the experience. Companion forces its audience to consider the dangers of people having access to robot partners, the ideas of control, abusive relationships, and the ways men like Josh think about women. It’s also visually very bright, and it makes for quite the experience when the violence erupts.
What are your favourite bubblegum horror films? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Vanessa Maki
