Here we are, about halfway through another year of horror movies, and I’m happy to report things are going rather swimmingly. 2012 was a bit of a let down honestly, as I found more movies to hate than love. Looking back on the crop of films I’ve already sat through in 2013 though, I can honestly admit the quality is better than expected (so far). Much, much better actually, considering how many remakes have been pushed out (so far). This year could have easily spiraled into a dark, depressing slump of continually bad Hollywood remakes, but a few directors have redefined the way we look at these inevitable remakes and reboots. Mix that with some gutsy, inventive films that dare to push boundaries, and the 2013 horror game is shaping up pretty damn well.

That’s not to say 2013 hasn’t been all guts and all glory, because there are still plenty of films not worth a minute of your time. Sequels, sequels, and more sequels have been a scourge on the horror genre this year, failing to cash in on the iconic franchises they are continuing or the new franchises they’ve promptly brought to a screeching halt. Luckily though, 2013’s gems outweigh its shit, so these tasteless chunks of waste have been much easier to swallow.

With films like The Conjuring, You’re Next, and Insidious Chapter 2 still yet to be released, I’m really intrigued to see how my end of the year “Top/Bottom Horror Movies” articles pan out, but for now, let’s take a look at the best and worst that my favorite genre has had to offer this year! Missed any of the big horror movies so far? I’m here to reveal which you should absolutely catch up on, and which you can let slip until their inevitable cable TV premiere.

DISCLAIMER: I consider films like This Is The End and Scary Movie 5 to be predominantly comedy, otherwise this list would be a lot different…