Cosmic horror is cinema's purest expression of dread . In this subgenre, the scares are existential , focusing on the indifference of the universe and man's powerlessness in the face of great forces. It's not about a monster that can be slain or a ghost that can be exorcised, but about confronting the incomprehensible.

With this in mind, this list ranks some of the very best cosmic horror movies. They range from 1950s classics and low-budget indies to modern nightmares and killer Stephen King adaptations. All are worth checking out.

10 ‘The Thing from Another World’ (1951)

Credit: Image via Warner Bros. Discovery

"Keep watching the skies!" Christian Nyby 's The Thing from Another World may feel quaint today, but in 1951 it was radical. This was one of the first movies to i

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