For a movie to hold my attention, it needs compelling vibes and atmosphere. The plot can be paper-thin as long as the vibes are right. I actually prefer paper-thin plots, since I’m honestly quite dumb, so if the plot is too complicated I get lost and lose interest (for example, I’ve tried watching The Lord of the Rings many times but haven’t been able to get through it for this reason), lmao. That’s why my favorite kind of horror is folk, atmospheric horror: Suspiria, The Witch, Midsommar, Hereditary, The Wicker Man, Blink Twice, Hagazussa, Lamb, The Blair Witch Project, Rosemary’s Baby…
I kinda like two kinds of horror film: funny ones (dale and tucker Vs evil, shaun of the dead, cabin in the woods) because they’re often some of the funniest comedies; and brooding ones with compelling characters (the skin I live in, Psycho, Alien). Although that second category is highly subjective and probably not really a category at all except inasmuch as it excludes comedies, slashers, and ones with paper thin poorly motivated characters…