Horror has become, without a doubt, my favorite movie genre. When people talk about liking horror, they usually talk about the adrenaline rush they get. People like being scared; they like being as close to the action as possible. They want the thrill of a near-death experience without actually having to be in danger themselves. And horror movies let them live that out. There’s also something cathartic about seeing your worst fears reflected on the big screen. Maybe it stems from a desire to not be alone.
I like a good adrenaline rush and catharsis as much as the next person, but horror is so much more than that to me. It’s a genre where anything can happen, and many subgenres exist under it. What’s possible in a horror movie is limited only by the writers’ creativity. When I sit down to watch a horror movie, whether it’s a slasher, supernatural, found footage, or whatever, I know I’m about to see something completely detached from the “real world.” With horror, I can suspend my disbelief as much as the movie needs me to. Nothing is strictly impossible in this genre, and nothing is off the table.
But there is an art to horror. Like I said, anything can happen in this genre and the only limits are the writers’ creativity. Because the possibilities are endless and there are an overwhelming number of directions for the movie to go in, it’s very easy to fumble. Maybe the idea is good on paper, but the execution is lacking. It’s easy to make a bad, stupid, and/or boring horror movie, and there are plenty of them out there. Good horror is hard to pull off, but when it’s done right, it’s spectacular.
In honor of spooky month, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite horror movies. But if you're reading this after October has ended, no worries, because horror movies can and should be enjoyed year-round. These are in (mostly) no particular order, and I would recommend each and every one of them.
Sinister (2012)
Subgenre: supernatural
I thought we would start off the list with my all-time favorite horror movie. The story follows a true crime author who moves his family into a former crime scene so he can write about the people that got murdered there. The author also finds a box of snuff films in the attic and becomes obsessed with uncovering the story behind them. The visuals in this movie are absolutely brutal, and there are some creative kills depicted in the snuff films. The soundtrack is also extremely unnerving and adds to the tension. The demon’s design looks like corpse paint or a Slipknot mask, and as a metal fan, I loved that detail. I will say that I saw the twist coming, but I think that only added to the tension and suspense. By the time I figured it out, it was already too late for the main character to escape his fate. And isn’t that ultimately more horrifying than any ghost or jump scare? You do everything right, and make smart choices, but ultimately you can’t escape the movie’s ending.
Saw (franchise)
Subgenre: torture-porn
With a whopping ten movies, and the eleventh coming out next year, this franchise is not for the faint of heart. It is just as gory as you would expect it to be. Fun fact: the first Saw movie created the torture-porn subgenre. But it also has memorable characters and a crazy plot progression. Each movie features people placed in lethal traps that are supposed to teach them a lesson about valuing their lives more. The first movie follows two men trapped in a gross bathroom and the cops who are trying to track down the Jigsaw killer. The franchise starts off in a very grounded and self-contained place, and then things just get crazier from there. But I love it. The movies are formulaic, yet I eat it up every time. The Saw memes that are floating around the internet are surprisingly funny, especially given the extremely violent nature of the movies. Let’s just say that the online fanbase is very dedicated. Really the only mark against the Saw franchise is Jigsaw (2017). It’s the worst one and tries to somehow both capitalize on the franchise and depart from it. But even then, Saw remains my favorite horror franchise and I cannot wait for more movies to come out.
The Boy (2016)
Subgenres: supernatural, slasher
This movie follows Greta, an American woman who moves to England to become a nanny. The boy in question is actually a doll that she has to take care of and treat like a real child. I know that sounds weird, and that’s because it is. Dolls kind of creep me out IRL and I’m not a fan of haunted doll movies because I usually think they’re stupid. But I liked this one, and if you’ve seen it, you can probably figure out why. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to talk about this movie without spoiling the twist. Maybe it’s predictable, and maybe me pointing out the fact that there is a plot twist will make it obvious. I don’t care, though. This is still a fantastic horror movie with some great suspense, and I think everyone should experience it. What I will say is that the sequel was awful and never should have been made. It took everything that I loved about the original and ruined it. So just avoid that one.
Death of a Vlogger (2019)
Subgenre: found footage
I’m guessing most if not everyone reading this has never heard of this movie. It’s an independent film written, directed, produced, edited, and starring Graham Hughes, and it was also filmed in his apartment. From what I could tell, Hughes has independently released a handful of movies, and most of them are available on free streaming sites. Death of a Vlogger follows a YouTuber who is vlogging his haunted apartment, and the subsequent fame and backlash he receives. I came across this movie after going down a found footage rabbit hole on Amazon Prime, and I decided to check it out because I thought the title was stupid and I wanted something to hate-watch. Imagine my surprise when I ended up loving it! More than that, this was the first horror movie in a long time that actually managed to scare me. The suspense is masterfully built up and I was captivated the entire time. There were multiple moments when I wanted to look away because I could feel that something was coming, but I didn’t want to miss out on a second of this movie. When I say this movie deserves more hype, I mean it. Especially because it’s better than a lot of big-budget studio horror films that I’ve seen.
Grave Encounters (2011)
Subgenres: found footage, supernatural
The crew of a ghost-hunting show gets more than they bargained for when they stay the night in an actual haunted location. I’ve tried to watch the “legit” ghost-hunting shows on the travel channel, but I can’t take them seriously. Especially Ghost Adventures. I love making fun of that show, and I think the writers of Grave Encounters do too. The first 20 minutes of this is just dunking on ghost-hunting TV shows, and it’s hilarious. I love to see a Zak Bagans type finally get what they probably have coming. There are also some decent jump scares and suspense.
Paranormal Activity (franchise)
Subgenres: found footage, supernatural
Okay, this is the third found footage movie that I’ve listed in a row, and there will be more to come. If it’s not clear, this is my favorite subgenre. I think the reason I’m so drawn to this subgenre is because it contextualizes the movie within the world. It offers us a true look inside the world through the lens of a camera. It also forces the writers and production team to get creative with how to account for the camera and the shots they make.
Anyway, Paranormal Activity. The first movie covers a boyfriend documenting an alleged demon haunting that’s latched onto his girlfriend. So, it starts off with a pretty simple concept, but, like with Saw, the more movies that come out, the crazier things get. Except Paranormal Activity makes the Saw franchise look sane. Would you believe me if I told you that time travel is canon in the Paranormal Activity Cinematic Universe? Because it is, and they never really address it. Watching the movies is also a bit of an undertaking because they are not in chronological order, there are multiple timelines to keep track of, and there are a lot of characters that are all somehow related to each other. So, there’s a lot of moving pieces. The staging in these movies is fantastic. For instance, when the characters sleeping in their bed takes up about a third of the frame, giving the camera a nice look at the dark hallway outside the room, and you just know something’s going to happen on the remaining two-thirds of the screen. Using thirds like this is kind of a staple of found footage, and it creates a lot of suspense because your brain is waiting for something to fill the empty space. In these movies, you also never actually see the demon, and that’s great because whatever you’re imagining is so much scarier and more powerful than actually seeing it. If you do decide to take on this franchise, I would not recommend watching the most recent one, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin. It doesn’t really have anything to do with the rest of the series. I feel like this was supposed to be its own movie, but then they decided to slap the Paranormal Activity name on it to capitalize on the franchise’s success.
Scream (franchise)
Subgenre: slasher
In my opinion, Scream is the most consistently good horror movie franchise. Really, the only movie in it that I don’t completely love is Scream 3, but even then it’s still better than Jigsaw or Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin. The original four movies follow final girl extraordinaire, Sydney, through a series of unfortunate events involving masked murders trying to kill her. The 5th and 6th movies follow legacy characters that have a close relation to Sydney, and I think she’s going to be coming back for Scream 7. The premise is pretty basic for a slasher, but the execution is great. The characters are dynamic and memorable, and there are some great twists. But more than that, Scream is a horror movie about horror movies. It’s insanely meta, and the characters constantly call attention to the fact that what they’re experiencing is like something out of a horror movie, and there are certain rules they need to adhere to in order to survive.
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Subgenres: supernatural, horror/comedy
When a small, alternative band tries to sacrifice Jennifer, something goes wrong, resulting in her becoming a bloodthirsty demon. This movie was not well received when it came out, but I choose to believe that it was simply ahead of its time. Who doesn’t love a demonic woman killing and eating teenage boys? Critics just hate to see a woman winning. Not to mention that the chemistry between Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried’s characters is palpable to say the least. Megan Fox has some great lines, and her delivery is absolutely perfect. And I have to talk about the music. Music is a huge part of this movie, rightfully so since it’s an alt band that kind of causes the inciting incident. The mid-2000s and early 2010s scene are perfectly reflected in the soundtrack. As someone who’s come to embrace the emo label, I was living for this. Jennifer’s Body features songs from Hayley Williams from Paramore, All Time Low, Panic! at the Disco, Cobra Starships. And Jennifer also has Fall Out Boy posters in her room. 10/10, no notes from me.
House of Wax (2005)
Subgenre: slasher
This one has another pretty basic premise for a slasher: a group of friends are traveling cross country and, when they have car troubles, are forced to stop at a small, creepy town. But this isn’t just any small, creepy town; it’s a town that has an incredibly realistic wax museum, and, you know, that’s not weird at all. Paris Hilton is in this and she’s unironically great, and so is her character. There are some creative kills and gross (complimentary) visuals, especially when the wax figures are being made. The first time I watched this movie, I thought it was good, but I didn’t think it was anything special. And then I got to the credits. Picture this: the final girl manages to survive the night and make it to safety, but there’s also a slight sense of dread as she wonders if things are truly over. The screen fades to black, and then “Helena” by My Chemical Romance starts playing as the credits roll. I lost my mind. I literally screamed. No horror movie has ever gotten a reaction out of me like that, and it wasn’t because of anything in the movie. It was because, unbeknownst to me, my favorite band has a song in it. The movie was good, but that song just made it.
Deadstream (2022)
Subgenres: found footage, horror/comedy, supernatural
This movie is kind of like Death of a Vlogger meets Grave Encounters. A cancelled content creator decides livestream himself spending the night in a haunted house in a desperate attempt to win back his audience. As far as horror/comedies go, this one is a little slapsticky and corny. For me at least, the true comedy lies in just how chronically online this movie is. The whole thing is formatted as Twitch-esque live stream, including having a chat on screen. The main character, Shawn, is a typical loudmouth, insensitive creator who will make content at whatever cost. The actor also appears to be doing a Jay Station meets Shane Dawson impression, which just adds to the character’s overall unlikability. The actor really knew what he was doing with this character and his delivery. It was all of those internet references and the attention to detail that made this movie a fun watch.
Ready or Not (2019)
Subgenre: slasher, horror/comedy
The concept of this movie is a refreshing take on a slasher story: a bride is being hunted by her new in-laws, who want to sacrifice her in a satanic ritual. Samara Weaving in a bloody wedding dress is such an iconic look. There were a couple of recurring bits that never got old, and the jokes still landed after multiple watches. But the thing that makes this movie so memorable for me is the ending. I’m not going to say what it is because I don’t want to spoil it. I will say that just when you thought this movie had gotten as crazy as it was going to get, it found a way to outdo itself. I love that it took it all the way and then some. Allegedly, a sequel is in the works, so let’s hope they don’t ruin this for me.
Terrifier 2 (2022)
Subgenres: slasher, extreme horror
Last year, I decided to watch the first Terrifier, and it was just as gory and violent as everyone said it was. More so even. But honestly, other than the extreme violence, I didn’t think it had much going for it. I wasn’t attached to any of the characters and there was no lore. I can excuse senseless violence, but I draw the line at not having lore. It just felt like 90 minutes of Art the clown chasing girls around a warehouse and then murdering them. I wanted to know more about the Terrifier world, and I just wasn’t getting that. Last month I finally got bored enough to watch the sequel, and it was a step up in every way. We got more of a focus on the final girl, Sienna, her family and friends, and we got to know her while she wasn’t actively fighting for her life. She felt much more fleshed out than the girls from the original. This movie also featured a song, The Clown Café, and it is kind of a bop. And we got lore! Well, kind of-- the lore is still developing, but I’ll take it! We also got even more violent kill scenes than those featured in the original. If you’re thinking about watching either or both of the Terrifier movies, I would recommend looking up content warnings, especially if you’re sensitive to violence, because it is a lot. At the time of writing this, the third movie is about to come out, and I’m excited to see where it goes. A lot of people are touting the Terrifier series as the modern horror franchise, and I’m optimistic.
Thanksgiving (2023)
Subgenre: slasher
I really thought this movie was going to be stupid. A man dressed up as a pilgrim goes on a killing spree over Thanksgiving, c’mon. Yes, the premise is kind of silly, but I was captivated the entire time. This movie feels like it’s not taking itself too seriously, and it’s leaning into the Thanksgiving theme. It’s surprisingly brutal, especially given all the Thanksgiving motifs. There are a lot of creative, holiday-themed kills. They also set themselves up for a sequel at the end, and I hope they go for it. If you want an unserious slasher film that is actually good, this one is for you.
Hell House LLC (franchise)
Subgenre: found footage, supernatural
This is the last found footage film I’m going to talk about, I promise. This series is largely centered around the Abaddon Hotel, which has a sketchy past, to say the least. The most recent owners tried to turn it into a haunted house, which resulted in the deaths of fifteen people. The first movie follows the haunted house flippers as they live and work in the hotel. Like with Paranormal Activity, the staging is great and the camera’s POV is well used. There are a lot of good suspenseful moments involving a creepy clown mannequin that has a habit of moving when no one’s looking. The first movie is solid all around. The acting in the second movie is atrocious, and that killed it for me. The third one is fine, especially when compared to the second one. The fourth one is great and offers a real return to form. Like other franchises, the most recent movie has a somewhat open ending, hinting that there’s going to be more. I think we’ve already seen the worst installments of the Hell House LLC franchise, so it should be smooth sailing from here.
You’re Next (2011)
Subgenre: slasher
Erin isn’t like other final girls; she grew up on a survivalist compound. So, when masked killers crash a family celebration dinner, she is more than ready to take them on. Erin really does make this movie. I love how capable she is and how willing she is to get things done. She is also not afraid to do what it takes and get her hands dirty. And we love that for her.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Subgenre: slasher, horror/comedy
When Pete Davidson’s character's dead body gets discovered, a group of 20-somethings begin to turn on each other as they search for the killer. As far as slashers go, this one is less about masked murders and creative kills, and more about the paranoia of knowing that one of your friends is a killer, but not knowing which one. Tension is just wound so tightly throughout the entire movie. The film also satirizes privileged Gen Z adults in a clever and entertaining way. The argument that the characters have towards the end is so funny and there’s a lot of great lines in it. The characters also all have diverse personalities, which isn’t always the case in horror movies. The ending completely solidifies this as one of the great contemporary slasher films.
The Funhouse Massacre (2015)
Subgenre: slasher
In this movie, a bunch of murderers escape from an asylum, set up shop at a Halloween Horror Night-type thing, and kill basically everyone. Is this a good movie? I don’t know. Have I watched it multiple times? None of your business. Originally, I had Hell Fest on this list instead of The Funhouse Massacre. But I realized that most slasher listicles will recommend Hell Fest, and I don’t think anyone has recommended this movie ever. I found this movie after mindlessly scrolling through Peacock and the name was just so enticing I had to watch it. It’s campy, and it never pretends to be something that it’s not. Also, in what other movie can you watch Sinjin from Victorious get killed by a clown?
On that note, I hope that you enjoyed my list. Have you seen any of these movies? Did you love them as much as I did, or do you think my takes are way off base? And, more importantly, have I convinced you to watch any of them?
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