Horror Movies To Watch!
- Lauren Crofts
- Sep 11, 2020
- 10 min read
I'm a big horror movie fan, although I am definitely a scaredy cat, I like to scare myself apparently. Sometimes you might want to watch a horror but you're not sure which one to watch. This thought inspired me to write a blog post about my top horror films, 15 to be exact. I love all the films listed below, but I have put them into order based on my personal favourites.
Let's get into them!
15. It Follows
PLOT : After a seemingly innocent sexual encounter, Jay finds herself plagued by strange visions and the inescapable sense that someone, something, is following her. Faced with this burden, Jay and her friends must find a way to escape the horrors, that seem to be only a few steps behind.
I watched this film a few years ago and I felt so unsettled afterwards, it's oddly creepy, that this thing is following her everywhere she goes. She can't relax, sleep, or stay around for too long, that's what I find most disturbing, well and the way that the monster kills its victims.
A lot of my favourite horrors are disturbing, I like to feel uncomfortable, I think that a horror has really done it's job when you're left speechless and shaken, and this film does exactly that.
14. A Nightmare on Elm Street
PLOT : The spectre of a disfigured man haunts the children of the parents who murdered him, stalking and killing them in their dreams.
The first time I watched this, I was 14 and alone in a hotel room, it was pretty scary at the time. I'll disappoint the horror gods by saying this but, I much prefer the 2010 version to the original Nightmare on Elm Street, i'm ready to be shunned now. This is a horror movie classic, even if it is a remake.
It's such a frightening concept, not being able to sleep in fear of being murdered.. by knife hands, and every time I watch this I feel a bit hesitant to go to sleep..
Freddy Krueger is such a fantastic horror villain, he's definitely in my top five, at least he has reason for his being, he's on a revenge high. Although, that isn't me supporting what he did to the children at the school, that was disgusting - this was something new that was brought into the remake. I think in previous films he just killed the kids, but for the 2010 version, they added more of his backstory.
13. Hush
PLOT : A deaf and mute writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.
This film is so original, it's an incredible movie concept. A woman targeted by someone she can't hear, being attacked by someone deadly.
What I love most is the fact that Hush doesn't rely on jump-scares or gore to reel in its viewers. It's intense and eerie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, the quietness and isolation passes through from the film to the audience, making you feel as though you're in that house with her. You feel uncomfortable in the best kind of way.
12. US
PLOT : A family's serene beach vacation turns to chaos when their doppelgängers appear and begin to terrorize them.
Sometimes when I think about US I go cold, it's one of the most unnerving films I've seen to date, but as I've said before, those are my favourite plots, the ones that make your skin crawl. The film wouldn't be what it is without the casts amazing acting, so props to them.
Jordan Peele really knows how to make a fantastic horror, he wrote and directed US which I find quite impressive, he did a fantastic job.
Speaking of Jordan, he directed the next film in my list.
11. Get Out
PLOT : Chris and his girlfriend Rose go upstate to visit her parents for the weekend. At first, Chris reads the family's overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter's interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.
This film spoke volumes, it's an incredible thought provoking movie. It brings so much to light, the obvious being horrific acts of racism, which is the true horror in Get Out.
It's very smart, and a slow burner but that's what aids to the film, it's eerie and then builds to be full of action, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Not to mention the acting was fantastic, it is a must watch film.
10. Childs Play
PLOT : A mother gives her 13-year-old son a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature.
I love the Chucky franchise, I find the films so entertaining, and the 2019 version is by far my favourite. I think this is because of the comedy it brings, I love horror movies with a bit of humour. It has it's gore too, and I am a big fan of gore, it makes for an interesting and squeamish watch.
I rather like the modern aspect with this version of Chucky, it's a new take on a beloved franchise. I don't think you can go wrong with a cult classic like Chucky.
9. The Visit
PLOT : Siblings Becca and Tyler visit their grandparents for the first time ever. Their single mother decides not to accompany them because she's had problems with her parents in the past. Becca decides to make a documentary about the grandparents to reconnect them with their daughter. During filming, Becca and Tyler discover that their grandparents are not only acting weird but also hiding a dark secret.
The Visit is so creepy! It doesn’t rely on jump-scares to frighten the audience, it uses a fantastic, and uncomfortable plot instead. The Grandparents are really disturbing, they are 100% the iconic aspect of this movie. I find that there are some moments that are actually funny too but I think that might be because I was so uneasy that I let out a few chuckles at some very weird scenes.
8. Midsommar
PLOT : A couple travels to Sweden to visit a rural hometown's fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly turns into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.
I saw Midsommar with one of my best friends at the cinema. It was so brilliant, it’s a film that you experience, making it much more than just your basic horror. It has many interesting plot points: Tragedy, fascinating location, disturbing characters, not to mention the strange drug like trip it takes you on. It isn't a mainstream horror film, and it's a slow burner, but it is also very original. Midsommar is traumatic, in the best possible way.
On a final note, Florence Pugh's acting was fantastic!
7. The Shallows
PLOT : Shortly after the death of her mother, the medical student and young surfer Nancy travels to a secluded beach in search of a secret spot that her mother had discovered years earlier. While paddling out into the waves, she is hunted by a great white shark and stranded on an embankment away from the shoreline. Alone and wounded, she attempts to survive the attack and get ashore.
Anyone who knows me, knows that i'm a sucker for shark films, even though I have a huge phobia of them, I clearly hate myself in some way.
The Shallows is by far my favourite shark film of all times... sorry Jaws, you're close behind.
I think the best part about this film is that it should be boring that the entire focus of the film is based on a girl upon a rock, but it's amazing. It is full of suspense and action, and Blake Lively's acting is great, she carries the film herself, and she does it perfectly. It's filmed wonderfully too, with a beautiful location in Australia, and the CGI parts were pretty good!
6. The Conjuring
PLOT : Having just moved into an old farmhouse in Rhode Island, Roger and Carolyn Perron, and their five daughters, swiftly come to realise that their dream house is a magnet of intense paranormal activity. Haunted by an ancient malevolent force, the homes inhabitants find themselves up against the true face of evil.
The Perron family seek out help and find psychic investigators, Lorraine Warren and Ed Warren.
Firstly, I have to credit James Wan, he makes some of my favourite horror movies, but this was a different one for him, no gore or anything overly explicit, he went for straight up fear.
Personally, I believe this film has the perfect amount of jump scares in it, they are well spaced out. It also includes unsettling silences, and psychological tension, creating a well thought out horror movie.
It doesn't help that its based on a true story, that only freaks me out more.
5. Saw Franchise
PLOT : Waking up in a bathroom, two men, Adam and Dr. Lawrence Gordon, discover they have been captured by the infamous Jigsaw Killer. The men must escape before time runs out, otherwise, they will face the deadly consequences.
I've been a big fan of the saw films for a long time, it wasn't till a couple years ago that I realised how much depth the movies actually had.
The storyline becomes complex and there are many twists and turns that you don't see coming.
The best of bunch are films 1-3 and then the latest, Jigsaw.
This isn't going to make me sound sane but I find them interesting, mostly because of the antagonist, a sadistic man dying of cancer who plays moral compass.
By no means am I saying Saw is a masterpiece, but personally I really like them.
They are definitely worth watching, if your stomach can handle it of course.
4. Split
PLOT : Three girls are kidnapped by a man diagnosed with 23 distinct personalities. They must try to escape before the apparent emergence of a frightful new 24th.
This is another film that falls under the disturbing category.
It is traumatic in a much more subtle way, it battles with concepts such as sexual assault, mental illness and abduction.
Split brings so much to the table, it has high stakes tension, unsettling scenes and an unhinged, mentally ill man.
Personally I think Split handles the mental health aspect quite well, however I don't have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) so I can't fully comment on that.
I have to say how impressed I was with James McAvoy's acting, I always knew him to be really good but this was something else. He did a brilliant job at playing the lead, he really got into his characters and gave a terrific performance. I can't imagine it's easy to act out multiple characters in one movie, all with such different personalities.
Overall I think this is a film that everyone needs to see, it's an incredible psychological horror.
3. Mother!
PLOT : A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.
I've made a total of 2 people watch this, both were very uncomfortable after but said that it was a great movie. And I have to say I couldn't agree more, I've never felt so distressed as I did during Mother!.
Throughout the entire film you don't 100% know what is going on, it's only after that that you might discover a bit more, possibly upon looking up information. By not knowing the films actual concept, it ends up aiding to the overall performance.
The director made such intellectual and emotional decisions, it really hits deep. When watching I was instantly hooked and invested.
Regarding the main actress, Jennifer Lawrence, I was blown away by her acting. I enjoy films she is in but this was the first one I saw her in where I saw her potential, and how amazing her abilities truly were.
2. Insidious
PLOT : A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.
Here is another film directed by James Wan, he also directed the second Insidious and then became producer for the third and fourth films in the franchise.
I love the Insidious movies, I find them really scary, even the opening credits are intense and hair raising.
The cinematography is amazing, they used colour perfectly, throughout most of the film there is a pale, over exposed filter that I believe aids to the scare factor. Everything is so muted that it becomes a sort of distorted reality. And when the father goes into 'The Further', they use the colour blue (like the above photo) which highlights the mystery of the movie, and also symbolises death.
it is full of suspense and is quite frightening, this is the perfect film for any paranormal horror lover.
(Insidious 2 is also worth a watch, I love them both)
1!!! IT Franchise
PLOT : In 1960, a group of social outcasts are tormented by an evil demon who can shape-shift into a clown and feed on children's fears and kill them. After defeating the demonic clown as kids, it resurfaces thirty years later and they must finish it off as adults once again.
First i'll talk about the mini series, the original IT from 1990. This has been my absolute favourite horror since I first watched it when I was 9 or 10. It's since given me a weird fascination with clowns, especially when used in horror movies.
The first part of the mini series is amazing, I enjoy the second half but its a lot more cornier and less scary than the first.
The best part is obviously Tim Curry as Pennywise, he will remain as supreme clown for eternity. He is absolutely terrifying, his voice, the costume, the makeup, it all adds up to a very scary character. The child actors did a brilliant job too, they were the perfect fit for the series.
What most impresses me is that the original is quite old, and even watching it now, you realise the series was done so well for it's time, including the scenery which really makes the town of Derry come to life.
PLOT : IT follows a group of kids dubbed "The Losers' Club" in the summer of 1989. They discover a scary shape-shifting demonic entity, known to return every 27 years who preys on your own personal fears.
I'm not one of those viewers who feels they have to slam either version over the other, I really love both mini series and movies.
The IT films definitely use more modern day scare tactics, but it works, at the end of the day this is a revamp of an old classic.
What perfects the new IT, are the children that are cast. They have so much humour and personality, they really bring the movie to life.
Bill Skarsgard makes a fantastic Pennywise too, I love what they did with his teeth and the new style of makeup and costume. Bill deciding to use his skill of crossing his eyes was such a great decision and a unique advantage that was brought to the character, it's very creepy!
I enjoy both Chapter One and Chapter Two, even with Two being 3 hours long! Without comparing too much, I would say that I prefer Chapter Two (film) to Part Two of the mini series. I think the movie version is more related to the book and is very gripping.
So those are my horror picks! Below I will include some honourable mentions, feel free to ignore those, i'm just including them because it was so hard for me to pick only 15 movies!
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed my picks, and if you haven't watched them, go give them a try, you might be pleasantly surprised!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The Terrifier (2016)
Parasite (2019)
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Annabelle (2014)
47 Meters Down : Uncaged (2019)
Rogue (2007)
Jaws 1 and 2 (1975/1978)
Clown (2014)
American Psycho (2000)
Truth or Dare (2018)
13 Sins (2014)
The Woman in Black (2012)
Unfriended (2014)
A Quite Place (2018)
Escape Room (2019)
Lights Out (2016)
Orphan (2009)
Ready or Not (2019)
Look Away (2018)
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