A good scary movie, regardless of whether ghosts give you the creeps or blood ‘n’ guts make your stomach churn, should absolutely grab you by the collar with a killer story and keep you glued to your seat, white-knuckled and gasping.
And if you’re seriously hunting for a proper scare, girl, have we got your back! We’ve hand-picked some of the most utterly terrifying horror flicks from across the whole genre spectrum, classics and modern wonders alike, destined to invade your dreams.
Old School Terrors & Modern Marvels
So, let’s dive into this list of terrifying horror movies, kicking things off with the legendary 1992 cult classic, Candyman. It begins in that classic horror movie fashion: a cynical character, in this case, postgraduate student Helen Lyle, completely blows off a deeply entrenched local legend. But oh honey, she soon figures out why the townies are absolutely petrified of the Candyman, after inadvertently unleashing the hook-handed serial killer while digging into local myths for her project.
For those who aren’t exactly bravehearts, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is not for you – it’ll absolutely scare the living daylights out of you. This flick, centered on the utterly disturbing serial killer Leatherface, was so drenched in gore it actually got banned in a bunch of countries back in the day. And since that first 1974 release, there have been a gazillion sequels and even a comic book, talk about enduring terror!
What really makes the Scream franchise stand head and shoulders above other slasher flicks is that it never takes itself too seriously. That witty, comedic touch really lightens the mood between those absolutely brutal and violent scenes. While there have been six Scream movies, seriously, most folks will tell you the 1996 original is hands down the best. This one kicks off with a high school student and her pals becoming the twisted targets of a masked serial killer known as Ghostface, who loves to creepily tease his victims from the shadows, detailing his nasty intentions before making his move.
Get ready for a slow burn with A Tale of Two Sisters, a 2003 South Korean horror thriller that won’t hit you with jump scares right out the gate. But trust me, that’s just the build-up for the onslaught of creepy happenings in the latter half. The film opens with twin sisters fresh out of a mental institution, returning home to find their widowed dad and his new wife, whom they absolutely despise. Oh, and honey, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as seriously bizarre stuff starts going down in the house. This flick was an instant smash hit, skyrocketing to become the biggest grossing South Korean horror movie ever.
Even half a century after it first hit screens, The Exorcist is still one of the most utterly chilling horror films out there. This timeless masterpiece is particularly blood-curdling because it’s inspired by actual, real-life events. So, if there’s just one thing you take away from watching this movie, it’s this: never, ever mess with Ouija boards! At its core, The Exorcist is a straightforward tale about a possessed girl whose family, after medical and psychological interventions fail, turns to a priest for spiritual help.
Found Footage, Ghost Hunters, and the Supernatural
In our shiny post-pandemic world, where Zoom calls are apparently the norm, Host bravely asks: could malevolent spiritual beings actually zap you virtually? If you’re a total sucker for found footage-style movies, you are absolutely going to devour this one, especially as the characters make some truly questionable decisions. It’s a wild ride, trust me!
Few found-footage horror films manage to actually keep that horror vibe going strong throughout the story, but Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is definitely one of the good ones, not relying on cheap jump scares to make its point. This flick follows a crew of seven ghost hunters who are live-streaming their exploration of a notoriously haunted asylum. They’re totally hoping to rack up views and, ultimately, make malevolent spirits reveal themselves in the creepy, dimly lit corridors. Fingers crossed for them, right?
When it comes to modern horror movie franchises, The Conjuring seriously stands out from the crowd, tracking the adventures of that ghost-busting duo, Ed and Lorraine Warren. While there are, like, eight movies in the series now, the very first one totally takes the cake. Among supernatural horror movies, this one is absolutely top-tier, and the fact that it’s based on actual events just piles on another layer of sheer terror. You could seriously cut the tension with a knife in this film, but the director never overdoes the jump scares just for dramatic effect. Instead, each one brilliantly serves to push the story forward.
Here’s another movie franchise that’s guaranteed to give you the serious shivers: Insidious. The first film, released in 2010, tells the chilling tale of a family moving into a house that’s, shall we say, a bit more than just “lived in.” In Insidious, you won’t find any gross blood or gore to make your stomach churn. But don’t you worry, it’s packed with enough spine-tingling images and seriously creepy jump scares that still do a fantastic job of scaring the ever-loving daylights out of you!
Psychological Thrills & Dream-Like Nightmares
Midsommar is a truly captivating mix of horror vibes, from deep psychological torment all the way to some pretty visceral gore. The story kicks off with Dani and Christian, a student couple facing some serious issues, heading off on what they hope will be a relaxing summer vacation. But oh boy, their trip takes a seriously dark and unexpected detour when Dani gets all tangled up with a creepy cult in rural Sweden. Seriously, Midsommar is a hauntingly beautiful and profoundly unsettling experience that will totally stick with you, chilling your thoughts long after the credits have rolled.
This 1984 classic slasher movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street, does a seriously awesome job of blurring that line between dreams and reality. Whatever nasty stuff happens to the characters in their dreams – think scratches and cuts – mysteriously follows them right into the real world. And get this: if that gnarly dream monster with knives for hands, Freddy Krueger, manages to off them in their dream, they’re dead for real, too. So, the kids are scrambling to figure out why this is happening to them and how the heck to stop it, but it’s a fierce race against the clock because, let’s be real, you can’t stay awake forever!
The Shining, which hit screens in 1980, is basically a family vacation to a remote spot that goes horribly, horribly wrong. When Jack Torrance dragged his family to the isolated Overlook Hotel, he was totally hoping to conquer his writer’s block. But honey, what happened next was nothing short of a fever dream. The longer they stay, the deeper Jack spirals into madness, absolutely terrifying his wife and son. This psychological horror is a masterclass in playing mind games and tugging at your emotions with its hauntingly beautiful scenes.
In an age riddled with mostly drab and predictable modern horror flicks, Malignant boldly carves out its own path with a totally fresh storyline. The film zeros in on Madison, our main character, who’s plagued by horrific dreams about murder. But then, she wakes up and realizes these aren’t just dreams – they’re chillingly mirroring actual, real-life murder cases. Trust me, this movie is like a wild, insane rollercoaster ride; you absolutely will not see the crazy plot twists coming!
Things really kick off in The Wailing when a mysterious stranger from Japan rolls into a remote South Korean village, and his arrival is immediately followed by a string of illnesses and deaths. Local cop Jong-Goo starts to suspect there’s a connection between these events, and the case gets super personal when his own daughter catches the same strange illness. Talk about a bad day at the office!
Goodnight Mommy, an Austrian psychological horror movie released in 2014, starts with a woman returning to her big, isolated house, her face completely swathed in bandages. Her twin boys welcome her home, and at first, everything seems just fine with the little family. But soon, the kids begin to notice some seriously odd behaviors and start to wonder if the woman behind those bandages is actually their mother. Convinced she’s an imposter, they tie her up and torture her, desperate to find out what happened to their real mom. And darling, things just spiral completely out of control from there, leading to a truly devastating end.
So, whether you’re a die-hard horror fanatic or just looking for a seriously thrilling movie night, this collection has something for absolutely everyone. Go on, gather your courage, dim those lights, and brace yourself for a heart-pounding adventure through the wild world of horror cinema. Just remember, these movies aren’t for the faint-hearted, but they are absolutely guaranteed to deliver unforgettable scares that will make your night truly chilling!
