Horror/Thriller Recommendations [Updated 10/03/2021]
Disclaimer:
Horror films get criticized to death (Define scary). This list only includes films, shows, and animation I've seen, and the rankings are from a combo of mainly my preferences in style, production quality, creativity, and acting.
Check out my Anticipations list. I update it a little more often because I don't have to watch each film, but I've become too busy to update either regularly.
Use the filters to narrow down the list.
If you use anything like CouchPotato or Radarr - I recommend subscribing.
Also, if you like podcasts (and horror), I highly recommend the NoSleep Podcast, Darkest Night, Campfire Radio Theater, Full Body Chills, and several of the QCODE podcasts.
Check out my Anticipations list. I update it a little more often because I don't have to watch each film, but I've become too busy to update either regularly.
Use the filters to narrow down the list.
If you use anything like CouchPotato or Radarr - I recommend subscribing.
Also, if you like podcasts (and horror), I highly recommend the NoSleep Podcast, Darkest Night, Campfire Radio Theater, Full Body Chills, and several of the QCODE podcasts.
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- DirectorVincenzo NataliStarsAdrien BrodySarah PolleyDelphine ChanéacGenetic engineers Clive Nicoli and Elsa Kast hope to achieve fame by successfully splicing together the DNA of different animals to create new hybrid animals for medical use.A splice of what feels like a sci-fi, drama. If the whole genetic mash-up concept doesn't offend your morals, then I recommend it. It's a pretty unique film.
- DirectorDavid S. GoyerStarsJustin ChatwinMargarita LevievaMarcia Gay HardenA teenager is left invisible to the living after an attack.I consider this family friendly horror with a great soundtrack, attractive young stars, and an obvious pop culture feel. It's pretty low on violence (Hey, it's Disney), and the film carries itself on plot and thrills.
- DirectorPaul LeydenStarsJon AbrahamsAndrew BeckhamJeanette BranchSarah and Josh are married suburbanites. After a car accident, Sarah suffers blackouts. As her life spirals she hides a camera in her home and unlocks a horrific secret with far-reaching consequences.Good acting - a bit slow paced, and I have to give some negatives on the directing, but the story is very interesting.
If you've seen the trailer, then you know this the antagonist is an evil John Coffee. It has a "Hand That Rocks the Cradle" kind of feel - 90's thriller mood. - DirectorSean TrettaStarsPatti TindallMike MarshDavina JoyRenowned "ghost hunter", Carter Simms is paid to conduct a paranormal investigation of a supposedly haunted house. Along with a cameraman, a reporter, and a spiritual advocate, she embarks on a three night journey into terror.A film so low budget that the sound isn't even balanced. Sometimes you can barely hear the actors, and other times it sounds like the mics overloaded. It's based on a true story, but I don't know how closely.
But, among low budget films, with no-name actors, this is a good one. Not super creative, but good. - DirectorMatt ReevesStarsMike VogelJessica LucasLizzy CaplanA group of friends venture deep into the streets of New York on a rescue mission during a rampaging monster attack.Most found-footage films are low budget with crummy film quality and cheap special effects, but this one has a budget that makes it stand out.
Aside from an annoying camera man, this is a good alien invasion horror with little competition. - DirectorXavier GensStarsLauren GermanMichael BiehnMilo VentimigliaSurvivors of a nuclear attack are grouped together for days in the basement of their apartment building, where fear and dwindling supplies wear away at their dynamic.This is a long, dark journey into hopelessness, experienced by the survivors of a nuclear attack.
It's very beautifully filmed, and why people think Xavier Gens' Frontier(s) is a better film, I have no idea.
I claim no responsibility for any suicidal thoughts resulting from watching this film. - DirectorJames WanStarsRyan KwantenAmber VallettaDonnie WahlbergAfter his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen returns to his hometown of Ravens Fair to find answers. His investigation leads him to the ghost of a ventriloquist named Mary Shaw who seems to have ties to his entire family treeIf creepy dolls scare you, this is the best American scary doll film I've seen, surpassing the popular classic, Child's Play, which I am not including on this list.
This film made me pretty uncomfortable, and features a resilient protagonist that was fun to watch. Also -- loved the ending. - DirectorRon UnderwoodStarsKevin BaconFred WardFinn CarterNatives of a small isolated town defend themselves against strange underground creatures which are killing them one by one.Great, great film, set in the West, and with a young Kevin Bacon as one of the stars. It's a nice blend of horror and just a pinch of comedy.
Bacon dropped out, after the original, and the sequels never regain the magic, but this is a stand out film. - DirectorAlexandre AjaStarsKiefer SutherlandPaula PattonAmy SmartAn ex-cop and his family are the target of an evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home.This film is one of the creepiest ghost stories I've seen out of the new millennium, so far. I highly recommend it. The omniscience and malice of the threat had me biting my nails.
The sequel isn't bad but only worth a viewing if you're out of options and not willing to stoop to C and below quality. - DirectorCarles TorrensStarsKai LennoxGia MantegnaMichael O'KeefeA team of parapsychologists try to figure out a strange phenomenon occurring in an apartment building.It's ambiguously good, but the acting is pretty solid. I was disappointed by the ending, but it weaves good mystery and drama.
You'll have to be open-minded, for this crawling found-footage ghost tale, but it's better than most low-profile horror. - DirectorZack SnyderStarsSarah PolleyVing RhamesMekhi PhiferA nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall.Arguably one of Zack Snyder's best films (or THE best). It's a good remake that's been credited as the film that began the "fast zombie" craze of the 2000's.
My favorite thing about this film is Jake Weber who does an excellent job as one of the main protagonists. - DirectorMåns MårlindBjörn SteinStarsJulianne MooreJonathan Rhys MeyersJeffrey DeMunnA forensic psychiatrist discovers that all but one of her patient's multiple personalities are murder victims. She will have to find out what's happening before her time is finished.First thought: Jonathan Rhys Meyers does an awesome job in this film, a film that puts A list actors in something that tries to surprise.
The last fifteen minutes of the film turned me from agitation to glee. - DirectorRobin HardyStarsEdward WoodwardChristopher LeeDiane CilentoA puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who the pagan locals claim never existed.A classic. If you haven't seen this film, then you're missing out. This one is gore free, unlike most modern horror. It's all slow-burn creep-factor.
The remake is almost a complete load of crap, but I give it points for the creative, more violent climax. - DirectorNeil MarshallStarsShauna MacdonaldNatalie MendozaAlex ReidA caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.Some say overrated; I say underrated. It's a dark film (with almost the entirety of it in a cave setting). It stands out with character depth that's rarely a part of modern horror films. You could take the crawly creatures out of this film and it'd still be worth watching.
Avoid the sequel like the plague. - DirectorGlenn WithrowStarsHallie ToddThomas Wilson BrownKarli BlalockEvery 40 seconds a person goes missing. In northern Idaho, a group of teenage girls attended a summer camp. They were told it would be a summer of change. It was.This is one that probably went under the radar. It's not a perfect film by any means, but it's strong acting from virtual unknowns. A well-done slasher in the woods film that throws a few emotional punches.
- DirectorColin MinihanStuart OrtizThe Vicious BrothersStarsBenjamin WilkinsonSean RogersonAshleigh GryzkoFor their ghost hunting reality show, a production crew locks themselves inside an abandoned mental hospital that's supposedly haunted - and it might prove to be all too true.I'm only putting this film on the list, because the sequel is so closely connected that you would be cheating yourself a little, if you didn't watch the first.
The premise is creepy (like something from The Twilight Zone), and while the acting seems a bit lacking, the premise was enough to keep me interested. - DirectorJohn PoliquinStarsRichard HarmonShawn C. PhillipsJennica FultonA film student who is obsessed with the movie Grave Encounters sets out with his friends to visit the psychiatric hospital depicted in the original film.Big improvement over the first film. The story is stronger; the acting is better (though the "jock" character's voice may be slightly annoying); the effects are more convincing. They also expand the ideas of the first film and increase the creep factor in the process.
I think there's also a little more violence, in this one, if you're into that. - DirectorGore VerbinskiStarsNaomi WattsMartin HendersonBrian CoxA journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it.These days, this film may be sort of a joke, but this is the film that started to whole Japanese horror remake craze.
It feels like a slow-paced dark mystery; so, if you haven't seen it before, you'll have to be patient with it. - DirectorTakashi ShimizuStarsAmber TamblynEdison ChenArielle KebbelThree interwoven stories about a terrible curse. A young woman encounters a malevolent supernatural force while searching for her missing sister in Tokyo; a mean high school prank goes horribly wrong; a woman with a deadly secret moves into a Chicago apartment building.So, I saw the first Grudge film, then I saw the Japanese original, and then I saw The Grudge 2. I think this is better than the first film and closer to the Japanese version.
One of those ghosts that likes Red Bull and coffee -- there's never a safe moment. - DirectorCharles GuardThomas GuardStarsEmily BrowningArielle KebbelElizabeth BanksAnna returns home after a stint in a mental hospital, but her recovery is jeopardized by her father's new girlfriend and ghastly visions of her dead mother.Based on A Tale of Two Sisters, I think this is a better film. The original was a bit too thick (slow pace, odd, multiple layers).
Emily Browning does a great job with her role. Gore and horror elements are actually pretty minimal, in this one, so it's more about the mystery. Also, the soundtrack is gorgeous. - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.This is a film that is far from the Stephen King novel it's based on, but it does a a great job of being creepy. This film sits almost entirely on the mood created by the increasingly disturbing behavior of Jack Nicholson.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellEllen SandweissRichard DeManincorFive friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.I believe this is Sam Raimi's first film, and it's a cult classic that was remade (and the remake wasn't too bad). It's a little campy, and the effects are old, but I don't feel like that really takes away too much from creep of the story.
- DirectorAlejandro AmenábarStarsNicole KidmanChristopher EcclestonFionnula FlanaganIn 1945, immediately following the end of Second World War, a woman who lives with her two photosensitive children on her darkened old family estate in the Channel Islands becomes convinced that the home is haunted....really good ghost film. It's dark and retro -- another of those films that is reliant more on the mood than being gory. So, check it out if you haven't already and if you're interested in a nice ghost film.
- DirectorBruce McDonaldStarsStephen McHattieLisa HouleGeorgina ReillyA radio host interprets the possible outbreak of a deadly virus which infects the small Ontario town he is stationed in.This is a zombie flick that does something a little different, and it's probably not for everyone, but I was really impressed how the film handles the premise and generates horror without even venturing from its single location.
- DirectorEli RothStarsJay HernandezDerek RichardsonEythor GudjonssonThree backpackers head to a Slovak city that promises to meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them.Was this the film that began the "torture-porn" phrase and craze? I'm not sure, but it's a gore trip, literally. It's about some guys that are traveling Europe and decide to check out a hostel that's killing its tenants in gruesome ways.
It's like the Saw films, but with a complete disregard for story. It's all about the killin'. - DirectorEli RothStarsLauren GermanHeather MatarazzoBijou PhillipsThree American college students studying abroad are lured to a Slovakian hostel and discover the grim reality behind it.I prefer this sequel to the original. This film actually drops a little more of a story, and the characters are more interesting. Also, it expands the Hostel universe and picks right up where the first one left off.
The kills are a little less gruesome, but Hostel: Part II is a good follow-up.
Don't bother with Hostel: Part III - DirectorMikael HåfströmStarsJohn CusackSamuel L. JacksonMary McCormackA man who specialises in debunking paranormal occurrences checks into the fabled room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel. Soon after settling in, he confronts genuine terror.Absolutely great film. It's one of those that has the Hollywood feel, but switches things up enough to not feel like every other horror film to come out of Hollywood.
Samuel L. Jackson's small role is done really well, and I thought John Cusack knocked it out of the park, effectively funny and cynical at once. I think Grave Encounters (especially the second film) snagged ideas from this. - DirectorCarter SmithStarsShawn AshmoreJena MaloneJonathan TuckerA leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when a group of friends and a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins.This is a movie that I'd been waiting to see.
When I heard about the film Slither, I thought it would be what this movie is: a really creepy movie about stuff getting under your skin. It's young people going off where they shouldn't be, and most of the film happens in one location, but very good. - DirectorSean EllisStarsLena HeadeyUlrich ThomsenMelvil PoupaudAfter seeing herself drive down the street, Radiologist Gina McVey unravels a mystery centered around a broken mirror.Here's another film that tackles the idea of doppelgangers, and, to this day, I do not entirely understand this film, but it is well-acted and well creepy. It's one that just eases its way under your skin, and will probably leave you with some questions.
- DirectorNacho CerdáStarsAnastasia HilleKarel RodenValentin GoshevAn adopted woman returns to her home country and the family home that she never knew and must face the mystery that lies there.I believe this film is Russian (or just filmed there?), but it's in English. It tackles a concept that I hadn't seen handled in horror, doppelgangers. It wastes almost no time getting into the horror elements. Low on gore, high on creep.
- DirectorChristophe GansStarsRadha MitchellLaurie HoldenSean BeanA woman, Rose, goes in search for her adopted daughter within the confines of a strange, desolate town called Silent Hill.Silent Hill: Revelations is pretty much crap. This film, while not perfect, has some great acting (except the little girl, sorry) and characterization, and I've never completed any of the games, so I can't compare, but this is genuinely creepy, and it has some unique concepts and deaths.
- DirectorPaul W.S. AndersonStarsLaurence FishburneSam NeillKathleen QuinlanA rescue crew is tasked with investigating the mysterious reappearance of a spaceship that had been lost for seven years.Paul W.S. Anderson is on most people's *beep* list, these days, making all those Resident Evil films and, in a lot of people's opinion, having screwed up the AvP film, but this may be his best film.
It's sci-fi horror with the concept of traveling into another horrific dimension. There's a lot of tension building. - DirectorPål SletauneTony SpataroStarsKristoffer JonerCecilie A. MosliJulia SchachtJohn has just been left by his girlfriend Ingrid. That day he allows himself to be seduced into a mystical and scary world, where it is impossible to separate truth from the liesI found this almost accidentally, by browsing Netflix. It's a French language film that's a great psychological thriller with some erotic tint. The main actors are all great, and the ending is pretty twisted. It's tense throughout, with hardly any violence.
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsDustin HoffmanSharon StoneSamuel L. JacksonA spaceship is discovered under three hundred years' worth of coral growth at the bottom of the ocean.To be honest, when I first saw this film, it went over my head, but I figured it out, eventually. The presence of the strange sphere and the concept, along with the mood makes this a very creepy film, for me.
- DirectorJoe ChappelleStarsPeter O'TooleRose McGowanJoanna GoingIn the peaceful town of Snowfield, Colorado something evil has wiped out the community. And now, its up to a group of people to stop it, or at least get out of Snowfield alive.I'm not the happiest about Ben Affleck, in this film, but the creature of this film is really creepy. It's a bit reminiscent of The Thing and maybe Sphere. From the start, the characters seem to be in over their heads.
- DirectorToby WilkinsStarsShea WhighamJill WagnerPaulo CostanzoTrapped in an isolated gas station by a voracious Splinter parasite that transforms its still-living victims into deadly hosts, a young couple and an escaped convict must find a way to work together to survive this primal terror.A low-budget horror with creativity. It effectively creates a very unique monster.
Most of the film happens within a gas station -- really good stuff. - DirectorDaniel StammStarsPatrick FabianAshley BellIris BahrA troubled evangelical minister agrees to let his last exorcism be filmed by a documentary crew.My closest family actually hate this film and found it unbearably boring, but I love it.
If the characters don't sell the film for you, then just stop the movie, because it probably won't get any better. The film is like The Blair Witch Project, very dependent on you being interested in the characters and suspending disbelief (feeling that the story is real) and being intrigued about where all of this is going, because there are hardly any scares. It feels like a drama, until close to the end, and your enjoyment almost rests completely on how satisfied you are with the conclusion. - DirectorDrew GoddardStarsKristen ConnollyChris HemsworthAnna HutchisonFive college friends head out to a remote cabin for a getaway, but things don't go as planned when they start getting killed. They soon discover that there is more to the cabin than it seems.A horror film that is kind of a commentary on the horror genre itself. It's a bit campy, but it does have scary scenes, and it's worth watching -- some unique things going on, in this one.
It's not one of my favorites, but it's unique enough that I couldn't skip it. - DirectorMatt Bettinelli-OlpinDavid BrucknerTyler GillettStarsCalvin Lee ReederLane HughesAdam WingardWhen a group of misfits are hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.I was very excited, after watching this film, because I'm not familiar with many horror anthologies. In fact, the only ones I can remember are classic films.
Underrated compilation of 6 found footage horror shorts; I used to play this on repeat. I wouldn't say any of the stories are especially original, but the found-footage format adds a nice dimension to them.
V/H/S 2 is not as good, imo, but it included one or two that are definitely worth watching, and they tried to push the format a little more. - DirectorSteven R. MonroeStarsSarah ButlerJeff BransonAndrew HowardA writer who is brutalized during her cabin retreat seeks revenge on her attackers, who left her for dead.Personally, I think this is way better than the original (which was pretty boring). This is a revenge horror filck, and the revenge is very sweet. The movie doesn't waste much time getting into the tension and action.
I don't recommend this for a night with the girlfriend, because of the scene leading up to the revenge, but--great movie. - DirectorRyûhei KitamuraStarsVinnie JonesBradley CooperLeslie BibbA photographer's obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer who stalks late night commuters, ultimately butchering them in the most gruesome ways.This is a very tense and dark film that is also pretty gory (a bit comically so). Vinnie Jones is creepy without saying anything.
If you like your horror just plain dark, without the cheerful moments, then this is that type of film. It feels like a modern torch barer for classic horror. It's basic story + gore. - DirectorGreg McLeanStarsNathan PhillipsCassandra MagrathKestie MorassiThree backpackers stranded in the Australian outback are plunged inside a hellish nightmare of insufferable torture by a sadistic psychopathic local.This is probably one of the earliest low budget and foreign horror films I watched, and I think it's underrated. It's basically a slasher film but with a great villain and some disturbing scenes. It's one that breaks conventions a little.
- DirectorMarcus NispelStarsJessica BielJonathan TuckerAndrew BryniarskiAfter picking up a traumatized young hitchhiker, five friends find themselves stalked and hunted by a deformed chainsaw-wielding loon and his family of equally psychopathic killers.Good remake. It may be better than the original, but I haven't seen that one in so long. There's some brutal stuff in this one. And, just for the record, Leatherface never existed (despite what the film wants you to believe). He's based on Ed Gein.
Very pop horror feel, with young stars. Popcorn movie.
Stay away from the thirty-ninth anniversary re-remake edition. - DirectorJuan Carlos FresnadilloStarsJeremy RennerRose ByrneRobert CarlyleSix months after the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. But not everything goes according to plan.The first film, 28 Days Later, was nice, but I much prefer the action of this film (an early member of the "fast zombie" craze).
The opening sequence is, without a doubt, one of the most intense I've ever seen in any horror film. - DirectorDavid KoeppStarsKevin BaconZachary David CopeKathryn ErbeAfter being hypnotized by his sister-in-law, a man begins seeing haunting visions of a girl's ghost and a mystery begins to unfold around him.Overshadowed by the success of the Sixth Sense, this film follows a similar concept (and loosely based on a novel). The film stands on Kevin Bacon's strong performance as he unravels.
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsJames CaanKathy BatesRichard FarnsworthAfter a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.Great Stephen King adaptation, full of suspense. You just never know what obsessed Annie is gonna do next. She even makes the top 20 of AFI's centennial list of greatest villains.
I strongly recommend this, if you haven't seen it. - DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.Classic. Haven't seen it? You need to (and that's true for all the classic films on this list)
Pretty much every sci-horror in space has been inspired by this film, and it's really well done. - DirectorJames CameronStarsSigourney WeaverMichael BiehnCarrie HennDecades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.I think this one is just as good as the first Alien film, but this one ramps up the action, with space marines to take on the xenomorphs.
- DirectorPascal LaugierStarsMorjana AlaouiMylène JampanoïCatherine BéginA young woman's quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend, who is also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity.I think I saw a review that called this "torture porn at its finest".
The film is dark from the beginning, but it teases you with hope, then eye rapes you for the rest of the film. I'm sure there are more violent, disturbing films out there, but they're probably banned in America. It's not just the violence, but the closing philosophy of it all. - DirectorJames WatkinsStarsKelly ReillyMichael FassbenderTara EllisRefusing to let anything spoil their romantic weekend break, a young couple confront a gang of loutish youths with terrifyingly brutal consequences.This is a suspenseful film, with a quick start. Some punk kids ruin a couples vacation and cue the violence.
The acting is great, and by the end, I felt like I'd just been suffocated. - DirectorJ.T. PettyStarsClancy BrownDavid BusseHarley CorizIn the Wild West a rescue party sets out to find a family of settlers that has vanished from their home under mysterious circumstances.Good weird west films seem hard to come by.
Two words: "buried alive".
It's fun to watch these tobacco spitters crapping their pants. - DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsNatalie PortmanMila KunisVincent CasselNina is a talented but unstable ballerina on the verge of stardom. Pushed to the breaking point by her artistic director and a seductive rival, Nina's grip on reality slips, plunging her into a waking nightmare.An independent film. Who knew!?
It's a psychological thriller, and a creepy one. Natalie Portman does an excellent job -- at kissing Mila Kunis.
No, but, seriously, she's great in this and put in a lot of dedication. Besides all that, still a great film. - DirectorBreck EisnerStarsRadha MitchellTimothy OlyphantDanielle PanabakerAfter a strange and insecure plane crash, an unusual toxic virus enters a quaint farming town. A young couple are quarantined, but they fight for survival along with help from a couple of people.I put this film on par with Dawn of the Dead and I Spit on Your Grave. It's a really good remake, and it feels very Hollywood. All the acting is solid. It's got the thrills and jumps and violence. If you haven't seen it, then it's a perfect popcorn horror film.
- DirectorOlatunde OsunsanmiStarsMilla JovovichElias KoteasWill PattonA thriller involving an ongoing unsolved mystery in Alaska, where one town has seen an extraordinary number of unexplained disappearances during the past 40 years and there are accusations of a federal cover up.I saw this film four years after its release, and it actually ruined my sleep for that night, which doesn't usually happen to me. I can usually handle horror films well, so I'm not sure why this one got to me.
The film is presented like a documentary combined with reenactments by Milla Jovavaich and company, which is unique, but it's falsely marketed. - DirectorRuben FleischerStarsJesse EisenbergEmma StoneWoody HarrelsonA shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting bruiser in search of the last Twinkie and a pair of sisters striving to get to an amusement park join forces in a trek across a zombie-filled America.If you haven't seen this, I don't know why. See it now!
Ho-co, very funny, even has a Bill Murray cameo. There's a little gore, but it's ultimately a very pop-flavored horror-comedy film that might easily be the best of the year, if Jennifer's Body hadn't dropped the same year. - DirectorMitchell LichtensteinStarsJess WeixlerJohn HensleyJosh PaisStill a stranger to her own body, a high school student discovers she has a physical advantage when she becomes the object of male violence.Indie sleeper hit?
It's a ho-co and stars mostly people I've never heard of before, and it's soo good. The premise will probably either turn you away, or draw you in, but it's done well.
The horror is extremely light. This is almost entirely comedy, except that it's just too damn weird to not be a little creepy. - DirectorKaryn KusamaStarsMegan FoxAmanda SeyfriedAdam BrodyA newly-possessed high-school cheerleader turns into a succubus who specializes in killing her male classmates. Can her best friend put an end to the horror?Ho-co (Horror comedy), lol. Diablo Cody, I love you.
Regardless of what you think of Megan Fox, this is a totally awesome film. It's creepy; it's hilarious, and ultimately very cool. This one may surprise you. - DirectorJohn Erick DowdleStarsJennifer CarpenterSteve HarrisColumbus ShortA television reporter and her cameraman are trapped inside a building quarantined by the CDC, after the outbreak of a mysterious virus which turns humans into bloodthirsty killers.An extremely faithful remake of the spanish film [REC] (seriously, the film is almost an exact duplicate with American actors), it's the best (or one of the best) of the found-footage zombie films that I've seen.
This film also has a lower budget sequel that was decent, but a drop in quality in practically every way. - DirectorTomas AlfredsonStarsKåre HedebrantLina LeanderssonPer RagnarOskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl.If you don't like subtitles, watch Let Me In. It's a good remake, staring Chloë Moretz, but I think I prefer the Swedish actress.
It's a unique vampire film, focused on the perspective of a preteen. - DirectorGreg McLeanStarsMichael VartanRadha MitchellSam WorthingtonAn American journalist on assignment in the Australian outback encounters a man-eating crocodile while trapped on a rapidly flooding mud island.If you like "creature-features", this one is a good crock flick. It features Radha Michell who sheds her fake American accent and shows her tough aussie side. John Jarratt (Wolf Creek), and Sam Worthington (Avatar) also have small parts in the film.
It's the acting that keeps this from being just a typical, crappy creature-feature. - DirectorLucky McKeeStarsMike McKeeErin BrownAngela BettisA story about an evil bug with the ability to change people's behavior, a commentary on the dangers of moving into a relationship too quickly.The Masters of Horror series featured some gems, and this is one of them, directed by Lucky McKee (May). It's a pretty dang gross film, as the title may imply. It makes me icky, just thinking about it.
Don't bring any strange bugs into your house. - DirectorBrad AndersonStarsChris BauerMatty FinochioLaura MargolisDeeply affected by a personal tragedy, an office drone comes to realize his sense of hearing has taken on extraordinary capabilities that could drive him insane.This is a film (or episode) that does a great job at setting a mood, and it feels very Twilight Zone.
The main character somehow develops super hearing, which, instead of making him feel super, starts causing serious issues in his personal life.
It's a creepy story. - DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsBilly DragoShihô HarumiMichiéIn the 1800s, an American returns to Japan to find the prostitute he fell in love with, but instead learns of the physical and existential horror that befell her after he left.I told you, Asian horror stuff doesn't play around, lol.
This film includes a really terrible story of torture and a pretty twisted ending that I didn't see coming -- very recommended. - DirectorJohn LandisStarsBrian BenbenWalter HighMichael P. NortheyA harried, burned-out cop believes that a recent string of murders proves that the murderer might be a deer-like creature in the form of a beautiful woman, straight from a local Native American folklore legend.I consider this horror-comedy. It has what feels like an abrupt ending, but it's pretty darn interesting and funny to that point. I love the lead actor, and I still make fun of the scene where he takes it to the chest (watch and you'll see what I mean).
- DirectorAsif KapadiaStarsSarah Michelle GellarSam ShepardPeter O'BrienJoanna Mills, a traveling business woman, begins having nightmares of a murder that occurred 15 years ago. Soon she is drawn to an old farmhouse, where the murder took place.This one is all mood and creep, and it's a little deep. I was actually a bit confused, after my first viewing, but seeing it a second time and watching the special features helped me really appreciate the film. I think it's very well done, despite the imdb rating (grrrr).
- DirectorM. Night ShyamalanStarsBruce WillisHaley Joel OsmentToni ColletteMalcolm Crowe, a child psychologist, starts treating a young boy, Cole, who encounters dead people and convinces him to help them. In turn, Cole helps Malcolm reconcile with his estranged wife.Personally, I never found this film scary, but it is about ghosts and, if you haven't seen it, then you should.
This is the film that made surprise endings popular in the 2000's and gave M. Night Shyamalan his short lived popularity. - DirectorBrad AndersonStarsHayden ChristensenThandiwe NewtonJohn LeguizamoThe population of Detroit has almost completely disappeared, but a few remain. As daylight disappears they realize that the Dark is coming for them.I'm baffled why this film has such a low rating on imdb, but it's a genuinely very creepy film with a scary and mysterious premise. The film feels shorter than it is, and there's no explanation for the events; it's the shadows coming to get you, and it works well. The whole film, everyone is just trying to survive.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsHarrison FordMichelle PfeifferKatharine TowneThe wife of a university research scientist believes that her lakeside Vermont home is haunted by a ghost - or that she is losing her mind.Hollywood getting it right. Very good film. Not giving any spoilers, just watch it. It's a little more on the thriller side than horror.
- DirectorSteve BeckStarsTony ShalhoubShannon ElizabethEmbeth DavidtzWhen Cyrus Kriticos, a very rich collector of unique things, dies, he leaves his house, fortune, and his prized collection of ghosts.When I first saw this film, it scared the fookin' *beep* out of me, but now I consider it kind of a fun, gory film. I wouldn't consider it scary as much as fun frightening in the way of Cabin in the Woods.
- DirectorDario ArgentoStarsTony MusanteSuzy KendallEnrico Maria SalernoAn American expatriate in Rome attempts to unmask a serial killer he witnessed in the act of an attempted murder - and is now hunting him and his girlfriend.This is one that is more along the lines of a dark mystery film. It's a classic, and it feels very classic, but the mood is great and effectively creepy.
- DirectorGlen MorganStarsMichelle TrachtenbergMary Elizabeth WinsteadLacey ChabertOn Christmas Eve, an escaped maniac returns to his childhood home, which is now a sorority house, and begins to murder the sorority sisters one by one.I don't think I've ever seen the original, so I can't make a comparison, but this film is a total gore fest. It's one of the grossest films I've seen from the 2000's. I'm recommending it mainly based on the vicious kills.
- DirectorSean S. CunninghamStarsBetsy PalmerAdrienne KingJeannine TaylorA group of teenage camp counselors attempt to re-open an abandoned summer camp with a tragic past, but they are stalked by a mysterious, relentless killer.Of course I had to put this one on the list. It's better than the remakes, although the 2009 remake added speed, mass, and sound effects that made the whole ordeal feel more intense.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsAdrienne BarbeauJamie Lee CurtisJanet LeighAn unearthly fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters.This original is sooo much better than the remake, with Superman -- I mean, Tom Welling. The Mist may have gotten a few ideas from this one, but it's the actual fog that's the threat here.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJennifer O'NeillStephen LackPatrick McGoohanA scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called "scanning" to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non scanners.I haven't seen this film in forever, and I can't comment on how good the sequels are, BUT this is a definitely good 80's horror from a guy that makes creepy films, Cronenberg.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJames WoodsDebbie HarrySonja SmitsA programmer at a Toronto TV station that specializes in adult entertainment searches for the producers of a dangerous and bizarre broadcast.There may be a remake of this film coming, and I'm not sure it'll live up to this one. This is a seriously creepy mind screw of a film about a radio station that warps your reality.
- DirectorDavid BrucknerDan BushJacob GentryStarsAnessa RamseyJustin WelbornScott PoythressA horror film told in three parts, from three perspectives, in which a mysterious transmission that turns people into killers invades every cell phone, radio, and television.A 2007 fave. I feel it's underrated. The film is actually split into sections done by three different directors, but I couldn't tell (I didn't find this out until later). It's sort of a zombie film about a signal that is being broadcast through electronic devices, and it's driving people mad.
The second "broadcast" really puts you into the mind of the infected, and that's something I'd never seen before. - DirectorChris KentisLaura LauStarsElizabeth OlsenAdam TreseEric Sheffer StevensA girl is trapped inside her family's lakeside retreat and becomes unable to contact the outside world as supernatural forces haunt the house with mysterious energy and consequences.The story of this film is not special, at all, but the style of it is really awesome. It feels like you're walking near the characters in this house that is...silent. (There is barely any music used in the film)
Points for style. It's a pretty creepy film, for that. - DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.Gross film, with some great characters, and it's just totally creepy. There's a mood of paranoia here that I haven't seen in many other films.
- DirectorMatthijs van Heijningen Jr.StarsMary Elizabeth WinsteadJoel EdgertonUlrich ThomsenAt an Antarctica research site, the discovery of an alien craft leads to a confrontation between graduate student Kate Lloyd and scientist Dr. Sander Halvorson.This is like a remake/prequel, and it may not be quite up to the first film, but it is pretty darn good; so, I recommend it if you've been avoiding it, but definitely watch the original first.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerCarl WeathersKevin Peter HallA team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.This film could almost pass for action, but it has an obvious horror side to it. I consider it practically flawless, and it doesn't even feel like its aged much.
- DirectorStephen HopkinsStarsDanny GloverGary BuseyKevin Peter HallThe Predator returns to Earth, this time to stake a claim on the war-torn streets of a dystopian Los Angeles.I like this just as much as the first Predator film, and my older brother prefers it, because Danny Glover is more of an underdog than the extremely buff Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- DirectorClive BarkerStarsAndrew RobinsonClare HigginsAshley LaurenceA woman discovers the newly resurrected, partially formed, body of her brother-in-law and lover. She starts killing for him to revitalize his body and escape the demonic beings that are pursuing him after he escaped their underworld.The S&M horror flick (lol). I love Ashley Lawrence! She's got sexy, innocent and sincere, all in one.
The whole Hell kills the curious cat idea is just creepy, and it's a gory flick.
Welcome to Hades kids! :o - DirectorTony RandelStarsDoug BradleyAshley LaurenceClare HigginsKirsty is brought to an institution after the horrible events of Hellraiser (1987), where the occult-obsessive head doctor resurrects Julia and unleashes the Cenobites and their demonic underworld.This film may be a little less awesome than the first, but it is still totally creepy, and this time Pinhead has some competition.
"The doctor is in." - DirectorScott DerricksonStarsCraig ShefferNicholas TurturroJames RemarA shady police detective becomes embroiled in a strange world of murder, sadism and madness after being assigned a murder investigation against a madman known only as "The Engineer".There were some missteps in the Hellraiser series, but I think this film is incredibly scary.
It's different from every Hellraiser film before it, taking the form of a sort of mystery/noir film, but it gets Hellacious later. I might even call this my favorite Hellraiser film. - DirectorAdrian LyneStarsTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloMourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.I haven't seen this film in a long time, but I remember it being very creepy. It's along the lines of psychological thriller.
- StarsRichard ThomasTim ReidAnnette O'TooleIn 1960, seven pre-teen outcasts fight an evil demon who poses as a child-killing clown. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the demon once and for all when it returns to their hometown.Ah yes, the film that scarred my childhood. It's a long film, and it's a good one. Pennywise may make you afraid of clowns, if you aren't already.
- DirectorBernard RoseStarsVirginia MadsenXander BerkeleyTony ToddThe Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth.-took me over a decade to finally face my Candyman fears.
This story is just terrifying, to me, and Candyman is brutal. You kinda feel sorry for him...
or not. - DirectorDavid FincherStarsMorgan FreemanBrad PittKevin SpaceyTwo detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.Modern classic. If you haven't seen it, god, please do. It's a dark, well-directed, well-acted film with a lot of depth.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsMichael J. FoxTrini AlvaradoPeter DobsonAfter a tragic car accident that kills his wife, a man discovers he can communicate with the dead, and he uses that gift to con people. However, when a demonic spirit appears, he may be the only one who can stop it from killing the living and the dead.It's an early Peter Jackson work that has a bit of everything. It's action, horror, mystery, humor; I think it's one of the best films of the 90's, for sure.
- DirectorVincenzo NataliStarsNicole de BoerMaurice Dean WintDavid HewlettA group of strangers awaken to find themselves placed in a giant cube. Each one of them is gifted with a special skill and they must work together to escape an endless maze of deadly traps.It's such a good film. I think this is sorta like Saw, before Saw, because it has characters waking up in a strange place and, in a way, being subjected to torture. It completely leaves you in mystery, but it's all about the struggle of these characters trying to escape, and the tension between them.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJude LawJennifer Jason LeighIan HolmA game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.Another weird film from Cronenberg that straddles the line between sci-fi and just being plain creepy. It also makes you think a bit.
- DirectorMichael HanekeStarsNaomi WattsTim RothMichael PittTwo psychopathic young men take a family hostage in their cabin.I haven't seen the original film, but I was very into this remake. It's a pretty quiet film (similar to Silent House), and it has a darkly comic feel to it. All the acting is great. Really good movie.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsRyo IshibashiEihi ShiinaTetsu SawakiA widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies is not who she appears to be after all.Team Asia! Top ten in the category of PSA's for being a single male.
- one of the most disturbed women I've ever seen.
- DirectorMary HarronStarsChristian BaleJustin TherouxJosh LucasA wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.It's dark and funny at the same time. The film probably should be a classic. Christian Bale is perfect, and the end of the film is pretty thought provoking.
- DirectorJames WongStarsDevon SawaAli LarterKerr SmithAfter getting a premonition about a plane crash on his school trip, Alex, a student saves a few of his classmates. However, their situation gets complicated when death starts chasing them.A great teen-horror popcorn film with a creative twist. It's a must see, if you're into those sort of films.
- DirectorDavid R. EllisStarsA.J. CookAli LarterTony ToddDeath is stalking Kimberly Corman and multiple survivors of a deadly highway accident.It's just a fun horror film, this time around, with less character depth and more splatter.
- DirectorJames WongStarsMary Elizabeth WinsteadRyan MerrimanKris LemcheWendy Christensen and a group of teens who escaped a fatal roller-coaster crash face a bloody date with Death.In this, the last good film in the Final Destination series, the story regains a bit of depth to the characters and subjects you to more creative kills.
My favorite part of this film (which, for me, makes it top the original) is the ambiguous ending. - DirectorJohn FawcettStarsEmily PerkinsKatharine IsabelleKris LemcheTwo death-obsessed sisters, outcasts in their suburban neighborhood, must deal with the tragic consequences when one of them is bitten by a deadly werewolf.
- bit of a sleeper hit, which I think spawned a couple of sequels and gave the actors more roles. It's a creative take on the werewolf tale.
- DirectorVictor SalvaStarsJonathan BreckRay WiseNicki AycoxSet a few days after the original, a championship basketball team's bus is attacked by The Creeper, the winged, flesh-eating terror, on the last day of his 23-day feeding frenzy.The first Jeepers Creepers film was alright. In the style of Cabin in the Woods, it calls attention to horror conventions, but I think the second film is much, much better, with much more interesting characters and scenes that kept me glued to the screen.
- DirectorBrett SullivanStarsEmily PerkinsBrendan FletcherKatharine IsabelleGinger's sister Brigitte, now a werewolf herself, must try to find a cure for her blood lust before the next full moon while hiding out in a rehab clinic from a relentless werewolf.This film expands a bit on the first, and I gotta say -- moody films. It's worth checking out, if you enjoyed the first. But, I don't recommend the third quite as much.