Here's A List Of Movies To Enjoy This October That Don't The Typical Halloween Line-Up.
If anybody knows me, they know that I live to watch a movie that's going to (possibly) raise the hairs on my arms. Since I was a kid, I've enjoyed watching movies that either question my sanity or make me ask myself: "What were you thinking watching that movie at this time of night".
But of course, over time, you kind of just get desensitized to the cheap thrills, bogus jump scares, and really live for some continuation and backstory. I enjoy watching scary movies that walk a fine line of "oh I've heard of that before" and forcing watchers to use the darkest sides of their imagination. Horror movies aren't what they used to be - no one can deny that - but there are still good movies to watch if you're looking to feel the fear this Halloween season. I've decided to put together a pretty solid list of movies for even entry-level horror movie watchers. Recently I've been introducing horror movies to close friends who have been totally against the idea (cough-cough: Chelsea). The following list goes from true or based on true documentaries to some of Hollywood's most timeless classic. Enjoy this list and see how many of these movies you can get through this October! The list is broken down into What's Real or Not, Cheap Thrills, Creep Factor to the Max, and Recovery Mode. What's Real or Not: Documentaries & Found-Footage Movies
Aside from the bills we pay, the jobs we work, and the priorities we have, we have to settle in with the idea that crazy, other-wordly things are brooding around us. People are being possessed, spirits walk among us, and the queen may quite possibly be a Reptilian alien. For this section of our list, we dive into documentaries that teach us, and how documentary-styled movies made their way in - and out - out Hollywood.
1. The Possession of Janet Moses
SCARE FACTOR: 0/10
PLOT: 3/10 CLASSIFICATION: Entry-level
Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses is a good entry-level documentary to watch that explores the true story of Janet Moses, a 22-year-old native woman whose family's persistence in exorcizing a demon goes wrong. The events gained national attention in New Zealand, and came to be known as The Wainuiomata exorcism.
2. The Last Exorcism
SCARE FACTOR: 3/10
PLOT: 4/10 CLASSIFICATION: Novice
OK, so exorcisms are fake, right? If exorcisms were real, wouldn't we hear more about them? That's absolutely true, and the basis of what takes place in director Daniel Stamm's The Last Exorcism. This documentary-style gives us a shot of what happens when you play with what may just possibly be real. This movie got a lot of mixed reviews, but I enjoyed it for the fact that many of the elements in this movie, including names of spirits and demons are real. Whoa. Check out 15 Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Last Exorcism.
3. Extraordinary: The Stan Romanek Story
SCARE FACTOR: 2/10
PLOT: 5/10 CLASSIFICATION: Novice
Stan Romanek's story has traveled a long way. I first heard about it in another documentary and was very interested in seeing it in a stand-alone doc. Extraordinary follows Romanek's experiences first-hand from 2000 to about 2008 of him being abducted, watched, contacted, and recording very docile alien encounters. At one point, Romanek expresses his concern that there may be alien-human hybrids that may actually be his children. With first-hand recordings and footage, the documentary gives a lot to what we know about UFOs, aliens, and encounters of the third and fourth kind...if you believe in all that.
4. The Fourth Kind
SCARE FACTOR: 7/10
PLOT: 8/10 CLASSIFICATION: Hair-Raiser
The Fourth Kind is one of the best, and underrated, found footage/documentary-style blends to ever be made. Based on the true story that took place in Nome, Alaska, Dr. Abigail Tyler is a therapist treating patience who suffer from night terrors. Much like Romanek's story, Tyler is being sought after by aliens and finds a connection between the death of her husband and strange events taking place in Nome.
5. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones
SCARE FACTOR: 3/10
PLOT: 7/10 CLASSIFICATION: Uncomfortable
The Paranormal Activity franchise gets a bad wrap sometimes. Some people think it's cheesy, some people think it's drawn-out. Me? I think that it made good money off the box office, and if there was any title worth adding to this list, it would be The Marked Ones because this is by far the funniest one that adds really good elements to the overall backstory of the franchise.
6. The Houses October Built
SCARE FACTOR: 5/10
PLOT: 6/10 CLASSIFICATION: Uncomfortable
Another movie that plays with the docu-style found-footage movie idea, The Houses October Built sets the movie up well with some metafiction and then drops in the plot of a team of videographers looking to document the Halloween horror houses of backwoods Louisiana. The idea that these kinds of attractions are growing in popularity is what makes this movie just perfect.
Cheap Thrills, Jumps, & Fears
OK, so you've graduated from the documentary-style movies and are ready to dance with the suspension of disbelief. You want to tell people you really do like and watch scary movies. OK, let's get you up to speed with titles that provide good thrills, jump scares, while magnifying some small fears of ours.
For this section, I'll give you what cheap thrill is included in the movie to give you an idea of how interesting it may be for you. 7. Would You Rather?
GENERAL FEAR: "It's Either Me Or You"
SCARE FACTOR: 3/10 PLOT: 6/10 CHEAP THRILL: Gore Porn/Torture Porn
This is one of the few gore porn movies that would ever make any list of mine. Why? Because choosing to bring harm to others or have harm done to you is something no one with morals wishes to ever have to do. Also, the movie poster alone lets you know this movie means business.
GENERAL FEAR: Adoption-Fear
The Orphan is always the movie people talk about when it comes to adoption. But Before I Wake and Case 39 are two movies that take adoption-fear to another level by adding in: "Yo, my child has something spiritually wrong! Well, in Case 39, it's pretty bad!
10. It Follows (2014)
GENERAL FEAR: Sexual Promiscuity, STDs
SCARE FACTOR: 6/10 PLOT: 7.5/10 CHEAP THRILL: The Walking Killer Trope
A sexually transmitted demon. Whew.
11. Don't Breathe (2017)
GENERAL FEAR: ???
SCARE FACTOR: 4/10 PLOT: 5/10 CHEAP THRILL: Jump Scares, Long Pauses For Suspense, Silence for Suspense
This movie has a lot going on, and by the end of watching this movie you will probably force yourself to recap whether or not you just saw one movie, or two movies.
12. Devil (2010)
GENERAL FEAR: Being Stuck In Elevators
SCARE FACTOR: 7.5/10 PLOT: 8/10 CHEAP THRILL: Anticipation and Suspense, Murder Mystery Trope
M. Knight Shymalan is not everyone's favorite director, but I'll tell you this: he's one of mine. 2010's Devil was yet another movie that got mixed reviews, but the one thing everyone could agree on is this: this would be a terrifying experience, and secondly, this movie's plot twist is pretty well-played. From every angle, this is a pretty good movie that brought Shymalan back to prominence that has a good lead up to his 2017 release of Split.
13. Insidious (2011)
GENERAL FEAR: Being Stuck In Elevators
SCARE FACTOR: 5.5/10 PLOT: 7.5/10 CHEAP THRILL: Strange Sounds, Jump Scares
The lead up to Insidious made it the perfect thriller and a new name in contemporary horror. While the franchise has since done a disservice to this movie and plot, we can at least say that your first time watching the first entry is usually one that is filled with the type of cheap scares, suspense, and weird violin sound effects that unfortunately have us all running back to the theatres.
P.S.: On second watch, this movie is fucking trash. ARE YOU READY FOR THE CREEP FACTOR?
This is the part where I give you the real.
14. Sinister (2012)
SCARE FACTOR: 8.75/10
PLOT: 8/10 CLASSIFICATION: Hair-Raiser SCARIEST ELEMENT: The Music
Once upon a time, I was so terrified of Sinister, that was before the franchise released the pointless sequel.
15. The Possession (2012)
16. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
SCARE FACTOR: 9/10
PLOT: 8/10 CLASSIFICATION: Purely Terrifying SCARIEST ELEMENT: Yo, How Many Demons Are In this Film?
The Conjuring franchise has survived a few sequels, prequels, and sequel prequels, which is good for a film of this kind and for being based on a true story. The Conjuring 2, however, probably sits as one of the scariest movie in the franchise and one of the most disturbing movies we've seen in a while. The scariest characters and elements of this film stay as persistent which makes all the problems that much more believable.
17. Evil Dead (2013)
SCARE FACTOR: 10/10
PLOT: 9/10 CLASSIFICATION: Purely Terrifying SCARIEST ELEMENT: Evil is Pretty Much Evil...As Fuck
Very few remakes are good. Very few remakes are remade by the original directors and/or producers. 2013's Evil Dead is both. This entry is the part of the list where you're either going to be able to continue going on, or stop here. Evil Dead's remake is miles away from the light-hearted, animatronic-filled 80's counterpart. In fact, there are parts of this movie where I actually shouted out, "Oh my goodness, stop" only to have to remind myself that contact with evil really probably has no chill. There are scenes that will have you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, and wincing your face. This movie goes there - all the way - and that is one of the reasons why people don't talk about it as often. Because most modern-day horror movie lovers don't want movies that go all the way.
18. The Witch (2015)
SCARE FACTOR: 5/10
PLOT: 8/10 CLASSIFICATION: Hair-Raiser SCARIEST ELEMENT: Sudden, Unpredictable Events With No Jumpscares, No Music
Speaking of "taking it there", 2015's The Witch had to make this list! If you can get past the Old English, this movie takes themes and elements from Arthur Miller's The Crucible and goes where other movies dare not go. From eerie silence, to good cinematography, a black goat named Black Phillip, and the death of a toddler, this movie will make you so uncomfortable you'll wonder what the hell you just watched.
19. The Visit (2016)
SCARE FACTOR: 9/10
PLOT: 10/10 CLASSIFICATION: Purely Terrifying SCARIEST ELEMENT: A Family Members Uncharacteristic Behavior, Plot Twist
Ain't no party like a BlumHouse Party! The Visit is M. Knight Shymalan's second title on this list, and while this movie didn't blow up and gain wide popularity, it's a secret gem that blends found-footage cinematography with the gentle, innocence of the elderly interacting with teenagers. Awww, how is this movie possibly even terrifying?
20. Hereditary (2018)
SCARE FACTOR: 10/10
PLOT: 10/10 CLASSIFICATION: ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING SCARIEST ELEMENT: See the Gif Above, That Moment
The battle of the scariest horror film of 2018 came down to two film's, the summer's Hereditary and The Nun, which was released September 7th. Because of the hard flop that was The Nun, Hereditary takes the crown easily. I won't give any spoilers, but one of the most important things to note in this film is that the acting is absolutely incredible. When giving my honest review of this movie, I realized that there was a true element of terror that wasn't shown in action, jump scares, or suspense, but in the body language, facial reactions, and the acting of the characters. The studio put out a PSA to remind people not to make the infamous clucking sound that is now associated with this film. It will make you flinch.
Recovery Mode Movies21. Upgrade (2018)
Not quite Venom, but Tom Hardy having a voice in his head, and being able to do more than a normal person. Why is this movie on this list?
22. Event Horizon (1997)
Scary shit in space makes space scarier.
23. Poltergeist (1982)
Look a new neighborhood. We made way for this neighborhood courtesy of --- yo, are those real dead bodies?
24. The Faculty (1997)
There are so many lessons in this movie: don't flirt with your teacher; teachers aren't always right; and sometimes you have to do drugs.
25. The Shining (1980)
Red Room!
The Grand Finale
My final entries in this list are 6 movies have had a major impact on the horror movie industry, pop culture, and are movies that I don't feel like get enough credit for their elements of fear, and the level of discomfort they have on viewers. Some of these are widely popular, some of them people have never heard of, and others are scary enough to have made people walk away from horror movies altogether. You tell me what you think.
26. The Exorcist (1973)
Why Was It Scary: An Unmatched Depiction of Demonic Possession
Why Is It Legendary: Special Effects, Historic Release, Ensuing Situations, Cinematic Curse Scare Factor: 10/10
The Exorcist is quite possibly the movie that changed how people viewed horror movies. Prior to 1973's The Exorcist, scary movies took one small element of our lives and created a "what if" factor that usually made commentary on technology, our industrialization, leisure life, and life in America altogether. We still saw this even in 1980's Poltergeist. This movie, however, plants us in one place, with one problem, that seemingly has no positive end in site: demonic possession. You don't have to have been a teenager in the 70s to have seen and known how eerie this movie was. In fact, this movie is the reason I don't like eating green peas - small contribution to my life, but it's made it mark. From the box office notoriety, to the subsequent "curse" that plagued the actors and actresses, this movie is as legendary in the genre as they come.
27. The Serpent and The Rainbow (1990)
Why Was It Scary: Because The Events Took Place In Real Life
Why Is It Legendary: Studios Sought Out To Tell A Story About A Very Little Known Culture and Religious Practice Scare Factor: 10/10
Wes Craven is that guy. He is to the horror movie genre what, say Steve Jobs, is to modern personal technology. 1990's Serpent and The Rainbow is based on a true story, and places us in the streets of Haiti during a time of 80's political unrest. It is the movie that will teach you and show you, really with no holding back, about the truths and fears that Western medicine and religions have about voodoo. This movie was terrifying to me as a kid because I was traveling to and from Haiti every summer, and is also the first time we see what it is like to be buried alive! Part of what makes this movie so fucking scary is that it's based on a true story. This list wouldn't be complete without a Wes Craven entry.
28. Candyman (1993)
Why Was It Scary: Candyman! Candyman! Cand---
Why Is It Legendary: Candyman! Candyman! Candy---- Scare Factor: 9/10
A lot of movies from the 80s and 90s were about revenge. Angry spirits from the past were coming back to right the wrongs of their abusers, or their offspring. This made for really good movies like Wes Craven's Nightmare on Elm Street. 1993's Candyman is terrifying to us all because it shows the uncomfortable revenge story of a slave who was not only wrongfully accused but killed and who returns on call. In addition to that, there are visuals (see above) in this movie that will make your skin crawl.
29. It (1990) & It (2017)
Why Was It Scary: A Clown Who Feeds On the Fears Of Children
Why Is It Legendary: Originally a novel, then a two-night TV special, then a box office smash 23 years later Scare Factor: 10/10
It is a timeless classic and an essential part of any and all horror movie lists. Stephen King is the Father and King of horror because his long line of horror novels can always be adapted into films that are always a good time. 1990's It played on people's fears of clowns and amplified it. There is at least two generations of kids who saw this movie as kids who only grew more afraid of clowns. Now, 2017's reboot and upcoming Act II get to play more on that fear for newer generations. Peter Sarsgaard's Pennywise is darker, newer and modern CGI allows for the movie to go further into what the book describes. A classic, an innovative title, and a good coming-of-age story, too.
30. Tales From The Hood
Why Was It Scary: Anthology-Style Movie That Includes Lore From Multiple Angles
Why Is It Legendary: 'Cause For Once A Horror Movie Didn't Include White Teens Trying To Get A Nut By A Lake Scare Factor: 10/10
Speaking transparently, not a lot of Black people like horror movies. I can't really say why, and maybe it's because of representation. There aren't a lot of movies that feature Black people or people of color managing their way through terrifying experiences with demons, ghosts, and the whatever else out there is scary. But to that same notion, Hollywood hasn't made a lot of attempts at it. Most Black people know of a few names in horror: one of them is 2001's Bones and the other is 1995's Tales From the Hood. This anthology movie includes storytelling, folklore, pop culture, and elements that are part of superstition and fear for damn near any Black person you know. This movie deserves the attention, the respect, and I've recently read that Jordan Peele has been asked to reboot this movie.
31. Get Out (2017)
Why Was It Scary: Because Racism is Real!
Why Is It Legendary: Jordan Peele's Directorial Debut, Elements That Stuck With Audiences, and Because Childish Gambino's "Redbone" played in the opening scene. Scare Factor: 10/10
Comedian Jordan Peele's directorial debut in 2017's Get Out is nothing short of inspiring and terrifying altogether. The movie is only a year old and has inserted itself into modern-day pop culture, and is actually ranked as the #1 horror movie of all-time by Rotten Tomatoes. Why though? The movie has no spirits, no demons, no monsters, no revenge acts, no horror movie tropes so how is it scary? Well, think of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. The psychological thriller is the best type of fear, a movie that pulls in viewers to project and apply their own fears and, in Trump's America, every element of this movie was both relevant and plays on the fears and discomforts that Black people and people of color (...but, you know, moreso Black people) put aside everyday.
That is the comprehensive list there, folks, and I hope you all enjoy this Halloween season and the chance to enjoy new films, or revisit some films with a new lens. I'd be interested in reading reactions to this list.
It's important to say: this list is not in any order other than the groupings they've been placed in for the enjoyment of newcomers to the Horror movie genre. Likewise, if there are any movies I might have missed or if you have feedback about plots and scare factors, I'd love to read about it, so make sure to leave comments below. Share this post on social media to see what your followers think and let's see if we can get a 31 Scariest Horror Movies list going.
1 Comment
Chelsea McCleod
10/8/2018 04:11:57 pm
I’ve only seen 4 of these movies but this list is scary af!!!!
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