I am an avid fan of horror movies. I love all kinds: slashers, supernatural themed movies, thrillers, psychological horrors, even comedy horrors- they all manage to captivate my attention. In honor of Halloween being this weekend, (in no particular order) here are my ten favorite horror movies.
- Midsommar
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Directed by Ari Aster, Midsommar tells the story of a group of Americans that embark on a trip to Sweden with their native friend to see a Swedish festival that occurs once every 90 years. Upon arriving to Sweden, they participate in festivities- until they are slowly killed off to be sacrifices of a cult. Florence Pugh delivers an outstanding performance in Midsommar, starring as Dani, a girl dealing with a recent trauma and an emotionally abusive relationship.
- the invisible man (2020)
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The Invisible Man is a terrifying movie due to the premise of the villain; the villain is not a traditional monster, but he is simply a rich man wishing to reign terror upon his ex-girlfriend that escaped his abusive relationship using technology that does not seem too far off from what we have access to today. Elizabeth Moss gives her best performance yet, starring as Cecilia Kass. There are so many stunning twists and turns that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the credits roll.
- the rocky horror picture show
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Okay, I know, it’s not an actual “horror” movie, but The Rocky Horror Picture Show definitely deserves a spot on the list. This movie-musical starring Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon is about a virgin couple who flees to the Frankenstein Castle after their car breaks down where a myriad of debaucherous acts soon ensue. The 1975 cult classic is played in movie theatres every year around Halloween to this day.
- candyman (1992)
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With its new remake recently being released, Candyman is once again being remembered as a popular horror movie. Candyman follows the story of a criminology student named Helen Lyle as she attempts to write her thesis on the urban legend called Candyman. Legend has it if you say his name five times, he appears and murders you on the spot. After saying his name five times, Helen finds herself in a downward spiral due to this supernatural being and murder.
- jennifer’s body
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Originally marketed towards the male gaze, Jennifer’s Body is anything but an excuse for women to be sexualized without question. The story follows unpopular high schooler Needy, who is best friends with the most popular girl in school, Jennifer. After Jennifer experiences a sudden change within herself, she begins to kill and eat boys from school. As Needy figures out what’s going on with her best friend, she decides that she must put an end to Jennifer’s reign of terror.
- se7en
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This movie may be more of a murder mystery or thriller rather than a horror movie, but the gory displays of murder victims will give you chills. The film follows two detectives who are investigating a series of murders based off of the Seven Deadly Sins. As if the violent crimes they must observe and investigate are not enough, the killer soon makes things personal for the detectives.
- it (2017)
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Stephen King’s IT was also a remake. The original, released in the 1970s, starred Tim Curry as Pennywise the Clown. This reboot tells the story of The Loser Club, a group of young teenagers in Derry that are plagued by the curse of Pennywise. The Loser Club must kill Pennywise so he may no longer brutally murder children in the town of Derry.
- The devil’s rejects
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The Devil’s Rejects is the sequel to Rob Zombie’s debut film House of 1,000 Corpses. The Devil’s Rejects picks up where the original movie left off, with the Firefly family escaping from police as their house is raided on suspicion of torturing and murdering hundreds of people. Otis, Baby, and Captain Spaulding escape the police raid and carry their homicidal actions elsewhere.
- zombieland
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Once again, this is maybe not exactly classified as a horror movie, but there is no doubt that the zombies look at least a little terrifying. Zombieland is a comedy horror about four people surviving the zombie apocalypse. The first time I watched it, I remember both laughing throughout the film while also jumping a little bit during jump-scares. It’s a great mix of comedy and horror, especially for those who may not enjoy horror movies at all.
- censor
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Censor is about a girl named Enid who works on a board of people that censor movies and television for public consumption. Enid suffered the tragedy of losing her sister when she was a child. As her sister was never found, Enid never gave up hope; however, in a trail of clues that she thinks will lead to finding her sister, Enid finds herself losing all sanity in the hunt for the long-lost sibling.