As we dive into this spine chilling season, the classic horror movies that make our heartbeats race are coming back to haunt us. With most of these movies being made for the Halloween season, here are some unorthodox films that will surely have you cringing, frightened, and prepared for the terrors that come with this season.
- Black Swan (2010)
The mind-boggling thriller takes away the elegance from ballet and creates a dark and sensual tale of two women struggling to be front and center in Tchaikovsky’s classic production of Swan Lake. Natalie Portman’s exquisite performance as Nina, a tortured ballerina striving for the role of Black Swan, won her first Academy Award. Mila Kunis stars opposite, as Portman’s rival, who’s a better fit for the lead. This film is filled with graphic twists and turns that will leave you disturbed in the best possible way. (Available to stream on Hulu)
- Prisoners (2013)
Every parent’s worst fear is losing their child. In this gripping mystery, Hugh Jackman plays an intense father that goes to extreme lengths to find his daughter and her friend after they are abducted on Thanksgiving. Jake Gyllenhaal acts as the lead detective on the case who does his best to find the girls. With an all-star cast, Prisoners is a slow burn narrative that acts as a giant puzzle with the pieces gathered throughout the film. The final product is so bizarre that it makes the almost two and half hour runtime worth it. (Available to stream on Hulu)
- Green Room (2015)
When I first watched this movie, I knew absolutely nothing about it. That made the shock value even more unbelievable. This hidden gem delivers on the violence, blood, and gore that give classic horror movies a run for its money. The film follows a punk band that finds themselves in a more than awkward situation when they realize their venue is run by Neo-Nazis. After witnessing a murder, the band is trapped in a room and must kill to escape. Starring the late actor Anton Yelchin, Green Room will undoubtedly leave you with chills. (Available to stream on Hulu)
- The Lovely Bones (2009)
Describing this film as just a “drama” severely undermines the anxiety that it put me through while watching. Half of the movie is set in a beautiful and peaceful world of Susie Salmon (played by a very young Saoirse Ronan) finding peace after being murdered. The other half follows the murderer (played by Stanley Tucci) trying to cover his tracks while Susie’s family and police search for their unknown killer. Along with being heartbreaking, The Lovely Bones has a certain uneasiness in its scenes that have you on the edge of your seat and yelling at the screen for most of the film. (Available to stream on Netflix)
- Shiva Baby (2021)
Nothing is scarier than a family gathering. This film is technically labeled as a comedy but the series of events that Rachel Sennott’s character, Danielle, has to go through shows that anything that could go wrong will go wrong. While attending a shiva (a mourning period in Judaism for relatives) Danielle is faced with confronting her parents about her future, her successful ex-girlfriend, her sugar daddy, and many other characters. Shiva Baby is full of tension, stress, and anxiety inducing moments that classify it as its own Gen Z horror movie. (Available to stream on HBO Max)