Whether we like to admit it or not, there’s nothing like a good scare done right. Though we have the opportunity to binge-watch horror movies at our leisure, there’s nothing more satisfying than watching terrifying films when the season is just right.
With many good horror movies coming out this year, such as The Nun II and Scream VI, there’s quite a lot to choose from. However, if you’re not a fan of horror, but would like to try some out, or if you’re just someone who isn’t interested in watching anything new (yes, we see you), then here are five horror films that you might want to rewatch in time for Halloween.
Get Out
When looking for old movies, one of the many factors that keeps it in the minds of people years after its release is its cult following, where a group of fans will constantly sing its praises and try to bring it up at every opportunity. Get Out is one of those films that, despite its relatively new release date, has been critically acclaimed the world over and has cemented famous actor and comedian Jordan Peele’s status as an amazing and creative horror director.
Get Out has strong themes about racism that Peele drew inspiration from in another classic film, Night of the Living Dead. However, even without the racial commentary, it’s still a well-crafted psychological horror film that will send you through the ringer – with a great twist and bloody kills.
Hereditary
Similar to Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Hereditary is Ari Aster’s feature-length directorial debut. And though Aster has moved on and made more films, we are still in shock at this supernatural horror. The plot follows Annie Graham and her family in the wake of her mother’s death. At the funeral, Annie is surprised to see numerous strangers in attendance; little did she know her family had become the target of a demonic possession.
But before its devastating conclusion, we have to go through the family’s collective grief and anguish, which make the buildup to the scares all the more terrifying. After all, you need to be broken down in order to be rebuilt.
The Mist
One of the more soul-crushing films on this list, The Mist is a film adaptation of Stephen King’s novella of the same name. The movie begins with the titular and unnatural mist rolling into the town of Brigton one morning, bringing with it a hoard of monsters. The townsfolk who manage to survive the initial attack board themselves up in a local supermarket, where the majority of the film’s plot takes place and focuses.
The film is incredibly dark, as it poses the question, “What is more terrifying: the monster or humans?” as people devolve to their baser instincts in the name of survival. What was more horrifying was the ending, a conclusion so bleak that it left Stephen King himself speechless. Even though this film was released in 2007, no other horror film has surpassed The Mist’s infamous climax.
Don’t Breathe
A good story has good guys and bad guys; a great story has neutral characters that you just can’t pick sides with. Don’t Breathe takes that idea and turns it into its core concept. The film follows three delinquents who break into houses for quick cash. They receive a tip of an army veteran loaded with cash after winning a settlement case. Soon, they also discover that the retired soldier is blind, and they immediately plan the break-in. What could have been an easy hit spirals into a tense struggle for survival as the delinquents make their desperate escape.
Without giving too much away, no one in this film is likeable, as they are all evil in their own ways, letting the audience decide who is the lesser evil among them all. This gives way to multiple viewpoints and a wide cast of characters being somewhat sympathetic, though you might get judged for picking the army veteran for obvious reasons after watching the film.
The Silence Of The Lambs
Now this is a no-brainer. We can’t talk about old horror films without mentioning one of the most terrifying ones out there. The Silence of the Lambs, a cult classic horror thriller, has been the benchmark for most psychological horror films in the last three decades. Despite the fact that Officer Starling is the main protagonist, we are swayed by cannibalistic doctor Hannibal Lector’s wit and charm. It’s this charisma that made audiences more engrossed in the character, which is why the film has received multiple sequels, prequels, and even a TV series that we might add to the binge list after rewatching this gem.
Source: IMDb [1], [2], [3], Flickr, Store norske leksikon
