Although Halloween is over and spooky season is now behind us, there is never a bad time to watch a horror movie. Throughout October, I watched 20 scary movies from the classics to abstract. In this article, I will be sharing my 5 favorites. I will also be including my personal scare rating- 1 is not that scary and 5 is sleep with the lights on scary. To start, we’re going to Australia.
1. Talk To Me Scare Rating: 3
This Australian movie has had mixed critic reviews, but overall, I can say that I really enjoyed it. It centers around a teen girl, Mia (played by Sophie Wilde), who has recently lost her mom and turns to her best friend’s family for support. Mia joins other teens in a game that includes talking to ghosts and possessions. Throughout the movie, the audience sees how a creepy, adrenaline filled game turns dark very quickly. This is a pretty gory movie, and TW’s include self harm, blood, violence, and sexual implications. This movie definitely left me thinking for a long time, and I would suggest not watching the trailer beforehand. The whole cast does a spectacular job portraying their teen characters and I can’t wait for the sequel to come out!
2. Triangle Scare Rating: 2
Triangle is a slow burn that throws you for a loop- literally. The movie follows single mom Jess (played by Melissa George) as she goes on a boat trip with her friend. From the beginning, she is on edge and neither she nor the audience know why- there is just this overwhelming feeling of Deja-vu. We follow as she slowly learns more and more about her surroundings and things get increasingly more gory. If you like time travel slasher movies (such as Happy Death Day) this is perfect for you. Although there is not much of a hidden identity, there is a lot of confusion and suspense that leads to the big plot twist in the end. Even though this movie did leave me confused, it still is 100% worth the watch. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and once all the puzzle pieces fit together I had a “Ohhhh” moment. Be warned that although the movie itself isn’t THAT scary it is a slasher movie so be prepared for some violence and blood.
3. Midsommar Scare Rating: 4
This popular movie came out in 2019 and let me say, what a masterpiece. The cinematography is gorgeous and there is a lot of symbolism that makes everything so much more creepy. Plus I love the cast- Florence Pugh, Will Poulter and William Jackson Harper are some of my favorite actors and their performance in this movie is outstanding. Midsommar follows a woman named Dani (played by Florence Pugh) who recently lost her family. To mentally escape, she follows her boyfriend, Christian, and his friends to a “Midsommar” festival in Sweden. The audience watches as what at first seems like a quiet, warm community turns dark. This movie is a great psychological, religious mind trip and it does an amazing job of showing how people can be conditioned and manipulated to conformity. I always think the scariest movies are when the monsters aren’t beasts in your closet, but the people standing next to you. Midsommar makes you feel like you’re high off psychedelics- which according to the director was intentional. This is by far my favorite Ari Aster film and I can’t stop thinking about it. This is the most graphic movie on the list so make sure you are watching on an empty stomach, because some of the scenes can be disturbing. TW: Violence, drugs, blood, nudity, SA
4. Get Out Scare Rating: 3
This movie is not as gory as the others on this list, but it is the creepiest. The way the different shots were designed, and the talent of the actors makes this movie not only terrifying, but very realistic. Jordan Peele is a genius. Daniel Kaluuya’s performance in this movie is particularly out of this world, and I felt every single emotion his character did. Get Out follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya)- a Black man who is going to meet his White girlfriend’s family. From the very beginning, there is an awkward tension between the family and Chris, but as the movie continues, the unease becomes more and more frighting. This movie is very scary for many reasons, and it would be a disservice to not highlight how much the history of racism in America plays a key part in this movie. Get Out is a visual representation of the horror that is racism, and I was not prepared for how much this movie would affect me. TW: violence, racial content. Out of all of the movies on this list, this one is my personal favorite.
5. Braid Scare Rating: 3
This movie is a gory movie about friendship and imagination. Braid follows two young women- Petula (Imogen Waterhouse) and Tilda (Sarah Hay). Petula and Tilda are failed actors and turn to drug dealing as a way to make money. They come up with a plan to steal from their rich friend Daphne (Madeline Brewer). In order to get to Daphne, they need to play her game. Braid is not a slow burn, things go very quickly from weird to scary. The whole movie is twisted, and I love how you never quite know what’s going on. There is a big plot twist in the end as everything you thought you knew turns upside down, and it is a wonderful movie to get lost into. TW: Violence, sexual implications, drugs. This movie is a good commentary on the power of female friendship and make believe. It’s not as scary as the other movies but will leave definitely you unsettled.
This concludes my top 5 horror recommendations! These are all great movies to get you creeped out- no matter how high your scare tolerance is. They also all make you think for a while after the movie’s done. So grab some popcorn and your favorite blanket. It’s time to get spooked!