As someone who adores horror films, I’m always excited to see what new scary movies will be released each year. But waiting for such movies to come out may take months, and we don’t have that kind of time, do we? So we watch previously-released horror movies to pass the time before a new scary movie premieres, while simultaneously satisfying our urge to be deathly terrified.
After years of watching horror films, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favourites – which is a lot. From demonic possession to outright gore, here’s just a brief selection of my favourite scary movies to binge on:
The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case
It’s easy to say that The Conjuring Trilogy is a godsend for horror fans, and the fact that the majority of the films are based on true events makes them even better. The series took off and has established its own universe for fans to delve into: from The Nun to their most recent release, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. While there have been over eight movies released so far (with more to come that we are all very eager for), my absolute favourite Conjuring film – and the scariest of them all – is The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case.
Because it is based on a true story, the premise is already frightening. However, the entity that stalks this family is the most terrifying demon in The Conjuring franchise.
Satan’s Slaves
Asian horror films hold a particularly dear place in my heart, and the fact that they are set in our neighbourhood makes them that much scarier. Satan’s Slaves is one of the scariest Indonesian films I’ve seen, and it frightened me so deeply that I couldn’t sleep for two nights. The plot revolves around an impoverished family with an ailing mother who subsequently dies. Her death quickly reveals a horrible vow that would eventually torment the whole family.
The demon in this film is as scary as the one in the last recommendation. Imagine attempting to hide as it stalks your hallway in its white robe and long, black hair – I don’t even think I could run.
Shutter
For those with disposable cameras, you might want to sit this one out. Shutter spawned many adaptations following its success. But, of course, the original Shutter was not only scarier, but darker as well. Shutter is a Thai horror film about a photographer and his girlfriend who accidently drive over a girl and flee the scene. However, the tragedy escalates as the photographer soon discovers odd shadows in his photographs that torment him.
Shutter is unquestionably one of the best horror films on my list. It’s story-driven rather than relying solely on haunting and terrifying components, and it delivers a plot twist really brilliantly.
The Medium
I contemplated so many times whether I wanted to watch this film or not – but I finally gave in and let’s just say it was my second time of having trouble sleeping. I’m not one to watch found footage films, as I find them headache-inducing – but The Medium surprised me with the scariest representation of a possession narrative. The movie follows a film crew as they investigate the world of shamans in Thailand. They are later introduced to a shaman, who leads them deeper into their family, where they soon discover that their niece is being possessed by a malicious spirit.
Personally, I find The Medium to be one of the best and scariest found footage horror films – besides Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum – with its on point pacing and horror elements.
Apostle
If you’re into cults, then you’d feel right at home with this one. While most rave about Midsommar being the most mind-f**k cult movies of all time, I’d argue that they haven’t watched Apostle. Every bone in my body trembled at the gore components depicted in this film, and that doesn’t even take into account the awful cult rituals. The plot revolves around a Prodigal Son who returns home only to learn that his sister is being kept hostage by a religious cult. As he infiltrates the community, he uncovers corruption and a hidden truth far more horrible than he could have imagined.
It’s one of the most heinous and gory cult films I’ve ever seen, and I don’t think any other cult film could ever beat it.
Evil Dead
In the spirit of gore, I present Evil Dead, the goriest, scariest, and most vile film on our list. You’ll need an empty stomach to see this movie all the way through – and forget about popcorn, since you won’t be able to eat it while watching it. Like Shutter, Evil Dead has had several remakes, but my personal favourite is the 2013 edition. The plot revolves around a group of friends who decide to spend their weekend at an isolated cabin in the midst of the woods. When one of them unintentionally summons a malevolent demon after uncovering a book in the basement, they must fight to resist its nefarious schemes.
Some sequences in Evil Dead are so revolting and distressing that I had to take a break and leave. However, due to the gore in this film, it made my list of the scariest movies to watch.
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