The meticulous set design and ominous score pull you in, making every creak of the floorboards feel like a heartbeat racing faster as you lean in closer to the screen. The attention to detail, from the haunting cinematography to the impeccable set design, adds another layer of authenticity to the chilling narrative. Fully immersed in the world of the film, anxiously anticipating each terrifying moment.
This is a horror movie after all, stop talking about the little girls and get to the scares!” Graciously, somewhat rude reader. It can be creepy, intermittently nightmarish, tense, gross, unsettling, and in its purest form, scary. This is the type of film that dares you not to hug yourself or laugh nervously in the hopes you deflect some iota of the sensation of primal fear.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
The Story And Direction
When young Regan starts acting odd — levitating, speaking in tongues — her worried mother seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. A local priest, however, thinks the girl may be seized by the devil. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert to help with the difficult job. William Friedkin’s direction in this film represents one of the highlights of his career. Available on – YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV
2. The Shining (1980)
The Storyline
A regular man who gradually devolves into insanity as an unhinged, violent killer.
Characters
The simple acting techniques, such as the famed Kubrick stare done brilliantly by Jack Nicholson, and the simple cut-to-scene to increase the intensity of the film. Available on – Amazon Prime, YouTube
3. Halloween (1978)
The Storyline
Carpenter’s direction is great with some inspired, efficient techniques. The image of Michael Myers’ white mask and knife is one of the most iconic horror images of all time.
The Characters
Jamie Lee Curtis was perfectly cast as the clever and good-natured Laurie Strode. Michael Myers is one of the most recognisable and terrifying figures. Available on – Jio Hotstar
4. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
The Storyline
Director Roman Polanski’s screenplay is just as meticulously mounted. Rosemary, as she gradually fears for herself and her unborn child. She comes to suspect her husband is in on a diabolical plot with the outwardly kind but dubious elderly neighbour couple.
The Characters
Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes are great as the couple. Ruth Gordon is highly suspenseful. Available on- Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV
5. Alien (40th Anniversary) (1979)
The Storyline
Ridley Scott’s finest films, with one of the best of the sci-fi genre. Alien takes place in outer space where a crew of 7 that are returning to Earth get an unknown signal from an unknown crashed ship on a planet known as LV-426.
The Characters
Sigourney Weaver’s performance is outstanding. John Hurt, Tom Skerritt and Harry Dean Stanton worked well together. Available on- YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV
6. Jaws(1975)
The Storyline
It is a harrowing horror film with eye-popping shock value and ominous suspense, a rousing action diversion, a gripping adventure, a captivating mystery, and a realistic human drama with really funny humour.
The Characters
All the cast members excel at their roles, especially with Brody, Quint, and Hooper in the third act, as they have enough similarities and iconic lines. Available on – JioHotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, YouTube
7. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The Storyline
The film is more like news, and a society breaking down and how humans deal with or ignore it. The film introduced true zombie horror to the world. Is it the zombies that scare us, or is it the survivors’ problem?
The Characters
The great actor Bill Hinzman, Mr.Hinzman, Judith O’Dea as Barbara, and Karl Harder as Harry. A couple of fun, suspenseful moments with some jump scares. Available on – Plex, Amazon Prime Video
8. Hereditary (2018)
The Storyline
HEREDITARY isn’t merely a horror film, and it’s also an emotionally brutal portrayal. Establishing the family, and when the emotional punches hit, when they are hard to shake off and disturbing, macabre, will keep you on the edge of your seat for a good while throughout the film.
The Characters
Toni Collette, Peter, played by rising star Alex Wolfe, Byrne, Dowd, and Shapiro have done brilliant performances. Available on – Netflix, Apple TV+
9. The Babadook (2014)
The Storyline
A very dark fairy tale constructed around a mother’s love for her son, and their attempt to overcome evil in the face of adversity.
The Characters
Essie Davis and Noel Wiseman, both of these fine actors, demonstrate their characters’ respective mental illnesses to disturbing perfection. Available on – Amazon Prime Video
10. Get Out (2017)
The Storyline
A young black American guy is on a trip to the country to meet his wealthy WASP girlfriend’s family on a celebration weekend. It surprisingly turns out to be a horror experience.
The Characters
Allison Williams, Caleb Landry Jones, Catherine Keener, and Bradley Whitford all deliver stellar performances. Available on – ZEE5 , Amazon Prime Video
11. It Follows (2014)
The Storyline
A normal teenage girl enters into a relationship with a stranger, and her life is turned upside down, while she is followed by a supernatural force.
The Characters
The young cast delivers convincing portrayals of characters grappling with fear. Maika Monroe (Jay), Jake Weary (Hugh), Keir Gilchrist (Paul) and Lili Sepe (Kelly). Available on – Netflix, Apple TV+
12. The Witch (2015)
The Storyline
The Witch film follows a Puritan family exiled from their community and forced to confront the dark forces lurking in the surrounding wilderness.
The Characters
Anya Taylor(Joy) delivers a standout performance. Kate Dickie plays the mother brilliantly, The father, played by Ralf Ineson. Available on- YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV
13. Midsommar (2019)
The Storyline
The journey of Dani and the amazingly realistic tactics the cult uses to initiate her into their society is impeccable, all while Dani is nearly completely unaware.
The Characters
Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor deliver a standout performance. Will Poulter as Mark, Will Sharpe as Christian contribute disturbing experiences. Available on – Lionsgate Play, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+
14. The Conjuring (2013)
The Storyline
It is an inspiration from a case file of famed demonologists and paranormal investigators, the Warrens, the husband and wife team, whose other journeys inspired films like paranormal investigators.
The Characters
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. They’re both world class actors and lovely Vera Farmiga looks so right in their 70s get up. Available on – Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV
15. Insidious (2010)
The Storyline
Josh and Renai move to a new house, seeking a fresh start. However, when their son, Dalton, mysteriously falls into a coma, followed by paranormal events that start occurring in the house.
The Characters
Patrick Wilson Rose Byrne, Angus Sampson, Lin Shaye, leaves you spooked until the very last moment. Available on – Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
16. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
The Storyline
A group of teenagers go to a cabin and end up entering a simulation run by people who don’t want to anger the gods.
The Characters
Lin Shaye as Elise Rainier, and Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne as the Lambert family hooked with supernatural events. Available on – SonyLiv, ZEE5, Amazon Prime Video
17. Sinister (2012)
The Storyline
A monster or a legend that abducts children who commits ghastly murders of their own family members.
The Characters
Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, and Fred Thompson are some skilled actors. Available on – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
18. Us (2019)
The Storyline
When the mom in the family was a little girl, she was trapped in a mirror at a Fun house at a carnival on the beach. This is why she didn’t want her son to go into the building at the beach. She swapped herself and the other girl.
The Characters
Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Anna Diop, Elisabeth Moss, and Tim Heidecker and led by the beautiful actress Lupita Nyong’o, performed well throughout the movie. Available on – JioHotstar, Amazon Prime Video, ZEE5
19. Smile 2022
The Storyline
There’s a curse from a supernatural entity that makes people see smiling things that lead to bad events, ending in death.it’s a modern horror movie, so there’s some nonsensical stuff that might make you laugh unintentionally.
The Characters
Sosie Bacon’s performance as Rose, Other actors like Kyle Gallner and Gillian Zinser also do a really good job. Available on – Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV
20. Talk to Me(2022)
The Storyline
The mysterious porcelain hand that allows you to communicate with ghosts and the film gives you almost zero reference to anything related to this hand with supernatural abilities.
The Characters
As low-key stole the show hand-in-hand with Sophie. And when we move away from the main support role to the rest of the cast, Zoe Terakes as Hayley rocked. Available on -Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV
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21. Barbarian (2022)
The Storyline
An incredibly strong inbred monster lady that lives in a labyrinth underground that “adopts” her victims her “Babies”. her dad was a man who kidnapped women and dragged them down to his labyrinth basement where he would rape them to make children with them.
The Characters
Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long, this cast added enthusiasm in the middle. Available on YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video
22. When Evil Lurks (2023)
The Storyline
In a small town, a stranger appears mutilated in the middle of a field belonging to a pair of brothers. Searching for a reason, they discover that he was a “cleaner” who was going to attend to the supposed possession of Uriel, a young man who shows grotesque marks of being under a demonic presence.
The Characters
Argentina, a pair of brothers, Ezequiel Rodriguez & Demian Salomon, Pedro, Sabrina, characters were smart & fast-thinking. Available on – Amazon Prime Video
23. I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
The Storyline
This movie uses those reference points as building blocks for obsession and loneliness. But it’s less about the homage than about how we respond to the flicker of life we see onscreen, and how we can recreate it when we choose to be isolated from others.
The Characters
Owen, Maddy, The Pink Opaque, Isabel and Tara show trans allegory, adding an even deeper layer to dive into about gender expression. Available on – Netflix, ZEE5, Amazon Prime Video
24. The Substance (2024)
The Storyline
Substance, a black market drug that purports to create an enhanced version of yourself. But this is not a magic spell. This is a satirical body horror movie, and violent, often painful, yet beautiful to watch.
The Characters
Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley & Dennis Quaid deliver astounding performances alongside an impeccable supporting cast like Cronenberg, Lynch, Kubrick, Oscar Wilde, Stephen King & Clive Barker. Available on – Amazon Prime Video
25. Sinners (2025)
The Storyline
Stack and Smoke (both played by Michael B. Jordan) who return to their Mississippi hometown in 1932 and unknowingly unleash something supernatural.
The Characters
The supporting cast, including Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, and Delroy Lindo, contribute significantly to the film’s emotional resonance. Notably, Miles Caton’s portrayal of Sammie, the twins’ cousin and an aspiring musician, stands out. Available on – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Written by Nilesh Shiv