Halloween is nearly here! making it the perfect time to talk about horror films, but of course watch them! After doing some research from both the internet and people's opinion, I have managed to put together a mixed list of the most spine-chilling, seat-jumping, blood-thirsty and brain-eating horror films. Enjoy! Note: This list is not in order. Or is it? Mwahahaha...
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMitSKT-u_k
Plot: An every day average joe named Shaun (Simon Pegg) decides to turn his boring life around. His plan is to win his ex-girlfriend back and restore his relationship with his mother, while dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living. Accompanying him on this journey is hilarious best mate Ed (Nick Frost) and a few others, including his ex-girlfriend. Together they decide to take refuge in the local pub.
Why you should watch this: Nick Frost and Simon Pegg are a great duo, as they bring you continuous laughs through out the entire film. Even though it's a comedy, it still has all the conventions of a horror, including some gruesome deaths and some rather unusual, yet gory zombie killing methods!
#3 The Hills Have Eyes - 2006
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O76m3kpgPTQ
Plot: A perfect american family are on their summer vacation, however they unexpectedly become stranded in a dessert and get stalked by a group of psychotic freaks who live there.
Why you should watch this: Well if your looking for a film that will make you look away because the gruesomeness is just too much, then this is definitely it. This is the kind of film where the characters get killed off one by one and trust me the murders and the weird people who commit them are seriously disturbing. So if you enjoy this one, definitely check out the sequel. Because it's even more gross!
#4 Rec - 2007
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGJ_jPKOj1c
Plot: A television reporter and a camera man follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside, with no way of getting out. They soon realize they're trapped inside with something terrifying which carries an unknown disease, having the potential to infect them all.
Why you should watch this: This is certainly one of the best horrors I have ever seen, the fact that it's shot using a hand held camera adds to the scariness, because you feel like your in there with them. It is a super creepy film; the infected people are strangely realistic, which makes it worse. A great film to watch in complete darkness with your mates!
#5 - Scary Movie Collection - 2000-2006
Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dktIVAfjzY
Plot: Scary movie is a American comedy film series, which mainly specialize in parodying horror films such as Saw, The Grudge, Sixth Sense, ect. Therefore the film mainly re-reenact scenes from selected film, but in their own comedic way.
Why you should watch this: Although these films won't make your stomach turn like other horror films will, but instead there make you laugh, due to the dark humor through out. However the humor is not for everyone as some jokes are rather crude. Personally my favorites, which I think are the funniest are number 2 and 3 However you might think differently. I really wouldn't bother watching number 5, purely because it was rubbish!
#6 - Evil Dead - 2013
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clEXNgH6Oj8
Plot: In the fourth installment of the Evil Dead franchise, a group of five young-adult friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a book of the dead, leads them to unwittingly summon demons living in the near by woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival.
Why you should watch this: Even though this film isn't amazingly terrifying as what you might think it is. Instead it is impressively intense and gory. The blood is plentiful and your probably be putting your hands over your eyes to avoid seeing the murderous chaos happening on screen!
#7 - Mirrors - 2008
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O92QxxgeCO8
Plot: An ex alcoholic, police officer gets hired to work the night watch for a old department store which was destroyed in a fire many years ago. On his very first shift, he notices the mirrors are impeccably clean and begins to become obsessed. It's not long before he realizes that him and his family are being targeted by an evil force that are using mirrors as a gateway into their life.
Why you should watch this: This is more of a supernatural horror, making it slightly different to the others, especially as it has an unexpected twist which I'll let you find out for yourself! It has some chilling concepts and some vivid imagery that overall makes it a rather scary experience. As for the gore fans, there's definitely some scenes that will meet your expectations!
#8 - The Saw Series - 2004 - 2009
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKPy5RWuqNA
Plot: The franchise revolves around the well known character Jigsaw. He was introduced briefly in the first film and was developed in more details in the following films. Rather than killing his victims outright, Jigsaw prefers to trap them in situations that he calls tests or games. to test their will to live through physical or psychological torture.
Why you should watch this: If your a fan o Hostel of just torture films in general, then your love this because it's full of it! With out putting you off, although all the films are fairly similar, it doesn't really matter, because what makes this good are the extremely twisted and imaginative traps, which are featured through out the entire collection. Not for the faint hearted!
#9 - Final Destination 5 - 2011
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvioZFVD98A
Plot: After a shock suspension-bridge collapse, many people were tragically killed. However not everyone who was suppose to die, did.. A group of supposedly lucky survivors soon realize that they can not cheat death as one by one they begin to be picked off in the most uncanny and horrific way.
Why you should watch this: Personally I found this film utterly terrifying, you may not feel the same but I can assure you that you will be watching your back and become seriously paranoid for the next several days. The film has a few added twists that really heighten the tension and the deaths are all gruesomely freaky 'accidents' which make you believe that it could actually happen. Finally, if you get the chance to watch it in 3D, do it!
#10 - The Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning - 2006
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gYGzJDt8HQ
Plot: On one last road trip before they're sent to serve in Vietnam, two brothers and their girlfriends get into a car accident. Their situation becomes worse when they get picked up by the local sheriff and took to a remote household where a young deformed cannibal chainsaw-wielding killer is being nurtured by his family of equally psychopathic killers. The teens soon find themselves at the beginning of a terrifying experience.
Why you should watch this: Every single killing in this is just brutal, the chainsaw brings serious gore to the screen, as well as other different killing methods, such as cutting throats, running people over and sticking people on hooks to bleed out. If this gave you the scare, then watch the original version that is equally good.
#11 - Cabin in the Woods - 2012
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJUIgf7lsCY
Plot: Five friends go on, what they think is a perfect summer break, at a secluded cabin in the woods, where they get more than what they bargained for. When the cellar door flings open, they of course go down to investigate and when one of them reads from an old book, they awaken something from in the woods. Together they must discover the truth behind the cabin, as they are all under observation.
Why you should watch this: This is not like your usual horror film, despite having lots of horror film cliches. This is because it seems to poke fun at the horror genre which is why it has so many cliches and references to many other cult horror films. But what makes this so entertaining is that even though it makes you laugh it still makes you look away in fear, both the comedy and horror aspects are on point! With a twist!
#12 - Inbred - 2012
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lvUCAHRa6I
Plot: Four young offenders and their care workers visit the remote Yorkshire village of Mortlake, which prides on keeping itself to itself. A minor incident with the locals rapidly escalates into a blood-soaked, deliriously warped nightmare.
Why you should watch this: I doubt many people have heard of this one, but I decided to include it because its the perfect film to give you a scare as it's just strictly warped. Even though this film is low budget it still manages to pull off great goriness, probably making you feel a bit squeamish. The kills in this are brutal, psychotic and super graphic. Overall it's just a really strange messed up film, but good! It might make you want to stay away from any small villages for a while.
#13 - F. (The Expelled) - 2010
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q71ibercHM
Plot: In this British film a group of teachers doing after hours work, joined by some students in detention must defend themselves from a mysterious gang of murderous hooded kids, when their school comes under siege, later in the evening.
Why you should watch this: This film will most likely give you the chills. In fact it is rated R for it's disturbing violent content, terror, grisly images and language. Most horrors have some kind of creature such as a zombie or a human that is disfigured. Where as in this one, the terror is just some hooded kids but because you never see their faces due to them being blacked out, it makes it ten times more frightful. Any Student like myself will never again want to stay later at school/college after watching this!
#14 - The Possession - 2012
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gBeG31fX40
Plot: A young girl buys a antique box at a yard sale, unaware that inside the collectible lives a malicious ancient spirit. When the father realizes that his daughter has not been acting herself, he decides to team up with his ex-wife to find a way to end the curse upon their child.
Why you should watch this: Special effects are great! Everything that happens comes across as really realistic, even the demons hand coming out the girls mouth (shown in picture) is very believable, creating a seriously spooky/creepy atmosphere, both off and on screen. As for gore, you won't be seeing much in this film. However the insane tension and slight jumpiness makes it very gripping.
#15 - Stake Land - 2010
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNC2HwAaWWE
Plot: Martin was a normal teenage boy before the the country collapse in an empty pit of economic and political disaster. A vampire epidemic has swept across what is left of the nations abandoned towns and cities. It's up to Mister, a death dealing, rouge vampire hunter, to get Martin safely North to Canada, New Eden.
Why you should watch this: Stake Land has some very captivating characters that you soon sympathise with, a great script and story line, plenty of hard core bloody action, the worst kind of zombie-like vampires; there fast, intelligent, powerful and just don't die! and something more substantial to make it better than an average zombie/vampire flick.
#16 - A Nightmare on Elm Street - 2010
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuYoEtEI_go
Plot: Death stalks the dreams of several young adults to claim it's revenge on the killing of Freddy Kruger. Being chased by this finger-bladed demon, awakens old memories and denials of a past of a wrongly punished man. This hellish vision of a dream-like state turns death into a nightmare reality because when he kills someone in their dream it results in their real life death in reality.
Why you should watch this: This film will give you the chills, making the hair on your arms stick up, due to the extremely eerie atmosphere and tension. It has strong bloody violence and plenty of creepy scenes. After watching this Freddy Kruger will be stuck in the back of your mind and you probably won't want to sleep for a few days! Those who are prone to nightmares, be careful!
#17 - Scream 4 - 2011
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJCS9jtlysM
Plot: Sidney Prescott returns to her home time on her last book tour stop. But when she arrives everything is not all, reuniting with Gale and Dewey as The Ghost Face Killer lurks mysteriously in the town. when Sidney's cousins life is threatened and her friends are being picked off one by one, Sidney, Gale and Dewey need to figure out who's reinventing the deadly game before it becomes too late.
Why you should watch this: Personally I think Scream is a fun film to watch, as well as a frightening film. Our terror in this certain horror flick is The Ghost Face Killer who uses a knife to stab to death his victims and what makes him so frightening is the fact that his literally just a normal (well slightly psychopathic) guy wearing a mask and a long black drape. suggesting anyone could become a infamous serial killer overnight, now that's a scary thought. After watching this you will never want to look someone in the eye wearing one of these masks. In fact for a short period these masks were banned because too many creeps got encouraged to kill people wearing the mask. Spooky!
#18 - Drag Me to Hell
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUZTybLlWKI
Plot: Drag me to hell focuses on a loan officer trying to impress her boss, so she decides to evict an old women from her home, thinking it would make her look good. But soon after she find herself the recipient of a supernatural curse. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and ave her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point.
Why you should watch this: This film is relentlessly scary and the use of horrible bile, blood, bugs and maggots create some rather disturbing and grotesque scenes. Sam Rami the director will make you really feel for this young women who all this is happening to because she's very sweet, yet everything that is going on around her is definitely not!
#19 - Case 39 - 2009
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok-5lWGBQr8
Plot: This film is centered around an idealistic social worker who saves a poor abused 10 year old little girl from her supposedly horrible cold-hearted parents only to discover that the girl is not as innocent as she thinks and the situation is more dangerous than she ever expected.
Why you should watch this: Case 39 has such a great twist to, making the narrative very intriguing and tense to watch. Some scenes could be seen as quite disturbing and violent, especially some of the child abuse bits. In general, a extremely gripping horror film from the very first scene to the last.
#20 - The Skeleton Key - 2005
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tihW0Uik4WE
Plot: A young hospice nurse us hired to care for the unwell husband of an elderly women in the couples home, a foreboding and decrepit mansion. Intrigued by the couple and their mysterious and secretive ways Caroline explores the house using a skeleton key to unlock all the doors. However the deadly and terrifying secret she unlocks in the attic would have been better left forgotten.
Why you should watch this: This is a creepy horror/thriller full of really effective and spooky eerie scenes, making you ask numerous question right from the start. Not to worry though because all questions are answered and the ending is great. Also there are some genuinely scary and jumpy moments with a few twists that should take you completely by surprise!
