4 Lists of the best Horror Films

Horror is the only good genre. Supernatural, Sci-fi, Fantasy. I can close my eyes and click on any horror film and know, that I’d enjoy it. It might be bad, but that doesn’t stop me enjoying it. With one exception, body horror. It’s cheap, tacky and unless it’s overdoing the blood effects (Tarentino style) I ain’t impressed. Thanks I’ve seen house, and a dozen other hospital programs and I’m not impressed. I know what insides look like. Since I watch more horror than I should I've decided I'm the most qualified person to create a horror watch list for you to follow in your days leading up to Halloween. Feel free to pick and choose between the lists!

The lists I've made include:

1. My personal favourite horror films

2. Horror films for people that don't like spooky monsters (this list does include some witches as witches are humans.)

3. Upbeat horror! For those who aren't a fan of the scare but want to get into the halloween spirit.

4. Horror thats certifacted 12 or under. For those not allowed to watch 15's or falsely think this list won't frighten them.

My lists also have a scare rating, though this is really personal, I personally dislike aliens the most, but if you find something else spooky my scare meter won't line up with yours. 5 is very scary, 0 isn't scary at all.

My personal favourite horror films that you won't find everywhere else:

1. War of the worlds (2005)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Actors: Tom Cruise.

Narrator: Morgan Freeman

About: Aliens

Age Rating: 12

Scare rating: 4.5/5

A father and his daughter during an alien invasion. I know some people hate Tom Cruise, and if thats true for you, I wouldn’t worry about hating him in this. It’s horrifying. Granted one of the first spooky alien films I’ve watched but it’s still there.

2. The thing (1982)

Director: John Carpenter

Age rating: 18

About: Alien/Monster

Scare rating: 4/5

In remote Antarctica, a group of American research scientists are disturbed at their base camp by a helicopter shooting at a sled dog. The helicopter driver dies and the group is left to find out what he was doing by themselves.

Forget that this ones old. The effects will literally kill you. If you haven’t seen this don’t read what its about. Just watch it. The first 10 minutes will kick of slow followed by you pooping yourself. The spooky monster makes the same noise my cat does when he cleans himself at night and I have to flick on my light and make sure - that it is my cat at the end of my bed. Of course its not all about the spooky monster, its about mystery, and confinement. A real great show if your quarantined in your house with a mate.

3. Alien 1886 (and Aliens (2))

Rating: 18

Action, Horror, Sci Fi

Director: James Cameron

About: Aliens!

Scare Rating: 3/4

The crew of a ship are going to explore a distress call in space. Thats how all the best star trek episodes start!

My scare rating might be slightly high for this one, as my cat who doesn't like cuddles and might, at the most, curl up around your feet decided, that during a really intense scene, he would jump on top of my head. AHHH! Almost yeeted him through a wall.

It’s about aliens. Don’t know if thats a spoiler. Theres a lot to love about the first film. I adore how everything seems to take place in the 1980’s but, they have space travel. In their defence, (unfortuntly) it’s probably going to be the most realistic version of space travel we get. I also liked the second alien film. Both films have a cat. This is not a reason for my rating just a bonus.

4. The Witch (2016)

About: Witches

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Drama, Horror, History

Writer: Robert Eggers

Scare rating: 3.5/5

Maybe it was because I was watching this at 2am. I’m not religious but... there was a goat. I’m thinking about this film and I can’t remember why it spooked me, theres nothing spooky! But it did. Watch at midnight? Then walk outside and search for a cat.

5. A nightmare on Elm street (1985)

The new one is worse! Don’t do it! They don’t even know how to use blood!

Director: Wes Craven

Producer: Robert Shaye

Scare rating: 1/5

Warning: Johnny Depp

Teenagers are haunted and killed in there dreams. Finely a film, that knows how to handle blood. Discovered I was a psychopath by laughing at what I still think is the best scene ever in a horror film. I would describe it as, a human being placed in an invisible blender, and they have way too much blood. My warnings on how scary films are, may be slightly off if you're weak hearted, because I don’t think this is scary at all. A monster chases me in my dreams? That’s all my dreams. That trailers probably putting you off. Don't let it.

6. The Conjuring

About: Ghosts Rating:

Age: 15

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Horror

Director: James Wan

Producer: Tony DeRosa-Grund, Peter Safran, Rob Cowan

Writer: Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes

Scare rating: 3/5

Absolute classic, a family moves into a new house.

7. Annabelle: Creation (the conjuring) 2017

Age rating: 15

Director: David F. Sandberg

Writers: Gary Dauberman, Gary Dauberman

Stars: Anthony LaPaglia, Samara Lee, Miranda Otto

Scare rating: 3/5

A nun and some orphans move into a couples house. (Note: they move into a new house!!! Ahhh) Decent classic, people killed by ghosts.

8. The Ritual (2017)

Age rating: 15

About: Friends go on a camping trip :)

Director: David Bruckner

Writer: Joe Barton

Scare rating: 4/5

I didn’t know what was up, and I did not for one moment think it was - that. that. Yeah, this one you should defiantly watch.

9. In the tall grass (2019)

Genre:Drama, Horror

Age Rating: 15

Director: Vincenzo Natali

Producer: Steven Hoban

Scare rating: 2.5/5

A little kid is lost in really tall grass, you go to help, what could go wrong?Its a little bit of a mystery. This one probably has the least ratings on it, but hey, they made grass scary, and oddly successfully I think. I wouldn’t say it was scary, but defiantly spooky.

10. Await further instructions (2018)

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Horror

Director: Johnny Kevorkian

Producer: Alan Latham, Jack Tarling

Writer: Gavin Williams

Scare rating: 3/5

Theres nothing I like more than screaming at a scream "no! don't!!!!! Just kill the grandpa!" Add covid and quarantine to the mix and you’ve got yourself a totally different meaning to this film. Back in april I did start thinking - is anyone out there? Unfortunately it does take place during xmas… But, thats blurred out with all the blood so don't worry about it.

I don’t like horror because of the spooky creatures but I still want spooky horror:

1. Get out

Age Rating: 18

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Comedy, Horror

Writer: Jordan Peele

Scare rating: 2/5

When I suggested my family watch this I told them it was a comedy. They disagreed, and they were wrong. It is a comedy. Horror. Comedy horror, did I tell them it was a comedy horror or just a comedy? That might be my bad. Its about a man visiting his girlfriends family.

2. The cabin in the wood (2012)

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Original Language: English

Director:Drew Goddard

Writer: Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard

Actors: Chris hemsworth

Scare rating: 1/5

About: Okay it is full of monsters, I’m not going to lie. But in a comedy way so I think you’ll be okay!

3. The birds (1963)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Mystery And Thriller

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Writer: Evan Hunter

Scare rating: 2/5

This film is scaier than the Cabin in the woods! Have you ever had a bird go for you face? Suddenly those fluffy flying balls are all beak and claws. Have you ever seen a plastic, or real life bird thrown at an actors head?

Do you want to? I adore everything about this film. The birds, the spook, the never ending question of why? and the only other question even some actors asked, are those birds being throwing at my head real?

4. Carrie (1976)

Rating: 18

Adapted from Steven Kings novel (Carrie)

Director: Brian De Palma

Producer: Brian De Palma, Paul Monash

Scare rating: 1/5

A classic. A solid horror, though I’ll admit not the spookiest. The new ones pretty good too. I know the new one follows the book.... I think I saw the old one too..... The ones the classic.

5. Hereditary

Rating: 15

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Kids And Family

Adapted from: Roahl Dahls Novel

Director:Nicolas Roeg

Producer:Mark Shivas

Writer: Allan Scott

Scare rating: 2.5/5

Not half as a scary as the trailer made out. I did not find this spooky. It was a little spooky - there were several asses.

6. Birdbox (2018)

Rating: 15

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Adventure, Horror, Sci Fi

Director: Susanne Bier

Producer: Dylan Clark, Chris Morgan, Clayton Townsend

Writer: Eric Heisserer

Scare rating: 3/5

Tense, spooky, mystery, character development, is there anything more you could ask for? Oh monstsers? I think this ones okay.

7. Jaws (1975)

Rating: PG

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Adventure, Horror

Director: Steven Spielberg

Producer: David Brown, Richard D. Zanuck

Scare rating: 2/5

My scare ratings fairly high, in my defense it can make you jump. I’d also suggest, 3 headed shark, 4 headed shark, and how could we could forget 6 headed shark, all of which I found all on youtube completely free. On the upside Jaws has good acting and effects, and a decent storyline. But that shark only has 1 head. Think about it. It’s also an absolute classic, but I’d suggest it as a background film. I'm not going to give you the trailer, just dive in.

8. The Shining (1980)

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Horror

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Producer: Robert Fryer, Stanley Kubrick

Scare rating: 2.5/5

I found some parts of this film slow, but the visuals are defiantly something you should see. The way the it's filmed makes it spooky. I honestly didn't know what was up with this, is it ghosts? Is it demons in the wall? Is it... I don't know what it is. Also the fashion? Love it.

9. A cure for wellness (2017)

Rating:18

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Drama, Horror

Director: Gore Verbinski

Producer: Arnon Milchan, Gore Verbinski, David Crockett

Writer: Justin Haythe

Scare rating: 3.5/5

I didn’t know this was a horror when I found it on Netflix. Um.... Disturbing. The closest film I’m adding thats body horror. Not scary. I don’t… Eat worms…. More of a mystery. But like kinda yucky.

10. Backcountry (2016)

Rating: 18

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Adventure, Drama

Director: Adam MacDonald

Producer: Thomas Michael

Writer: Adam MacDonald

I don’t live around bears but I find them scary. This is Jaws with bears but it’s actually tense, fun to watch and the effects are more horrific. Vote who you want to die! Or maybe they’re all live? Or maybe it’s a plot twist and it’s not bears! Maybe its the creepy man, maybe the creepy man has 5 trained bears. Just.. hike right into it... My jaws diving pun worked better...

11. Midsommar

Age rating: 18

Mystery And Thriller, Horror

Director: Ari Aster

Writer: Ari Aster

1.5/5

This film is goddamn 3 hours long - and it is not worth it. Thats right I added a film I actively hate from the hype, and its length. 3 hours? 3 hours and they don't nearly touch the true horror of a cult! Sure there are some spooky hannibal type scenes, but if I watch hannibal for 3 hours, not only do I get to see 3 pretty corpses, but some of hannibals fancy, stomach turning dinner partiers. Was my stomache turning at their dinner? No. It's bright and colourful. I'm just. I would have enjoyed this if it was a lot shorter, but it you like long hours this is for you. It's defintly an intresting mystery but honestly, I think the ending needed more gore. I don't have many films for the non-monster list so I'll put this here too. Actually my bad, just looked it up, its two hours long but it felt like 3.

List of Upbeat Horror that fun to watch and doesn't spook:

1. Shaun of the dead

Rating: 15

Genre:Comedy, Horror

Director: Edgar Wright

Producer: Nira Park

Actors/crew: Simon Pegg. Nick Frost. Dylan Moran. Bill Nighly. Kate Ashfield. Lucy Davis.

Scare rating: 1/5 (effects)

It's zombies. With a casual work employee and his lazy friend. There isn’t always gore, but when there is, it’s pretty gruesome. Jokes throughout, upbeat and still a horror. Happy ending

2. Zombieland (2009)

Rating: 15.

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Producer: Gavin Polone

Writer: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick

Actors: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Bill Murray

Zombies again! This time with a nerdy teenager. It’s funny. Guess its spooky if thing humans going feral and trying to eat your guts is scary.

3. The Little Shop of Horrors

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Musical, Comedy

Director: Frank Oz

Producer: David Geffen

Actors: Rick Moranis

A PLANT EATS HUMANS. Plants are all the rage these days. I can’t remember how this ends, but it’s a musical so it can’t be bad right?

4. Happy Death Day

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Comedy, Horror

Director: Christopher Landon

Writer: Scott Lobdell

Groundhog day but she’s got to solve her own murder. Theres also happy death day 2u, which is also pretty good.

5. Tucker and Dale vs Evil

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Rating:15

Writer: Eli Craig, Morgan Jurgenson

Scare rating: 1/5

Tucker and Dale decide to go on a vacation to their cabin in the mountains. Their vacation takes a nasty turn when they are mistaken for chainsaw killers by a group of college students. I'm given this one a might one for the effects which might make you go 'ew!'

6. Slaughterhouse Rulez

Rating: 15

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Director: Crispian Mills

Writer: Henry Fitzherbert, Crispian Mills

Scare rating: 1/5 (too many rich people).

Not the scariest of films and it takes a while for the 'horror' but it's fairly funny.

7. The Sixth Sense

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Mystery And Thriller

Director:M. Night Shyamalan

Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Barry Mendel

Scare rating: 0/5

Okay, some might disagree. I however think, upbeat. I think. Fairly average - I - I can't rember the ending. It's decent!

8. Gremlins (1984)

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Comedy, Other, Horror, Fantasy

Age Rating: 15

Director: Joe Dante

Producer: Michael Finnell

Scare rating: 2/5

I've seen it several times and theres a lot of love, mostly the cute little creatures! So cute! Although, I'm gonna admit, those little monsters, kind of scary. They're creepy okay!

Horror shows that are only rated 12 or under:

(Some on other lists).

1. War of the worlds (2005)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Actors: Tom Cruise.

Narrator: Morgan Freeman

About: Aliens

Age Rating: 12

Scare rating: 4.5/5

A father and his daughter during an alien invasion. I know some people hate Tom Cruise, and if thats true for you, I wouldn’t worry about hating him in this. It’s horrifying. Granted one of the first spooky alien films I’ve watched but it’s still there.

2. The Witches (1990)

Rating: PG

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Kids And Family

Adapted from: Roahl Dahls Novel

Director: Nicolas Roeg

Producer: Mark Shivas

Writer: Allan Scott

If you watched this film when you were a kid and thought it was spooky, you should see it as an adult, with every passing year this film becomes more and more horrifying. Those witches, are horrifying. If they'd stuck to the book there'd be no saving anyone.

3. The Little Shop of Horrors

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Musical, Comedy

Director: Frank Oz

Producer: David Geffen

Actors: Rick Moranis

HE EATS HUMANS. Plants are all the rage these days.

4. GHOSTBUSTERS 1 & 2 (1984+)

Rating: PG

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy

Director: Ivan Reitman

Scare rating: 2/5

Do I really need to put in a trailer for this?

The right moment, or the right person, and they’ll poop themselves. Hey some of those dog things are pretty terrifying to look at!

I’d also suggest Ghostbusters (2016) is funny and a nice adventure story. I’m a big ghostbusters fan and I’d honestly say the quality is pretty similar, although less spooky. Rather than being a remake (as wrongly suggested) it’s Ghostbusters 3. I didn’t find any of the effects looked scary, but I’m a lot older now. Although the fact that that green blob thing at all is in it is horrifying.

5. The Others (2001)

About: Ghosts

Writer: Alejandro Amenábar

Stars: Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston, Fionnula Flanagan

Scare rating: 2.5/5

Grace moves into a new house with her two photosensitive children in Jersey. When a series of inexplicable events occur, Grace starts believing that her house is haunted. Ghosts are spooky.

6. Insidious (2011)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Horror

Director: James Wan

Producer: Jason Blum, Steven Schneider, Oren Peli

Writer: Leigh Whannell

Scare rating: 3/5

Child is possessed by ghosts - and stolen by them. I'd also suggest insidious 2... and insidious 3. Make a marathon of it.

7. Happy Death Day

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Comedy, Horror

Director: Christopher Landon

Writer: Scott Lobdell

Groundhog day but she’s got to solve her own murder. Theres also happy death day 2u, which is also pretty good.

8. Coraline 2009

Rating: PG

Genre: Animation, Fantasy, Kids And Family

Director: Henry Selick

Producer: Bill Mechanic, Claire Jennings, Henry Selick, Mary Sandell

Writer: Henry Selick

Scare rating: 0/5

About: evil universe.

I didn’t really want to put any animated films on this, but I’ll let Coraline through, after all if it wasn’t animated, I doubt anyone would have recovered after seeing this. I didn't think it was scary, but I've seen a lot of people say it is, and I can understand how they'd think that.

9. Jurassic Park (1993)

Rating: PG-13

Genre:Adventure, Mystery And Thriller, Sci Fi, Action

Director: Steven Spielberg

Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen

Writer: Michael Crichton, David Koepp, Malia Scotch Marmo

Scare rating 4/5

I am a firm believer that this is a xmas film. Gathering around watching people be eaten by dinosaurs, what could bring you closer? Still it is horror. We must not play god! This is the only film you can watch at xmas, and halloween. Also, the film is scary. It is still scary. The creators of this film literally brought back dinosaurs, just to film it, thats why theres so many new films. The 1993 film fixed the book the wrongs (unbelievable sexism.) The later films then fix this by putting sexism back. Hurrays!! Anyone the first one is scary, the others less so.

10. The woman in black (2012)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Horror

Director: James Watkins

Scare rating: 3/5

It’s a little spooky, fairly good film. It's about ghosties. Don't get me wrong the old ones dead funny, but this one is actually spooky.