These 5 creepy psychological thrillers are scarier than famous horror films.

Psychological thrillers are a class of films that when done correctly can be utterly terrifying and disturbing. However, they achieve this by using different techniques than conventional horror films. The genre of horror is famous for following rules and a formula that makes predicting the outcomes of horror movies far too easy. I absolutely love horror for what it is. However at times repeated jump scares can become more silly than frightening, the pattern of people consistently behaving in ways that no rational human being ever would becomes unbelievable, newer movies become reminiscent of older films that did it better, and the fear in my stomach turns into something more like amused entertainment.

If you to watch some creepy psychological thrillers that instead of relying on jump scares, use both an intricate story and your own imagination to keep you on your toes and wondering if the dark shape you see in the corner of your house is a trick of the mind long after the movie ends, than this is the list for you.

1. Silence of the Lambs

This movie is a classic film about an FBI agent who uses the advice of a cannibalistic serial killer, Hannibal Lector, to try and catch Buffalo Bill, a serial killer who is kidnapping and murdering women in order to wear their skin. This movie is creepy and keeps you on your toes while making a girl hesitate to trust the next guy they meet when they are out on the town. The killer Buffalo Bill in the movie is actually inspired by a real life infamous serial killer named Ed Gein, who also inspired the iconic characters of Norman Bates in the film Psycho as well as Leatherface in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Silence of the Lambs is a must see movie for anyone that appreciates human villains.

2. Bird Box

Imagine that all of a sudden there is an unexplained being that causes the death of nearly everyone who sees it. Except for a select few who go mad, worship it, and actively try to hunt down those who haven't seen it and force them to look. If you don't see it it can't hurt you, but how do you survive in a post-apocalyptic world where you cannot look outside. Welcome to the fear that is this movie. Sandra Bullock stars in this film and she as always does a fantastic job. This movie is steeped in deeper meaning but I will leave that to you to unpack for yourself.

3. Gerald's Game

A married couple goes to their summer house to enjoy a vacation by a lake. Things seem pleasant at first, until things get frisky and the wife very much reluctantly agrees to participate in her husband Gerald's "game". I don't want to go into too much detail but as the wife is handcuffed to the bed frame, the husband has a heart attack and dies on top of her. She is trapped out of reach of the key, unable to get up and get water or food in a place where no one is around to hear her. This is only the beginning.

4. Midsommar

This movie is frankly disturbing while at the same time enthralling. It is utterly bizarre but in a manner that is hard to stop watching. It is about a group of students who go visit Sweden with their friend who is from a small village in the countryside during summer when the sun barely sets. What appears to be a intriguing cultural group reveals itself to be something more. It is complex and surprising, but is masterful in the way it pulls of an incredibly creepy ambiance and twisted plot in a setting full of sunshine, light, and all things beautiful.

5. Split

Split was massively popular when it came out several years ago, but in case you haven't seen it it is fantastic. It revolves around a young friend group of girls who are kidnapped, and not by an average individual but a mentally ill man with multiple personality disorder. The girls try and survive and find their way to freedom, but the clock is ticking because "the beast" one of the man's personalities is coming. The acting by James McAvoy is downright incredible. The situation is obviously creepy and disturbing, however there are important lessons to learn as well.

I hope this list gave you something new to add to your list. If you can make it through these movies without anxiety gnawing at your stomach, wishing you had waited to see it with a friend, and looking over your shoulder once they are finished, you are a braver soul than I. Happy watching friends...