Horror Movies That Actually Caught My Attention
I’ve always had this eerie curiosity in scary things, and let’s just say this curiosity runs in the family. I grew up with my mom and uncle watching horror movies in our living room with the door closed, but the living room door had windows, perfect for me to peek through. Something about these movies held my attention and I couldn’t stop watching. It’s like when you see a police car on the side of the road, and while you aren’t sure what you will see, you just have to look.
There’s this security behind horror movies that whatever you are about to watch will begin and end on the screen. It won’t follow you to your bed at night or hide in your closet. Having anxiety myself, even at a young age, I knew what it was like for real fear to get a hold of you and torment you, but with horror movies, as a kid I could easily decipher the difference between the fear in reality and a jump scare.
Every year on the month of October, my schedule was filled with horror movies, haunted houses, and creepy costumes. This time of year, has always been something I looked forward to, and planned in advance. I still love taking my friends to the movie theater to see a scary film, and because of that, I have seen my fair share of hits and flops. Some of my favorites are everyone’s favorites, and others may not be as familiar. What made these films stand out to me was their ability to captivate the audience, create suspense, and never let me forget about what I just watched. Here are some of my favorite horror films.
Horror movie “Devil” which came out in 2010. Photo from Amazon
#1: “Devil”
I was first introduced to “Devil” as I sat on my kitchen floor, peering through the living room door. The story follows five random office workers in a Philadelphia skyscraper who get stuck on the elevator. As time passes by, unexplained events result in the passengers realizing that the devil has mysteriously joined them on the elevator. Having a slight case of claustrophobia myself, being stuck in an elevator with the devil himself was something that spooked me. While the story scared me, like the police car I couldn’t stop watching as the elevator guests got killed one by one. I won’t spoil anymore, but ever since I’ve had a reoccurring nightmare in an elevator starring me and the devil.
Horror movie “Infinity Pool” which came out in 2023. Photo from Max
#2: “Infinity Pool”
I remember sitting in my junior year apartment with my roommates watching this film, and each scene bringing an unexpected twist to the already troubling storyline. The film begins with a couple traveling to a lavish island resort and finding themselves in a dead end after causing a horrific accident. They get caught up with a group of rich tourists that push the couple’s boundaries, leaving the old selves behind and entering a new and darker side of humanity. Thank god I was watching this movie with friends who I could talk to about the plot twists because if not, I think I would have gotten lost in the story. That is what is good about this movie, however, that it really makes you think and question and predict. It was both wildly disturbing and masterful at the same time, and behind the artsy metaphors reveals a true thought-provoking film.
Horror movie “Insidious” which came out in 2010. Photo from The Fantasy Review
#3: “Insidious”
This film franchise had a theatricality to it that interested me. The film is about a boy who enters a coma and as the parents worry about his wellbeing, they realize that their son has become a vessel for demons and is stuck in their world. The movie felt like I was walking through a haunted house with the characters. The father, played by Patrick Wilson, is well known in the horror movie genre also being a starring actor in the film, “The Conjuring”. I loved watching his versatility as a hero persona and SPOILER, a villain.
Horror movie “Train to Busan” which came out in 2016. Photo from Cannes Film Festival
#4: “Train to Busan”
I have always been scared of zombies. I still have this reoccurring nightmare of my brother and I running through our neighborhood knocking on every door to let us in, as hundreds of zombies chased us. Maybe it come from “Call of Duty: Black Ops” that I used to play with my friend as a kid. Watching and actually liking a zombie movie wasn’t something I expected. This movie tackles the distinction between selfishness and selflessness, something that many adults do not understand. A child had to teach them how to care for those around them. It’s a classic survival movie with an underlying moral that makes people think.
With so much entertainment being produced and the accessibility of being able to watch a film anywhere, the demand for movies that grasp your attention has become even more of a priority. A movie that keeps an audience wondering is what audiences are looking for, and in my opinion, these movies do it for me. My list changes every so often, and I’m excited to see what people come up with next.
