Horror movies are a favourite among many, with people opting to watch a slasher or supernatural flick over a comedy or romance. Today (13th August, 2021) is Friday the 13th, and what better way to spend this day than watching some creepy movies?
Picture Credits (l-r): New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Bros. Pictures
Take a look at these seven horror films ranging from the supernatural, to some good old-fashioned slasher movies!
Friday the 13th – 2009
If there is a film to be watched on Friday the 13th, then it’s Friday the 13th.
While this reboot wasn’t a massive hit with fans, it still breathes absolute horror as Jason Voorhees is brought back to life in this tense and eerie thriller.
The classic music for Jason is utilised at the perfect opportunities, and the unspeaking killer picks off his victims one by one, murdering them in unspeakable ways. His silent character puts you in a sense of unease as he is always close by, at the surface of the shadows.
This is the perfect slasher to watch today, as a group of young adults get more than they bargained for at a cabin retreat. They never expected to come face-to-face with the white hockey mask that has spread fear through horror fans for years.
The Blair Witch Project – 1999
Considered to be one of the best supernatural thrillers out there, The Blair Witch Project follows a trio of friends as they begin to regret looking deeper into the story of the witch...
Films based on or inspired by the idea of a folklore are sometimes the scariest of them all, as even if the story isn’t true, fear creeps in as tales of witches and ghouls are out there in the real world.
Using found footage as a sub-genre, The Blair Witch Project manages to get away with never really showing the witch, and in turn uses subtle tropes such as a crunch of leaves in the woods or sightings of cult-like drawings or dolls.
This movie is a great one to watch today, as the group of friends slowly lose their minds in the presence of an unknown being...
A Nightmare on Elm Street – 1984
If Friday the 13th wasn’t a creepy enough day, try watching A Nightmare on Elm Street right before bed – we wouldn’t recommend that, though.
Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) is a killer without remorse, as he haunts the dreams of those who sleep, and turns peaceful thoughts into a deadly nightmare. During Freddy’s harrowing killing spree, a young woman realises that in order to avoid the killer’s claws, she must stay awake at all costs.
This movie is perfect for a night alone watching slasher movies, as Freddy’s presence will weave its way into anything he wants it to, increasing fear and keeping himself alive.
Scream – 1996
Another classic slasher movie perfect for a Friday the 13th movie night. Based on the murders committed by Danny Rolling in 1990, Scream provides the perfect recipe for a horror movie.
Teenagers are horrified and afraid to go to school after a student is murdered by the infamous ‘Ghostface’; while some students keep in light spirits, Sidney (Neve Campbell) is shaken by the death of a peer more than most.
Slasher films usually keep to the trope of a group of young people being picked off one by one, but that is what makes Scream so good; it keeps this idea but somehow makes it seem new and exciting – the perfect film for tonight.
Lights Out – 2016
Not knowing what’s in the shadows can be a terrifying thought, even in daily life when we see a dark spot we may wonder what lurks within. Lights Out challenges this idea to the extreme, as an imaginary friend turns out to be anything but...
When the light is the only safe space and the only thing keeping you safe from her, the lack of a brightness can be the most terrifying thing of all. An imaginary friend stalks the darkness, waiting for the lights to go out and, when they do, she will be there to take you further in.
This movie, directed by James Wan (Saw franchise, Aquaman), is a genuinely harrowing experience and one you might want to leave the lights on for.
Carrie – 1976
A classic that still holds up today, Carrie sees a young girl who has simply had enough of being ridiculed and teased by her peers, and controlled by her overbearing and religious mother.
The movie follows Carrie (Sissy Spacek), a girl who is unwelcome in the world she lives in. She isn’t popular, her mother’s religion causes Carrie pain and fear; many students see her as easy prey for bullying.
However, the film’s eerie and uneasy feeling reaches its climax when, after prom is rigged to make Carrie prom queen, a bucket of pig’s blood is dumped on her, causing the young girl to unleash her fury on those who caused her such pain.
Sinister – 2012
One thing you should never do, is move your family into the home of a deceased family at the centre of a complete mystery; but that doesn’t stop Ellison (Ethan Hawke) from putting his family in potential danger just to get a story.
Being a true-crime writer who hasn’t has a bestseller in over a decade, Ellison becomes desperate for inspiration, and decides that the house that hosted unsolved deaths is the best place to be.
During his investigation, Ellison comes across footage and clues that point to a supernatural and deadly force, he finally realises that his new home doesn’t belong to him...
Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal
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