When fans think of horror movies, they just want something to scare them. This usually means using the most intuitive and graphical options that are rated R, restricted or prohibited to persons under 17 without a parent or guardian.
But for decades, the PG-13 rating has been used to allow younger viewers to watch movies with content that appeals to older audiences.
25. The last exorcism (2010)
Critically acclaimed and a success at the box office, thanks in part to its surprisingly low ratings despite some tense and violent scenes, "Last Exorcism" is a great example of an approach that successfully uses implication instead of a real image.
The story of the found footage follows the crew of a documentary filming an exorcist with a crisis of faith after spending a lifetime as a man of God while secretly knowing the process is smoke and mirrors, not truly believing himself. Naturally, his latest case is a test of his faith, or lack of it, and leading performances by Patrick Fabian and Ashley Bell make this a compelling and far richer watch than the format is usually known for.
24. Curse Box (2012)
This take on the Dybbuk Box urban legend is a bit different from the typical obsession movie formula. Instead of traditional Christian/Catholic doctrines and traditions, The Possession uses a creature from Jewish traditions.
The tale of a baby-eater demon tied to a mysterious box is a refreshing take on the genre. Panics cause more goosebumps than bloody and visceral ones, but the results are just as effective as the R-rated approach.
23. Woman in Black (2012)
Movie fans should not be misled into thinking that Woman in black saves on the darkest aspects of ghost stories just because of its theatrical roots and the inclusion of Daniel Radcliffe, a recently retired Harry Potter fantasy hero, in the title role.
Woman in black, may not reinvent the ghost story, but she plays all the hits and aims for maximum creepiness in her fears without shame or hesitation, dealing with some dark ideas in her story about Radcliffe's struggling lawyer and the haunted house he sent. to put to.
22. Arachnophobia (1990)
One of the most criminally underrated horror comedies isarachnophobia 1990s . This creepy crawly creature has a certain Joe Dante feel to it. If the title wasn't enough to give it away, this film is about a rather sinister sight of spiders that infest a sleepy town.
When a deadly Amazonian spider mates with a brown recluse, the spawn turns a city full of unsuspecting citizens into its prey. Soon there are more cobwebs and nests than houses, and it becomes a battle of species. It's good that John Goodman arrives with a flamethrower to even the score.
21. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Producer Guillermo del Toro is the undisputed champion when it comes to modern monster movies, and there are few better entry-level horror films than this adaptation. Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark.Based on the children's books of the same name, the film takes not only monsters from the page, but also terrifying illustrations.
Think of this film as a bridge between mediums. More terrible than books, but almost does not shed even a drop of blood. With this idea in mind, some of the murders in the film are worse than a bloody mess.
20. Six Demons Emily Rose (2005)
When movie lovers hear the word exorcism, they immediately think of one of the best horror movies of all time -"Exorcist" William Friedkin. As such, any horror movie that has the word in its title is automatically held to a high standard, and Scott Derrickson's horror drama has amassed quite a fan base over the years despite initially lukewarm critical reception.
The film is based on the real life of Anneliese Michel, who was diagnosed with epilepsy due to a series of visions and episodes. The family was not successful in trying to cure her, so they turned to the church for an exorcism, which ended her life. The film follows both the more traditionally horror-like narrative of the exorcism itself and the more elaborate legal drama of the trial of the priest involved. When they are woven together, they create a uniquely interesting take on the genre.
19. Devil (2010)
A group of people are stuck in an elevator and the devil is one of them. During tense and frightening events, viewers must guess who in the group is the unholy killer fighting them off, in the style of a murder mystery.
It's a very interesting concept that encourages audience participation and also carries a rather unusual degree of theological depth, even for stories reminiscent of exorcists.
18. And the light goes out ... (2016)
Before David F. Sandberg made a popular superhero movieShazam!, he sent lights out, based on his very popular short film. The central concept revolves around a deadly ghost that can only exist and be seen in the dark.
Dealing with the themes of chronic illness, both physical and psychological, this story proved to be conceptually more complex than it might at first appear, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming one of the most popular horror films of recent years.
17. The Last Girls (2015)
Much more comedy than horror film in terms of tone, but pure horror in terms of setting and plot, The Final Girls sees a young woman still emotionally overwhelmed by the sudden death of her mother, embroiled in an old 80s slasher. which starred her mother.
It's a fun Wes Craven-esque deconstruction of an oft-recognised subgenre, but its focus on emotional catharsis also pleasantly surprised many weary horror fans.
16. Curse (2004)
An American nurse (Sarah Michelle Gellar) finds herself at the center of a deadly curse in Takashi Shimizu's Hollywood update of the most famous version of his long-running, ever-changing J-horror ghost story..
Thegrudge, first of several English-language articles in the wider franchiseJu-On, may not be the best of the series, but it was the biggest platform for the director's most iconic horror creations.
15. Astral (2010)
James Wan created his second successful horror film series after "Saws", but before "Conjurations" with this supernatural cooler.
Patrick Wilson who plays Ed Warren in the films"Conjuration", and Rose Byrne excel as the frightened but determined parents of a young boy surrounded by evil spirits in this proto-version of the movies' interconnected supernatural universe."Spell". With tension and escalating intensity, this film has the feel of an R-rated classic without the bloodshed.
14. Mom (2013)
Another stepping stone to greater financial success in the more modern R-rated side of the genre, he director Andy Muschietti struck a chord with another gothic coming-of-age story molded around a deadly supernatural force.
The story follows a musician (Jessica Chastain) who assumes an uncharacteristic maternal role after her partner's nieces are discovered alive after being presumed dead and living wild in the woods for a time.The girls claim that the protective presence they call "mom" saved them and it follows the couple back to their new life. The family drama creates an interesting dynamic between the characters, while the horror strikes an interesting balance between modern ghost stories and Tim Burton-style fantasy.
13. 1408 (2007)
«1408», adapted from a Stephen King story, is one of the most underrated films based on the author's work and offers a huge variety of what may at first seem very limited.
The plot follows a skeptical writer (John Cusack) who, after checking into a named hotel room in New York City, finds himself trapped in an endless realm of ghosts and gruesome stunts, and the film extracts a smorgasbord of frightening scenarios as the room's story unfolds. to life, and it plays with his own guilt and regret.
12. Key to all doors (2005)
One of the most underrated horror films of the 21st century, "Key to the Skeleton" has a history that at first glance may seem fairly traditional, but includes complex historical overtones.
A Southern Gothic story follows a nurse (Kate Hudson) who works on a secluded former plantation in Louisiana to care for a man paralyzed by a stroke (John Hurt). However, a secret room in the house reveals a history of rites of mischief, and themes of aging and guilt are mixed with deeper plays on identity, mortality, and transformation. It's a far richer experience than critics intended at the time of its release, and has been praised over the years for its many views. This is definitely a prime example of a movie that needs to be watched twice to fully appreciate all the nuances.
11. What lies behind (2000)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, much better known for his adventure comedies such as the films "Back to the Future", abandoned the font for this relatively small - but still big - story about a haunted house.
What Lies Beneath hasn't quite retained the level of pop culture fame it once occupied, but remains a methodically slow take on the genre with plenty of detail to chew on and an unusual degree of star power from lead characters Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford.
10. Monstro (2008)
This amusement park ride from a found horror movie follows a group of friends as they try to get out of New York City before it is completely destroyed by a gigantic monster.
While there is no solution as to what is happening or why it is happening, horror fans have enjoyed every minute of this thrilling ride full of chaos and destruction. Surprisingly, it's not R-rated, but the language is muted and the violence approaches the limited line but never crosses it.
9. Quiet Place (2018)
Sitting in a movie theater in total silence is what most moviegoers enjoy. But sitting in complete silence when there is little dialogue in the film is an unusual and uncomfortable feeling. But that awkward feeling was the desired intention here."Quiet place" – about a family that is forced to live in silence because blind monsters hunt and kill everything they hear.
The husband-and-wife team of John Krasinski and Emily Blunt excel as struggling parents fighting for the survival of their children, all of which make for a very authentic and interesting experience.
8. Trembling of the earth (1990)
One of the most beloved horror comedies of all time, this monster movie launched a long-running franchise of sequels and prequels thanks to several unforgettably endearing characters and a funnyapproach to blockbuster formulaJaws».
V Tremors the monsters move quickly underground and grab their prey from below, turning the sleepy Nevada city into a battlefield against the inhabitants and the invisible enemy. It has some gruesome kills, but overall it's too dumb to deserve anything higher than a PG-13 rating.
7. Sixth Sense (1999)
"Sixth Sense" is the film that made the line "I see dead people" part of cinematic history and made M. Night Shyamalan an iconic writer and filmmaker in the industry. A psychologist (Bruce Willis) tries to help a boy (Haley Joel Osment) who claims to be able to communicate with ghosts who walk around without knowing they are dead.
It doesn't rely on special effects or jump scares; it makes viewers think and slowly builds tension and suspense, with a powerful ending that entices everyone to watch it again to see the hidden clues that were missed.
6. In the shadows (2016)
The action of the filmUnder the shade" takes place in Tehran at the height of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s years. This is a captivating supernatural horror film about a mother and daughter who struggle with both the other world and the hardships of their female lives in a fickle time of progress. and repression.
For fans who might think that the installation of supernatural horror films may have stalled in recent years, this is a must-have approach to most of the genre's psychological qualities.
5. Drag Me To Hell (2009)
Director "Spiderman" Sam Raimi brought the classic horror movie to the modern multiplex with "Take me to hell". The game "Take me to hell", combining the action of the movie "Marvel" and exciting adventures"Evil Dead", corresponds to the most famous achievements of the director.
A bank loan officer (Allison Lohman) applying for the position of assistant manager denies an elderly woman (Lorna Raver) a loan for her house, causing her to be evicted. The woman then curses her. It's a very action-packed film with an interesting level of subtext that fans have explored in the years since its release.
4. Split (2016)
M. Night Shyamalan may have a slightly negative reputation when it comes to his recent work, but Split acquitted many of his longtime supporters.
Revolving around an unhealthy man who kidnapped three teenage girls for some dark ritual known only to a few of his split personalities worshiping some otherworldly monster, Split contains elements of Shyamalan's most successful early work, as well as Hitchcockian angst. and intense character exploration thanks to the brilliant lead role of James McAvoy.
3. Others (2001)
"Other" This is the kind of film that will unashamedly grab the viewer's head. The story takes the gothic haunted house scenario and completely flips it on its head.
much like"Sixth Sense"while its pivotal ending is its best-known part, the atmospheric road to it is an impressively eerie experience of award-winning quality.
2. Birds (1963)
When in doubt, go back to the classics, and Alfred Hitchcock is a great place to start."Birds" is an original horror film with a fairly believable premise in which flocks of birds suddenly turn on humanity in a deadly rage.
Hitchcock's story deals heavily with the themes of love, sexuality, and violence, while using inexplicable bird attacks to create a symbolic narrative. However, at first glance, "Birds" is a Hitchcockian thriller that manages to keep audiences on their toes even today.
1. Call (2002)
Adapted from the popular Japanese movie "Ringu", "Call" is a rare example of a remake being even better than the highly acclaimed original.
It's a beautifully shot film that has a strong premonition of foreboding.The premise of a cursed video that kills anyone who watches it in 7 days is a gripping look at a modern-day ghost story that continues to resonate with horror fans today even after the film's less-than-successful sequels.
