THE OCTOBER OCCULT
Real horror needs no introduction
REVIEWED BY Ashwini Vethakan
Only true horror fans know how scary it is to sit through a movie that makes you want to gouge your eyes out. Let’s face it, the genre is notorious for having an immeasurable number of poor ratings; and most of the time, horror movie fans have to wade through cringeworthy plots to find a decent story.
So here are a few movies that are guaranteed to bring out the screams!
A QUIET PLACE
Even though the release of its sequel has been pushed back to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the first is by far one of the best horror movies to come out in 2018. Actor John Krasinski makes his directorial debut with this terrifying masterpiece, which he also stars in alongside his wife Emily Blunt.
The movie follows a family that struggles to survive in a world where most human beings have been annihilated by blind but noise sensitive aliens. Get ready to sit at the very edge of your seats… and hold your breath as you feel the tension of each character’s every step for survival.
GET OUT
Trust us when we tell you that you’ll be shouting these words at the protagonist when he’s on screen. Jordan Peele provides a seriously twisted storyline that revolves around a young African-American man who spends the weekend with his Caucasian girlfriend and her seemingly normal family.
Peele’s contorted and slightly worrying thoughts are brought to life by a string of unspeakable horrors, which leave you questioning the true intentions of everyone you meet.
THE CONJURING
There’s nothing scarier than seeing the words ‘based on a true story’ floating on your screen at the end of a really terrifying movie. Directed by horror connoisseur James Wan, the film follows two famous paranormal detectives as they try to solve and assist a family that’s plagued by something sinister in their isolated farmhouse.
PSYCHO
Now here’s a cautionary tale about the perils of stealing from your boss – and also about staying at roadside motels run by mamma’s boys. Alfred Hitchcock delivers the surprise first act murder of the star with the story of a woman on the run who is way too accepting of a dark-haired stranger’s generosity.
Of course, over the years, there have been many revamped editions of Psycho but we recommend the original black and white movie… because nothing beats the real story.
HALLOWEEN
There’s something iconic about watching a young Jamie Lee Curtis fighting for her life against the infamous Michael Myers. Years may have gone by but to this day, it’s one of my personal favourites.
Escaping a sentence for the murder of his sister, we watch captivated as Michael returns to his small hometown, ready for his next unsuspecting victim.
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
We can’t count down the best horror movies without including Hollywood’s epochal villain Freddy Krueger.
Watch on as a bunch of teens live out their worst nightmare – yes, literally – and unable to shut their eyes for fear they may never wake up again.
THE EXORCIST
If there is one thing we can admit, it’s that the 1970s was the decade of the best horror movies… so we’re ending this list with one of the best – this movie was so good that it went on to win an Oscar for Best Writing.
Actress Linda Blair will forever go down in Hollywood’s history as the best ‘possessed’ child for her performance playing Regan MacNeil. A little girl who becomes the host to an evil entity. The story revolves around her mother who relies on two Catholic priests to help save her daughter.