Horror certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, and isn’t the easiest genre to get into if you’re a newbie. Horror films are often disturbing, gruesome, confronting and of course, frightening. However, the genre is also incredibly exciting, thrilling, intriguing and when done right, extremely fun. If you’re new to the horror genre and don’t exactly know your scare limits, it can take some trial and error to see how much you can handle.

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It’s not the best idea to jump straight into the deep end with some of the scariest films of all time such as The Conjuring or The Exorcist. However, there are a solid number of horror films that are more moderate in their approach and impact, but work as an effective introduction to the genre. They have the unease and fright factor you’re looking for, but nothing that should scar you for life… hopefully.

10 ‘The Black Phone’ (2022)

The Grabber doing jazz hands in The Black Phone.
Image via Universal Pictures

If the popularity of Stranger Things and It are anything to go by, audiences love a good dose of nostalgia with their scares. The Black Phone (2021) follows this trend, set in the late 1970s and telling the story of a thirteen-year-old boy (Mason Thames) who is kidnaped by a sadistic child killer (Ethan Hawke).

While the film is obviously grim and has some supernatural undertones, it tends to feel more like a thriller than an all out-horror, and is balanced out by its retro backdrop and child characters. It’s an effective introduction to the unnerving fun that can be had with horror and the tension it provides.

9 ‘The Sixth Sense’ (1999)

Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense
Image via Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Undoubtedly M. Night Shyamalan’s best film, The Sixth Sense works as both a spooky ghost story and a powerful drama. The film follows child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), who, after an encounter with an ex-patient, starts treating a young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who can see dead people.

While the film features a few ghostly encounters, with some more intense than others, it finds dread in the quieter character-driven moments. You’ll also be far too shocked by its brilliant twist ending to be thinking about much else when the credits roll.

8 ‘A Quiet Place’ (2018)

John Krasinski and Noah Jupe in 'A Quiet Place' (2018)
Image via Paramount Pictures

Best known as Jim Halpert in The Office, John Krasinski surprised everyone with his directorial smash hit A Quiet Place. Co-starring wife Emily Blunt, the film follows the survival of a family in a world where most of humanity has been wiped out by noise-sensitive creatures. The only way to survive is not to make a sound.

The film makes incredible use of its clever concept through masterful sound design and heart-pounding tension, but has elements of sci-fi that draw it away from conventional horror. The monsters themselves are unsettling, but are more alien-like than supernatural.

7 ‘Get Out’ (2017)

Get Out

Jordan Peele has become one of the more unique and exciting voices in horror over the last few years, which is due to the thoughtful way he tackles the genre. A prime example is his first masterpiece Get Out, one of the best horror films of the last decade.

When Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a black man from Brooklyn, visits the parents of his white girlfriend in Upstate New York, he discovers something is truly off. The horror in Get Out doesn’t lie within typical scares or gore, but rather social commentary on race relations in the USA, which is more terrifying than any demon.

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6 ‘Happy Death Day’ (2017)

A masked murderer creeping up Jessica Rothe in Happy Death Day
Image via Universal Pictures

Happy Death Day is the perfect film for scaredy-cats, thanks to its comedic and camp tone. Taking the concept of Groundhog Day, the film follows college student Tree (Jessica Rothe), who continues to relive the day of her murder over and over again. The time loop will only end once she discovers the identity of her killer.

The film plays around with slasher conventions and reshapes them in a darkly humorous way, constantly embracing the silliness and absurdity of it all. Where there are scares, there are also many, many laughs.

5 ‘The Others’ (2001)

Nicole Kidman as Grace, with her daughter Anne in 'The Others.'
Image via StudioCanal

Good horror doesn’t have to always be outrageously shocking or terrifying, and there’s no better example of that than traditional gothic horrors. The Others, set during World War II and starring Nicole Kidman, remains one of the best and most memorable.

Kidman plays a woman living in a darkened house with her two photosensitive children, who starts to believe their home is haunted. Filled with purposeful twists and storytelling, the film relies heavily on setting and atmosphere to create an unnerving mood, and creates something undeniably creepy but arguably accessible.

4 ‘The Fog’ (1980)

Image via Embassy Pictures

John Carpenter is a horror legend who has given audiences classics ranging from Halloween to The Thing, but one of his more underrated films, The Fog, is a solid starting point for those looking to dip their toes into the genre he’s contributed to shaping.

When the town of Antonio Bay prepares to celebrate its centenary, an intense fog brings back vengeful seamen from the dead who were drowned by the town’s elders all those years ago. With its slow-burn chills and mysterious occurrences, this ghost story is spine-chilling but certainly moderate compared to other Carpenter films.

3 ‘Poltergeist’ (1982)

A little girl pointing at a TV filled with static
Image via MGM/UA Entertainment Co.

The image of the little girl kneeling with her hands placed on the brightly-lit static TV screen from Poltergeist has become one of the most iconic images in horror, and rightfully so. The film terrified audiences upon release, but has naturally lost some of its scare merit throughout the years among the slew of mainstream horror films.

With its classic haunted house story, it delivers impressive set pieces and great moments of peril. It may not have the impact it used to due to outdated effects, but it’s still a wonderfully spooky and thrilling ride.

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2 ‘Zombieland’ (2008)

Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, and Woody Harrelson in Zombieland
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Zombieland is the perfect choice for those who really struggle with scary movies, because this film is consistently funny and only occasionally scary. The film follows Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a college student who teams up with an eccentric group of strangers to trek to a safe haven during the zombie apocalypse.

Being a zombie film, there is a decent amount of gore, with occasional suspense and even a few jump scares. At its core however, Zombieland is a comedy, making it much easier to digest for those who don’t want to dive into extreme horror territory.

1 ‘Child’s Play’ (1988)

Alex Vincent as Andy in bed with Chucky in Child's Play
Image via MGM

While creepy dolls will always be terrifying, Chucky is certainly a more tame example compared to the likes of Annabelle, so to speak. The murderous toy made his debut in 1998’s Child’s Play, where a single mother gifts the doll to her son for his birthday, only for him to discover that Chucky is possessed by a serial killer.

While Chucky is a nasty piece of work and orchestrates some decent kills, his foul-mouth and cartoonish design add a certain levity and humor to the scenario, making this a devilishly entertaining watch rather than a straight out fright-fest.

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