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- Talk to Me is one of the most well-received and critically beloved horror films coming out this year and for very good reason. Not only are its complex characters hard to forget, but its disturbing and scary premise will certainly linger in the audience's minds. These are some other scary horror movies to watch next.
Movies can be scary. In fact, movies can be really scary. And throughout the years, several horror films have proved the point, terrifying global audiences with their super atmospheric storylines as well as a few iconic jump scares that still haunt viewers to this day. Still, the true meaning of the word varies, and thus what is scary for some may not be for others.
And what better place than Reddit to ask cinephiles what movie absolutely startled them out of their wits? From Gonjiam: Hunted Asylum to Fire in the Sky, here are the top 10 scariest movies that have made the hearts of movie enthusiasts on the platform skip a beat.
Updated on September 9, 2023, by Daniela Gama:
Talk to Me is one of the most well-received and critically beloved horror films coming out this year and for very good reason. Not only are its complex characters hard to forget, but its disturbing and scary premise will certainly linger in the audience's minds. These are some other scary horror movies to watch next.
20 'Alien' (1979)
Alien is understandably one of the most beloved sci-fi films out there; on top of this, it is also an incredible horror feature. The award-winning 1979 Ridley Scott flick marks the beginning of a fan-favorite franchise and centers on the crew of a commercial spacecraft, who accidentally comes across a dangerous lifeform.
It's pretty clear how Redditors feel about the movie on the website. As _thelonewolfe_ says, "Nothing beats the pure, unrelenting horror of the original Alien. That final 15 minutes of Ripley frantically running like a bat out of hell, trying desperately to escape the living nightmare that is the "Big Chap," the user wrote.
19 'Eden Lake' (2008)
In this intense movie, Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly play a young couple who go out on a romantic weekend break. In the meantime, they are faced with a gang of ill-mannered youths who they are forced to confront – what they don't anticipate is the brutal consequences that follow.
What is apparently so scary about the film is how real the story it features feels. As user labitin puts it, Eden Lake "scared the hell out of me. It was very real and touching." In a reply, a Redditor added, "The ending is one that's stuck with me longer than most other movies. Thoroughly unsettling film, especially given some of the kids/families that I used to live near!"
18 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' (2011)
Brilliantly executed by Lynne Ramsay, We Need to Talk About Kevin follows the strange title protagonist Ezra Miller, who does and says dangerous things as he matures, and his mother Eva (Tilda Swinton) who, despite it all, still attempts to love her child. The intriguing thriller follows the desperate mother as she tries to piece together her life after an incident caused by her bizarre son.
"I don’t know if it quite fits into the horror category, but We Need to Talk About Kevin was one of the bleakest, most unsettling movies I’ve ever seen," JoanieKoobs says and many agree. Surely, even if it doesn't feature extreme content, the psychological drama is undoubtedly a very disturbing watch that provides tons of food for thought on top of being a film that delivers a realistic take on mental health.
17 'Fire in the Sky' (1993)
This 1993 film focuses on the disappearance of Travis Walton (D.B. Sweeney) who goes for a closer look when he spots a bright light in a forest in the White Mountains but is abducted by a flying saucer in the meantime. He remains missing for five days while his co-workers are wrongly accused of murder.
Fire in the Sky seems to both amaze and terrify global viewers. On the platform, a Redditor says that it features "the scariest alien abduction scene I've ever seen," reminiscing on the effects the sci-fi fantasy film had on them as a child.
16 'Martyrs' (2008)
Among the best horror movies out there, the underrated and incredibly disturbing French film by Pascal Laugier centers on a young woman's (Morjana Alaoui) journey to avenge her past and seek payback against the people who captured and tortured her as a child.
Martyrs is nothing short of a horrifying, upsetting, explicit feature that features highly sensitive topics; it's also very well-written, however, and guaranteed to linger in the audience's minds. "Martyrs ruined me. I didn't know what to expect going in and as soon as you think you have a feel for the plot the movie takes the darkest turn imaginable," bunnysmugler commented.
15 'Hell House LLC' (2015)
Set five years after a malfunction causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff on the opening night of a creepy Halloween haunted house tour, Shudder's found footage film Hell House LLC is a Stephen Cognetti horror movie that will certainly disturb audiences.
"Hell House LLC is LEGIT scary. Took me by surprise and had to finish during the day time," fayce81 wrote. Even if a bit flawed, the 2015 movie is effective and provides audiences with a thrilling and absorbing time throughout. "The initial scene with the clown in Hell House LLC is one of the scariest scenes ever," cjpotter82 added.
14 'The Empty Man' (2020)
The Empty Man is a surrealist film that fuses the horror and sci-fi genres while telling the tale of a former police officer who is looking into the disappearance of a teenage girl who participated in an urban legend ritual.
Although David Prior's movie counts on mixed reviews, it is undoubtedly worth checking as it features an ambitious, atmospheric, and unsettling premise that will keep audiences intrigued. "I cannot remember the last time a movie watching experience was so visceral," Crankylosaurus reflects on their first viewing. "To be honest, I think it was less about the movie’s content than the creepy ambience I was experiencing it in," the user admitted.
13 'The Thing' (1982)
The Thing is widely regarded as one of the most iconic horror films of the 1980s. Directed by John Carpenter, it is based on a novella by John W. Campbell Jr. titled Who Goes There? and centers on a group of American researchers who come across a dangerous extraterrestrial life form that imitates other organisms.
The Thing may not be the scariest film of all, especially considering the time it was released, but it still delivers some chilling scenes of body horror, including a number of graphically violent and gory moments. According to a Redditor, the film “holds up pretty well.” In a reply, another Redditor notes, “The Thing was light years ahead of the other horror movies of its time with the presentation of the monster.”
12 'A Dark Song' (2016)
When a determined young woman named Sophia (Catherine Walker) and a damaged occultist (Steve Oram) come together to perform a dangerous ritual that will concede her deepest wishes – including contacting her son that was murdered by teens who practiced black magic – an unexpected turn of events takes place.
As for Redditors' takes on the magical A Dark Song? A great number of people seem to agree that the film is amazing and one of the best occult horrors ever. "I’d say the movie that instilled the most terror in me was A Dark Song," abigaillevya says. Other Redditors even describe it as a "rare beauty" and "something that feels so real and deep."
11 'The Autopsy of Jane Doe' (2016)
As the title suggests, practical effects master André Øvredal’s compelling supernatural horror The Autopsy of Jane Doe depicts the dead body of an unidentified woman who undergoes an examination and leads the father and son examining it to experience unexplainable phenomena.
“I freaking love Autopsy of Jane Doe. Hardly anyone ever talks about this movie!” Tinker1028 could not help showcasing their excitement. “Autopsy of Jane Doe was remarkably scary. Not much gets me, but when I went to bed the night I watched it I was jumpy,” schtickyfingers replied under their comment.
10 'Lights Out' (2013)
This Swedish supernatural horror short film directed, written, produced, shot, and scored by David F. Sandberg is everything you expect it to be: dark, intense, and absolutely terrifying. In a short amount of time, Lights Out manages to creep audiences with its simplistic plot, which analyzes what one fears the most when alone in a small dark room.
According to skekoksbathbonnet, the YouTube film (which later originated a feature-length of the same name featuring Teresa Palmer) was incredibly scary. "For sheer fear, the Lights Out short. Only time I had to check I hadn't peed a little at a jump scare. The build-up of dread was just...yes," they commented.
9 'Hereditary' (2018)
One of A24's most beloved horror movies to date, Ari Aster's unmatched Hereditary is everything everyone says it is and more. A grieving family finds themselves tormented by disturbing, tragic events after the death of Annie's (Toni Collette) heartbroken mother.
The praise for Hereditary is certainly never-ending, and the beloved platform highlights that once again. "Went to the theater to see Hereditary not knowing it would deliver one of the biggest gut punches in any movie I’d ever see," ghostraptor42 says. In a comment, a Reddit user also reflects on the same scene, adding that "I've never felt more alone and horrified. I just sat there with my mouth covered by my hands and stared as that unending scene unveiled."
8 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999)
The Blair Witch Project is widely considered one of the best found-footage movies out there, and for good reason. After entering a Maryland forest to record a documentary about the local Blair Witch legend, three film students vanish, leaving only their filming records.
"I hate to admit it, but I’m rarely, rarely scared or even pushed to feeling fear when watching horror films," FaxJunkie explains. "But the original Blair Witch Project got the most out of me. I wasn’t jumping all over the place or screaming - it’s the fear it installed inside me. How simple and almost real it looked." No doubt, you can for sure count on the 1999 feature to be in every "top 10 scary movies" list.
7 'Sinister' (2012)
Starring Ethan Hawke as Ellison Oswalt, a true crime writer who finds a suspicious box of super 8 home movies in his new home, Sinister depicts the uncovering of a murder case in which the main star is an unknown serial killer whose crimes date back to the 1960s.
Apparently, there is something about Sinister's soundtrack that doesn't sit right with cinephiles (in the best possible way). Often described as evocative of uneasy feelings, the movie features a thrilling score as well. "The soundtrack alone is enough to get your hairs rising," syktty says. On another post, another user adds that the "found footage scenes have the scariest soundtrack I’ve ever heard in any movie. Just these disturbing filtered grainy moans over the crackle of static really hits a nerve unlike anything I’ve ever heard."
6 'The Descent' (2005)
According to the platform, British horror The Descent makes it to the top 5 scariest movies of all time, and it depicts what happens when a caving expedition goes terribly wrong (except, fortunately, that isn't always the case). When six women become trapped inside an unmapped cave system, they strive to get away from a very peculiar breed of flesh-eating predators.
Redditors seem to agree that the main reason why Neil Marshall and Jon Harris' film is so incredibly scary is because it is realistic – or at least, it deals with realistic fears. "I'd reckon only The Descent would still get to me. I think a part of it is the claustrophobia and darkness, since those are genuine, common fears," a now-deleted Reddit account says.
5 'The Exorcist' (1973)
Illustrating the possession of a young girl by a mysterious entity and her mother's quest to find the help of two priests to save her daughter, The Exorcist rightfully remains a classic all these years later. While the film's simple premise may not sound innovative to recent moviegoers, William Friedkin's legendary feature — which is getting a new installment — was undoubtedly a groundbreaking concept for the time it was released.
"The Exorcist (1973) is still one of the most genuinely frightening movies I've ever seen," a Reddit user admitted. "It isn't just the exorcism itself but the build-up to it and the strong sense that Evil is omnipresent as much as Good is."
4 'REC' (2007)
This Spanish film starring Manuela Velasco and directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza follows a young TV reporter and her cameraman who, after following emergency workers into a dark building while covering the night shift at the local fire station, find themselves trapped inside something disconcerting.
Some viewers were surprised to see the film so low down on the platform, including Bwebbmann. The user also adds that the movies are "best watched as one long film," post adding that the second installment of the franchise was terrifying.
3 'Pulse' (2001)
Also known as Kairo, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's mind-bending Japanese feature Pulse centers around a group of young residents who, after one of their friends dies by suicide, find themselves falling victim to a strange series of events – including seeing visions of the dead friend on the wall and realizing that spirits may actually be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.
Among many similar reactions to the film on the platform, one of the most memorable was mustnttelllies': "It genuinely caused an emotional spiral that almost landed me in the hospital." Surely, Pulse is a movie that is not meant for the faint of heart.
2 'Paranormal Activity' (2007)
No wonder this 2007 feature made many lose sleep back in the day; the first movie out of the famous supernatural horror franchise Paranormal Activity depicts a couple's increasing anxieties when a demonic presence starts to torment the two after moving into a suburban home.
Directed by Oren Peli, this memorable horror feature is still very much favored after all these years. Apparently, many people agreed with a Reddit user when they picked the movie as the scariest; in the comments, one of the Redditors even mentioned that the film "scared the hell out of" them, "and then I got to walk home at 1 am through Hollywood. Alone. And both my roommates were out of town."
1 'Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum' (2018)
This terrifying South Korean found footage horror movie directed by Jung Bum-shik follows an internet broadcaster who reunites a team of people to work on a horror web series. When the crew travels to an abandoned asylum to record a live broadcast and the host starts pranking the guests, things start to get seriously out of hand.
An extremely nightmarish film through and through, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum seemingly does not leave anyone indifferent. On Reddit, jaketwo91 reveals that they thought they were "completely immune" to being scared by horror movies until they came across the South Korean movie. "I actually got goosebumps watching Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum, it genuinely creeped me out," the user says. "I'm not really even sure what exactly it was, since it's basically just Grave Encounters in Korean. But something about it really freaked me out."