Watching horror movie trailers is a great pastime of mine. Seeing what each director offers in terms of horrifying entertainment captivates me.
The editing of the movie trailers shows how much thought, effort, and time went into making the movie. More thought and action mean the director and production company are proud of their film.
These horror movie trailers are even more entertaining because, most likely, you haven’t seen the movie yet, since they are not American-made and are in English subtitles. You are in for a horrific and thrilling treat. You may even jump out of your skin.
“It’s important to me to work in my own language now and then. I love English, but you can never learn to master a foreign language if you’re not brought up with it.”— Max von Sydow, Actor.
“Silencio” – Supernatural, Horror Movie
Lorena Villarreal wrote and directed Silencioin Mexico. The supernatural-horror suspense movie investigates a natural phenomenon known as the Zone of Silence, in Mexico, a mysterious place where strange things happen. It is often referred to as the “Bermuda Triangle” of Mexico.
The filmmakers took the license to write an entertaining, entirely fictional story. They were able to maintain the essence of the Zone of Silence.
The main character is a psychiatrist, which is the best choice for the movie because it is not an exact science. The psychiatric industry uses made-up labels to call people “mentally ill” when they are the ones who have all the social and mental problems.
“The Snarling” – Not One of the Best British Comedies
Over in the UK, an all-new horror movie is the rage, with comedic undertones. Written and directed by Pablo Raybould, The Snarling gives a poke at An American Werewolf and Shawn of the Dead.
Raybould is quite funny as the inspector in this British horror movie. He played Frank in Me Before You, starring Sam Claflin.
I recommend this movie to get a taste of British horror with a touch of comedy. The cast, including talented and rather funny Chris Simmons, Laurence Saunders, and Ben Manning, kept me laughing. Simmons and Manning starred in another horror movie, The Last Twitch, written and directed by Raybould.
Even with the cheesy special effects, particularly the werewolf. It’s a howling, fun movie worth mentioning — the British humor is dry and witty.
“Luz” – German Horror Movie Shot on 16mm
Luz is a German horror movie. Tilman Sinnger directs it. It is his first feature as a writer and director. Interestingly, shot on 16mm. Sinnger immersed the film in sound and visuals reminiscent of 1970s Spanish horror movies. The brooding score by Simon Waskow plays a cunning role in maintaining the movie’s credibility. In 2018, Luz premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The cast includes Luana Velis as Luz, Jan Bluthardt, and Julia Riedler. Bluthardt and Riedler play convincing supporting roles.
The movie starts with a rainy night where a confused and emotionless young cab driver, Luz, drags herself into the fiercely lit admittance lobby of a neglected police station. From another part of town, in a nightclub, Nora flirts, making sexual advances with police psychiatrist Dr. Rossini in a banter.
Controlled by a demonic entity, Nora longs for the woman it loves – Luz. She shares a story about her old schoolmate from a girls’ school in Chile with the psychiatrist. As she tells the story of Luz’s disobedient past, Nora becomes drunker. Rossini becomes an easy victim for Nora to attack. He is sent to the police station to interview Luz.
At the police station where his colleagues supervise his interview, the psychiatrist hypnotizes Luz, causing a succession of flashbacks. Each flashback unfolds experiences leading to her appearance.
We mustn’t forget about the demonic entity controlling the psychiatrist and who desires something more. Little by little, the mysterious creature creeps into Luz’s dreams, bringing to light old and dark memories.
“Sheborg” – Australian Cult Horror Movie
Australian horror fans classify Sheborg as a cult horror film.
Written and directed by Daniel Armstrong, Sheborg Massacre stars Daisy Masterman, Emma-Louise Wilson, and Whitney Duff. The bold women’s roles narrate a horrific story about an alien fugitive.
She crashes her ship inside a remote puppy farm and immediately transforms everyone into a mutated robot. The robots are killing machines with a preference for puppy flesh.
Dylan, played by Duff, and Eddie, played by Masterman, are self-declared political activists. Both are the only ones who can save Earth from complete domination. When they’re compelled to “dare to be great,” and neither one is prepared for it, the two women must battle as best they can against the cops, city officials, and cybernetic dog butchers. So, they can destroy the evil Sheborg and save Earth.
Armstrong is a screenwriter who scripted and directed some cheesy Australian movies like Fight Like a Girl and MurderDrone.
Masterman starred in Armstrong’s MurderDrone and other Australian films. Sheborg is the first time Duff has worked with Armstrong, but she has a long list of credits in Australian movies and TV series.
Melbourne Underground Film Festival gives two awards to Sheborg: Best Actress for both Masterman and Duff; Special Jury Prize for Armstrong.
I recommend watching Sheborg because the first six minutes will rock your obsession with horror movies.
Portugal’s “The Lost Forest of Souls”
The Lost Forest of Souls is a Portuguese psychological horror film written and directed by José Pedro Lopes. The movie follows Ricardo and Carolina, played by Jorge Mota and Daniela Love. They are total strangers and meet by chance in the “Forest of the Lost Souls.”
The forest is where many people go to commit suicide. Carolina is a young woman, and Richardo is an older man. They have come to the woods to kill themselves.
They quickly become acquainted and postpone their suicides by exploring the forest and talking to each other.
As they go deeper into the forest, the story becomes more interesting, and a psychopath emerges from the dense forest. The movie received favorable reviews and awards. As one of the best foreign horror movies, I highly recommend The Forest of Lost Souls to anyone who enjoys a fresh twist on the genre.
Twainian “The Tag-Along 2”
Twainian horror movie The Tag-Along 2 is a sequel to the urban legend movie The Tag-Along, which is about a situation. In 1998, a home video titled The Little Girl Red sparked a viral frenzy. The Tag-Along’s first foreign movie received positive reviews and was a box-office triumph.
The sequel resumes the horrific and daunting mystery about the little girl in the red dress helmed by Wei-Hao Cheng.
The movie follows a social worker, played by Rainie Yang. Her teenage daughter is pregnant and has disappeared.
Everything that happens in the story is related to the little girl in the red dress. The movie is creepy and wicked, and that is why it did so well and is the top money-making horror movie in Taiwan.
You Won’t Be Alone
Goran Stolevski wrote and directed You Won’t Be Alone. The film followed a young girl who was kidnapped and transformed into an ancient spirit. In the 1800s, the location was a creepy, isolated mountain village in Macedonia, Southeast Europe.
The girl grows up and kills a peasant, taking over her body, using horrific power.
Scariest Foreign Horror Movies
Foreign horror movies are unique in style and composition. I recommend viewing some of the ones I’ve listed in this article to discover a special genre of filmmaking.
As a horror movie fan, you can appreciate the differences and similarities between cultures and what the director creates in their movie. Each culture and director’s vision is different, and thus, it is a real horrific treat to see.
“Horror – painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay”— Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Horror Movies to Watch
Horror movies stimulate physical and emotional responses, such as drawing your knees into your chest and placing your fingers in your mouth as your eyes widen. Some even include Halloween as a premise.
The producers and directors of horror movies aim to evoke fear and shock, prompting the audience to respond in kind. They employ themes such as supernatural, macabre, fantasy, and thriller. When people watch scary movies, they feel disgust, terror, and fear and experience nightmares.
Essential components of a horror movie are evil witches, ghosts, demons, extraterrestrials, monsters, zombies, fierce animals, vampires, evil clowns, werewolves, torture, psychopaths, serial killers, and cannibals. The following list of movies offers enough choices to choose the ideal film to dare watch on Halloween.
1. “Pet Sematary”
The cast alone drives horror fans to the movie theaters, with the added benefit that Pet Sematary is based on one of Stephen King’s most horrific novels. This demonic movie stars John Lithgow, Jason Clarke, and Amy Semietz. It is a remake of the 1989 film, and a sequel followed in 1992.
2. “Overlord”
Produced by J.J. Abrams and directed by Julius Avery, Overlord is a horror movie set during World War II. It follows two American soldiers who parachute behind enemy lines on D-Day and get into a lot of trouble.
The horror trailer is fun to watch because it’s intense and scary. Scripted by talented screenwriters Billy Ray and Mark L. Smith, the movie will move quickly, featuring suspense and thrilling action.
Billy Ray wrote incredible screenplays, including Shattered Glass and The Hunger Games. Mark L. Smith’s most notable screenplay is The Revenant.
Avery helmed other movies, including Jerrycan and Son of a Gun. His directing credits are unlike those of the screenwriters, but watch the trailer. Overlord is a good horror movie.
The cast includes Bokeem Woodbine, Wyatt Russell, and Pilou Asbæk.
The movie trailer shows several Americans dropping from a plane, parachuting into the occupied German countryside, and facing a Nazi experimental lab. The lab holds some scary and brutal work by a psychiatrist.
3. “Halloween”
Jamie Lee Curtis is, once again, Laurie Strode. She never gave up on finding Michael Myers, the knife-carrying, masked figure. He’s haunted her for 40 years because she barely escaped his killing spree on that dreadful Halloween night.
Now, it’s payback time, and she needs to protect her granddaughter.
4. “The Little Stranger”
I’m thrilled about this horror movie adaptation of a bestseller. It is a quintessential British suspense film, featuring a dynamic storyline that also doubles as a horror movie.
Lenny Abrahamson directs the suspense-horror film, with the story focusing on Dr. Faraday, played by Domhnall Gleeson. Dr. Faraday made a name for himself despite being the son of a housemaid. He put together a respectable life and practiced as a country doctor.
In the summer of 1948, he calls upon a patient of his mother’s former employers, Hall, the home of the Ayres family for over two centuries.
Surprisingly, the doctor finds the former Hall in decline, and its inhabitants—mother, son, and daughter—are haunted by something more sinister than death itself.
He takes on the new patient without realizing how intimately and dreadfully the family’s past twists around him.
5. “A Quiet Place”
The movie stars Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Noah Jupe, and Millicent Simmonds. A Quiet Place is a horror movie in the supernatural sense. Directed by Emily Blunt’s husband and co-star, John Krasinski, the movie’s synopsis says, “If they can’t hear you, they can’t hurt you.”
That line sends chills up my spine. I am a fan of Blunt. The movie is scary but in a suspenseful way. I recommend seeing A Quiet Place because it is a unique story that holds my attention. The direction and acting are a perfect fit – seamless and tight.
Scenes in the movie promote American Sign Language (ASL) through the use of deaf actress Millicent Simmonds. She is not aware when her younger brother makes a noise. Noise kills the family and causes the aliens to attack humans.
Emily Blunt said in an interview that the script was so good that she asked her husband if she could play the mother in the film. She was delighted that he said yes. Her husband, John Krasinski, is a co-writer, director and the husband in the movie. Don’t forget to catch A Quiet Place Part II. The sequel includes the background story of how the alien creatures arrived.
6. “Hell Fest”
Gregory Plotkin directed Hell Fest, focusing on three teenagers who attend a local Hell Fest. The teenagers are played by Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, and Taylor-Klaus. Because it is an amusement attraction, everyone believes all the scary scenes and death-threatening antics are fake.
Once they get through the gauntlet of horror, it will be just a horrific memory of fun. That is not the case because of an urban legend where a teenage girl was killed last year during Fest.
Plotkin is known best as an editor for Get Out and Happy Death Day. He cut his directing teeth, helming one of the Paranormal Activity movies.
7. “Ready or Not”
Co-directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Ready or Not is impressively cast. The story follows newlyweds who undergo a deadly ritual rooted in the groom’s family’s traditions.
His family is not only eccentric but wealthy. The cast includes Adam Brody, Andie MacDowell, and Henry Czerny.
8. “Suspiria”
From the director of Call Me by Your Name, Luca Guadagnino guides three strong female actresses —Dakota Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Tilda Swinton — in a horrific yet fantastical and mysterious film called Suspiria. The story takes place at a prestigious dance company. The mysterious movie focuses on the artistic director, a determined young dancer, and a wretched psychotherapist.
The movie is about those who surrender to the nightmare, while others will wake up decisively.
Ari Aster wrote and directed Hereditary, and it stars Toni Collette, who played the mother in The Sixth Sense. She plays a daughter whose mother passed away and left frightening secrets about the family. The whole family becomes immersed as the mystery unravels. As they discover more about their ancestors, they realize the ominous fate they must inherit.
This movie is Aster’s feature debut as both the writer and director. Watch the movie trailer because the film is a complete nightmare, severely disquieting. The story pushes horror into a nerve-wracking depiction of heritage departed to hell.
The movie also stars Alex Wolff, Gabriel Byrne, and Milly Shapiro. Shapiro is genuinely creepy as the daughter. In the trailer, she is both horrifying and entertaining.
Sometimes it’s hard to find the best scary or horror movie you haven’t seen yet, because you have seen them all.
10. “Don’t Breathe”
Directed by Fede Alvarez, Don’t Breathe is an award-winning horror movie. It is not your particular horror story, as it is about three young people, played by Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, and Daniel Zovatto, who attempt to pull off an easy heist from a wealthy blind man.
The blind man, played by Stephen Lang, is not what they expected, and they are in for a horrific and challenging undertaking. Lang is so believable and horrific. Lang has amassed a remarkable list of acting credits, spanning from the stage to the movie screen. He celebrated the most for his role in James Cameron’s Avatar. He also has earned a Tony nomination for his Broadway performance in The Speed of Darkness.
11. “Slender Man”
The premise of this movie is a tale of urban legends. Slender Man arrives from the imagination of Eric Knudsen, who created a pen name, Victor Surge, to keep Slender Man alive. A fabled creature formed through Surge’s visualization and introduced via the Internet platform Something Awful.
That is as far as Knudsen goes with the storyline, which is nothing compared to American Horror Story. David Birke penned the movie. He is known for scripting Elle and 13 Sins.
Directed by Sylvain White, Slender Man introduces four high school girls living in a small Massachusetts town. The girls gather and conduct a ceremony to uncover the lore of Slender Man.
One of the girls vanishes suddenly, and her three friends are suspicious and believe she is indeed Slender Man’s newest victim.
12. “Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare”
Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare gives me the creeps. Jeff Wadlow directed the movie that focuses on Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars) and Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf) as young women playing a deadly game of truth or dare.
The undercurrents drive the movie, turning it from an innocent “Truth or Dare” diversion among friends into a scary horror movie. The game spins fatally when something unknown punishes the characters who fail to tell the truth or decline to do the dare.
If you are a super fan of horror, you will enjoy this one because it is unrelenting in its campy material.
13. “Winchester”
It doesn’t seem like a horror movie, but it is scary with some horrific undertones. The Spierig brothers directed Winchester, starring Helen Mirren as Sarah Winchester.
The elaborate story is genuine, as it focuses on Sarah Winchester (Mirre..). Sarah Winchester was a real person who was quirky.
She resides on a remote stretch of land, 50 miles beyond San Francisco. Today, it is in the heart of San Jose on a busy street in Silicon Valley. Reportedly, Winchester lived in one of the most haunted houses in the world. The heiress to the Winchester fortune of the Winchester rifles never stops building her home and continues for years and years.
Ms. Winchester continues building the house for her niece (Sarah Snook), but it is unclear whether that is true. She could be constructing it for Eric Price (Jason Clarke) – her doctor. It would have been helpful if the directors had clarified this.
The story focuses on her constructing the house to imprison hundreds of revengeful ghosts. The worst of the spirits want to get even with the Winchesters’ family because of the firearms they make. They harmed and killed thousands and thousands of people through wars and such.
Not because it’s haunted, since I never considered it haunted. I don’t like tourist traps.
14. “The Strangers: Prey at Night”
The Strangers: Prey at Night is about a family road trip that turns horrific. Johannes Roberts directed the scary movie, with a script by Bryan Bertino and Ben Ketai. The family arrives at a mobile park that reminds me ofBatess Motel in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Too bad the movie isn’t as good as Psycho.
Prey at Night focuses on the family, who plan to stay with relatives at a mobile park but discover the place abandoned, which is amateurishly scary as the movie unfolds to its conclusion.
Three masked psychopaths jump out from the shadows and lash out at the family in the darkness with spine-chilling music. The family fights back on the edge of madness as they thrash out to stay alive.
The horror movie follows the same theme as the 2008 horror movie The Strangers, with a similar story concerning a young couple being stalked by three masked murderers. Interestingly, Bryan Bertino helmed Prey at Night and co-wrote its screenplay.
15. “IT”
I hope you don’t freak out when you see this trailer. IT tells the story based on Stephen King’s book of the same title.
King is a master at writing scary stories. This movie appears to be just as frightening. While watching the trailer, I was compelled to look over my shoulder about five times to see if I was alone, and no one was sneaking up on me. Even the sounds of my house were unsettling and playing with my mind.
At this point, you are witnessing a quintessential horror movie from King’s classic book of horror.
16. “Happy Death Day”
Happy Death Day is similar to Bill Murray’s Groundhog Day and Zoey Deutch’s Before I Fall. Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies, where a weatherman keeps living the same day, Groundhog Day, over and over again. Before I Fall is about a high school girl. She relives her day over and over again after dying in a car crash.
Though Happy Death Day is different than Murray’s or Deutsch’s movies, it still has the same premise as a horror movie about a college student who relives the day she gets murdered with the intent of finding her murderer. The movie is not original, as it copies elements from Groundhog Day and Before I Fall.
Still, watch the trailer and get your fix of scary and horror with a touch of humor.
The producer and director were pleased with the box office return, and the director wrote and directed a sequel, titled Happy Death Day 2U, immediately. It is just as good with a similar premise.
17. “XX”
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why are horror movies so popular?” Watch the collection of short horror movies about mothers, and they give you the answer.
XX comes as a DVD helmed by four talented female directors. The shorts give you a chance to evaluate the popularity of horror movies, as they are not your typical horror movies. They are awkward and confusing at times.
The movies will catch your interest because each short is intelligently produced and acted. The fourth one is the best. It’s called The Box and makes the whole collection a scary, fun time to be shared with your friends. The movie is profound and meaningful. The kids grow up and become who they are, and she can only be their mom. What they do to her is unbelievably horrific.
Only Living Son is my next favorite choice out of the four shorts. The story follows a mother, and she’s left on her own at a stressful party. She continues this experience for the rest of her life. It’s a mother’s nightmare for real. The production is good, and the acting is believable.
Being a horror fan, you will want to see these four shorts.
The overall theme weaves through the movies – motherhood nightmares – fears of what could happen to you and your children. Each director has a distinctive and modern-day expression.
“‘The Ranger’ is one of the most punk horror movies that has ever punked.”— Bloody Disgusting
18. “The Ranger”
The teaser horror movie trailer is entertaining, with its retro look evoking the 1950s or 1960s camping aesthetic. Directed by Jenn Wexler, The Ranger follows a group of punks. The cops confront them, and they head for a national park. Chelsea, played by Chloe Levine, and her pals bolt from the city. They decided to lie low in an old cabin that Chelsea’s family had abandoned.
They fall prey to the watchful eye of an obsessive park ranger, played by Jeremy Holm. He holds a secret concerning Chelsea’s past.
The horror movie is about surviving in the forest while someone is chasing and killing your friends. Humor and glitter mix with the gore to keep the pace moving.
Best Scary Movies
I recommend all these horror movies and hope you get a chance to see each one. Some had higher budgets than others, but they are entertaining to watch.
You might not have heard of these horror movies. This article dares you to peek.
“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” follows Leatherface, who slices his victims with a chainsaw. Source: Kenna McHugh
Comprehensive List of Horror Movies
Lock the doors. Turn off the lights. Grab your snacks. It’s time to watch your favorite horror movies for many reasons. Sometimes, it’s to seek the adrenaline rush, thrill, and suspense that rivets us in a movie theater or at home. Then, we want entertainment through clever storytelling and cinematic elements, such as films like The Sixth Sense or The Others. Some horror films, like Blumhouse’s Happy Death Day movies, offer humor, which is an appreciation. There are so many to choose from. Below is a comprehensive list of horror films. That way, you have many choices of horror movies to enjoy in the safety of your home.
1. The Prodigy
Like every parent, she knows her child is a saint and tries to be a good kid. But what happens when something takes over the child, and he no longer controls his intention?
I enjoyed the horror movie directed by Nicolas McCarthy because it’s beyond creepy figures lurking in shadows. Sarah’s only son, Miles, is acting up too much, which is disturbing. It’s a sign of evil with a supernatural force that overwhelms him.
2. Anna and the Apocalypse
Anna and the Apocalypse is a musical horror movie where zombies roam in the backward town of Little Haven. The undead people are causing all sorts of crazy stuff. But all that Anna and her friends do is dance and sing while trying to handle the Apocalypse. The worst part is that it is happening during Christmas time.
That’s right. The movie is a horror, comedy, and musical. I watched the trailer to take a break from work because it’s so much fun.
3. The Possession of Hannah Grace
A father claims his daughter’s life while performing an exorcism to drive the demons from her body and soul. The daughter ends up in the morgue when it is Megan’s shift. The body looks disfigured but is not dead. Megan is unaware of the young woman’s condition until they are locked in the basement with the two inside the corridors.
4. Slice
The movie poster says, “Dead in 30 Minutes or Less” and “A Way Out Alive.” The movie is a horror film, but it is also a comedy, which I enjoyed.
Austin Vesely wrote and directed this movie about a pizza delivery driver murdered on the job. The city tries to find the culprit with the usual suspects, such as drug dealers, ghosts, and a humiliating werewolf.
Did you recognize Joe Keery from Stranger Things? His role is the photojournalist, and he looks pretty good—Katherine Cunningham, Zazie Beetz, Hannibal Buress, and other quirky cast members star in this movie.
5. Ganja & Hess
Ganja & Hess is a horror movie filled with metaphor and allegory. Produced with a budget of $350,000, Ganja & Hess arrived in 1973 with accolades from the critics and won the Critics’ Week choice during the Cannes Film Festival the year it was released.
I found the movie dated, but you will appreciate it if you’re a devoted horror fan.
Sam Waymon, Mabel King, and Leonard Jackson also star in the movie.
“The last thing I want to do is make a black vampire film… If I had to write about blood, I was going to do that, but I could not just make a movie about blood.”
Bill Gunn told a friend explaining why he didn’t make another black vampire movie like “Blacula.”
6. Unsane
The most unjust and scary situation anyone experienced was being involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. If you are in this situation, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights is your recourse.
It was hard for me to watch this movie because I felt vulnerable and trapped. It’s how Soderbergh used the iPhone, shooting each scene tight and sometimes with a wide-angle lens.
Soderbergh is a revolutionary filmmaker and doesn’t mind crossing cultural or social barriers.
7. No Solicitors
John Callas writes and directs this eerie but campy terror of a movie. Political satire weaves through the storyline, yet as a horror fan, I only wanted the scary stuff, which is pretty cheesy. Still, it is a festival winner at both Scare-A-Con and Fright Night festivals.
Nobody told the real estate agent about the “no soliciting” at the Cutterman’s home. They seem friendly and helpful, but an invite to dinner means corrupt under-the-table dealings. Drugging the guests tells the story of the horrific family business.
They soon undergo the frightful experience of slowly being eaten piece by piece. The family business is nothing but a farm for selling their internal organs.
8. Hostile
Written and directed by Mathieu Turi, Hostile is a creepy horror movie starring Brittany Ashworth, Grégory Fitoussi, and Javier Botet.
The story takes place after a worldwide epidemic has killed most of the population. The handful of those still alive struggle to survive by searching for shelter and food. A strange and creepy creature roams the area.
Juliette finished her scavenging and headed back to camp. She is in a terrible accident and stranded in her car because of a broken leg.
She is right in the middle of a hostile desert. She must focus on surviving the danger of the post-apocalypse while the creepy creature lurks around the car.
The special effects are decent, and the story moves along with plenty of intense situations and a backstory. The creature lurking around the car is too much for me, so horror fans need to see this movie.
8. Hostile
Written and directed by Mathieu Turi, Hostile is a creepy horror movie starring Brittany Ashworth, Grégory Fitoussi, and Javier Botet.
The story takes place after a worldwide epidemic has killed most of the population. The handful of those still alive struggle to survive by searching for shelter and food. A strange and creepy creature roams the area.
Juliette finished her scavenging and headed back to camp. She is in a terrible accident and stranded in her car because of a broken leg.
She is right in the middle of a hostile desert. She must focus on surviving the danger of the post-apocalypse while the creepy creature lurks around the car.
The special effects are decent, and the story moves along with plenty of intense situations and a backstory. The creature lurking around the car is too much for me, so horror fans need to see this movie.
9. Greta
Neil Jordan directed Greta. His credits include Interview with a Vampire, The Crying Game, The End of the Affair, and Mona Lisa. The story is an idea by Ray Wright, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jordan.
It focuses on Frances, a young woman who becomes friends with a widow. The widow tricks and manipulates Frances to the point where Frances’ life is in danger. The movie trailer is worth watching because it tells most of the story.
10. Gretal & Hansel
It’s not a fairytale or a horror movie for the lighthearted. Gretal & Hansel follows a young girl with her little brother into a dark, foreboding forest. While looking for food and possible work, they fall upon the darkest core of terrifying evil.
Osgood Perkins, the son of Anthony Perkins (Psycho), does an excellent job directing the horrific and chilling story. And yes, there is a witch in the movie.
11. Arrebato
Ivan Zulueta directed this Arrebato in 1979. The 4K restoration Blu-ray means the quality of this classic film is worth buying for diehard horror fans. This horror movie is a blend of Super-8, sex and heroin, following Jose Sirgado, a horror movie director. Jose lives a life of drugs and doubts while he tries to complete his second film.
His ex-girlfriend shows up, and a package from an old friend is at his doorstep. The package contains a door key, an audiotape and Super-8 film. Next, the movie is the ultimate hallucinogenic catharsis from a vertigo strip of filming more and being filmed.
12. Red Snow
Filmed in just 13 days, Red Snow is a low-budget horror movie with a talented cast, making the cinema nightmarish and stiff. But it’s funny as a dark comedy about vampires and lots of blood.
Sean Nichols wrote and directed this film about Olivia Romo, a struggling writer of vampire romance novels. Shut in at a cabin at South Lake Tahoe, she defends herself against actual vampires during Christmas.
An injured bat named Luke crashes into her living room. He turns into a handsome vampire, and a romance blossoms. The problem is that he has vampire friends who want to suck Olivia’s blood while he tries to keep himself from taking a bite out of her.
13. Nope
Jordan Peele wrote and directed Nope, the award-winning director’s stab at the phenomenon of being horrific. Before the film arrived in movie theaters, it was all hush-hush.
The story is about a brother and sister who run a horse ranch and stumble upon something fantastic and horrific in the skies above. An owner of a theme park next to the farm tries to captialize on the mysterious and otherworldly phenomenon.
14. You Won’t Be Alone
Goran Stolevski helms this horrific, creepy tale about a witch. The horror movieoccurs in an isolated mountain village in 19th-century Macedonia, Southeast Europe. It tells a bizarre story about a young girl kidnapped by an ancient spirit and turned into a witch.
15. Halloween Kills
Gleaned from the characters John Carpenter and Debra Hill created, “Halloween Kills” brings back Jamie Lee Curtis in her iconic role and Judy Greer with Anthony Michael Hall.
Fed up with Michael Myers hunting them, the citizens of Haddonfield decide to pursue Myers and hunt him down. Some may think Myers will never die, no matter how hard Laurie Strode tries.
16. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Michael Chaves masterminds The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, which displays a chilling tale of terror, a true story. The story spends time with real-life paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren, starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson.
Believed to be one of their most sensational cases, they fight for the soul of a young boy. For the first time in the U.S., a murder suspect claims demonic possession as a defense.
17. The Night House
David Bruckner brings us The Night House. A widow discovers her deceased husband’s disturbing secrets, which turn horrific and diabolical. Rebecca Hall is believable as the widow. The trailer shares more details.
The movie focuses on past events without flashback scenes. It’s all linear, and the special effects make it terrifying.
18. The Empty Man
The Empty Man will fill your horror obsession with the mysterious disappearance of teenagers. James, an unsettled retired cop, gets thrust into motion to investigate these disappearances. He follows leads, tying a secretive occult-determined group to a frightening provincial legend. James admits that his life — those nearest to him — is in horrific danger.
19. Spiral
Having a stand-up comedian, Chris Rock, portray the brazen Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks in a SAW spinoff movie is pretty spectacular. Zeke works in the shadow of a respected police veteran, played by Samuel L. Jackson.
Zeke has a rookie partner, played by Max Minghella. Both take over a grisly investigation into murders eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Zeke ends up at the core of the killer’s macabre game, unknowingly entrapped in an intensifying mystery.
20. Abigail
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directed the horror film. The cast includes Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud and Giancarlo Esposito.
All the kidnappers need to do is collect a $50 million ransom after abducting the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of an influential underworld figure. Monitor the girl throughout the night in a remote mansion.
As the captors diminish one by one, they gradually realize with increasing terror that they have trapped themselves with an abnormal little girl.
21. Red Letter Day
Red Letter Day is a raucous horror-comedy but still scary. Cameron Macgowan wrote and directed the movie about a divorced mother who adjusts to a new life in a quiet suburban community. Her two teens receive eerie red letters demanding they kill each other or get killed.
Macgowan crafted a true neighborhood nightmare, and the acting is convincing.
The low-budget movie is scary and funny. Diehard horror fans will have a kind heart for the film.
22. Marrowbone
You will see some familiar faces in Sergio G. Sanchez’s Marrowbone, such as Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton and George MacKay. A screenwriter for such haunting films as The Orphanage and The Impossible, Sanchez has made a name for himself.
Marrowbone follows four siblings filled with secrets, enticing you to live inside their world. The siblings cross the Atlantic, escaping from a mysterious trauma that has a life of its own. They find refuge in an old home after the death of their mother, then uncover something horrific about the house, a more sinister occupant, and it turns into a haunting tale.
The siblings are lively, like kids, but also display uneasiness, coming across as an unusual romanticism and a beautifully framed movie.
Another character in the movie is the house, semi-abandoned with an unkept yard that marks the boundary between the home and the outer civilization—isolated with no signs of modern life.
23. The Last Witch Hunter
Breck Eisner directs The Last Witch Hunter as a large-scale and admirable movie, taking a distinct urban fantasy-horror universe. The film looks different from other films of the same genre.
It begins in the past with silver-haired warriors on a vital journey to slay the evil Witch Queen. She placed a curse on the whole countryside. The warriors fight bravely with suspense and terror as if fighting a monster, not a witch. All in all, this part of the movie is outstanding.
Come forward and meet Kaulder, played by Van Diesel, an immortal hero with a very complicated or uneasy personality. Michael Caine and Elijah Wood also star. If you are familiar with Diesel’s characters, you know he is still arrogant and badass.
Eisner uses a lot of action scenes with some horrifying scenes, a solid supporting cast, and CGI with animated monsters and crazy spells.
24. The Quiet Ones
The Quiet Ones is a horror film similar to The Sixth Sense or The Others, based on a true story. John Pogue directs this horror movie, which is worth seeing for fans of the genre.
An actual experiment at Oxford in 1974, this film brings to light the profound notion of what the supernatural experience might manifest in the minds of believers who have a few screws loose.
We watch Professor Coupland, graduate students Krissy and Harry and videographer Brian (Sam Claflin of The Hunger Games franchise). They investigate the psychic phenomena of the destructive young Jane with the rationale of treating her. Like all psychiatric treatment, it’s brutal and inhumane.
You’ll jump out of your chair or skin, whichever comes first.
25. Prey for the Devil
Daniel Stamm directed Prey for the Devil, and the movie begins with a worldwide upsurge in demonic possessions. The Catholic Church renews exorcism schools to instruct priests in the Rite of Exorcism.
An unlikely serviceperson, a budding nun, Sister Ann, rises on this spiritual frontline. Propel onto the spiritual battleground along with fellow student Father Dante. Sister Ann struggles for the soul of a young girl.
Sister Ann acknowledges that the same demon that possessed the girl is the same one who plagued her mother years ago. Sister Ann discovers the Devil has her exactly where he needs her, and he craves to get into her soul.
26. Candyman
Anthony’s painting career has stalled, and a fluke encounter with an old-timer reveals the tragically horrific nature of the actual tale behind Candyman.
Anthony wants to maintain his status in the Chicago art world, so he explores these gruesome details in his workshop.
He sees it as a refreshing way to restart his career and paint again. Unknowingly, he opens the door to an intricate past that tatters his sanity and releases a terrifyingly viral surge of violence, putting him on a collision trajectory with destiny.
Nia DaCosta wrote and directed Candyman, a horror movie with a bona fide story worth following.
27. Fantasy Island
Welcome to a spin on the television series Fantasy Island, a horror film. Jeff Wadlow directed the movie, which he also wrote, and Chris Roach and Jillian Jacobs co-wrote.
The obscure Mr. Roarke makes the secret dreams of his fortunate guests come true. With a luxurious but remote tropical resort as the background, one can’t help but feel it’s a true fantasy.
But the fantasies turn into nightmares. The guests have to decipher the island’s mystery to flee with their lives.
28. The First Omen
Arkasha Stevenson directed The First Omen, an American horror film written by Stevenson, Keith Thomas, and Tim Smith. It is based on a story written by Ben Jacoby.
In the film, Nell Tiger Free portrays an American woman in a prequel to The Omen. Upon arriving at a church in Rome, she stumbles upon a sister conspiracy plotting the birth of the Antichrist.
Bill Nighy, Ralph Ineson, and Sonia Braga are among the cast members.
29. Slender Man
Eric Knudsen created Slender Man. A mythical character spun on Something Awful, an Internet Forum. Now, a horror movie was written by David Birke with the same title.
The movie follows four high school girls living in a small town in Massachusetts. The girls conduct a ritual to unveil the lore of Slender Man. One of the girls disappears, and the others suspect she is Slender Man’s latest victim.
30. Smile
Dr. Rose Cotter witnessed a bizarre, terrifying incident involving a patient. After experiencing frightening circumstances, she can’t solve them.
As an overwhelming terror takes over the doctor’s life, she must face her troubling past to survive and escape her horrifying, twisted reality.
It appears the film is popular with horror fans because a sequel soon followed.
31. The Black Phone
The horror movie focuses on a dead phone that rings and rings to save a boy’s life.
The horror film follows a shy but intelligent 13-year-old boy named Finney, who a perverse killer abducts. Screaming does little good because the killer trapped the boy in a soundproof basement. Screaming does little good.
A disconnected phone rings. Finney picks up the phone and hears the killer’s previous victims, ensuring what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
32. Last Night In Soho
The film descends into terror and mind games, following a young girl named Eloise. She’s intense about fashion design. Yet London is puzzling for her because it differs from where she grew up. There is a bad side to London, which is horrific.
Edgar Wright directs a stellar cast that includes AnyaTalor-Joy, Matt Smith, Diana Rigg, and Thomasin McKenzie.
Eloise can time travel to the 1960s, where she meets her idol, Sandie, a striking up-and-coming singer.
It’s a psychological horror movie that gradually builds like a Hitchcock thriller.
33. Fear of Rain
A teenager, Rain Burroughs, becomes caught in the synthetic psychiatric balderdash of labeling and being diagnosed with the made-up illness called schizophrenia.
Rain grapples, trying to figure out which of the harrowing voices, disturbing images, and traumatic feelings she goes through are genuine and which are all in her mind, imagination.
She sees shadows and hears cries from her neighbor’s attic, hiding a horrific secret. Caleb, a charmingly uneasy new boy, says he’ll help Rain. Yet, she wonders if he is even real.
The movie is a frightening thriller, taking you inside Rain’s mind as she confronts the terrifying hallucinations to determine whether genuine horror exists and hides right next door.
34. Freaky
Freaky gets entangled as a body-swap movie where a teenage girl switches bodies with a persistent serial killer. The cast looks promising with Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, and Celeste O’Connor.
It’s horrific and funny as seventeen-year-old Millie tries to survive the lethal halls of Blissfield High.
It’s the inhumanity of the popular crowd that gets her down. Yet she becomes the latest target of The Butcher, her town’s notorious serial killer. Her senior-year angst soon becomes the least of her worries.
Mille becomes trapped as a middle-aged maniac, and she looks like a massive psychopath who’s the mark of a city-wide search. Now, The Butcher looks like her and has brought his longing for more bloodbaths to the homecoming dance.
35. Goodnight Mommy
The film stars Naomi Watts, and it’s a remake of the Austrian movie with the same title.
The horror movie follows twin brothers arriving at their mother’s country home. They discover she has covered her face with bandages, explaining she had cosmetic surgery.
The boys immediately discern something amiss with her odd behavior, setting strange new house rules, smoking in her bathroom, and secretly ripping up a drawing they gifted her.
Her conduct grows increasingly eccentric and unpredictable. A terrifying thought festers in the boys’ minds. A sinking apprehension that the woman underneath the dressings, preparing their food and sleeping in the next room, is not their beloved mother.
36. The Grudge
The storyline is derived from the Japanese film Ju-On: The Grudge, written and directed by Takashi Shimizu.
Horror movie alums Sam Raimi produced the American version of the Shimizu film, a twisted take on the horror classic. Yet, Raimi’s version is scarier. If you worship horror, you will treasure this movie. The bathtub scene is visually more sinister than all the clips I’ve seen — it’s super frightening.
37. Black Christmas
Here’s a horror holiday movie for us diehard horror fans. Who wants to watch White Christmas!?
It’s a timely horror movie that looks like a 1974 slasher classic. But as a present tone, a campus killer faces a formidable sisterhood.
Hawthorne College closes for the holidays, yet Riley Stone and her Mu Kappa Epsilon sisters, including athlete Marty, rebel Kris, and chef Jesse, prepare a series of seasonal parties.
A black-masked stalker kills sorority women, and the body count advances. Riley, with her squad of sisters, asks themselves if a man is trustworthy or if they are all killers.
Whoever the killer is, he realizes that young women of this generation aren’t about to be victims.
38. The Turning
Inspired by Henry James’ milestone novel, the haunted-house horror thriller The Turning is a beguiling tale starring Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things.
The story begins at a mysterious estate in the Maine countryside. A newly appointed nanny, Kate, takes charge of caring for two disturbed orphans, Flora and Miles. Shortly, she learns that the children and the house conceal dark secrets. Things may not be as they seem.
39. Countdown
The Countdown is a techie horror movie that follows a nurse who downloads an app, claiming to predict when an individual will die. The app tells her she has three days to live.
A figure haunts her as the clock ticks, noting her death is near. She has to find a way to save her life as time runs out.
The trailer is acutely frightful, and horror buffs will get their blood pumped.
40. Antlers
The horror movie surpasses others with excellent direction by Scott Cooper. It has a stellar cast, including Keri Russell and Jess Plemons.
The movie follows a young, creepy boy in a small town in Oregon. He reads his story to his teacher, and it’s so sinister and undeniably horrifically evilly wild.
His story is so sinister that it is deniably evil and wild. The town’s sheriff and teacher investigate the possible horrors within this boy’s life.
41. Underwater
Underwater is a horror movie about a crew of underwater researchers who must scramble to safety after an earthquake destroys their underground laboratory. But something has awakened.
The horror movie stars Twilight‘s Kristen Stewart, and she looks good in the trailer, wearing a bra and cropped blonde hair.
Though the movie follows Stewart, she has a talented cast supporting her. Its style looks terrifying.
42. The Hunt
The studio had shelved The Hunt for a long time because of the political climate in the United States. An accurate parody of the dark internet conspiracy theory, a globalist elite group gathers at a remote Manor House.
Here, for the first time, they hunt humans for sport. But the Illuminati’s master plan goes off the rails because a hunted woman is better at the hunters’ game than they are.
Crystal turns the tables on the killers, picking them off one by one as she makes her way toward the mysterious woman at the center.
For a horror movie, you’ll experience underlying humor with an intensity that boils to eruption.
43. Ready or Not
Ready or Not is a bizarre horror movie where you know you shouldn’t take it seriously. The story follows newlyweds who must suffer through a deadly ritual with their fiancé’s family after the wedding.
For obvious and horrific reasons, the family is not only eccentric but wealthy, implementing a dangerous, time-honored game in which not just the newlyweds fight for survival.
You might see familiar faces, such as Andie MacDowell and Adam Brody.
44. Crawl
The horror film is about a giant hurricane crashing into a Florida hometown. Haley ignores evacuation directives and searches for her missing father instead, which makes for an intense horror thriller.
She locates him severely injured and stuck in the family home’s crawl space. The two become cornered by swiftly advancing floodwaters. Their period to flee runs out, and the intense storm with surging water levels is not what causes the threat to survival. They must deal with a massive and savage alligator.
The horrific film stars Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper, and Morfydd Clark.
45. MA
It seems like it’s all for fun and games. But soon, it turns into a horror movie. Ma welcomes everybody to her home to party and drink, yet good luck making it home. Sue Ann is an outsider in a quiet Ohio town.
One day, she buys alcohol for Maggie, a new teenager in the city, after Maggie asks her. Sue Ann takes advantage of the trusting teen and some of Maggie’s friends. She allows the teenagers to hang out in her basement.
But they must follow some house rules, such as staying sober, not cursing, calling her “Ma,” and never heading upstairs.
But as Ma’s friendliness changes to obsession, what begins as a teenage fantasy becomes a horrifying nightmare, and Ma’s place goes from the funniest hangout to the worst place in the world.
Tate Taylor directs Octavia Spencer, Diana Silvers, and Juliette Lewis.
46. Child’s Play
It’s the contemporary remake of the 1988 horror classic.
If you loved Chuckie, you’d love this movie about Karen, a single mother who gifts her son Andy a Buddy doll, heedless of its more demonic nature.
Now, Andy and his friends try to destroy Chuckie. But he’s one tough buddy doll. He even wields a kitchen knife.
47. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
You might have heard about these scary stories before, and boy, are they creepy! These old and simple horror stories told over a campfire are captivating, with a lesson learned.
Alvin Schwartz wrote the frightening children’s book series. Famed horror filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is one of the producers.
The large cast includes Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, and Gabriel Rush.
48. Us
Jordan Peele wrote and directed the horror movie Us, which follows a family on a wicked summer vacation, expecting to have a great time with friends. Still, their tranquillity turns to anxiety and chaos when some creepy visitors arrive without being invited.
The horror film is well-thought-out and has enough horror to keep you hiding behind your popcorn. Elizabeth Moss co-stars in the movie, and she brings a sinister character to a whole new level.
49. Alien: Romulus
Alien is a franchise, which Ridley Scott first directed in 1979, that introduced Sigourney Weaver. The franchise has lasted decades and is now a streaming series.
Fede Alvarez helmed Alien: Romulus, a horror movie set in space written by Dan O’Bannon, Fede Alvarez, and Rodo Sayagues. In the film, a group of young people encounter an unimaginably terrifying alien life form. Ridley Scott began the franchise in 1979 with Alien. Then, James Cameron brought us Aliens in 1986, and David Fincher delivered Alien 3 in 1992. Alien Resurrection, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, arrived in 1997.
50. Immaculate
Immaculate follows Sister Cecilia, played by Sydney Sweeney. A devout American nun journeys to a distant convent in the Italian countryside. What starts as a warm welcome for Cecilia quickly spirals into a nightmare as she realizes her new home holds a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.
Michael Mohan directs the horror movie that twists, dips and turns for 89 minutes, leaving traumatized and haunted.
Renae Goodhew is one of the most in-demand VFX and makeup sorcerers in Hollywood. Horror is her specialty.
Being a makeup artist in the industry gives you a chance to live your dreams. Hear how the pros built their careers working in film.
Makeup Artists on Movie Sets
I know some talented makeup artists in the industry, some in San Francisco and others in Hollywood. Being a makeup artist can be a fun and challenging job.
The hardest part is establishing yourself in the industry. You start at the bottom and work your way up to the top. If you appreciate working with people intimately and helping them look their best for the camera and fans, you will do fine.
But you must be willing to work hard and be on your feet all day. You will most likely be one of the last people to leave the set. The job is yours if you can handle its responsibilities.
Once you have your foot in the door with steady and well-paid work, you can keep it glamorous by setting up appointments with celebrities before red carpets, interviews, and the like. Or you can work on a film set. Whatever you desire.
Whatever you choose as a makeup artist, you must keep your integrity and never bank on your profession. Keep your cards to your chest and your nose clean. You will succeed far more than your dreams could imagine.
Makeup artists enjoy themshelves and know they are taking a step in the right direction.
Reana Goodhew Makeup Artist: Independent Horror
Reana Goodhew’s credits include One, a Lance Henriksen horror movie; a horror movie with Eric Roberts called 7 Deadly Sins; William Baldwin and Bill Moseley in Minutes to Midnight; Tony Todd, Bill Moseley, and Kane Hodder in Harrison Smith’s Death House. She also worked on the “555” video by Jimmy Eat World.
“I’m a huge horror fan. The first horror film I saw was The Exorcist, with Dick Smith’s makeup. From there, I fell in love with all the Hellraiser movies, Halloween, and so forth.”
Goodhew talks about becoming a professional makeup artist in Hollywood. “I like the challenge of creating good horror makeup. Making something horrifying look truly believable is a challenge,” she exclaims.
She also enjoys working in horror because “you’re able to create things aside from application makeups.” She is talking about creating body parts, wounds, dead bodies, fake heads, and so forth.
“I definitely get to use my artistic background to create and color, which I enjoy,” adds Goodhew.
She has been working as a special effects makeup artist for seven years. Her background comes from art in painting and sculpting, but she attended the Cinema Makeup School.
Creating Body Parts, Wounds, Fake Heads, and Dead Bodies
The advice Goodhew gives to those who want to work in Hollywood:
“Work hard, be persistent, and always keep pushing yourself. As an artist, we never stop learning or growing in our career. Always try to build on your skills, even when you’re not working on a job. Not everyone will have the same path pursuing makeup as a career. There are so many options. Ultimately find your path and go with it.”
See the Echoes of Fear trailer below to see some of Goodhew’s creature work.
Laura’s Stage Jobs
Laura lived in Los Angeles and worked at a cosmetic counter when she got involved in doing makeup on performers for school plays.
While putting makeup on the performers, she studied and learned various stage makeup techniques, and eventually knew how to apply all types of makeup on a performer.
In the process, she discovered how much she liked doing makeup and flourished in her career.
Makeup artist can live in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York
Makeup Artist Movie Jobs
Deciding that she wanted to make this her career in films, Laura got in touch with some major studios.
However, they wouldn’t hire her because she wasn’t a union member and needed a job to be in the union.
The common problem for most novices in film careers is that you need the experience to get a job, but you can’t get experience unless you have a job.
Laura decided to contact several independent movie companies because independent films often have agreements with the union that they don’t have to hire union members.
With some persistence, she talked her way into a job on a biker movie as a makeup assistant, helping the makeup artist do whatever she wanted her to do.
Another essential point to breaking into the film business is to do whatever the production needs to help get the movie made. You have to be willing to work hard and be ready to serve your immediate boss.
Oscar Winner Joe Harlow Sets the Tone
The remake of Hellboy revamped the character and makeup design with Oscar-winning Joe Harlow set the tone for the crew to create a new Hellboy character.
In a press junket interview, Harlow talked about designing the look of Hellboy and imagine how much work went into creating the comic book anti-hero.
Lucas Godfrey’s Special Effects Makeup for Hell Fest
In an interview with Lucas Godfrey, who did special effects makeup for the horror movie Hell Fest and The Walking Dead series, talks about his experience with special effects makeup during the production of Hell Fest.
Watching these types of interviews helps you understand what these people do and who they are. The more you know about them and their credits, the more chances you have of recognizing them and their work.
Nothing impresses an artist more than someone truly recognizing them for their work in films.
Reese Witherspoon looks dazzling because of her talented makeup artists.
One Way to Get Started as a Makeup Artist
Laura’s advice for those who want to do special effects makeup is to get a job selling cosmetics.
“Once you learn the basics,” she says, “you can offer to do makeup for school and community theaters or talk to your friends into letting you practice on them.
The important thing,” she asserts, “is to practice your craft.”
Depending on the production, makeup artists on a film set make roughly $40–$50 an hour. They make $73,250 to $88,200 or more a year.
Working With Sir Anthony Hopkins and Anne Hathaway
Makeup and hair designer Nana Fisher worked with Sir Anthony Hopkins on Armageddon Time. In an interview, Fisher discussed working with the actor and their steps to show his character’s health decline.
Fisher talks about the skin color choices, such as yellow, green and grey.
In another interview, Fisher talked about matching the hair colors of the family. She talks about working with Anne Hathaway.
Makeup Artists Salaries
All in all, you can live your dream and become a makeup artist in any field. Laura entered a fabulous field that is rewarding artistically as well as financially. The same thing can happen if you learn your craft and start finding jobs.
Check out these movies, as they surprised audiences and remain worth watching even today.
Sleeper hit movies demonstrate that any filmmaker can create a low-budget movie that becomes a box office success. Tentpole or high-budget movies are not always a shoo-in because, for the most part, they are rehashed stories that producers don’t have to gamble on or question the outcome. Circling back to sleeper hits is a treasure when the public flocks to the movie houses and celebrates a surprising success.
Sleeper Hit
A “sleeper hit” is a surprise smash hit movie that the film industry didn’t expect to succeed at the box office. Let’s take a look at some films worth mentioning, renting, or streaming because they’re sleeper hits.
Best Movie You’ve Ever Seen
Why would you want to see a sleeper hit movie? The same reason you’d like to see a film is that it is the best movie you have ever seen. We’re not talking tentpole movies with large marketing schemes. These are movies made on a low budget without special effects. The story is believable, and the acting is top-notch. Usually, the director is relatively new to the industry. Go down my list of sleeper hits, and discern whether or not they deserve the “sleeper hit” nod.
1. “Happy Death Day”
When I heard about Happy Death Day and saw the trailer, I predicted that horror fans would flock to the movie theaters to see this movie. Watching the trailer, it appears to be a super-entertaining yet horrific movie, with a plot similar to Groundhog Day.
Apparently, the producers didn’t expect the movie to be a real success, but it was, and now they are releasing a sequel,Happy Death Day 2U, with the same director and cast.
2. “Don’t Breathe”
Don’t Breathe was never considered the best new horror movie and was projected to gross under $14 million. The minuscule amount was fine with the producers because it cost $9 million to produce. It became a sleeper hit, as the movie, a low-budget horror film, grossed over $89 million in North America alone. In other markets around the world, it brought in $67.9 million – the end of the summer box office hit.
Produced by Sam Raimi, known for directing the earlier Spider-Man movies starring Toby Maguire, the movie’s director, Fede Alvarez, is now working on a sequel.
The horror movie follows a blind man who is mugged by three teenagers but turns the tables on them in a hurry. The rest of the story is about how the blind man terrorizes the teenagers. Stephen Lang plays the blind man, and he will look familiar because he’s had a long and fruitful career as a strong character actor.
3. “Lady Bird”
Lady Birdis about my hometown. Greta Gerwig’s film takes place in Sacramento, where she grew up and attended high school. Yes, it is very cool to see the landmarks of my city in such a poignant film. The story itself is endearing, regardless of where you live, whether in Los Angeles or Scottsdale, because it resonates deeply, making it a sleeper hit.
The teenage girl is trying to become who she truly is while contending with the craziness of life in High School and a mother-daughter relationship that is both push and pull.
Although the movie initially received accolades at festivals, the industry and public were captivated by the realistic, heart-pounding drama of a typical high school girl, played brilliantly by Saoirse Ronan.
4. “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee and earning $1 million with 44 screens in eight days, focuses on two women, both competent fighters, who follow different paths toward a violent and blistering showdown with a dynamic ending.
Nobody expected a martial arts movie with strong heroines to succeed at the box office using hardly any marketing efforts and, let alone, win four Oscars.
5. “District 9”
Peter Jackson produced District 9, and its budget was 30 million. The science-fiction movie recouped its investment and earned $ 7 million in its first weekend of release.
The story takes place in South Africa, where extraterrestrial refugees have been stranded for 28 years. One man figures out how to tap into their technology, and the government is not too happy about it.
6. “Bring It On”
Kirsten Dunst starred in Bring It On when she was a teenager. The cheerleading movie earned $70 million. It’s about a very upbeat cheerleader navigating the politics of being the best cheerleader. The sleeper hit movie has several sequels that never match the original. Now a Broadway musical.
If you’ve never seen the movie, I recommend it because cheerleading as the backdrop shows how competitive it can be.
7. “Superbad”
Emma Stone starred in this movie with Michael Cera, Ed Helms, and Jonah Hill. Superbad is a teenage movie about getting alcohol as an underage boy and scoring with chicks.
Produced by Judd Apatow, he was virtually unknown, but it didn’t last for long. Over a summer weekend in 2007, Superbad became a household word and a must-see movie.
8. “Little Miss Sunshine”
Released in seven theaters, Little Miss Sunshine became a sleeper hit movie. It took off and generated half a million dollars in its first week, bringing its total to 200 million, with numerous Academy Award nominations and wins. It’s a feel-good movie with lots of laughs.
9. “Memento”
Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece, which follows Leonard, played by Guy Pearce, features generous notes throughout the movie to aid his short-term memory loss at every moment.
The low-budget movie catapulted into a sleeper hit, earning more than $25 million at the box office and garnering two Academy Award nominations. Memento even scored big time in the DVD release, selling over a million copies.
10. “Napoleon Dynamite”
Napoleon Dynamite is a cult movie with a huge fan base of followers who quote the movie’s snarky dialogue.
The story is quirky, with small-town characters adding to the funny banter. The movie grossed $44.5 million during its summer release, despite being limited to a select number of theaters.
11. “Paranormal Activity”
Paranormal Activity is a filmmaker’s fairytale. The movie only cost $15,000 to make and grossed $100 million. It quickly became a super hit, with sequels to follow. People do walk out of the movie theater before it’s over, not because the movie was bad, but because it was too scary.
12. “The Blair Witch Project”
In 1999, another low-budget sleeper hit was The Blair Witch Project. The movie’s beginning is promising, but it gradually deteriorates. Still, the public came out in droves, and the cheesy but scary movie made millions.
I mentally berated myself for paying to see this movie, as it was so bad. It just got worse and worse until the end was flat. I am still amazed it made so much money at the box office.
13. “47 Meters Down”
Stranger Things season 1 and 2 star Matthew Modine is one of the locals in 47 Meters Down. He represents the force behind the two women’s horror.
Director Johannes Roberts mentioned in the production notes for his sequel, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, that he was surprised by the film’s box office success.
The low-budget underwater thriller follows Lisa and Kate in a protective cage, who come face-to-face with the Great Whites. The cage snaps apart from the boat, and they find themselves diving to the bottom depths of the ocean floor.
Out of radio range and getting themselves exposed to the ferocious sharks, their oxygen stores were quickly diminishing.
Low-budget Movies
Sleeper hit movies show filmmakers can create a low-budget movie that becomes a box office success. A tent-pole or high-budget movie is not always a hit movie because, mostly, they rehash stories. Producers feel they don’t have to gamble on them or question the outcome. Circling back to sleeper hits is a treasure when the public flocks to the movie houses and celebrates a surprising success.
Kanpong Banjongpinit co-wrote and directed Night of the Killer Bears. The story follows five teenage friends who live in Bangkok—a long time has passed since they’d seen each other. They decide to vacation together at a quiet, low-end retreat isolated from the city.
Matters turn dark because each friend has a secret, which becomes revealed while someone outside the group watches them.
The brutal murder of one friend motivates the survivors to accuse each other of being the murderer. Yet they consider the possibility that the murderer is not one of them. Someone else in their midst, observing them. If that is the case, they all are in danger.
Killers in bear costumes swing sabers and bisect teenagers while slashing off heads with vicious slices. It’s a bloody mess.
Possibly Banjonginit movie is a play on the franchise horror slasher Scream.
It’s funny but too campy for my taste. With the English subtitles, you’ll get by with the simple and sparse dialogue.
The cast includes Sananthachat Thanapatpisal as Aim, Patchata Jan-Ngern as Win, Khemanit Jamikorn as Som, and Chanagun Apornsutinan as Tony.
Dark Sky Films releases the long-awaited UHD release of the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the groundbreaking thriller that has often been imitated but has yet to equal. The film arrives in the 4K restored version, complemented by a frightening array of bonus materials.
Directed by Tobe Hooper, Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a classic horror film released in 1974. The film follows a group of friends, played by Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, William Vail and Teri McMinn, on a road trip through rural Texas. They stumble upon a family of cannibalistic psychopaths.
The film has a low-budget, gritty style and extreme gore and violence, which boosted its popularity since we’ve had horror films like The Blair Witch Project, Friday the 13th, Halloween and Night of the Living Dead.
The group of friends intends to visit an old family homestead. On their journey, they pick up a hitchhiker who manifests strange behavior. The stranger eventually turns on them, attacking them, which leads to a harrowing chase through the Texas countryside.
They arrive at a farmhouse and meet cannibalistic killers, including the iconic Leatherface with a mask of human skin and a wielding chainsaw. Michael Myers copied the masking technique so beautifully on Halloween.
The horror film was controversial during its release because of its graphic violence, which doesn’t compare to Coen Bros. films or the SAW franchise. Subsequently, the Texas Chain Saw Massacre shines as a cult classic and the most influential horror movie of the genre.
It generated many sequels and remakes, influencing countless horror films that tried to deem worthy.
Disc 1 holds the 4K UHD feature film and four commentary tracks:
Writer-producer-director Tobe Hooper, actor Gunnar Hansen and cinematographer Daniel Pearl
Actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger and Paul A. Partain, with production designer Robert Burns
Tobe Hooper solo
Daniel Pearl, editor J. Larry Carroll and sound recordist Ted Nicolaou
Disc 2, a Blu-ray, contains the new, never-before-seen feature-length documentary The Legacy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and several featurettes. These include “The Cinefamily Presents FRIEDKIN/HOOPER,” a conversation about the film between Tobe Hooper and The Exorcist director William Friedkin; “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth”; “Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories of the Saw”; a tour of the TCSM house with Gunnar Hansen; “Off the Hook with Teri McMinn”; and “The Business of Chain Saw: An Interview with Production Manager Ron Bozman.”
The generous package I enjoy the most. It has deleted scenes and outtakes, a blooper reel, trailers, vintage TV and radio spots, and much more to thrill fans, old and new.
British actor Julian Sands stars in The Ghosts of Monday, directed by Francesco Cinquemani, known for Eye for an Eye.
Sands starred in the classic films, The Room With a View and The Killing Fields.
The movie trailer is a jumble of shots from the movie, but it hardly shows the unnerving quality of the horror film experience.
The profusion of suspense and scares is frightening.
The film begins with Mark Huberman, played by Vikings Valhalla, who stars as a television director. He becomes embroiled in a supernatural conspiracy after traveling to Cyprus to make a tv pilot about a haunted hotel.
The cast includes Marianna Rosset, Elva Trill and Anthony Skordi.
Based on James Cullen Bressack’s story, Brandon Slagle directed Frost, and Robert Thompson penned the screenplay.
Vernon Wells and Devanny Pinn are solid in the story about a young pregnant woman and her father fighting for their lives.
After their car swerves off the road, they become stranded on a remote mountainside during a hellacious storm. The story sets up gore and shock here, where the movie takes place in one location. But the screenplay lacks character development, so the audience can care for the young woman trapped in a car about to have a baby.
More detail about the strained relationship between Abby, played by Wells, and her father, played by Pinn, would have given more substance to the story. I would have cared more about the outcome.
Grant, her father, leaves Abby in the car so that he can find help. They make exchanges over walkie-talkies, which is the only father-daughter bonding in the movie.
However, they never discuss Grant’s drinking or her mother’s passing, and they haven’t seen each other in five years. Had these obvious flaws developed more into the screenplay, it might have kept the interest higher.
Because the relationship between Abby and Grant never bonds, there is no emotional tie to build up from the shock at the end.
Thank you, Film Threat, for the additional information.
Brand-new 4K restoration, written and directed by Ivan Zulueta, 1979 feature Arrebato’s is a popular Spanish cult horror movie. Some consider the film a dimension-shattering blend of heroin, sex, and Super-8 as a final word on Cinemania.
Arrebato follows horror movie director José Sirgado, played by Eusebio Poncela, adrift in a sea of doubt and drugs. As his belated second feature nears completion, two situations pop his reclusive bubble.
First, there is a sudden reappearance from an ex-girlfriend, played by Cecilia Roth. Second, a package arrives from past acquaintance Pedro, played by Will More. It contains a reel of Super-8 film, an audiotape and a door key.
From there, the boundaries of time, space and sexuality disappear as José is once more absorbed into Pedro’s vampiric orbit — a vampire camera that sucks up people, and they disappear.
Together, they attempt the ultimate hallucinogenic catharsis through a twisted strip of filming and being filmed.
The horror movie offers beauty, clearly describing a dark state of living — angst and joy of living with dangerous drugs, alcohol and sex and the love of making movies.
Special Features:
• Region Free Blu-ray
• Commentary Track with Mike White of The Projection Booth
