Horror movies are like oysters — you may live and breathe for them, ordering them every time they’re on the menu; or, they repulse you, never, ever consuming them by choice.
We’ve all had the experience of either being forced to eat a questionable food or pressured to watch a movie that your friends swear isn’t that scary but you have nightmares for weeks after about. Either way, it’s a surefire way to know your preferences for future food or entertainment endeavors.
That’s all to say horror movies aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, obviously. Personally, I rarely watch horror films alone, and have been known to distract myself by making jokes, like seeing the most grotesque, awful creature on screen and going “he’s so me.”
It’s also helpful to know what subgenres of horror you tend to gravitate towards. From slasher to psychological horror — my favorite — to supernatural and apocalyptic horror movies, there’s a wide variety of horror subgenres that you can choose from. Some lean more gross and shocking, and others more eerie and unsettling.
With October in full swing and Halloween just around the corner, here’s four horror films that you should give a watch.
- “The Shining” (1980)
(psychological horror/mystery)
A semi-recent watch for me, “The Shining” is the ultimate horror classic. The theme of place is central to the plot, as we watch Jack Torrance, a writer and father, descend into madness as the off-season caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, an eerie spot filled with unusual occurrences. From the Grady twins to the infamous inscription of ‘REDRUM’ on a door, this film is one that keeps building until the last minute.
- Us (2019) (psychological horror/thriller)
What happens when you return home to discover dopplegangers of your entire family in your living room? In “Us,” the Wilson family struggles to fight back against the evil twisted Tethereds are terrifying nationwide dopplegangers seeking to “untether” their souls to their human counterparts via murder.
- “The Silence of the Lambs “(1991) (crime/psychological horror)
Disturbing, eerie, and above all, iconic, “Silence of the Lambs” is highly regarded as one of the most influential horror films of all time. When FBI investigator Clarice Starling is assigned to interview Hannibal Lector, an incarcerated serial killer, she attempts to gain knowledge about the on the loose killer, Buffalo Bill. Although less outright ‘horrifying’ than other horror films, this classic is still certainly a nail-biter.
- “Audition” (1999) (mystery/thriller)
Aoyama is a widow who is attempting to get back into the dating scene. With the help of her producer friend, he devises a fake audition to field his options. When he gains interest in Asami, a reserved, intriguing woman, things begin to go downhill, to say the least.
