I love scary movies, so much so that I can watch them all the time, any time… well, mostly. Even today, there are still things that I have trouble watching when it gets dark and I’m by myself. Hell, sometimes even when I’m watching with someone else! Here’s a list of some of the scariest things I’ve seen, and why I’ll only watch them in the daytime.
Reincarnation (2005)
In Japan, an aspiring actress takes the role of someone murdered in an an infamous massacre at a mountainside resort. Turns out there is a stronger connection between her and the deceased than she realizes.
Any found footage — when done correctly — sends chills all through my bones. It’s like watching someone drowning; you don’t really realize it at first because it’s not the frantic flailing you imagined, but instead a slow death. That’s what it’s like watching the footage shot of the hotel killing spree. The accompanying music too is almost too eerie to listen to, making me feel an overwhelming sense of dread and anxiety. The movie itself isn’t too bad scare-wise, but those images always make me feel like something is wrong.
Markiplier Scary Games (ongoing)
Yes, this isn’t technically a movie, but more of a series. Markiplier is a streamer (and many more things!) who does a variety of online games; I watch for his “3 Scary Games” series, where he finds a few short scary games and plays them. Many games tend to be a “seen it” type (usually ones similar to Five Nights at Freddy’s or Silent Hill: PT). But every so often, there is one game that legitimately scares me. I end up covering my ears and shrinking access to my neck, which amuses my husband quite a bit. And the jumpscares… sigh, the jumpscares… It’s not hard to scare me with loud noises, but these games do an awfully good job anyway.
Kairo (aka Pulse) (2001)
The spread of the internet age in Japan causes people to start disappearing and strange occurrences to happen. I did a quick Bite-Sized Boo on this; check it out on YouTube, or on our Bite-Sized Boos page!
While the movie as a whole is quite, depressing, and a bit slow, Kairo does have moments that are truly terrifying. Take the scene of a ghost walking towards the camera. That’s it. You can tell the skill level of the filmmakers and actress as this scene is one that comes up often when I talk about scary movies. The female ghost slowly saunters towards another character (who we have a POV through), but it’s done in the most ungodly way, tripping over herself and moving like a demon who has recently taken over a human body for the first time.
Occult (2009)
Documentary-makers follow a man with a mysterious scar and the paranormal experiences he has both experienced and is forcing onto others.
I first saw this movie a few years ago on my never-ending search for Japanese horror movies (read: I search “Japanese horror English sub” on YouTube). It’s pretty run-of-the-mill. But what scares me are two things: the found footage of a massacre at a tourist destination, and the music during several text interludes between scenes. It seems like a similar thing in a lot of Japanese horror mockumentaries, that music. Extremely unsettling. And no matter how often I tell myself that “found footage” isn’t real, sometimes it’s hard to tell. The more normal something looks, the scarier it is.
The Invitation (2015)
A man takes his girlfriend to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife (and mother of their late son), but discovers the fun party is anything but.
Cult movies — that is, movies about cults — are terrifying because you know someone’s going to die or get hurt. It is painful watching the characters slowly realize they’re in danger when you already knew that coming into it. And that’s exactly what is happening here. It’s not scary in the sense that things are jumping out or there’s a monster on the loose, but more so that crazy build-up of suspense in not knowing when shit is going to hit the fan. You go from screaming at your TV to frantically looking for an escape. And the ending brings it to your back yard, not so much a problem during the day, but certainly scary at night.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
I have yet to see Mulholland Drive, and honestly probably won’t any time soon. That said, I can’t even really give you a synopsis because I have trouble understanding without actually seeing it.
Anyway, there’s this scene I keep seeing on “scariest” lists that I can completely agree with: the Diner scene. A character is recalling a dream he keeps having that terrifies him, one that this diner gives him déjà vu over (although this is technically déjà rêvé). He recalls this dream and it immediately implants itself in your mind, making it something you have experienced too. You don’t know what’s waiting around the corner, but the movie is making you go towards it. The tension is dummy thicc, and by the end of the scene, my heart is ready to explode.
Hell House LLC (2015)
The infamous film about friends who create the scariest haunt of all time (and then they all die in it). To be completely honest, fuck this movie. From the personal interviews, to the video of the inciting incident to that fucking clown in the basement. Hell no. And it’s a shame, because Hell House LLC is an amazing movie. It’s just that I will not be able to sleep if I watch it again (let alone at night). I don’t know what exactly it is about this movie, because it’s not very different from other Found Footage films, but this one feels terrifying. The sequel and third installment aren’t too bad, but the original is on a whole other level.
Are there any movies too scary for you to watch at night? Let us know in the comments!
