#sigaw

‘Tis the season for haunted dreams and loud screams! If you’re like me, who looks forward to Halloween every year, well congratulations to us. It has been a tradition to surround ourselves with things that would make our skin crawl and make us look behind us more than twice, and of course having a horror movie marathon is almost a tradition. However, most film producers seem to think that the ultimate horror movie formula is Generic Plot + Jump Scare and to be honest it’s already getting old and boring. This was what led me to explore more of the horror genre to find movies that would exceed expectations and break this chain of bad horror movies. Let me share with you these gems I found and truly treasure. (This list does not follow any particular order).

1. Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

Jacob’s Ladder is a horror/psychological thriller starring Tim Robbins as Jacob Singer. This is a story about a Vietnam war veteran and his struggles to return to a normal life while being plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks. Being unable to distinguish what’s real and what’s not, Jacob might be close to descending into madness. 

This movie made me feel like I was also losing my mind, and I actually had to pause the movie at times just to take a breather. The visuals, music, and atmosphere really did a good job on engaging all of my senses to the point where I had a nightmare the same night I finished it. 

This is not your typical horror movie, but still worth checking out for a brand new experience. 

2. Sinister (2012)

Sinister follows the story of Ellison Oswald (played by Ethan Hawke), a true-crime writer struggling to produce a new best-seller. An unsolved case that continues to baffle the authorities is his new target for his comeback, even moving his own family to the house where the murders happened.  Watching the video tapes of the actual murders, he slowly realizes that the murders might be involved with a supernatural force and that moving his family to that house was a fatal move. 

I just happened to see this movie on TV one night and to be honest I didn’t really have any expectations that it will be good. This movie really surprised me with how good the atmosphere and the mystery built over time. Yes, it has a couple of jump scares, but what makes it acceptable is because they did not rely on that heavily. For these reasons, Sinister will always be a standout for me and will always be a part of my horror movie recommendations. 

3. The Ring (2002)

Urban legends are nothing but some silly hearsay, right? Rachel Keller (played by Naomi Watts) thought that a videotape filled with nightmarish and unsettling clips was nothing but a circulating rumor, that is until she encounters a case about a group of teenagers dying after watching the said tape after a week. She later watches the tape to unravel its mystery with only a week to save her own life. 

The Ring is actually an American adaptation of a Japanese horror movie called “Ringu”. These kinds of adaptations are usually done wrong, but again this movie will surprise you on how it managed to still grasp what made the original scary. This is a good movie to watch with friends, so that you can all get a weird fear of televisions at the same time. 

4. Orphan (2009)

After losing their unborn child, a couple decides to go for adoption. Esther is just the perfect kid for them, having formed a special bond with them upon first meeting. However, welcoming her home seems like they also welcomed a series of unfortunate events. Is it just a coincidence or is there something wrong with Esther? 

First of all, they did a good job on casting Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther. For me it was her performance that really added to the wonder of the movie. This is not the first movie to have an adopted child as the center of the spookiness, but this is the first one to...well i’ll just let you see it for yourself. 

5. It (2017)

Who hasn’t seen this most-awaited remake of a classic Stephen King novel? It has been the talk of the town for months and there’s a good reason for that. 

It follows the story of bullied children who are terrorized by an evil shape-shifting clown. It does not only shape-shift just for the heck of it, but it actually takes the form of your deepest fears. 

This might seem like a really simple plot, but the execution of the scenes, the acting, the musical scores, and the story really add up so masterfully resulting to this great remake. It really did the 1990 TV series and the novel great justice. Shout-out to Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of Pennywise the Clown, which really made the movie float up to number one. 

6. Halloween (1978)

What’s a more perfect way to celebrate the Halloween than to watch a movie named after the holiday? 

Halloween is about Michael Myers, a masked man who managed to escape Smith Grove’s Sanitarium to bring forth some terror on a Halloween night. He was sentenced  fifteen years for the brutal murder of his very own sister when he was just six years old. 

This movie is considered as one of the classics that will never get old, also making Michael Myers as one of the most iconic movie serial killers. Halloween was originally planned to be a series of different horror stories; however, due to Michael Myers’ popularity they decided to make the series his own. If you want to experience the thrill of being chased by a relentless masked maniac, then you should check this movie out.

7. Alien (1979)

Alien is about the crew of the commercial starship “Nostromo” and their story after waking up from cryo-sleep. On their journey home, they receive a distress call from an unknown vessel. Deciding to check out what is happening, they pay a short visit only to discover something they shouldn’t have seen or touched. 

This movie is also considered a classic and even resulted to multiple sequels. I was not a big fan of this genre and just decided to let this one slide off but boy am I glad that I did give it a shot. As if being alone in a distant space wasn’t creepy enough, the movie decides to throw in something that seems to be inescapable. Worst part is that you can’t just call the police or scream for help. 

8. Sigaw (The Echo) - (2004)

Sigaw is a Filipino horror movie that follows the story of Marvin (played by Richard Gutierrez) and his newfound freedom after moving in to an apartment of his own. At first, everything was a bliss as he enjoyed living alone; however, his neighbors’ screamy fights will start to affect him...even after moving out from the apartment building. 

To be honest, watching this movie made me uneasy because it actually did a good job on building this atmosphere where the mystery would start to engulf you. There’s a good reason why it was the official selection for a horror film festival, even earning an American adaptation entitled “The Echo”. 

9. Shutter (2004)

Shutter is a Thai movie about a vengeful ghost haunting a photographer and his girlfriend. This happened after they accidentally hit a young woman with their car, and the girlfriend thought it would be a good idea to discover more about the young woman and hopefully put an end to their hell. However, will she be ready to uncover a secret that would shake everything she believed? 

At first glance, one might say that this is your typical horror movie: ghosts, haunting, haunted pictures, etc. What makes this one stand out is the story behind the ghosts and the haunting, along with the characters’ personal issues. This is a must-watch if you want to make your friends scream and cover their eyes while enjoying a well-written horror movie.

10. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Last but not the least, we have Shaun of the Dead. This is a horror/comedy British film starring Simon Pegg as Shaun. After their town suddenly becomes overrun with zombies, Shaun struggles to save both his mother and ex-girlfriend with the ultimate plan of safety. 

Shaun of the Dead did a wonderful job on harmonizing horror and comedy into one beautiful melody. I decided to end the list with this in order to give a lighter tune to everything while still being scary. What’s in it for you when you watch this movie: great characters, good humor, suspense, zombies, and Cornetto ice cream.

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Despite the bad horror movies that rule the box office, there are still some really good ones that deserve so much more love than they’re currently getting. This gives me hope for the horror genre, and I’m hoping for more great horror movies to add to my collection.