It's that time of year again- the time when the veil between this world and the next is thinnest and the dark, pagan energies of the Netherworld pervade our own. Yes, it is time for Halloween, the spookiest night of the year. But, with a pretty horrifying election cycle pervading the media, you may be frustrated finding content to cultivate that true spookiness of All Hallows Eve. Fear not, my good reader (except when you watch these movies, you can fear then), for I have a quick list of my favorite exquisitely horrifying films that are certain to usher in the evil spirits and channel the malignant energy of Beelzebub himself, just in time for the holidays.
1. It Follows (2014)
My personal favorite horror film, It Follows is a movie that never quite lets you relax. What follows exactly? We're not quite sure. But what we do know is that it will always be walking toward you at a slow pace, no matter where you are. It can take the form of any human being, whether you know them or not. It will continue to follow you until it kills you. Then, it will revert back to the target it had before you, moving on down the line, only ceasing to pursue a target when the curse is transferred to another individual via sexual intercourse. This movie had me in suspense the entire time; you can never quite be sure when an individual in the background could be the monster, slowly pursuing a character to brutally murder them. The wonderful cinematography coupled with the horrifying premise will have you holding your breath in horrified anticipation.
2. Marble Hornets (2009)
Marble Hornets is the most prominent entry in the Slenderman mythos. It is a long series of 5 to 10 minute found footage YouTube videos that follow Jay as he attempts to uncover what happened to his friend Alex during the filming of an independent movie. Jay slowly makes contact with the mysterious entity known as Slenderman, a tall, pale figure that begins to stalk Jay throughout his exploits. The erratic camera movements and long, unconventional silences make this series probably the most horrifying series I have ever seen.
3. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Though technically a precursor to the 2008 found footage thriller Cloverfield , this contained horror is vastly different in scope and feel. When the main character Michelle accidentally crashes her car, she wakes up to find herself in custody of a grisly man named Howard. She discovers that she is in a bunker beneath his home and is told that everyone above ground is dead due to an attack from an unknown force and that she cannot leave because of the chemicals in the air. Though she is not content to stay, she believes that she must, allowing Howard to share with her the stockpile of supplies to ride out the chemical fallout. However, she begins to notice strange things about Howard and when she begins to doubt his sincerity, she plans her escape.
4. Spring (2015)
Don't let the gorgeous cinematics of Spring fool you. The Italian countryside may be picturesque and serene, but what the main character Evan discovers certainly is not. Evan loses his mother and his job in quick succession and retreats to Italy to disconnect and gather his thoughts. He begins a relationship with Louise, a young, flirtatious genetics student. However, as he spends more time with her, he begins to notice a strange skin problem and unsettling reptilian behavior, leading him to believe that Louise is not all she appears to be.
5. Audition (1999)
Audition is known to be one of the scariest movies of all time. It begins innocuously enough, with a recent widower holding auditions to meet a new girl. He finds a perfect match and begins to date a girl named Asami. However, Asami is a girl with a dark past. The couple is eventually affected by her penchant for torture and the movie turns in to one the sickest, most brutal gore fests I have ever seen. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
