Beginner Scary Movies

From John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Masur
Rated R

The Thing is a 1982 science fiction-horror film directed by John Carpenter and based on the 1951 novella Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell, Jr. The story follows a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter a parasitic extraterrestrial life form that assimilates, then imitates other organisms. After a series of strange events, the researchers discover the creature's true nature and have to find a way to stop it before it escapes and wreaks havoc on the world. The film stars Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, and Keith David. The film was a critical and commercial success, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest horror films ever made.

From William Friedkin, starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb
Rated R

The Exorcist, released in 1973 and directed by William Friedkin, is a horror film based on the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty. The film follows the story of a young girl named Regan MacNeil, who is seemingly possessed by a demon. Two priests, Father Damien Karras and Father Lankester Merrin, are called upon to perform an exorcism on Regan in an attempt to cast out the demon. The film follows their struggles to save her and the subsequent consequences of their efforts. The film is widely considered to be one of the greatest horror films of all time, particularly for its ground-breaking special effects, which earned it two Academy Awards.

From Tomas Alfredson, starring Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl
Rated R

Let the Right One In is a haunting, romantic horror film from Swedish director Tomas Alfredson. Set in the snow-covered suburbs of Stockholm, the film follows the story of Oskar, a twelve-year-old boy who is relentlessly bullied at school and finds solace in the friendship of Eli, a mysterious and peculiar girl who moves into the apartment next door. As a friendship develops between the two, Oskar begins to realize that Eli is a vampire, cursed to live forever in the form of a child. As Oskar and Eli's bond deepens, they must confront a dangerous gang of bullies as well as the consequences of Eli's dark secret. Despite its supernatural elements, Let the Right One In is a deeply human story about the power of love, friendship, and ultimately, acceptance.

From Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis
Rated R

Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright. It stars Simon Pegg as Shaun, a Londoner who is trying to get his life together while dealing with a zombie outbreak. With the help of his best friend Ed (Nick Frost) and his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), Shaun sets out to save his family and friends from the zombie hordes. Along the way, he learns valuable lessons about friendship, loyalty, and love that ultimately help him defeat the undead. The film is a parody of the horror genre, with a humorous take on the zombie apocalypse. It received critical acclaim upon release, and has gone on to become a cult classic.

From Danny Boyle, starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Alex Palmer
Rated R

28 Days Later... is a post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle and released in 2002. The film follows a group of survivors in the aftermath of a highly contagious virus that has decimated the British population. The virus has left the survivors struggling to survive against zombie-like humans infected with the virus. The survivors eventually find an antidote to the virus, but not before sustaining heavy losses in their fight for survival. The film follows the group's struggle to stay one step ahead of the infected and ultimately their battle to save the human race from extinction.

From Directors: Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, Edgar Wright, Rob Zombie, starring Kurt Russell, Rose McGowan, Danny Trejo, Zoë Bell
Rated R

Grindhouse is a double-feature exploitation horror film by directors Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, Edgar Wright, and Rob Zombie. The first feature, Planet Terror, is a zombie horror story directed by Robert Rodriguez. It follows a group of unlikely heroes as they battle against a horde of the undead in order to save their town. The second feature, Death Proof, is a car chase thriller directed by Quentin Tarantino. It follows an ex-stuntman who uses his modified car to stalk and murder unsuspecting women. The films are linked together with intermissions featuring fake movie trailers for other upcoming films in the Grindhouse series. The overall theme of the film is an homage to the over-the-top action and horror films of the 1970s.

From Directors: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza, starring Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso
Rated R

From J.A. Bayona, starring Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep, Mabel Rivera
Rated R

From Zack Snyder, starring Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Jake Weber
Rated R

From Ari Aster, starring Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff
Rated R

From Frank Darabont, starring Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher
Rated R

From Matt Reeves, starring Mike Vogel, Jessica Lucas, Lizzy Caplan, T.J. Miller
Rated PG-13

From Drew Goddard, starring Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz
Rated R

From James Wan, starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye
Rated PG-13

From James Watkins, starring Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Tara Ellis, Jack O'Connell
Rated R

From Rob Zombie, starring Sid Haig, Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, William Forsythe
Rated R

From Directors: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez, starring Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard, Bob Griffin
Rated R

From Christophe Gans, starring Radha Mitchell, Laurie Holden, Sean Bean, Deborah Kara Unger
Rated R

From Fede Alvarez, starring Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci
Rated R

From Brad Anderson, starring David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Paul Guilfoyle, Josh Lucas
Rated R

From Marcus Nispel, starring Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Andrew Bryniarski, Erica Leerhsen
Rated R

From Takashi Shimizu, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, Clea DuVall, William Mapother
Rated PG-13

From Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, David Bruckner, Tyler Gillett, Justin Martinez, Glenn McQuaid, Radio Silence, Joe Swanberg, Chad Villella, Ti West, Adam Wingard, starring Calvin Reeder, Lane Hughes, Adam Wingard, Hannah Fierman
Rated R