Mild Horror Movies

From Jonathan Demme, starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence A. Bonney, Kasi Lemmons
Rated R

The Silence of the Lambs is a psychological thriller directed by Jonathan Demme and based on the 1988 novel of the same name by Thomas Harris. It follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) as she seeks the help of imprisoned serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in order to apprehend another serial killer, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). With Lecter's insight, Clarice is able to gain a better understanding of Buffalo Bill's motivations and track him down. However, she must also grapple with her own feelings of guilt and grief and come to terms with her childhood trauma in order to succeed. The Silence of the Lambs was a critical and commercial success, becoming the first movie to win the Big Five at the Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay).

From Roman Polanski, starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer
Rated Approved

Rosemary's Baby is a psychological horror film directed by Roman Polanski. The film follows Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her husband Guy (John Cassavetes) as they move into the Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with a dark past. Rosemary soon becomes pregnant and starts to become suspicious of her husband, her neighbors, and her doctor. She begins to worry that they are part of a Satanic cult that plans to use her unborn baby in a ritual. As her paranoia and fear increase, things take a turn for the worse as the truth about her baby's paternity is revealed. Rosemary must fight for her unborn child's safety in this terrifying thriller.

From Jack Clayton, starring Deborah Kerr, Peter Wyngarde, Megs Jenkins, Michael Redgrave
Rated Not Rated

The Innocents (1961) is a psychological horror film directed by Jack Clayton. It follows the story of a Governess (Deborah Kerr) who is hired to look after two young orphans living in a secluded Victorian mansion in England. As the Governess begins to look after the children, she soon discovers that strange and supernatural forces are at work in the house. Fearing for the children's safety, she learns that the house is haunted by the ghosts of two former governesses, Miss Jessel and Peter Quint, who were lovers and now haunt the house in a desperate attempt to reclaim the children. The Governess must now overcome her own fears and confront the ghosts in order to protect the children from harm.

From Niels Arden Oplev, starring Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Ewa Fröling, Lena Endre
Rated R

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a 2009 Swedish drama mystery thriller film based on the novel of the same name by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. Directed by Niels Arden Oplev, the film follows the story of disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist, who is hired by an aging industrialist to investigate a forty year old unsolved disappearance of his niece. With the help of a young computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander, they uncover a series of dark secrets that have been buried for many years. Through their investigation, they discover a sinister plot involving a powerful family and a series of murders. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a gripping story of secrets, murder, and revenge.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Max von Sydow
Rated PG-13

Minority Report is a 2002 science fiction action thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and loosely based on the short story of the same name by Philip K. Dick. The film stars Tom Cruise as John Anderton, a police officer in Washington D.C. in 2054 who leads the Department of Pre-Crime, an experimental law enforcement branch that arrests criminals based on foreknowledge provided by three psychics called precogs. When Anderton himself is accused of a future crime, he must go on the run to clear his name and prove his innocence. Along the way, he discovers a sinister conspiracy involving a powerful business mogul and a shadowy government agency. The film also features Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, and Max von Sydow.

From Tom Tykwer, starring Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman, Francesc Albiol
Rated R

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a 2006 German drama film directed by Tom Tykwer. It stars Ben Whishaw, Alan Rickman, Rachel Hurd-Wood, and Dustin Hoffman. The film is set in 18th century France and tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Whishaw), an orphan with an extraordinary sense of smell. He is determined to create the perfect perfume and sets out on an extraordinary journey to find the perfect scent. Along the way, Jean-Baptiste commits a series of murders, as he believes that the essence of his victims' scent is the only way to create his perfect perfume. The film follows Jean-Baptiste on his quest for the perfect scent, and his slow descent into madness. It is an intense psychological drama, exploring the power of scent and its effects on the human psyche.

From Robin Hardy, starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Britt Ekland
Rated R

The Wicker Man is a 1973 British thriller film directed by Robin Hardy and starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, and Britt Ekland. The film follows Sergeant Neil Howie as he investigates the disappearance of a young girl on the isolated Scottish island of Summerisle. Howie, a devout Christian, is horrified to discover that the islanders practice a form of Celtic paganism. He struggles to make sense of the seemingly strange and alien customs, and his investigation leads him to uncover a dark secret at the heart of the island. The Wicker Man is a classic cult horror film, and is considered to be one of the best British horror films ever made.

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

From M. Night Shyamalan, starring James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula
Rated PG-13

From Robert Eggers, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Julian Richings
Rated R

From Tobias Lindholm, starring Eddie Redmayne, Jessica Chastain, Denise Pillott, Dartel McRae
Rated R

From Barry Levinson, starring Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox, Sophie Ward, Anthony Higgins
Rated PG-13

From Dominic Sena, starring Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, Kathy Larson, David Milford
Rated R

From Nicholas Tomnay, starring David Hyde Pierce, Clayne Crawford, Nathaniel Parker, Tyrees Allen
Rated R

From Brad Anderson, starring Halle Berry, Evie Thompson, Abigail Breslin, Morris Chestnut
Rated R

From Phillip Noyce, starring Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker
Rated R

From John Dahl, starring Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski, Jessica Bowman
Rated R

From Jordan Scott, starring Eva Green, Juno Temple, María Valverde, Imogen Poots
Rated R

From Peter Jackson, starring Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Saoirse Ronan, Susan Sarandon
Rated PG-13

From Iain Softley, starring Kate Hudson, Peter Sarsgaard, Joy Bryant, Gena Rowlands
Rated PG-13

From Joel Schumacher, starring Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Julia Roberts, William Baldwin
Rated R

From Tarsem Singh, starring Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D'Onofrio, Colton James
Rated R

From Jorge Dorado, starring Mark Strong, Taissa Farmiga, Brian Cox, Saskia Reeves
Rated R

From Nick Murphy, starring Rebecca Hall, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Lucy Cohu
Rated R

From Gore Verbinski, starring Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, Mia Goth, Ivo Nandi
Rated R