Scary Family Movies

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
Rated R

The Shining is a classic horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1980. It stars Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, a struggling writer and recovering alcoholic who takes a job as the winter caretaker of a remote hotel in the Colorado Rockies. With his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and young son Danny (Danny Lloyd), Torrance moves into the Overlook Hotel with the intention of writing his novel. Unfortunately, the hotel has a long history of violence and supernatural events and it soon begins to take a toll on Jack's mental health. Danny, who has psychic abilities, begins to experience terrifying visions, and Wendy discovers the hotel's disturbing past. Meanwhile, Jack's descent into madness accelerates as he finds himself caught in the hotel's sinister plans, leading to a terrifying climax.

From Guillermo del Toro, starring Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú
Rated R

Pan's Labyrinth is a 2006 dark fantasy drama film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. Set in 1944 in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, the story follows Ofelia, a young girl who is forced to move with her pregnant mother and stepfather, a tyrannical army captain, to a rural mill-town in Northern Spain. Ofelia soon discovers a labyrinth and meets a mysterious faun creature who tells her she is a princess from long ago and is tasked to complete a series of dangerous tasks in order to return to her kingdom. Throughout her journey, Ofelia must contend with her stepfather's cruelty as he attempts to quash the rebels in the area. Along the way, she discovers the power of her own courage and imagination and learns that true courage comes not from weapons, but from within.

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

The Exorcist is a 1973 horror film directed by William Friedkin. It tells the story of a young girl, Regan, who is possessed by a demon. Her mother, Chris MacNeil, is at a loss as to how to help her daughter and eventually seeks out the help of two priests, Father Karras and Father Merrin, to conduct an exorcism. As the priests battle the demon, the strength of their faith is tested as they fight to save Regan from the possession. The Exorcist is considered one of the scariest films of all time and has gone on to be a classic of the horror genre.

From Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley DePaiva
Rated R

Evil Dead II is a horror comedy film directed by Sam Raimi and a sequel to the 1981 film The Evil Dead. The film follows Ashley "Ash" Williams (Bruce Campbell) as he is once again whisked away to a remote cabin in the woods, where he must battle the living dead, which have been reawakened by a mysterious book known as the Necronomicon. With the help of a robotic hand and a shotgun, Ash must find a way to survive the night and prevent the evil from spreading to the outside world. Along the way he meets up with the owner of the cabin, a professor and his daughter, who are also trying to stop the evil from taking over. The film is full of gory special effects and dark humor, as Ash must fight his way through hoards of undead creatures. In the end, Ash is triumphant and the evil is contained.

From Jordan Peele, starring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener
Rated R

Get Out is a 2017 horror/thriller film written and directed by Jordan Peele. It follows the story of a young African American man, Chris, who visits his white girlfriend’s family estate. As the weekend progresses, Chris uncovers a disturbing secret that the family has been keeping from him. He must fight for his life as he unravels the secrets of the estate and the family’s sinister agenda. Get Out is an exploration of the horror of racial inequality and the dangers of cultural appropriation. Through its combination of horror, comedy, and social commentary, it has become a classic of the horror genre.

From James Wan, starring Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor
Rated R

The Conjuring is a 2013 supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, and Lili Taylor. The film is based on the true story of the Perron family, who experienced paranormal activity in their Rhode Island farmhouse in 1971. In the film, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Wilson and Farmiga) are called upon to help the Perron family battle the sinister forces that inhabit their home. With the help of the Warrens, the family discovers the dark history of the house and the entity that torments them. Together they must find a way to survive the terror and rid their home of the evil that haunts it.

From John Krasinski, starring Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
Rated PG-13

A Quiet Place is a 2018 American horror film directed by John Krasinski, who co-wrote the script with Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. The film stars Krasinski and Emily Blunt, alongside Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds. In a post-apocalyptic world overrun by blind alien creatures that hunt by sound, the Abbott family – father Lee (Krasinski), mother Evelyn (Blunt), deaf daughter Regan (Simmonds) and younger son Marcus (Jupe) – must live in near-total silence in order to remain safe. As they struggle to adapt to their new environment, they must also come to terms with the events that brought them to this difficult place. The film is a suspenseful and emotional roller coaster, exploring themes of family and loss, and is a must-watch for horror fans.

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

28 Days Later... is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The movie follows Jim (Cillian Murphy), a young man who wakes up from a coma to find that the world he once knew has been taken over by an infectious virus that turns its victims into violent, zombie-like creatures. With the help of a small group of survivors, Jim sets out on a journey to find a safe haven from the virus, fighting his way through hordes of infected people and scavenging for supplies along the way. Along the way, he learns the truth about the virus and its origins, and also discovers that he is immune to the infection. In the end, he and the survivors must come together to find a way to save humanity from extinction.

From Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker
Rated NC-17

From Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie
Rated R

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

From James Wan, starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Madison Wolfe, Frances O'Connor
Rated R

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

From Andy Muschietti, starring Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis
Rated R

From Neil Marshall, starring Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder
Rated R

From Vincenzo Natali, starring Nicole de Boer, Maurice Dean Wint, David Hewlett, Andrew Miller
Rated R

From John Krasinski, starring Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Cillian Murphy, John Krasinski
Rated PG-13

From Dan Trachtenberg, starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., Douglas M. Griffin
Rated PG-13

From Gore Verbinski, starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox, David Dorfman
Rated PG-13

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

From Jaume Collet-Serra, starring Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder
Rated R

From Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, starring Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, Robert Carlyle, Harold Perrineau
Rated R

From Scott Derrickson, starring Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone, Fred Thompson
Rated R

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

From Jennifer Kent, starring Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall, Hayley McElhinney
Rated Not Rated