I was introduced to the world of horror at a young age and have grown to love every aspect of it. My favorite horror films are psychological thrillers because they tend to have deeper meanings that the audience must dig to find. In honor of this, here are my favorite psychological thriller films.
“NOPE” 2022
Directed by Jordan Peele, “NOPE” is an amazing take on the human desire to consume. At the beginning of the film we are introduced to the main characters, OJ Haywood and Emerald Haywood, who are siblings that took over their dad’s horse ranch in California. After their father passes, they quickly discover an alien in the sky that they nickname “Jean Jacket.” They become determined to get evidence of the alien to show to the public, and face many challenges while doing so. Throughout the movie, the cinematography kept me on edge because they left room for jump scares. Though the movie takes place during the daytime, that doesn’t make it any less scary. The visuals for “Jean Jacket” are incredibly unique for an alien design, and when it is in its final form, it looks terrifying, yet strangely beautiful. “NOPE” is for movie lovers that unique visuals.
“Hereditary” 2018
“Hereditary,” directed by Ari Aster, is a slow and suspenseful journey that explores the nature of trauma and grief. Throughout the movie we follow the Graham family. Due to the passing of Annie Graham’s mother, her daughter and grandchildren slowly begin to discover terrifying secrets. “Hereditary” is similar to “NOPE” because it creatively leaves room for people and entities to pop out. But unlike “NOPE,” “Hereditary” takes advantage of this and jumpscares you. The actors in the movie are phenomenal and make the audience uncomfortable in multiple scenes — my favorite being Toni Collette who played the mother. The acting is intense, the storyline is deep but easy to follow, and it is a well-executed movie. “Hereditary” is made for people who love long, tension filled movies.
“Skinamarink” 2022
Directed by Kyle Edwards Ball, “Skinamarink” is a slow and suspenseful horror film that leaves anyone watching in constant fear. This movie focuses on two young kids who wake up in the middle of the night to find their father missing, along with all of the doors and windows to the house, trapping them inside forever. “Skinamarink” is a low-budget movie — with only $15,000 to work with. It was filmed in the director’s childhood home and grossed over $1.5 million during box office. This movie puts the audience back in a childlike mindset where the unknown, and being alone in the dark is scary. My only complaint would be the duration of some scenes — footage of doorways and lengthy hallways that went on far too long. Overall, I was creeped out while watching it, and still am while writing about it. This movie is for those with active imaginations who enjoy movies that mess with their minds.
“I Saw the TV Glow” 2024
“I Saw the TV Glow,” directed by Jane Schoenbrun, is a metaphor about the transgender experience. In this film, a teenager named Owen is introduced to a late-night show called “The Pink Opaque.” The show cracks Owens’ idea and view of reality. All of the weird and wacky events that happen in the film, like being sucked into a TV show with an evil moon named “Mr Melancholy,” contribute to the overall message of the story: the internal conflict many people face when figuring out their identity. Cinematically, this was a beautiful movie. The color scheme consists of a deep, dark pink and blue, and while it wasn’t super scary to me, the movie’s scenes made me uncomfortable and even disturbed. My one complaint is the pacing throughout the movie. It’s slow at first, but it quickly gets interesting. The main actor, Justice Smith (Owen), did an outstanding job of embodying an extremely anxious and closeted teen. Compared to the other films on the list, this movie is quite tame. Though confusing at times, “I Saw the TV Glow” is great for people who don’t love horror to an extent.
“Us” 2019
Directed by Jordan Peele, “Us” made me jump in my seat multiple times. The film follows the Wilson family, a family of four on vacation. The vacation is interrupted when they find four figures in their driveway that look exactly like them. I love Jordan Peele’s films, but this one is by far my favorite. Lupita Nyong’o was a perfect pick to play Adelaide and Red because of the natural dark and eerie look she has, not to mention her amazing acting skills. The film is filled with twists that had my jaw on the floor. Full of action, with cool slow shots scattered throughout, this movie is for people that love suspense and twists.
