Top 20 Awesome Horror Films

500 Days Of Film Reviews The Top 20 Horror Films Of The Challenge So Far

I love all film types but horror has always had a special place in my heart. What other genre can offer an audience such an all consuming movie experience?

I have watched some really superb scary movies during my 500 Days Of Film challenge - and I am only on film number 174!

I was asked recently what my favourite horror film was. I just couldn’t answer. You see, I love so many of these movies for so many different reasons.

As a result, I decided to make a list of my top 20 favourite horror films. These are listed in no particular order as I have given each film a sub-genre of its own.

The only rule I set was to choose my films from those that I had watched as part of my challenge.

So, I am well aware that there are notable absences… they are on my list and may well feature in my next horror list!

A fantastic, claustrophobic horror following a group of friends on a caving expedition in the Appalachian mountains. I think this could be my favourite horror film. I just need to remind myself to breathe whilst watching! The Descent Review.

A wonderful, scary and moving film about two young outsiders - one of whom happens to be a vampire. Far superior than the English remake. Let The Right One In Review.

[Warning: The Trailer Above Contains Strong Language]

Six soldiers are dropped into the Scottish wilderness. They soon realise that they are not alone. Dog Soldiers is brilliant - gory, frightening and hilarious. Dog Soldiers Review.

Still looking good after all these years. Directed by Ridley Scott, Alien was released in 1979 and soon became a horror classic. Go Ripley!

[Warning: This trailer contains a scene of male nudity]

I don't get zombie films. Zombies just don't scare me and I usually find them, well, ridiculous. 28 Days Later is the exception to this rule. Is this your favourite zombie movie? 

A true horror classic, The Exorcist is shocking, disturbing and very scary. Director William Friedkin

believes that you take away what you bring to his film. For me, it is a powerful portrait of a mother's love for her daughter. What does it mean to you?

I love The Awakening because it is an entertaining take on the traditional ghost hunter story. Plus Rebecca Hall is superb. The Awakening Review

I just love this wonderful, scary and beautiful film by Guillermo del Toro. The house is gorgeous to behold and Jessica Chastain gives a phenomenal performance.  

A film that has scared me for so many years it actually feels like an old friend. RIP Wes Kraven you are much missed.

I  loved The Babadook both because it really unnerved me and because director, Jennifer Kent, really made me care about her characters. I don't know how she managed to get such a powerful performance out of such a young boy. Brilliant. The Babadook Review

[Warning: This trailer contains strong language subtitles]

Another entry for Guilermo del Toro, Pan's Labyrinth really took me by surprise. It is both brutal and beautiful, scary and moving. Del Toro's monsters are truly amazing creations. Pan's Labyrinth Review

I thoroughly enjoyed The Cabin In The  Woods -  it is such an exhilarating film. It is not particularly scary but has so many brilliantly dark twists and turns. The less you know the better! The Cabin In The Woods Review

Another classic, Nicholas Roeg's film is beautifully shot, extremely tense and disturbing.

It Follows shouldn't be scary - but it is. It shouldn't work but oh yes it does. This is a film that cares about its characters and builds an extremely effective atmosphere of dread. I found myself completely gripped by this film -  and was then unnerved for days afterwards. It Follows Review 

[Warning: This trailer contains strong language]

As I mentioned above, I've always found zombies pretty hilarious and so was always going to find Shaun Of The Dead amusing. It helps that this is a extremely funny film of course.

In Berberian Sound Studio, Toby Jones plays an English sound technican who goes to work on a film in Italy. I didn't expect this film to be scary and it wasn't really - just deeply unsettling. All I can say is that after watching this film I had one of the most alarming nightmares! Berberian Sound Studio Review 

I love John Carpenter's The Thing. This film plays on so many of our deepest fears and throws in some brilliant, monstrous special effects. I am always gripped by the building sense of paranoia. Kurt Russell is superb. This movie is a remake of The Thing From Another World, released in 1951.

I wasn't going to choose The Blair Witch Project as my winner in this found footage category. I was going to pick Troll Hunter instead as I love this Norwegian film. However, I watched Blair Witch again and decided to go with this film because, for better or worse, it did kick start the found footage genre.

I found Kill List unbelievably tense, disturbing and horrific. It twisted and turned and left me shocked and exhausted by the end. It is superb, but I am not sure I'd want to go through that again!

Many of the films that I have listed above are rated 15 or 18. As a result, I  decided to finish my top 20 with a 12A horror film that I had fun watching with my son. Sadly, I was more scared than him - that would be the clown thing I  guess...

So there you have it - my top 20 most awesome horror films by sub-genre. 

What do you think of this list? What would you change or add?

Leave me a comment in the box below. I am always looking for horror movie recommendations!