10 Overlooked Horror Movies That Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist
Ever feel like you’ve watched every scary movie out there? Think again!
While mainstream horror gets all the attention, countless terrifying gems remain hidden in the shadows, waiting to give you nightmares.
Get ready to discover films that will make you sleep with the lights on for weeks.
1. Session 9 (2001)
Few settings are scarier than an actual abandoned mental hospital, and this film was shot in the real Danvers State Hospital. An asbestos removal crew takes a job that becomes increasingly nightmarish.
Director Brad Anderson uses the decaying building itself as a character, creating atmosphere without relying on cheap tricks. Recorded therapy sessions from a former patient add disturbing context.
Psychological horror fans will appreciate how this film gets under your skin.
2. The Invitation (2015)
Imagine accepting a dinner invitation from your ex-wife only to realize something feels terribly wrong. This slow-burn thriller keeps you guessing whether the host has sinister plans or if paranoia is taking over.
Every conversation drips with tension as old wounds resurface. Director Karyn Kusama masterfully builds dread through uncomfortable silences and suspicious glances.
By the final act, your heart will be pounding as the truth reveals itself in the most shocking way possible.
3. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
What happens when a father-son coroner team receives an unidentified body with no visible cause of death? Strange supernatural events begin unfolding during their overnight examination.
Set almost entirely in a basement morgue, this film proves that limited locations can create maximum scares. Each layer of the autopsy reveals more disturbing mysteries.
Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch deliver gripping performances while the atmosphere grows increasingly claustrophobic and terrifying.
4. The Babadook (2014)
Grief manifests as a terrifying monster in this Australian masterpiece about a widowed mother and her troubled son. A mysterious pop-up book introduces them to the Babadook, a creature that refuses to leave.
Essie Davis delivers a raw, powerful performance as a woman pushed to her breaking point. The film works both as supernatural horror and psychological drama.
That creepy voice saying “Babadook” will echo in your nightmares.
5. The Lodge (2019)
Spending Christmas in a remote lodge sounds cozy until you’re trapped with your dad’s new girlfriend who has a disturbing past. Two children and their future stepmother face increasingly bizarre and terrifying events.
From the directors of Goodnight Mommy, this film creates suffocating tension through isolation and religious trauma. The snowy setting adds to the claustrophobic feeling.
Trust issues and psychological manipulation make this incredibly uncomfortable in the best way.
6. The House of the Devil (2009)
Ti West perfectly recreates 1980s horror with this slow-burn tale of a college student taking a babysitting job in a creepy mansion. Everything from the grainy film quality to the opening credits feels authentically retro.
Patient viewers will be rewarded as tension builds methodically toward an explosive finale. The Satanic Panic era comes alive through careful period details.
Sometimes the old-school approach works best for delivering genuine scares.
7. The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)
Two girls left behind at boarding school during winter break experience something sinister in this atmospheric slow-burner. The film jumps between timelines, slowly revealing how everything connects.
Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka deliver haunting performances in this meditation on loneliness and possession. The sparse dialogue and cold visuals create an unforgettable mood.
Oz Perkins proves himself a master of quiet, unsettling horror that lingers.
8. The Ritual (2017)
Four friends honor their deceased buddy by hiking through Swedish wilderness, but their shortcut leads them into nightmare territory. Grief and guilt poison their relationships as something ancient stalks them through the woods.
The creature design is genuinely unique and terrifying when finally revealed. Folk horror elements blend with survival thriller aspects seamlessly.
9. The Others (2001)
Nicole Kidman stars as a mother protecting her light-sensitive children in a dark, fog-shrouded mansion during World War II. Strange servants arrive, and soon the family realizes they’re not alone.
This gothic ghost story relies on atmosphere and brilliant storytelling rather than gore. The twist ending ranks among cinema’s best, recontextualizing everything you’ve watched.
Alejandro Amenábar crafts a modern classic that respects audience intelligence.
10. It Follows (2014)
Teenager learns she’s being followed by a supernatural entity that only she can see. The curse passes through intimacy, creating a brilliant metaphor wrapped in terrifying horror.
Director David Robert Mitchell uses wide shots to make you scan for danger constantly. The synth score by Disasterpeace is hauntingly perfect.
Simple yet effective, this film reinvents the horror formula with style and intelligence.
