A Glean movie guide
Actually Terrifying
Prepare to lose sleep.
No cheap thrills—just the most effective, high-tension horror films ever made.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Hereditary
A masterclass in psychological trauma and suffocating supernatural dread that lingers long after the credits.
Following the death of the Leigh family matriarch, Annie and her children uncover disturbing secrets about their heritage. Their daily lives are not only impacted, but they also become entangled in a chilling fate from which they cannot escape, driving them to the brink of madness.
- 02
Sinister
Scientifically noted for its heart-rate-spiking jump scares and deeply disturbing found-footage sequences.
True-crime writer Ellison Oswalt is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims' home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.
- 03
The Conjuring
A polished, high-tension supernatural experience that perfects the classic haunted house formula.
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
- 04
Talk to Me
A fresh and brutal take on spirit possession that moves at a breakneck, terrifying pace.
When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
- 05
The Descent
Combines extreme claustrophobia with visceral creature horror for a truly breathless and primal experience.
After a personal tragedy, Sarah joins her friends on a caving expedition in the Appalachian Mountains. But when a rockfall traps them deep underground, their adventure turns into a nightmare. As they search for a way out, the group discovers they are not alone—lurking in the darkness are savage, cave-dwelling creatures. With rising tension and dwindling trust, the women must fight to survive against both the predators and each other.
- 06
It Follows
Uses a unique, unstoppable premise and wide-angle cinematography to create a constant sense of paranoia.
A young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.
- 07
Barbarian
A wild, unpredictable ride that subverts expectations to deliver intense, confined-space terror.
In town for a job interview, a young woman arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that it has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway.
- 08
The Thing
The gold standard for practical effects and a chilling atmosphere of total isolation and paranoia.
A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
- 09
When Evil Lurks
An uncompromising and unpredictable descent into demonic chaos that never lets up on the intensity.
Residents of a small rural town discover that a demon is about to be born among them. They desperately try to escape before the evil is born, but it may be too late.
- 10
The Strangers
A terrifyingly realistic home invasion scenario that thrives on silence and background movement.
After a 4 a.m. knock at the door and haunting voices, Kristen McKay and James Hoyt’s remote getaway becomes a psychological night of terror as three masked strangers invade. Now they must go far beyond what they thought themselves capable of if they hope to survive.
- 11
Insidious
Famous for its aggressive sound design and some of the most effective jump scares in modern cinema.
A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.
- 12
The Exorcist
A foundational masterpiece of religious horror that remains deeply unsettling and visceral decades later.
When a mysterious entity possesses a young girl, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.