A Glean movie guide
Pure Nightmare Fuel
Don't watch these alone.
A curated selection of the most intense, unsettling, and genuinely terrifying horror films.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Hereditary
A masterclass in sustained psychological dread and shocking supernatural imagery.
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
Relentless tension built through disturbing found-footage discoveries and a chilling score.
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 Exorcist
Still the gold standard for visceral, high-stakes supernatural terror and disturbing imagery.
When a mysterious entity possesses a young girl, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.
- 04
The Descent
A suffocating blend of extreme claustrophobia and aggressive creature-based horror.
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.
- 05
Talk to Me
A high-impact modern possession story with brutal practical effects and a bleak, unsettling tone.
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.
- 06
The Conjuring
Expertly crafted jump scares and a thick atmosphere of traditional haunted house dread.
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.
- 07
[REC]
A frantic, claustrophobic found-footage nightmare that never lets up on the gas.
A television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.
- 08
Barbarian
An unpredictable, high-tension ride that constantly shifts the floor out from under you.
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.
- 09
Smile
Relies on unsettling visual motifs and high-volume scares to keep you perpetually on edge.
After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain.
- 10
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Gritty, documentary-style realism that creates a uniquely oppressive and visceral sense of danger.
Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way, they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.