A Glean movie guide
Serious Scares: Horror Without the Camp
No camp. No clichés. Just terror.
High-intensity films that prioritize atmospheric dread and psychological tension.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Hereditary
A harrowing exploration of family trauma that builds to an overwhelming sense of supernatural dread.
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
The Witch
A meticulously crafted period piece that uses isolation and religious paranoia to create a chilling atmosphere.
In 1630, a farmer relocates his family to a remote plot of land on the edge of a forest where strange, unsettling things happen. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, each family member's faith, loyalty and love are tested in shocking ways.
- 03
Talk to Me
A modern supernatural thriller that replaces typical teen tropes with visceral consequences and grounded stakes.
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.
- 04
When Evil Lurks
A bleak and uncompromising vision of demonic infection that shatters traditional horror boundaries.
When brothers Pedro and Jimi discover that a demonic infection has been festering in a nearby farmhouse, they attempt to evict the victim from their land. Failing to adhere to the proper rites of exorcism, their reckless actions inadvertently trigger an epidemic of possessions across their rural community.
- 05
The Dark and the Wicked
An oppressive study of grief and malevolence that offers no relief from its suffocating atmosphere.
On a secluded farm in a nondescript rural town, a man is slowly dying. His family gathers to mourn, and soon a darkness grows, marked by waking nightmares and a growing sense that something evil is taking over the family.
- 06
The Conjuring
A masterclass in suspense that treats its paranormal investigation with a grounded, serious perspective.
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
Sinister
A dark mystery that uses disturbing Super 8 footage to build a persistent and unsettling sense of doom.
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.
- 08
The Descent
A relentless survival horror that leverages claustrophobia and primal fears for maximum intensity.
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.
- 09
It Follows
A minimalist masterpiece that creates constant background tension through its unique, inescapable premise.
A young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.
- 10
[Rec]
A high-octane found-footage nightmare that maintains a realistic and terrifying sense of real-time panic.
A television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.
- 11
The Wailing
An epic South Korean horror that masterfully blends a police procedural with oppressive supernatural dread.
A stranger arrives in a little village and soon after a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman is drawn into the incident and is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter.
- 12
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
A clinical medical mystery that gradually transforms into a confined and terrifying supernatural encounter.
Father and son coroners receive a mysterious unidentified corpse with no apparent cause of death. As they attempt to examine the "Jane Doe," they discover increasingly bizarre clues that hold the key to her terrifying secrets.