Slow burn movies or psychological horror movies help one experience various fears like war, death, or disease. Psychological thriller films are on an entirely different level. These show their audiences unsettling moments and are a popular sub-genre that focuses on the dark aspects of human life.
The human mind has been explored in various ways, and to one extent, one can go. A list of the best psychological horrors has been made especially for our readers. Several of the same types are mentioned below for those looking for slow-burn horror movies.
We hope that our list of best psychological horror films will be enjoyed by horror fans. Some great horror movies that are thought-provoking have been mentioned.
41 Best Psychological Horror Movies:
41. IT Chapter One
- Director: Andy Muschietti
- Writer: Chase Palmer, Dauberman, Fukunaga
- Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Sophia Lillis, Jaeden Martell, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs
- IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
This movie is adapted from the novel by the same name. IT Chapter One has received many awards for its splendid performance including three Bogey Awards. The movie was also nominated for Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association and Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie.
IT Chapter One Plot:
IT released in 2017 is also known as IT Chapter One, it is a psychological horror about a terrifying clown called Pennywise. The plot revolves around seven children who are trying to fight the clown to save their town. The opening scene starts by younger brother asking the elder one to play with him in the rain.
But the elder brother doesn’t accompany the little one. Unfortunately, the little one doesn’t return home, the elder brother starts blaming himself for it and eventually takes up the task of finding his little brother. And for that he and his friends will have to fight the horrifying clown Pennywise.
Any of you Blockheads heading to the movies this weekend? We know you caught the NKOTB references in #ItChapterOne, any more shoutouts for us in #ItChapterTwo? *NO SPOILERS* but comment below with a 🎈if you’ve seen it! pic.twitter.com/6vXPf1Clsw
— New Kids on the Block (@NKOTB) September 13, 2019
40. American Psycho (2000)
- Director: Mary Harron
- Writer: Mary Harron, Guinevere Turner
- Cast: Christian Bale, Jared Leto, Willem Dafoe, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 69%
- Streaming Platform: Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+
About American Psycho:
American Psycho is a psychological thriller released in 2000 and stars Christian Bale in the role of a psychotic serial killer. In this film, he is seen working on Wall Street. The actor appeared in several horror films like The Dark Knight Trilogy, in which he played the role of Batman.
Various professors of psychology refer to this movie in their discussions. It is also always mentioned in pop culture. Artists like Kanye West and the music band Maroon 5 have paid their respect to this film in their music videos.
39. The Memory of a Killer (2003)
- Director: Erik Van Looy
- Writer: Erik Van Looy, Carl Joos
- Cast: Koen De Bouw, Jan Decleir, Werner De Smedt, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 84%
- Streaming Platform: VUDU
The Memory of a Killer is another psychological thriller, it was released as The Alzheimer Case or De zaak Alzheimer in Germany.
The Memory of a Killer Plot:
This psychological thriller film is about a hitman diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. To be an assassin, one needs skill and focus, and this man’s psychological health is coming his way, leading to some not-so-good consequences.
38. Shutter Island (2010)
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Writer: Laeta Kalogridis, Dennis Lehane
- Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 77%
- Streaming Platform: Hulu
Shutter Island is a popular name among psychological thriller films fans. It was Martin Scorsese’s most commercially hit movie until The Wolf of Wall Street was released in 2013. Leonardo DiCaprio is seen playing the role of a US Marshal.
Shutter Island Plot:
The latter is responsible for finding out about the disappearance of a child from a hospital for criminally insane in Boston Harbor. The staff of the mental institution stonewalls Leo and his partner. They start getting migraine headaches and later discover that the hospital uses its patients as experimental rats for various drugs.
Shutter Island is based on Dennis Lehane’s novel. The movie is based on a mental institution and takes the viewers on a psychological trip. The memorable ending of this film makes it an important one in the psychological horror genre.
37. I Saw the Devil (2010)
- Director: Kim Jee-Woon
- Writer: Park Hoon-jung
- Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, In-seo Kim, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Vudu Kanopy, Pluto TV
South Korea is coming up with great horror movies, especially in the 21st century. This horror involving the cat and mouse chase is the best.
I Saw the Devil Plot:
We see a special forces agent whose wife is murdered by a serial killer in this film. The man wants to take revenge on the killer, but instead of killing the murderer of his wife, he decides to play games with him. The struggle for control between the man and killer continues till a conclusion is reached.
#ISawTheDevil 2010 My favorite #AsianHorror film #revenge at it's most savage and satisfying. pic.twitter.com/DlUSm8s0rC
— 𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙉𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝘿𝙖𝙮𝙣𝙖🫦🔪🎅 (@SlasherDiva) May 28, 2022
36. It Follows (2014)
- Director: David Robert Mitchell
- Writer: David Robert Mitchell
- Cast: Maika Monroe, Lili Sepe, Daniel Zovatto, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Generally, various monster films do not fall under the list of psychological horror films, but It Follows is a different monster film. The audience will never get to see the true or natural form of the monster in this. The monster shapeshifts and disguises itself as a human.
It Follows Plot:
The film has an attractive plot where the main character is cursed and cannot be free until she passes the same curse to someone else. That force will haunt her until she passes it on. The film is infused with horror, and the things like there could be danger anywhere.
35. The Shining (1980)
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Writer: Stanley Kubrick, Diane Johnson
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 85%
- Streaming Platform: HBO Max
When people like Stephen King, Jack Nicholson, and Stanley Kubrick come together, magic is bound to happen. The Shining is not a captivating fill, and to this date, it terrifies the viewers. King’s work in this film is seen getting perfectly blended with the visuals from Kubrick.
The Shining Plot:
The film shows that a man in an empty hotel takes up a winter caretaker’s job. When he and his family come to live there, they get to know the hotel’s dark history. The man begins to lose his sanity.
Imagine all that with an exceptional performance from Jack Nicholson. It is well-considered among the best horror movies ever got made.
34. Funny Games (1997)
- Director: Michael Haneke
- Writer: Michael Haneke
- Cast: Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Mühe, Arno Frisch, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 69%
- Streaming Platform: The Criterion Channel, HBO Max
Some films in this list have a great staring that sets the mood right at the beginning. But Funny Games is not like them. It has a relatively simple starting and then takes the viewers on an unsettling experience.
Funny Games Plot:
This Austrian film tells us the tale of two young men who make a family hostage and intimidate them into playing sadistic games. This is a terror film that might be difficult to watch for many people.
33. Last Night in Soho (2021)
- Director: Edgar Wright
- Writer: Edgar Wright, Krysty Wilson-Cairns
- Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie, Matt Smith, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 76%
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
Last Night in Soho is Edgar Wright’s film, a recent addition to the psychological horror genre. Wright’s work usually includes comedy, but this is not like theirs. It is a thriller that doesn’t like to play in circles and gets things straight. New talents discovered by this famous director are also seen in Last Night in Soho.
Last Night in Soho Plot:
A young woman is seen moving to London to get into a fashion school. Each night when she sleeps, she finds herself in the 1960s, where another young woman is seen living in a big city and pursuing her dreams.
Just watched #lastnightinsoho lavish visuals and audio with a haunting story and superb acting! If you haven't seen it I highly recommend it. pic.twitter.com/HzO6uG9V7V
— Dangerous Person 🖖🏻 (@HumanPe68061613) November 12, 2022
32. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
- Director: Roman Polanski
- Writer: Roman Polanski
- Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Sharon Tate, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Paramount+, Hulu, Spectrum, DIRECTV, Epix
Rosemary’s Baby Plot:
Rosemary’s Baby is about a couple who gets unknowingly pregnant after shifting to their new home and being surrounded by weird neighbors. Satanism and the occult play an essential role in most horror genre films.
When the audiences think that the film can’t get any worse, it takes unexpected turns. It terrifies you in many unexpected and unknown ways. The film is quite disturbing, especially since it is a horror film-related to being a new mother.
31. Misery (1990)
- Director: Kathy Bates, James Caan, Stephen King, Rob Reiner, and others
- Writer: William Goldman
- Cast: Kathy Bates, James Caan, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu
About Misery:
Various stories by Stephen King give a sense of spiritualism and fantasy. When things like ghosts, monsters, and possession, people don’t usually have to be worried about getting chased by them. But this work by Stephen King makes one worry. Misery makes one think in unimaginable directions and is very unsettling.
It is the only thing that makes one feel that anything can happen at any time and place. For those who have still not watched it, it doesn’t show ghouls or ghosts, and not any creepy creatures. Misery is about the misfortune of a man brought by his accident and a fan who tries to keep all things to him.
30. I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
- Director: Charlie Kaufman
- Writer: Charlie Kaufman, Iain Reid
- Cast: Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, David Thewlis, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 82%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
I’m Thinking of Ending Things Plot:
A young woman is seen considering dumping her boyfriend after just seven weeks of their relationship. She accepts his invitation to visit his parents, who live on a remote farm. When she reaches there, she starts to have weird hallucinations like she is her boyfriend, and his parents are an older version of themselves.
After they come back home, she cannot even remember what her boyfriend looks like. The ending of I’m Thinking of Ending Things is bizarre and doesn’t pardon the mental torture the woman is facing.
29. The Babadook (2014)
- Director: Jennifer Kent
- Writer: Jennifer Kent
- Cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Tim Purcell, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 98%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
The Babadook is one of the best psychological horrors that has come out in recent years.
The Babadook Plot:
The plot of The Babadook shows us a woman with her young son when they find themselves facing a supernatural force that felt like nothing in the beginning. The mother and son duo were healing from a crushing loss.
The Babadook Review:
It has a psychological aspect as it keeps the audience trying to guess if there is an evil trying to destroy the family or is it a case of a boy who cried wolf. The movie plays with the insecurities a mother faces while growing a problematic kid independently. The actors have played their roles exceptionally well, and the situation feels realistic and not virtual.
This film marks Jennifer Kent’s debut, and William Friedkin (Director of The Exorcist) commented that she never came across a scarier film than this one. It was one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 2014 and then won the award for Best Feature Film in New York Film Critics Circle.
28. Rear Window (1954)
- Director: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writer: John Michael Hayes
- Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Raymond Burr, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu
Rear Window Review:
Rear Window is a film about a man who witnessed a murder while gazing out of his window. Alfred Hitchcock is known to explore various topics throughout his career but not so much as he has done in this film. One reason that justifies why Rear Window is a better thriller than others of the same genre is its characters (they are lovely).
James Stewart is seen playing his role perfectly despite being in a wheelchair during the entire film. Grace Kelly did her best role in this film, and her transformation is worth watching.
Ever feel like someone is taking photos of you in your apartment? Or is that just my own personal paranoia? #rearwindow #paranoid
— Madelyn (@WMadelyn) November 3, 2022
27. Gone Girl (2014)
- Director: David Fincher
- Writer: Gillian Flynn
- Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Tyler Perry
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 87%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Gone Girl Plot:
Nick Dunne (played by Ben Affleck) and his wife Amy (played by Rosamund Pike) show their marriage to be a happy one. But, when Amy goes missing on the fifth anniversary of this couple, Nick becomes the prime suspect. The media and police both lead to distortion of the happily family image created by Dunnes’.
It gives rise to various questions like, who Nick and Amy in reality are?
About Gone Girl:
Rosamund Pike was nominated for Oscar for her performance in this film. This David Fincher’s adaptation of the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn about a missing woman and her doubtful husband is a must-watch and had a huge pop culture moment.
26. The Changeling (1980)
- Director: Peter Medak
- Writer: William Gray, Diana Maddox
- Cast: George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Melvyn Douglas, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 83%
- Streaming Platform: Arrow TV, Shudder, Spectrum, AMC+, Plex, Tubi
The Changeling Plot:
After the loss of his family, an old composer moves back into his old house. There he discovers that there is a dark thing that haunts this house. He feels the need to uncover the truth and finish the unresolved business.
The Changeling Review:
In the list of ghost stories, The Changeling is not a famous name, but it remains to be the favorite of many viewers because of its fascinating and engaging plot. It sets the example of being a horror movie that can be terrifying even without involving any killings or murder in it. The audiences will feel absorbed in this film and its characters.
25. Session 9 (2001)
- Director: Brad Anderson
- Writer: Brad Anderson, Stephen Gevedon
- Cast: David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Josh Lucas, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 66%
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
Session 9 is an underrated movie but is considered among the 21st century’s most horrifying psychological horror films. This film was shot in Massachusetts in Danvers State Mental Hospital, an abandoned mental hospital built in the 1880s.
Session 9 Plot:
A group of asbestos removal workers is seen. They are trying to clean this old building, but things are not as simple as they appear to be.
Gordon (played by Peter Mullen) signs a contract to remove asbestos from an old building. For the same, he hires some coworkers, but instead of helping each other, they turn against each other. Are these coworkers being manipulated by dead patients or by ghosts?
24. It Follows (2016)
- Director: David Robert Mitchell
- Writer: David Robert Mitchell
- Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
It Follows Review:
Psychological horror fans looking for an unnerving experience should watch It Follows. The movie is not filled to the brim with horror or action, but it instead focuses on building tension right from the start. The audiences are kept on the edges of their seat during the entire runtime of this film.
People will experience many unsettling moments while watching this film. There is something uncanny about this film, and it is easy to understand why this one falls under the psychological horror genre. The invisible thing is seen constantly trying to chase a young woman.
This seems like a cliché theme, but the way in which It Follows explores it is something that gets under the skin of the viewers. You’ll find yourself looking over your shoulder even after the film ends.
23. Gerald’s Game (2017)
- Director: Mike Flanagan
- Writer: Mike Flanagan, Jeff Howard
- Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Kate Siegel, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 91%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
This film is based on Stephen King’s novel Gerald’s Game and was never thought that it could be adapted into a film.
Gerald’s Game Plot:
Gerald’s Game is a film that explores the theme of marriage but from the viewpoint of psychological horror games. A couple notices that their marriage has lost its spice and decides to go on a vacation to an isolated house situated in Alabama. Gerald and Jessie take this trip to rekindle the fire in their marriage.
Gerald, the husband, takes viagra and allures his wife to play a game with him. She agrees to be handcuffed to their bed, but Gerald dies of a heart attack during the game. Or does he not?
A dog enters their bedroom and gnaws in Jesse’s arms. Gerald’s spirit comes back to life, or did it not? At last, it becomes known that it wasn’t Gerald but a serial killer.
22. Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
- Director: Adrian Lyne
- Writer: Bruce Joel Rubin
- Cast: Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 73%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
A common theme explored by various psychological horror films is what is imaginary and what is real. This is what makes Jacob’s Ladder a disturbing movie.
Jacob’s Ladder Plot:
A Vietnam war veteran returns and is seen having disturbing visions that haunt him. When he attempts to find relief, he discovers the reality behind what happened to him during the war. The film doesn’t let the audience rest until the credits roll with its ghostly and nightmarish imagery.
Tim Robbins stars as a Vietnam war veteran. He was later informed that he, along with his platoon, served as guinea pigs for an experiment on a drug. This drug was made with the motive of increasing aggression in American soldiers. In a flashback, he sees that a person tried almost to kill him in Vietnam, and he was an American soldier himself.
21. The Gift (2015)
- Director: Joel Edgerton
- Writer: Joel Edgerton
- Cast: Jason Bateman, Joel Edgerton, Rebecca Hall, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 91%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The Gift is a twisted thriller and the debut directorial project of Joel Edgerton. It is about a Los Angeles couple who their former acquaintances are targeting. Edgerton wrote a brilliant and intelligent script for The Gift. Rebecca Hall and Jason Bateman are seen in this captivating movie.
The Gift Plot:
When Simon (played by Jason Bateman) and Robyn (played by Rebecca Hall) come across Gordo, they don’t know that they are near to perfect lives will be thrown into a frenzy. Initially, Simon cannot recognize Gordo, but after many terrorizing incidents, he unveils a horrifying secret. When Robyn becomes aware of what happened between these two, she starts to question herself and all she knows about her husband.
20. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
- Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
- Writer: Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou
- Cast: Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, Nicole Kidman, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 80%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
The Killing of a Sacred Deer Plot:
Steven Murphy is a very famous and successful surgeon. He becomes friends with Martin, a troubled young boy who tells Steven that he lost his father in a car accident ten years ago. When Martin wins Steven’s trust, he tells him that his father died because of mishandled surgery performed by Steven, and it wasn’t the car accident that killed him.
He proposes an offer to Steven. He will have to kill one of his children, or Martin will kill them himself. Steven goes under so much mental and emotional stress that he attempts to kill all his family members.
19. The Sender (1982)
- Director: Roger Christian
- Writer: Tom Baum, Thomas Baum
- Cast: Željko Ivanek, Shirley Knight, Paul Freeman, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 17%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video, Apple TV
The Sender Plot:
A man gets admitted into a mental institution after he fails at attempting suicide. He doesn’t remember his identity. To help him, a female therapist starts treating him. She notices she has been getting nightmares lately and suspects her patient is sending them to her telepathically.
Thus, from here, we get the title of our movie. The main issue and problem are that these nightmares end up with bad results in her real life. This British horror is a disturbing psychological film.
18. Don’t Look Now (1973)
- Director: Nicolas Roeg
- Writer: Allan Scott, Chris Bryant
- Cast: Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Adelina Poerio, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
- Streaming Platform: Kanopy
Psychological horror movies deal primarily with the haunted state of one’s mind. The main characters are troubled souls who are unable to forget their past.
This is what is in Don’t Look Now.
Don’t Look Now Plot:
The film narrated the story of a couple who moved to Venice after the death of their young daughter. They move there so that they can start over. But when the husband starts seeing their daughter, things begin to unwind.
The movie has been an inspiration to several others of the same genre. The climax of this film has one of the best plot twists ever made.
17. Notorious (1946)
- Director: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writer: Ben Hecht
- Cast: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 4.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Roku Reels
About Notorious:
Alfred Hitchcock’s one of the best works- Notorious, is just like Psycho and Vertigo. In this thriller, we see Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant as bitter lovers entwined in a spy mission post-World War II in South America. Bergman plays the role of a drunk man with a haunted past.
The Writers Guild of America selected notorious as one of the best screenplays written. This script written by Ben Hecht is excellent on all levels.
It is a response to what people face during and after the war. This film is a perfect psychological horror that explores the theme of a romantic relationship that is toxic to both partners.
16. Blue Velvet (1986)
- Director: David Lynch
- Writer: David Lynch
- Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Kyle MacLachlan, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
- Streaming Platform: Criterion Channel, MGM Amazon Channel, Tubi TV
About Blue Velvet:
This classical mystery by David Lynch tells us the secrets that lie beneath the suburban order of America. Kyle MacLachlan is playing the role of a young college student who comes across a criminal conspiracy and finds a severed ear.
Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, and Isabella Rossellini are also seen in this film- Blue Velvet. David Lynch received the Academy Award for Best Director for Blue Notorious.
15. The Lost Daughter (2021)
- Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Writer: Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Cast: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
About The Lost Daughter:
The Lost Daughter serves as the writer/directorial debut for Maggie Gyllenhaal. It is one of its kind psychological dramas and is based on a novel by Elena Ferrante. Olivia Colman, just like always, has played a significant role. She plays the role of a woman who, while on holiday, ponders upon the thoughts of another woman and her daughter.
The subject of this film is a taboo topic- the struggles of motherhood. Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, and Peter Sarsgaard include the stellar cast in this film. The Lost Daughter also got nominated for three Oscar Awards- Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress.
14. Cape Fear (1962)
- Director: J. Lee Thompson
- Writer: James R. Webb
- Cast: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Lori Martin, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video, Apple TV, VUDU
About Cape Fear:
After delivering outstanding performances in The Night of the Hunter, Robert Mitchum is back in this intimidating film. He is playing the role of a cop who seeks revenge on the attorney’s family (attorney played by Gregory Peck).
Martin Scorsese successfully remade Cape Fear in 1991 with an all-star cast that included Nick Nolte, Robert de Niro, Juliette Lewis, and Jessica Lange. This tense movie was also nominated for the Oscar awards.
13. Doctor Sleep (2019)
- Director: Mike Flanagan
- Writer: Mike Flanagan, Akiva Goldsman
- Cast: Stephen King, Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 78%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Director Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep’s plot is the continuation of the one in The Shining. This film takes place years after The Shining and shows us the adult Danny Torrance.
Doctor Sleep Plot:
He now lives in Florida with his mother. He feels that his life is not going anywhere. Hence, he relocates to New Hampshire.
There he earned the title of Doctor Sleep because he had abilities to cure a dying patient. He also saved a young girl with psychic powers from The True Knot, a cult. The tortures Daniel faced in The Shining also don’t end in this film.
12. The Third Man (1949)
- Director: Carol Reed
- Writer: Graham Greene
- Cast: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%
- Streaming Platform: Criterion Channel, IndieFlix
The Third man is an iconic film in which we see stars like Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, and Valli. Apart from Citizen Kane, it is also a lovely film. The film is set in Vienna, Austria.
The Third Man Plot:
Cotten is playing the role of Holly Martins, a writer who arrives as a penniless guest upon invited by his childhood friend- Harry (played by Welles). He finds that Harry dies and thus develops a conspiracy theory about his death.
According to Holly, there was a third man present at Harry’s death. His investigation of his friend’s death tells us about the corruption that hit Vienna after World War II.
11. Rebecca (1940)
- Director: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writer: Joan Harrison, Michael Hogan, Robert E. Sherwood, Philip MacDonald, and others
- Cast: Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, Judith Anderson, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%
- Streaming Platform: TVTime channel on Roku devices
Rebecca is a psychological drama made by none other than Alfred Hitchcock. After making several hit films like Jamaica Inn, The Lady Vanishes, and The 39 Steps, his career moved to Hollywood. From there, he was an Oscar Award winner.
Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier appeared to have a great romantic relationship in this drama that is based on a novel written by de Maurier.
Rebecca Plot:
It is about an ordinary man who gets attracted to a wealthy widow. At the core of Rebecca, we see that a fight is there between the powerless woman and a powerful man. Romance blooms between these two as they uniquely complete each other. Rebecca, to date, is wonderful to watch and is one of the best adaptations.
10. The Lighthouse (2019)
- Director: Robert Eggers
- Writer: Robert Eggers, Max Eggers
- Cast: Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson, Valeriia Karaman, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
With this film- The Lighthouse, Director Robert Eggers proved that horror films don’t mandatorily require a creep or a monster in them.
The Lighthouse Review:
The movie shows how people sometimes can be as monstrous as the shadows that crawl in the dark. The Lighthouse is a beautiful picture that depicts the same, and it has excellent visuals. The movie has a great soundtrack and some tension-building scenes.
9. Split (2016)
- Director: M. Night Shyamalan
- Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
- Cast: M. Night Shyamalan, James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 77%
- Streaming Platform: VUDU or Apple TV, Prime Video
Split Plot:
In Split, we see three girls abducted by Dennis (played by James McAvoy). He is a man with 23 different personalities. Most of these personalities are very dangerous, and the girls need to escape before his 24th personality is born.
Split Review:
Director and writer M. Night Shyamalan made this award-winning international movie. The themes of this film are dark humor, vulnerability, and suspense. Anya Taylor-joy gave an excellent performance while playing the role of Casey.
The most frightening thing about this movie is the various personalities that reside in Dennis and how they manipulate each other. The film, in all, treats its audience with an unsettling experience right from its start.
8. Under the Shadow (2016)
- Director: Babak Anvari
- Writer: Babak Anvari
- Cast: Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Narges Rashidi, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 6.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Under the Shadow serves as Babak Anvari’s debut, and it blurs the line created between the horrors of real-world and supernatural terror. It is a unique movie in itself and is set on the backdrop of Anvari’s childhood in the 90s.
Under the Shadow Plot:
Narges Rashidi appears as Shideh, a medical student whose further studies restricts due to his involvement in politics. When her husband goes, Shideh is responsible for protecting Dorsa, their daughter.
They together need to fight against the bombings and fighting. It appears as if things cannot get worse than this, and at that moment only, the mother-daughter duo is haunted by an evil genie.
7. Memento (2000)
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Writer: Christopher Nolan
- Cast: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
- Streaming Platform: HBO Max
Memento, a murder mystery, and a highly praised movie also got nominated for Oscars. Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Guy Pearce also appear in the movie.
Memento Plot:
Leonard (played by Guy Pearce) is trying to catch the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty Leonard faces is that he is suffering from a memory loss condition which makes it difficult for him to locate the killer.
However, Leonard can recall what happened before the accident but cannot remember what happened 15 minutes ago. This movie got adapted into various further films and is great to watch.
6. Hide and Seek (2005)
- Director: John Polson
- Writer: Ari Schlossberg
- Cast: Robert De Niro, Dakota Fanning, Famke Janssen, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 5.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 13%
- Streaming Platform: Apple iTunes, Amazon Video, YouTube, DIRECTV
Hide and Seek Plot:
Robert De Niro is playing the role of Dr. David Callaway, a psychologist in this film. He is Emily’s father. After she saw her mother’s suicide, she undergoes a trauma. After shifting to rural upstate New York, she acts like she has a friend Charlie, but he doesn’t exist in the real world and is an imaginary person.
Hide and Seek has a twisted ending and it later becomes known that her father suffers from a dissociative identity disorder. He was the one who killed his wife. We might have destroyed the fun by telling you so but watch out for Hide and Seek.
5. Get Out (2017)
- Director: Jordan Peele
- Writer: Jordan Peele
- Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 98%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
Daniel Kaluuya is in this project, which serves as Jordan Peele’s debut as a director. It is a highly appreciated psychological thriller. Get Out introduces its audience to the horror world and is a classic movie.
Get Out Plot:
Kaluuya plays the role of a man who is somewhat anxious about meeting with his girlfriend’s family. His girlfriend is white, and she tells him that they don’t care even if he is black. Chris (Kaluuya) is doubtful initially, and his suspicions turn out into a reality when his visit to his girlfriend’s parents’ home takes a weird twist.
#OnlyFilmTopics:
Low Budget Movies That Became Huge Hits:#GetOut (2017). ☕🥄
Budget: $4.5 million.
Box office: $255.4 million. pic.twitter.com/6CJKlz0rmV— Only Film Media (@OnlyFilmMedia) November 2, 2020
4. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- Director: Jonathan Demme
- Writer: Thomas Harris
- Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Ted Levine, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Video, VUDU
The Silence of the Lambs is among the best suspense-filled psychological horror. It earned several Oscar awards like Best Pictures. Buffalo bill is a psychotic serial killer who targets women.
The film was shot just on a budget of $19 million. This psychological horror film grossed $272.7 million all over the globe.
The Silence of the Lambs Plot:
Jodie Foster plays the role of a detective. He visits an imprisoned serial killer who was also an ex-psychiatrist.
3. The Sixth Sense (1999)
- Director: M. Night Shyamalan
- Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
- Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+
The Sixth Sense Review:
M. Night Shyamalan directed the film The Sixth Sense and made it a great psychological horror film. It is a viral film and sets an example for its genre. The movie maintains a strange calm throughout its entire plot, but sometimes something seems off.
Will this turn out to be a ghost story or a story where one ends up with a mental illness. The audience is sitting on the edge of their seat and wondering what it will end like. The Sixth Sense is important in film history.
2. The Lawnmower Man (1992)
- Director: Brett Leonard
- Writer: Brett Leonard, Gimel Everett
- Cast: Jeff Fahey, Pierce Brosnan, Dean Norris, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 5.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 35%
- Streaming Platform: HBO Now, HBO Max, DIRECTV, Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Video
Science fiction meets horror in this 1992 classic.
The Lawnmower Man Plot:
In this, we see the story of Pierce Brosnan before he became James Bond. Dr. Lawrence Angelo (played by Pierce Brosnan) puts a mentally disabled man on experimental pills. Jobe, the man who put on these drugs in time, becomes brighter and develops better relationships with the opposite gender.
But, when he gets these psychic powers, he realizes that people around him have started taking advantage. They have done so his entire life and now want bloody revenge.
1. Se7en (1995)
- Director: David Fincher
- Writer: Andrew Kevin Walker
- Cast: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and others
- IMDb Ratings: 8.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 82%
- Streaming Platform: HBO Max or Hulu Plus
David Fincher’s Se7en, upon its release, gathered several nominations, including Oscar and BAFTA. The writer of this film, Andrew Kevin Walker, wrote a disturbing plot.
Se7en Plot:
In this movie, we see two detectives- Somerset (played by Morgan Freeman) and Mills (played by Brad Pitt). They together hunt down a serial killer- John Doe (played by Kevin Spacey). Doe is a true psychopath who twists the seven deadly sins.
These sins include lust, greed, pride, gluttony, sloth, envy, and wrath. The plot of this film is relatively straightforward and doesn’t take the audience in a loop. The acting of these actors is on point.
Other Great Psychological Horror Films
Repulsion, The Haunting, Black Swan, Creep, Dead Calm, and Psycho are various other great psychological horror movies.
Psychological horrors can tap the audience’s mind long. Psychological thrillers can toy with the human mind. They are thought-provoking. Many other great psychological horror films might not in this list. Do tell us what we have missed in the comments below. And also, don’t forget to mention your favorite ones.
