Halloween can only mean one thing, Fright Night Film Fest!! I love getting in some popcorn, sweets, turning off the lights and having a scary film marathon (not on my own mind). Check out my other film night essential!

Horror is my favourite genre, I love psychological and supernatural type films. I don’t mind a slasher if it has some depth and suspense but anything that starts scary and ends with an alien is automatically struck from my list (so many films have been ruined in this manner!). I have been watching horror films since I was a child (how the rules have changed!!) but I have left of some of the cult classics in favour of more modern films. I’m sure you’ve read enough scary film lists all with the same 80s/90s films on them so I’ve picked out some of my recent favourites.

My Top 10…

10. House Hunting (2012)
When two families go to an open house viewing, they soon discover they cannot leave and come across a strange girl without a tongue. I felt the frustrations, fears, and determination of the families to try and escape in this heavily psychological thriller.

9. Truth or Dare (2018)
A group of friends get invited to play the game whilst on holiday in Mexico. I liked this film as it followed the logical idea’s you’d think of to try and outplay the game. All the usual horror elements are included to create a watchable horror film.

8. The Dare (2020)
When four adults are locked up and tortured (think Saw style), they eventually discover what they all have in common and try to escape. It’s a decent enough watch if you like the Saw franchise.

7. Hush (2016)
A blind and mute writer escapes to a secluded cabin for a quiet life. This is a female empowerment film if ever I saw one! You don’t know who is going to win this battle, the twists and turns keep you guessing. Full of suspense, I loved this film.

6. Halloween (2018)
I’ve not seen the other films in the franchise but I’m aware of Michael and the torment he puts Laurie through. I thought this film was a good combination of slasher, suspense, and fear.

And now the Top 5…

5. The Invisible Man (2020)
When Cecelia is haunted by the ghost of her possessive ex-boyfriend, she begins to think she’s losing her mind. Lost of twists and turns in this film with many underlying messages. My previous review goes into more detail, but I had to have it on my Fright Night list.

4. The Purge Election Year (2016)
This is a franchise of films I like, but this is my favourite one because of the theatrical element to it. I like the costumes and the soundtrack which gives this film a political edge. It still has all the gore and violence of the other films as well but feels a lot more relevant.

3. Jigsaw (2017)
I like the SAW franchise as a whole; gore, suspense, intrigue, and despair. This film I liked most because we don’t know if Jigsaw is still alive or if this is a copycat.

2. 1408 (2007)
Based on a Stephen King novel, 1408 is a haunted room in a hotel. A journalist decided he wants to spend some time in this room to disprove the theories. This film is a complete mind bender and I felt all kinds of confusion, madness, and intrigue.

1. The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019)
This film follows a pregnant woman and her ‘dreams’ about her own death. Based on the Tate murders by the Manson family, this film has an eerie feel to it as it’s based on real life events.

I hope you enjoy some of these films as much as I did, let me know your thoughts. What is on your Fright Night film list?