My wife and I are huge horror fans. I can say with confidence that half of the movies we watch are probably horror films. Our collection has several hundred horror movies and we've exhausted all of the most highly-rated scary moves on Netflix.

So we've watch a lot of them.

With so many horror films under our belt, its hard finding movies that scare me, effect me or stick with me long after the credits have rolled. What gets me is a sense of dread or foreboding, unstoppable doom. Films that nail that sense of hopelessness and get under my skin are the ones that I love and admire the most.

I also understand that what someone finds scary is extremely subjective (much like humor). With the knowledge of what personally scares me in mind, here's my list of the top 5 horror films that got to me the most as an adult.

#5 Hereditary

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This film is fresh in my head, since I first saw it just two weeks ago. I went into this movie knowing almost nothing about it, which is how I suggest anyone approaches it.

Hereditary is at its core, a family drama wrapped in a tragic and horrifying story. I really don't want to say much to avoid spoiling anything, but it is one of the most expertly crafted horror films I've ever seen. The director understands how to build tension and dread and he cleverly drops the pieces of this puzzle along the way so by the time the film ends, all the loose ends fit together and it all makes sense.

The unease builds through the first 2 acts of the movie and the ending brutal, exhausting and not at all what I expected. Let's just say that as the credits rolled I told my wife "I never want to see that again" and by the next day I wanted to watch it again. It will be a shame if director Ari Aster and lead actress Toni Collette aren't recognized with awards for this film.

#4 Audition

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I've watched Audition just once. Its a messed-up movie, but it is from Japanese shock film master Takashi Miike, after all. I roughly knew what I was walking into with this film and I was still unprepared for it.

The movie is 90% buildup and 10% payoff. The premise is that an aging man holds an audition for a fake movie in an attempt to meet pretty young girls. Unfortunately for him, he gains the attention of a psychotic woman who seems to be everything he wanted at face value, but it turns into a nightmare.

Its a fairly notorious film and I won't spoil exactly why, but its stayed with me so much that I've not watched it a second time since my first viewing about 10 years ago.

#3 The Ring

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The mid-2000's was filled with Hollywood making PG-13 American versions of popular Japanese horror films. The Grudge, Shutter, Dark Water, One Missed Call and The Eye are just a few of the films that hoped to coast on the success of The Ring. Known as Ringu in Japan, its the story of a curse that dooms anyone who happens to watch an evil VHS tape.

On the surface, it sounds stupid. But the film is filled with dread and sorrow throughout, and as the cursed protagonist gets closer and closer to the end of her seven days the tension continues to build. A surprising twist threw the audience for a loop and made the conclusion of the story even more unsettling.

After watching this movie for the first time, the sight of a static-filled TV screen made me uneasy for the next few weeks. It just got under my skin and messed with my head.

#2 The Descent

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Being trapped is a scary idea on its own. Being trapped underground with murderous subhuman creatures is a lot worse. The Descent puts a group of female friends and thrill seekers into a terrible situation and as the story unfolds, the trust and friendships within the group are strained to the breaking point.

While I wouldn't say I have claustrophobia, I do have a strong fear of getting stuck in places where my arms and legs are pinned. Needless to say, the tight corridors and narrow cracks the ladies in The Descent shimmy through made me very uncomfortable.

Once the creatures showed up, I was on the edge of my seat for the remainder of the film. Its tense, unpredictable and expertly directed. Watch this one, but steer clear of the sequel.

#1 The Blair Witch Project

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The found footage genre didn't really exist in 1999 when The Blair Witch Project became a phenomenon. While there were films that preceded it, none executed it like this movie did.

The Blair Witch Project was created on a shoestring budget of around $30k, it was expertly marketed with a cryptic and creepy website and lore. The actors were listed as deceased in press releases to push the authenticity of the movie. Many people were convinced this was real footage and not a film.

This movie just got to me. There was no soundtrack. There were no special effects. It was just a raw experience filled with dread, hopelessness and the sense of being emotionally tortured by an entity you can't fight.

The filmmakers stated that they intended to break the rules of filmmaking they learned in school, which is why this was such a unique film. The final shot of the film still sends shivers down my spine after many viewings and nearly 20 years since its theatrical release.

Honorable mentions:

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The Shining
REC
Paranormal Activity
The Taking of Deborah Logan
Sinister
The Conjuring
The Strangers
It Follows

So as an adult, what horror films have gotten under your skin or scared you? I'm interested to hear what films have scared you. Let's discuss!

Thanks for reading. As always, upvotes, resteems and comments are appreciated!

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