Rich Garner

It’s that time of year again. When I pull down the classic PC games that gave me chills years ago, slap up the cheesy decorations, and lay down to watch some good movies designed to make my wife grab me by the arm. We’ve all seen the classic; Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare… but there’s a bunch of great film frights to be had from titles you probably never gave a second thought about. (I’ve linked them to their pages on Netflix.)

[REC] – Trapped in a quarantined Barcelona apartment building with residents, firefighters and a growing horde of ravenous zombies, television reporter Angela (Manuela Velasco) and her cameraman, Pablo, record brutal deaths and terrifying events while trying to stay alive.

The coolest thing about [REC] is that while some movies that have taken the ‘Blair’s Witch’ reality approach have been let downs, the approach works incredibly well here. It adds such a sense of realism and fear that makes this movies one of our favorites. Oh, and it’s Spanish with English subtitles. If you want an English-speaking version, get “Quarantine” which was shot with the same crew and on the same sets.

Silent Hill - Determined to save her terminally ill daughter, Rose ignores the wishes of her husband and takes her to a faith healer. But her well-intentioned efforts somehow land them in an alternate reality — the deserted town of Silent Hill — where her daughter mysteriously disappears.

Yes, Silent Hill was a very creepy video game also and no, the movie is not as good as the game. But that still rates it among one of the best underrated video game horrors of all time. The effects were absolutely chilling and the sets were very unsettling. My wife cannot watch it without me… which is rare since SHE is the horror freak in our house.

Event Horizon – In 2040, an explorer vessel known as the Event Horizon went missing beyond deep-space boundaries. Seven years later, the ship sends a garbled signal back to Earth that sounds a lot like a cry for help. A rescue ship led by Captain Miller is dispatched to investigate, but Miller’s crew soon realizes the awful truth — something unimaginable has happened on board.

Probably one of the best sci-fi horrors since the original Alien. But the evil of this film goes so far beyond monsters and bad guys. There is a sinister force at work which never really shows it’s true form. The casting was excellent with some great performances and a well written script. This is one of those movies that will haunt you long after you see it.

Them – Late one night, Lucas and Clémentine encounter strange events in their remote country home. It starts with prank calls and strange noises, but when the power is cut off and their car disappears, the terrified couple is trapped by the unseen force.

Another foreign movie… this one is French… that has forever changed my mind about what a good horror movie does to your mind. I’m not going to spoil this because the real terror comes when the movie ends. But this is one movie that we simply cannot get out of our heads.

The Devil’s Backbone – Twelve-year-old Carlos is the latest arrival at Santa Lucia School, an imposing stone building that shelters orphans of the Republican militia and politicians during the last days of the Spanish Civil War. Carlos gradually uncovers the dark ties that bind the inhabitants of the school: hidden riches, sexual intrigue and the restless ghost of a murdered student, who may be the only one to provide resolution.

A Spanish film set in 1823 with brilliant acting and direction. The story gets s little slow in some places due to the fact that there is more going on than the haunting. But a beautifully woven tale of a young boy making a connection with an terrifying menace and the common hatred they have for their persecutors. Touching, but just chilling enough to make the list.

1408 – In this thriller based on a Stephen King story, writer and paranormal debunker Mike Enslin is determined to demystify the ghostly events of room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel, even though the clerk begs him to rethink his plans. Mike needs to write another book, and room 1408 may be his big ticket. But will he survive even one night?

1408 is, in the words of Samuel L. Jackson’s character, “an evil f***ing room.” We tried to make sense of it all and figure out the plot, but just like the room, the movie spins you on your head and makes you question everything. It was just pure and unrelenting terror from the moment he entered the room. The unrated version has the original, alternate ending which made the story so much more chilling.