Great horror isn’t cliché

As Halloween approaches many of us are looking to watch a good, old-fashioned horror movie designed to elicit screams and cause nightmares. However, finding a decent horror movie to watch is a task in itself. Many are formulaic and rely on clichés and they almost always have unknown actors who bring nothing to the project. If you’re in the mood for something more frightening and less laughable, here are some good films you should check out, in no particular order.

“The Shining.” It’s a classic, one you most certainly have to see before you die. Jack Nicholson’s character Jack Torrance takes his family up to a seasonal hotel with the hopes of maintaining it throughout the winter. However, the place is haunted by ghosts and all other kinds of supernatural being. Jack loses his mind, and unfortunately for his family they’re the only ones there to take the blame. This is a must-see.

“Disturbia.” Somewhere there is a line between thriller and horror and “Disturbia” crosses it. When a high school student is placed on house arrest, he starts spying on his neighbors to pass the time. He soon realizes his neighbor may be a serial killer. Every killer lives next door to somebody, right? It may be an update of Hitchcock’s “Rear Window,” but it makes the story its own. The film is simply disturbing and will give you that thrill you’re searching for in a horror movie.

“The Thing” (1982). “The Thing” is another classic on this list. Imagine a creature that could take the form of any being that it had touched and killed. Now, put that creature in an Antarctic research station, where it has taken the shape of one if the expedition members, and see what happens as it tries to take over everyone and get off the continent. Crazy stuff.

“Alien”/“Aliens.” If you are one of the few people who have not seen these two classic films, you should make every attempt to remedy that immediately. “Alien” is probably one of the greatest sci-fi, action and horror movies ever made, next to the sequel, Aliens. Both directed by then-unknown legends Ridley Scott and James Cameron respectively, these are two films are guaranteed to give you nightmares.

“The Cabin in the Woods.” You can’t really tell anyone why they have to see this film without spoiling it. However, what I will say is if you have ever liked any horror movie ever made, then you will certainly like “Cabin in the Woods.” It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. It’s a perfect blend of horror and comedy that mocks itself along with the genre. The last 45 minutes of this movie will blow your mind, and you’ll struggle to pick your jaw up off the floor. I’ve already said too much. You have to see it to believe it.

“Silent Hill.” Video game movie adaptations are generally disappointing, but “Silent Hill” manages to be the exception of the rule. The “Silent Hill” series is known for being (or it used to be) some of the scariest games out there. The movie manages to capture that general feeling of terror the game had and to bring you into that dark exploration of the other world that is Silent Hill. After a car crash, a cop and a woman awake in a small town run by a cult that is not of this world. The woman’s daughter is missing and they navigate in this dark world filled with monsters, demons and horrifying people to find her. If you don’t value your sleep, this is definitely worth a watch.