People fall into two categories: those who enjoy a good romantic comedy and revel in the happy ending, and those who require a little more gore, blood, and terror to truly unwind. It can be difficult to find a great horror movie if you fall into the latter category. Despite being one of the most common genres, many franchises and movies in this category are not worth seeing.
Horror films frequently run the risk of focusing more on jump scares and gore than on the narrative and actually spine-tingling thrills. However, Paramount+ has served as a haven for a wide variety of horror movies. it has a horror film to suit your preferences, whether they are gory or psychological, old or new.
Scream
| Director | Wes Craven |
| Cast | Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Courtney Cox, David Arquette |
| Imdb Rating | 6.3/10 |
Horror comedies that get to the heart of what is so outrageous about the genre while still being able to make our skin crawl have been attempted and failed by a number of directors. It took a seasoned horror director like Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street) to really analyze the genre and give us some of the most terrifying antagonists ever. Ghostface, a serial killer, starts killing teenagers in a small town at the start of Scream.
Sydney (Neve Campbell), a no-nonsense teen with a traumatic past, will have to identify the killer and put an end to the violence as the death toll rises. Craven defied horror conventions and gave the world one of the best final girls in the genre’s history. He surpassed the standards he himself had set for horror, turning it into a timeless classic.
Annihilation
| Director | Alex Garland |
| Cast | Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez |
| Imdb Rating | 6.8/10 |
One of his generation’s most captivating sci-fi directors, Alex Garland, has solidified his reputation. In Ex Machina and Annihilation, he looked at issues such as what makes us human and the terrors of the unknown. The story revolves around a biologist who agrees to participate in a secret, perilous expedition into an enigmatic region where the laws of nature don’t exist.
It’s safe to say that this is a criminally underappreciated thrill ride with echoes of Andrei Tarkovsky’s unnerving classic, Stalker, and a cast that features actors like Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
A Quiet Place
| Director | John Krasinski |
| Cast | John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe |
| Imdb Rating | 7.5/10 |
You probably recall the sounds of the victims’ and killers’ screams when you think of your favorite horror film. The question posed by A Quiet Place is whether or not a horror film can still be frightful and memorable without any sound. In the post-apocalyptic setting of the film, a family must live in silence while hiding from predators that hunt by sound. This John Krasinski-directed horror film illustrates that silent killers are the most difficult to overcome, in contrast to other horror films that draw their inspiration from spine-tingling screams or musical scores.
The Ring
| Director | Gore Verbinski |
| Cast | Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox |
| Imdb Rating | 7.1/10 |
No line from a movie has ever incited more dread in viewers’ hearts than “You’re going to die in seven days” does in The Ring. Naomi Watts plays newspaper reporter Rachel Keller in the film, which starts when she learns about a notorious videotape. You receive a call telling you that you have one week to live if you find it and view its violent imagery.
She watches it in disbelief and then realizes she doesn’t have much time to save herself. It’s frightening to watch the movie because it’s difficult to distinguish the lethal videotape from the actual movie. Just hope that when the contributions start to roll, your phone won’t ring.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
| Director | Don Siegel |
| Cast | Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter |
| Imdb Rating | 7.4/10 |
Although this movie from the Cold War era has cheesy special effects, its message is timeless. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is about an alien invasion that starts in a small town in California. Alien seed pods that can produce a human replica with an exact visual match have tumbled from space.
The only difference between these clones and their human counterparts is that they are emotionless. A local doctor and his ex-girlfriend will have to solve the mystery. Even though it has extraterrestrial bad guys, the film was really a protest against conformity and the growing McCarthyism that was sweeping the country. This movie is recommended for fans of classic horror with a social conscience.
Jacob’s Ladder
| Director | Adrian Lyne |
| Cast | Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello |
| Imdb Rating | 7.4/10 |
With movies like 9 12 Weeks and Fatal Attraction, director Adrian Lyne may have established himself as a maestro of the erotic thriller in the 1980s, but Jacob’s Ladder demonstrated that he was also more than capable of creating a horror classic.
The story follows Vietnam War veteran Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins), who experiences flashbacks and hallucinations. He sinks further and further into madness as he searches for the meaning of his visions. The story that Lyne writes is incredibly upsetting because it not only examines the horrors of conflict and eternal life but also the inner workings of the human mind.
Jennifer’s Body
| Director | Karyn Kusama |
| Cast | Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons |
| Imdb Rating | 5.4/10 |
One of the top horror comedies of the last 15 years is Jennifer’s Body, despite the initial negative reviews it received upon release. It centers on Needy (Amanda Seyfried), an innocent and bookish girl, and Jennifer (Megan Fox), a much more popular and seasoned young woman.
They are two of Needy’s closest friends. Jennifer becomes demonically possessed following a traumatic encounter with abusive rock stars, and she begins killing her former classmates, horrifying Needy in the process. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why this movie was so unpopular in its day. Because of its feminist spin on a well-known tale, it has since become essential horror viewing, which may have been due to the poor marketing or the inability of critics to take Megan Fox seriously.
The Blair-Witch Project
| Director | Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez |
| Cast | Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard |
| Imdb Rating | 6.5/10 |
The Blair Witch Project altered the landscape of the horror film industry. The horror genre had previously become overly dependent on animatronic monsters and elaborate settings, but this minimal film demonstrated that a film could still make you shiver even with a subpar camera, amateurish monsters, or even without any physical evidence of the monster.
Three student filmmakers are followed in this classic as they hike into the Black Hills to capture a documentary about the Blair Witch, a local lore. All that is left, though, is the video evidence that was discovered at the scene after all three of them vanish. Even though the case’s facts are made up, you will still find it horrifying.
10 Cloverfield Lane
| Director | Dan Trachtenberg |
| Cast | Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr. |
| Imdb Rating | 7.2/10 |
Dan Trachtenberg directed 10 Cloverfield Lane, a psychological horror movie, where he first gained recognition. The narrative centers on a young woman who, after experiencing a recent car accident, awakens alongside two other people in an underground bunker.
These men are convinced that a catastrophic event has rendered the Earth uninhabitable, but it is debatable whether she will or ought to believe them. This film is a must-see because Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman both give career-defining performances!
The Addams Family
| Director | Barry Sonnenfeld |
| Cast | Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci |
| Imdb Rating | 6.9/10 |
The Addams Family is the ideal substitute if you enjoy horror but don’t feel like watching a somber story about the fatal flaws of humanity. This reimagined film, which was based on the short-lived 1960s sitcom of the same name, continues to be well-liked today.
The movie follows the macabre aristocratic family as they reunite with Uncle Fester, a long-lost family member. It’s the ideal time to revisit this camp classic because Wednesday, the Wednesday Addams spinoff series, has given the franchise new life.
Conclusion
Paramount Plus has truly outdone itself by curating a collection of psychological thrillers that challenge, intrigue, and captivate the audience. These films and series, with their intricate plots and multifaceted characters, offer a deep dive into the human psyche, exploring the gray areas of morality and the depths of human behavior.
As we’ve journeyed through the best offerings in this genre on the platform, it’s evident that for those who seek a cerebral experience combined with spine-tingling suspense, Paramount Plus is a treasure trove. Whether you’re a seasoned aficionado of the genre or a curious newcomer, the platform’s selection promises a roller-coaster of emotions, ensuring an unforgettable cinematic experience.
So, buckle up and prepare to be thrilled—Paramount Plus is your gateway to some of the most compelling psychological narratives out there.
