Psychological horror movies are a special kind of horror that works beyond the basic jump’s fear. These films are unstable-slowly. They may have ghostly or magical features; this horror is the first and foremost tap feature of human anxiety and weirdness.
If you want to wrap your head around the mind-boggling panic, Netflix has a huge library of movies that will free you from all your deep-seated fears. From The Silence of Lambs to Daughter of Blackcoat, the most spectacular emotional horror of the streaming site – you might want to watch them with the lights on! Let’s not know about some of the best psychological horror movies.
What is Psychological Horror Film?
Psychological horror is a subgenre of horror film, which attempts to create a disturbing atmosphere through the use of special effects and unsettling sound effects. It also makes use of ambient sounds to induce fear in audiences, consisting traditionally of ominous tones and strings, high pitched shrieks, echoing footfalls etc.
Psychological horror frequently contains an unreliable narrator or delves into the characters’ minds and innermost fears. In its more subtle form, psychological horror can create a feeling of unease in the audience as nightmare-like images or situations materialize on screen.
Top 35 Must Watch Best Psychological Horror Movies
Hereditary (2018)
When her mentally ill mother died, Annie (Tony Collett), her husband (Gabriel Byrne), son (Alex Wolf), and daughter (Millie Shapiro) all mourned her loss. The family has turned to different ways to cope with their grief, including Annie and her daughter’s flirting with the supernatural. The annoying, otherworldly experiences of each of them are associated with the horrific mysteries, and acute traumas passed down through their family lineage.
- Director: Ari Aster
- Writer: Ari Aster
- Stars: Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne
- Running Time: 127 minute
- Metascore: 87
- IMDB Rating: 7.3
The New Mutants (2020)
After experiencing near-death during a strange tidal wave, Daniel Munster wakes up to the benefit of an abandoned study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Cecilia Race. There, Dr. Reiss introduces Dani to four other equally unusual teens:
Ileana Rasputin, Rahne Sinclair, Sam Guthrie, and Roberto da Costa, who want to keep them safe and secure as long as they learn to be in complete control of their extraordinary abilities. However, although the exceptional group of injured prisoners believes that they are being treated and cared for, soon, they all begin to feel enchanted. However, this institution was supposed to be a safe place.
- Director: Josh Boone
- Writer: Josh Boone, Knate Lee
- Stars: Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton
- Running Time: 94 minute
- Metascore: 43
- IMDB Rating: 5.4
Us (II) (2019)
To move away from their busy lives, the Wilson family took a vacation in Santa Cruz, California, with plans to spend time with their friend, Tyler’s family. One day their young son Jason wandered around the beach, making his mother Adelaide a defender for his family. That night, four mysterious men appear as intruders in Adelaide’s childhood home where they live; the family is amazed at the startling presence.
- Director: Jordan Peele
- Writer: Jordan Peele
- Stars: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss
- Running Time: 116 minute
- Metascore: 81
- IMDB Rating: 6.9
Suspiria (I) (2018)
Susie Banyan is a young American ballerina who traveled to Berlin to study dance with one of the world’s most famous Marcos Tanz companies under the direction of Madame Blanc. On his first day of school, one of the students recently expelled from school was killed.
Since this horrific incident does not seem to be an isolated incident, the bright new student soon realizes that the school may have been involved in the murder. Her disbelief grows when one of the schoolgirls, Sarah, tells her that Pat told her before she killed him that she knew and protected a terrible dark secret.
- Director: Luca Guadagnino
- Writer: Dario Argento, Daria Nicolodi
- Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz, Tilda Swinton, Doris Hick
- Running Time: 152 minute
- Metascore: 64
- IMDB Rating: 6.8
Psycho (1960)
Phoenix office specialist Marion Crane is annoyed with the manner in which life has treated her. She had to meet her boyfriend Sam during the lunch break, and they couldn’t get married because Sam kept most of his money secret. On Friday, Marion brought 40,000 dollars into the bank by her manager.
Seeing the opportunity to start a new life after taking the money, Marion left town and headed for Sam’s California store. Exhausted after a long drive, he got off the main highway and headed for the Bates Motel. The motel is controlled by a tranquil youngster named Norman, who is by all accounts overwhelmed by his mom.
- Director: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writer: Joseph Stefano, Robert Bloch
- Stars: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles
- Running Time: 109 minute
- Metascore: 97
- IMDB Rating: 8.5
Gerald’s Game (2017)
When an innocent game between a married couple in a remote retreat suddenly turns into a deadly fight for survival, wife Jesse has to face the long-buried demons in her mind – and perhaps hide in the shadows of her empty home.
- Director: Mike Flanagan
- Writer: Mike Flanagan , Jeff Howard
- Stars: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Chiara Aurelia
- Running Time: 103 minute
- Metascore: 77
- IMDB Rating: 6.6
The Babadook (2014)
Amelia battles to adapt to her destiny as a single parent subsequent to losing her better half in a fender bender while in transit to the introduction of their lone kid, Samuel. Samuel’s violent reactions to the monsters’ endless fears and anxieties do not help his cause in any way, which alienates his friends.
Know about How To Create Suspense In Film?
At the point when things couldn’t deteriorate, they read a bizarre book in their home about the ‘babduk’ beast stowing away in obscurity zone of their home. Indeed, even Amelia appears to feel the impact of Babduk and frantically attempts to demolish the book. Nightmares make up the rest of the story of the two-faced experience.
- Director: Jennifer Kent
- Writer: Jennifer Kent
- Stars: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall
- Running Time: 94 minute
- Metascore: 6.8
- IMDB Rating: 86
Apostle (2018)
The year is 1905. Thomas Richardson made a trip to a far off island to safeguard his sister in the wake of being kidnapped by a puzzling strict network requesting a payment for her protected return. It soon became clear that the community would regret the day the man was bitten as he dug deeper into the secrets and lies that the commune had built.
- Director: Gareth Evans
- Writer: Gareth Evans
- Stars: Dan Stevens, Richard Elfyn, Paul Higgins
- Running Time: 130 minute
- Metascore: 62
- IMDB Rating: 6.3
Candyman (1992)
Helen Lyle is an student who chose to compose a thesis about neighborhood legends and myths. He visits a piece of town where he can find out about the legend of Candyman, an equipped man who shows up when you state his name multiple times before a mirror.
Obviously, Helen doesn’t accept every one of these things, however the individuals in the region are terrified. When he ignored their warnings and began his investigation into the places where rumors of his presence had spread, a series of horrific killings began. Can a legend be true?
- Director: Bernard Rose
- Writer: Clive Barker, Bernard Rose
- Stars: Virginia Madsen, Xander Berkeley, Tony Todd
- Running Time: 99 minute
- Metascore: 61
- IMDB Rating: 6.6
Suspiria (1977)
Suzy Banyan goes to Germany to excellent her ballet aptitudes. In the rain, she arrived at the Tanaj Dance Academy and was refused admission after seeing another woman fleeing the school. The next morning he came back, and this time he was allowed to enter. He found out that he had seen the previous young Pat Hingle fleeing. He died.
Strange things started happening soon. Suzy fell ill and was given a special diet; Maggots attacked the school; Lots of odd words; And Daniel, the pianist, has been killed by his dog. Some research suggests that ballet school was once a witch’s habit – and as Suzy learned, it’s still there.
- Director: Dario Argento
- Writer: Dario Argento, Daria Nicolodi
- Stars: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci
- Running Time: 92 minute
- Metascore: 79
- IMDB Rating: 7.4
The Painted Bird (2019)
In an obscure portion of war-torn Eastern Europe, a little youngster was sent by his parents to be protected with his auntie. Be that as it may, he died suddenly, so he began his excursion back home. He meanders alone in the wild and unfriendly existence where just nearby standards, biases, and strange notions apply. His battle for virtual actual endurance after the war transformed into another sort of war. A fight he doesn’t comprehend, a battle with himself, a battle for his spirit, for his future.
- Director: Václav Marhoul
- Writer: Jerzy Kosinski, Václav Marhoul
- Stars: Petr Kotlár, Nina Sunevic, Alla Sokolova
- Running Time: 169 minute
- Metascore: 72
- IMDB Rating: 7.3
Angel Heart (1987)
Harry Angel has a new case to find one named Jerry Favorite. Things aren’t relatively easy, and Johnny doesn’t want to find out. We can say that it all fits in the detailed and beautiful view of the period.
- Director: Alan Parker
- Writer: William Hjortsberg, Alan Parker
- Stars: Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet
- Running Time: 113 minute
- Metascore: 61
- IMDB Rating: 7.3
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
It’s a story that nearly characterizes sibling rivalry. Blurred stars Blanche and ‘Child’ Jane Hudson live respectively. Jane was most famous when she starred in Woodville with her father, but as they got older, Blanche was the final actress Jane still presents.
Blanche is presently a wheelchair client, and Jane is immovably in charge. Over time, Jane exercises more control over her sister, sticking to her letters and making sure that only a few if an outsider contacts her. As Jane gradually lost her mind, she abused her sister even more.
- Director: Robert Aldrich
- Writer: Henry Farrell, Lukas Heller
- Stars: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono
- Running Time: 134 minute
- Metascore: 75
- IMDB Rating: 8.1
She Dies Tomorrow (2020)
Amy was devastated to see the idea that she would die tomorrow, which sent her into a state of emotional turmoil. When her suspicious friend Jane discovers that the feeling of Amy’s impending death may be contagious, they both embark on a bizarre journey that could be the last day of their lives.
- Director: Amy Seimetz
- Writer: Amy Seimetz
- Stars: Kate Lyn Sheil, Jane Adams, Kentucker Audley
- Running Time: 86 minute
- Metascore: 80
- IMDB Rating: 5.1
Super Dark Times (2017)
Teenagers Jach and Josh have been best friends of their entire lives. Still, when a horrific accident hits a cover, privacy continues to cut a gap between them and plunges them into a rabbit hole of growing embarrassment and violence.
- Director: Kevin Phillips
- Writer: Ben Collins, Luke Piotrowski
- Stars: Owen Campbell, Charlie Tahan, Elizabeth Cappuccino
- Running Time: 103 minute
- Metascore: 75
- IMDB Rating: 6.6
Dreamscape (1984)
A government-funded project uses psychology to access people’s dreams with some mechanical assistance. When a person dies in their sleep due to a heart attack, Alex Gardner becomes suspicious that other psychologists are somehow killing people in a dream and that it is Tara dying in real life. They should figure out how to stop the maltreatment of the capacity to enter the fantasy.
- Director: Joseph Ruben
- Writer: David Loughery, David Loughery
- Stars: Dennis Quaid, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer
- Running Time: 99 minute
- Metascore: 63
- IMDB Rating: 6.3
Little Joe (2019)
Alice, a single mom, is an older plant reproducer devoted to an organization occupied with growing new species. He is an excellent Crimson blossom engineer, for its excellence as well as for its remedial quality: whenever kept at the ideal temperature, properly took care of, and discussed consistently, this plant will satisfy its proprietor.
In opposition to the organization’s approach, Alice took her adolescent child Joe to a house as a blessing. They named it ‘Little Joe’, however as it develops more seasoned, Alice likewise presumes that her new manifestations may not be as harmless as their epithet proposes.
- Director: Jessica Hausner
- Writer: Jessica Hausner, Géraldine Bajard
- Stars: Emily Beecham, Ben Whishaw, Kerry Fox
- Running Time: 105 minute
- Metascore: 60
- IMDB Rating: 5.9
Jacob’s Ladder (2019)
After his brother returned home from the war, Jacob Singer struggled to maintain his prudence. Hallucinations and flashbacks plague him, the singer quickly separates the world and the people around him as they turn into morphs and disturbing images. It is a remake of the 1990 thriller starring Tim Robbins.
- Director: David M. Rosenthal
- Writer: Jeff Buhler, Sarah Thorpe
- Stars: Michael Ealy, Jesse Williams, Nicole Beharie
- Running Time: 89 minute
- Metascore: 31
- IMDB Rating: 3.4
The Witch (2020)
To rethink Roald Dahl’s favorite story to modern audiences, Robert Jemekis’s perspective film tells the dark, humorous, and heartbreaking story of a young orphan boy. He moved to live with his loving grandmother in rural Alabama, Demopolis, in late 1967. When the boy and his grandmother encounter some disguised glamorous but completely diabetic witch, he wisely removes her to a beach resort.
Sadly, they arrived just in time for the world’s Grand High Witch to gather her colleagues from around the world-under-cover to implement her disturbing plan. A top notch group of producers, including Alfonso Cuarn, Guillermo del Toro, and Kenya Barris, has joined Jemekis. The cast includes new young Zahir Kaden Bruno as a brave young protagonist, with powerhouse performances by Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tukey, Christine Chenoth, and Chris Rock.
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Writer: Robert Zemeckis, Kenya Barris
- Stars: Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci
- Running Time: 106 minute
- IMDB Rating: 5.4
The Descent (2005)
A woman goes on vacation with friends after her husband and daughter face a tragic accident. A year later, he goes for a walk with his friends, and they are trapped in the cave. With a lack of supply, they fight for survival, and they meet strange blood-thirsty animals.
- Director: Neil Marshall
- Writer: Neil Marshall
- Stars: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid
- Running Time: 99 minute
- IMDB Rating: 7.2
Bone Tomahawk (2015)
After unannouncedly taking a group of man-eating Troglodits to the western town of Bright Hope, the monsters set up several settlements, including the wife of a local ranch. Despite his injured leg, Runner Sheriff joins a small rescue party with his aging deputy and a strong-willed gunman. Next, as soon as the journey to hell on earth, Pose realizes that it is against an enemy whose brutality knows no bounds. Texas and New Mexico around the fringe that the film was made toward the start of this century.
- Director: S. Craig Zahler
- Writer: S. Craig Zahler
- Stars: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox
- Running Time: 132 minute
- IMDB Rating: 7.1
Session 9 (2001)
An asbestos rescue worker has won a bid for an abandoned insane asylum. What should be any simpler, if rushed, is that the crew’s personal history complicates the job.
Specifically, Hank is dating Phil’s former sweetheart, and Gordon’s new infant is by all accounts inciting him more than anticipated. Matters will turn out to be more convoluted as legal advisor Mike plays tapes from a previous patient with various characters, the puzzling Simon who doesn’t appear until Session 9. Hank disappears after looking for some old coins.
- Director: Brad Anderson
- Writer: Brad Anderson, Stephen Gevedon
- Stars: David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Paul Guilfoyle
- Running Time: 197 minute
- IMDB Rating: 6.4
Phobia (2016)
Mehak is a talented young artist who develops deadly aggression after surviving a traumatic attack. He is terrified of the outside world. Her friend Shan believes a new setting can help her heal and relocate her to a newly vacated apartment.
Amidst the strange behavior of neighbors and the mysterious disappearance of the apartment’s former tenant, Mehak began to fear that his new home could be the most dangerous place. Are they in his mind, or are they to frustrate him?
- Director: Pawan Kripalani
- Writer: Pawan Kripalani, Arun Sukumar
- Stars: Radhika Apte, Amrita Bagchi, Nivedita Bhattacharya
- Running Time: 112 minute
- IMDB Rating: 6.9
Identity (2003)
Malcolm Rivers has been indicted for a few killings and condemned to death. Eleven-hour guard of his legal advisor and psychiatrist that Malcolm is crazy dependent on new proof. They have met with prosecutors and judges to discuss whether the verdict should be overturned. Meanwhile, on a night during heavy rain in the Nevada wilderness, the result of a series of disciplinary actions resulted in most people coming out of motels run by Larry.
They are the former cop now limo driver Ed and his client Caroline, the diva of the once-famous actress; The quiet teenager Timmy, her honest father George and her mother Alice, who saw George change their flat tires, accidentally ran over her and was seriously injured; The prostitute Paris, who was the irrational cause of George’s flat tires; The newlywed’s Law and Genie, whose marriage is on a false basis; And police officer Rhodes, who was taking prisoner Robert on his new journey.
- Director: James Mangold
- Writer: Michael Cooney
- Stars: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet
- Running Time: 90 minute
- IMDB Rating: 7.3
The Visit (2015)
The two kids go through seven days at their grandparents’ home while their single parent travels with her sweetheart. Beka has chosen to make a narrative about her grandparents to reconnect with her folks and gain proficiency with certain things about her folks. During recording, Becca and her more youthful sibling Taylor find a dull mystery about their grandparents.
- Director: M. Night Shyamalan
- Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
- Stars: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan
- Running Time: 94 minute
- IMDB Rating: 6.2
The Shining (1980)
Jack Torrance arrives with his family to oversee a snow-storm hotel with a drinking problem drowning in camouflage symptoms. Rehashed “redrum” blasts from her child, a couple of terrible young ladies hanging in the lobbies, and a lift consuming in the blood, also the film’s expression. Who says ax-driven comic actors can’t be scary?
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Writer: Stephen King, Stanley Kubrick
- Stars: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd
- Running Time: 176 minute
- IMDB Rating: 8.4
Funny Games (2007)
Two Pali psychopaths take them hostage to a couple and occupy their son’s house. Over time their hostages broke down in the process as they proceeded to play several tragic and violent games.
- Director: Michael Haneke
- Writer: Michael Haneke
- Stars: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt
- Running Time: 111 minute
- IMDB Rating: 6.6
Excision (2012)
The film is about Pauline, a young lady (18years) who lives with her family, and her more youthful sister Grace, who has cystic fibrosis. Pauline has some illusions about being a great surgeon and has nightmares that she has found to be “enthusiastic”. Her family tolerates her confusion, and her schoolmates find her annoying. But there is a plan for what is going on around him, a plan that will shock them all, and some people may not survive.
- Director: Richard Bates Jr.
- Writer: Richard Bates Jr.
- Stars: AnnaLynne McCord, Roger Bart, Ariel Winter
- Running Time: 81 minute
- IMDB Rating: 6.1
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Craving to begin a family, the youthful Catholic housewife, Rosemary Woodhouse, and her striving entertainer spouse Guy moved to Bramford. The iconic building in New York that floats with obscure stories of obscure residents and disgusting events. In a short time, the couple became friends with their neighbors Roman and Mini Cassette, and Rosemary became pregnant shortly after that.
However, little by little – as an inexperienced mother, she regularly became estranged from circles and friends. As a result, disturbing hints of a mischievous and well-planned conspiracy began to emerge from Enforcing a timid Rosemary in the grip of suspicion and mental anguish.
- Director: Roman Polanski
- Writer: Ira Levin, Roman Polanski
- Stars: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon
- Running Time: 137 minute
- IMDB Rating: 8.0
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The FBI Trainee Clarice Starling (Jody Foster) works hard to advance her career while hiding or keeping her West Virginia roots. Which if anyone knew, it would automatically classify him as backward or white garbage. After graduation, he became interested in working in the agency’s behavioral unit, led by Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn). While he was still a trainee, Crawford asked him to ask imprisoned prison psychiatrist Dr.
Hannibal Lecter (Sir Anthony Hopkins), who for eight years now held the highest protection for his victims to become brutal serial killers. Clarice assigned this task to help Lecter’s brain solve another serial murder case, a so-called “Buffalo Bill” (Ted Levine) created by the media. The ones who have killed five so far are all located in East America.
- Director: Jonathan Demme
- Writer: Thomas Harris, Ted Tally
- Stars: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence A. Bonney
- Running Time: 118 minute
- IMDB Rating: 8.6
Daughter of Blackcoat (2015)
Craving to begin a family, the youthful Catholic housewife, Rosemary Woodhouse, and her striving entertainer spouse Guy moved to Bramford. Meanwhile, a restless mental patient, Joan (Emma Roberts), is caught by a fugitive middle-class couple (James Reimer and Lauren Holly) who take her on a scheduled trip to the same school, where girls must face supernatural and demonic.
- Director: Oz Perkins
- Writer: Oz Perkins
- Stars: Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton
- Running Time: 93 minute
- IMDB Rating: 5.9
The Vanishing (2015)
The story of a couple who will never stop to locate their missing girl. A family went missing on a camp trip. When the police can’t catch any lead, they try to find the two.
- Director: Peter Facinelli
- Writer: Peter Facinelli
- Stars: Anne Heche, Thomas Jane, Jason Patric
- Running Time: 95 minute
- IMDB Rating: 5.7
Creep (2014)
When a videographer responds to an advertisement on the Craigslist website for a day job in a remote mountain town for a dying person’s last message video, the work takes a surprising turn as the last message gets darker. The videographer continues to work, but as time goes on, he cannot locate his keys, and a strange phone call makes his client not precisely what he first thought.
- Director: Patrick Brice
- Writer: Patrick Brice, Mark Duplass
- Stars: Patrick Brice, Mark Duplass
- Running Time: 77 minute
- IMDB Rating: 6.3
Se7en (1995)
Detectives Mills (Brad Pitt) and Somerset (Morgan Freeman) Seven attempt to tackle the chronic executioner’s murder dependent on his murder from fatal sin. When they discover him, the enthusiastic game of cat and mouse starts.
- Director: David Fincher
- Writer: Andrew Kevin Walker
- Stars: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey
- Running Time: 127 minute
- IMDB Rating: 8.6
Goodnight Mommy (2014)
In the scorching heat of summer, a nine-year-old twin brother lives in a lonely house in the countryside between wood and cornfields. Those who are waiting for their mother. When one of the twin brothers falls ill, Junu comes to the house to treat him. When he comes home, the cosmetics are bandaged after surgery; nothing is the same as before. The children begin to suspect that this woman is their mother.
It is the development of an existential battle for personality and central convictions.
- Director: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
- Writer: Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala
- Stars: Lukas Schwarz, Elias Schwarz, Susanne Wuest
- Running Time: 89 minute
- IMDB Rating: 6.7
Final Verdict
Horror movies can show you images that you can’t see in actual life. It can be scary to have those images in a horror movie. However, sometimes scary things you don’t see. When a horror movie can go inside your head, the horror becomes more lasting. All the best psychological horror movies of the genre are grounded.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1.Which Is The Best Psychological Horror Movie Of All Time?
Ans: Don’t you think it’s a bit unfair to ask only ONE movie? There are plenty of good psychological horror movies out there. You can easily pick ten at random and already have yourself a top ten list to stand the test of time. But if I had to choose just one, I’d say “The Sixth Sense”.
2.Which Is The Best Psychological Thriller Of All Time?
Ans: There are movies that are both psychological thrillers and psychological horror movies. If you ask me, I’d say the movie “Fight Club” is one of the best.
3.Which Is Your Favorite Psychological Thriller Movie?
Ans: “Hush”, “It Follows”, or “The Babadook”. All three are great but I think the first two mentioned are better.
4.What Are Some Movies That Mess With Your Head?
Ans: “The Conjuring”, “Sinister”, or “Paranormal Activity”. All three are good choices. If I had to choose just one though, it’d be the first.
5.Which Is The Highest Grossing Horror Movie In Asia?
Ans: “Pesona”, “Cell”, or “Malevolent”. Out of the three, if I had to choose just one, it’d be “Pesona”.
