Hi all!

Today I am sharing 5 truly underrated horror movies. I don’t feel as though they are talked about enough. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1.) Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 

This film was released in 2019; co-written by the artistic, Guillermo del Toro. It is based on the children’s book series, of the same name. In 1968 Mill Valley, Pennsylvania, outcast teenager, Stella Nicholls, is an aspiring writer with only two friends: Auggie Hilderbrandt and Chuck Steinberg. On Halloween night, the trio decide to play a prank on the resident bully, Tommy Milner, fleeing to a drive-in theater, where stranger, Ramón Morales, hides and protects the teenagers. They decide to visit the haunted house of the Bellows family, where Stella finds a book of stories from the notorious Sarah Bellows. She brings the book home, soon realising that Sarah is writing a horror story per day, with each one of them as the main character. Stella and her friends band together to stop the curse of the book, before disappearing forever. For a PG-13 horror film, I found it to be surprisingly scary. It was beautifully shot and directed. If you’ve seen Pan’s Labyrinth, also by Guillermo del Toro, you’ll be able to appreciate the creative and quirky monsters that pop up throughout. The friendships were adorable and the story, unexpectedly heart-wrenching. If you haven’t seen Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, I highly recommend it! It’s good for all ages.

2.) 31 

Rob Zombie’s 31, is one of my favourite horror movies. Not many people know about it, which is a crying shame. Five carnival workers are kidnapped and held hostage in an abandoned, hellish compound, where they are forced to participate in a violent game. The goal is to survive twelve hours against a gang of sadistic clowns, named ‘The Heads.’ The leader, ‘Doom Head’, delivers an incredible monologue at the beginning of this film. As the victims navigate the maze-like set of rooms, there are people dressed in aristocratic clothing and powdered wigs, who watch from above, placing bets on who they believe will live. I won’t give away the ending, but it’s epic. Be warned, this is quite a gory, intense viewing experience. It’s not for the faint of heart. However, if you love game-of-death films, you should enjoy this one. It’s so underrated!

3.) Cam

If you’re a fan of Black Mirror, you’ll enjoy Cam. It follows an erotic webcam performer, who finds her followers stolen by a doppelganger, as they unexpectedly hijack her channel. She does everything within her power to reclaim her identity and take down the lookalike. This movie is intense. I was on the edge of my seat from beginning till end, desperate to learn what was happening. Furthermore, the story was written by a fellow cam-girl. She wanted to share the fun, enjoyable sides of her profession. Typically, this sort of work is viewed as shameful and just a means to an end, so it was nice to see how empowering it was for the protagonist: Alice Ackerman. She loves what she does and it shows. We need more sex positive stories like this. I loved the ending and the slow burn to the big reveal. It’s strange but brilliant. If you only watch one thing from this list, let it be Cam. 

4.) 1408

An oldie but a goodie! Stephen King’s 1408, was adapted for the big screen in 2007. It follows author, Mike Enslin (played by John Cusack), who investigates allegedly haunted locations. While writing his latest book, he travels from Los Angeles to New York, spending one night in the Dolphin Hotel’s possessed room, which is permanently unavailable for guests. The reluctant manager, Mr. Gerald Olin (played by Samuel L. Jackson), objects to his request, offering him an upgrade. However, Mike threatens Mr. Olin into being allowed in. Before entering his room, he learns the previous guests of 1408, never left alive. I remember seeing it at the cinema, scared out of my mind. When Olin tells Mike that no one lasted an hour, I knew it was going to be an intense experience. This movie really messes with your head. You don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. It’s quite a sad story too. Cusack’s acting is phenomenal. I wish more people talked about it.

5.) Escape Room

As I mentioned earlier, I love game-of-death style movies. Therefore, this was right up my alley. Six strangers are given mysterious black boxes, with tickets to an immersive escape room. To entice them further, they are promised the chance to win tons of money. Upon arrival, the participants are thrust into different scenarios, solving puzzles and clues before time runs out. However, the group soon realises that the rooms are deadly and they must fight to survive. It’s so much fun. I really liked how inventive the areas were. I couldn’t wait to see what would come next. I hope it becomes a franchise. Check it out, if you haven’t already!

Thank you so much for reading! Please share your favourite underrated horror movies in the comments! 

Peace & Love xoxo