10 Chilling Movies Best Watched with the Lights On

Top 10 Movies You Shouldn't Watch in the Dark

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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most horrifying movies that scared audiences by plunging them into complete darkness.

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#10: “Paranormal Activity” (2007)

This found footage flick made audiences wet their pants and blame loved ones for spilling soda in the theater. When Katie and Micah move into a new San Diego pad, a collection of odd events inspire them to set up cameras. What happens? Well, Katie stares at her sleeping husband for two hours… and later gets hurled out of the room. To make matters worse, the ghosts get all kinky and start biting poor Katie. What happens next will SHOCK you…and it does involve blood. You’ll wish you could sleep with your eyes open after watching this one.

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#9: “The Babadook” (2014)

Have you ever heard the story of the Babadook? Well, neither had this troubled single mother, and upon reading the cursed book to her son she unleashed its hellish torment on both their lives. The son’s overactive imagination leads the mother to initially disbelieve the Babadook exists. However, she believes its incessant stalking causes the family to experience increasing psychological trauma. One cannot escape the Babadook once a person becomes aware of his existence. This film gets its notoriety from the lack of conventional jump scares, and the masterful employment of raw horror elements. Exactly the kind of movie you should watch in a big group. With the lights ON. And the basement door LOCKED.







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#8: “The Strangers” (2008)

There are few things more terrifying than masked intruders, because they usually arrive with some type of sharp object and they always mean business. In this horror flick, Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler star as two lovers on the road to a romantic getaway in Bryan Bertino’s film, but things get ugly after a failed proposal…oh, and when strangers appear with masks on their heads. Creepy sounds, cryptic messages and a trio of psychos ready to slice and dice the surprised couple are just a few of the elements that make this a terrifying watch. Just try watching it alone… you’ll spend more time watching the window.





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#7: “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)

Just the name “Hannibal Lecter” is enough to scare people up. “The Silence of the Lambs” is where the character truly left hearts thumping - and that’s despite the fact that Lecter is hardly in the film. The story is about FBI trainee Clarice Starling’s pursuit of a depraved individual known as Buffalo Bill. The dark path the heroine takes to find the villain isn’t pleasant to watch. The movie shows just how fiendish a person can be, as the likes of Lecter and Bill represent the worst in humanity. Thanks to stellar direction and a chilling soundtrack, viewers will feel like they just might be the next target. The film lives up to its reputation by keeping tension at its peak, particularly during the film’s nightvision sequence.







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#6: “The Conjuring” (2013)

You know that you probably picked the wrong home to move into when your dog mysteriously dies during your first few days and spirits begin to express a desire to, um, END you. Such was the case in “The Conjuring,” where Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as real-life ghost investigators attempting to stop a doll from committing bloody murder. You know the drill: Exorcisms. Horrible screams. Slow insanity. But James Wan’s film offered much more than the usual genre shenanigans; it made people paranoid and afraid of being slaughtered by a smiley yet torn-up doll named Annabelle.





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#5: “Talk to Me” (2022)

Ever get the feeling you’re not alone even when you are? Well, “Talk to Me” will make that feeling stick in the worst ways. Here, friends gathered at a party use an embalmed hand to communicate with the dead. The catch is that breaking the allotted time will let the spirits loose. When the main character does just that, it’s time for her and her friends to suffer. The combination of “Talk to Me”’s layered characters and use of practical effects make it dangerously realistic. The longer the film goes, the more you’ll feel as if this could happen to you. It’s an efficiently made horror-thriller that will send shivers up your spine if you’re by yourself.







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#4: “The Blair Witch Project” (1999)

As one of the most successful indie films of all-time, and a defining film of the found footage genre, “The Blair Witch Project” was a national mystery upon release. After immediately acknowledging the disappearance of three students, the filmmakers spun a dramatic tale of a Maryland witch and a brilliant Internet marketing campaign led audiences to believe the film was a genuine documentary. The frightening ending has since become iconic and made us believe that anything is possible when it comes to the supernatural.


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#3: “Rec” (2007)

It all started when Jennifer hurled all over her mother. This real-time Barcelona-shot horror hit theaters in 2007 and featured a most unusual night shift for a TV reporter and her cameraman. As a sickness takes hold of the community, another shocking truth is revealed and, well, it’s not a good one. The brutal realism was so terrifying that grown men chose romantic comedies in place of this Spanish nightmare. Nobody wants to be snatched up and taken to hell. At least, it’s not on our bucket list.



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#2: “The Descent” (2005)

Going on a thrill seeking trip with friends is always fun. Except, of course, when you find yourself surrounded by humanoid creatures who want to eat you. “The Descent” follows a group of women trapped in a cave system as their numbers dwindle one by one. It’s a scary take on the idea of an adventure gone wrong. The monsters aren’t the only thing that’ll make you queasy. The confined environment and near-constant darkness gives off a sense of claustrophobia. To make it more uncomfortable, the characters’ internal drama escalates into a lack of trust and betrayal. “The Descent” is a frightening reminder that fear of the unknown is very real. You never know what lurks in the dark.

#1: “Hereditary” (2017)

The horror genre has experienced an incredible resurgence in the last few years and this next film is maybe the best example of why. After the death of her mother, Annie Graham begins to unravel increasingly disturbing secrets about her family and their connections to a demon named Paimon. This supernatural force is unrelenting in its quest to find a host, which comes at an enormous cost to Annie. Unlike the majority of horror films, director Ari Aster doesn’t rely on jump scares or over-the-top gore and instead crafts a slow-building and deeply disturbing story that chills the audience more than these effects ever could. That being said, it’s best to gather some family members around for this thrill-ride.



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Which of these movies do you think you could brave in the dark? Let us know in the comments below.