By Yakosu Umana
With the term slowly winding down on us, we’ve hit the point where things get kind of messy. Midterms, quizzes, tests and tedious assignments seem to just pile up, some of us may have jobs, and the workload just leaves us mentally burnt-out. However, we should live by the saying ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ Please take some time off this Halloween. You deserve it.
Having said that, here are some of my horror and thriller favourites I’d like you to watch (or watch again) on Spooky day;
The Conjuring (2013)
Personally, I find most horror movies unauthentic, however, The Conjuring is one of the few that stand out. The movie is claimed to be ‘based on the real-life events’ of two former (now deceased) paranormal investigators, Edward and Lorraine Warren. It’s about a family in the 70s who move into a cursed house (formerly owned by a devil worshipper) marked for death by an evil spirit. They consult the Warren’s to investigate and exorcise the house. As much as the movie has the cliche theme of a haunted house, the unpredictable events which occur keeps it suspenseful till the credits start rolling. P.S. Watch it alone in the dark for the full ride.
The Nightcrawler (2014)
If you’re fascinated with fictional psychopaths (like me), this movie would easily be one of your favourites. It’s an American neo-noir thriller which tells the story of a conman (portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal) who unethically and sadistically works his way to the top in news broadcasting. For me, what makes the movie great is how the director portrays it from the perspective of the conman’s mind. An example would be playing a soundtrack which wouldn’t generally fit its scene, just because it suits the protagonist.
The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
This setting of this horror movie is Los Angeles, 1973. It’s about a social worker, Anna, who has been cursed by the mother of two dead boys she tried to help. The mother blames Anna for the untimely death of her sons, and makes a deal with the evil spirit who killed her two boys, to kill Anna’s children and bring back hers. Yeah, quite the story there. The directors use the unauthentic ‘jump scare’ tactic I dislike in horror movies, however, the plot is great.
Se7en (1995)
Although it’s not a horror movie, Se7en is one to give you the creeps. It’s a neo-noir thriller about two detectives trying to capture a serial killer. The serial killer, who has no name and is labelled John Doe, murders people with motifs of the seven deadly sins. This was the first movie to pique my interest in psychopathy, as it doesn’t just portray John Doe as a monster, but a calculating and incredibly clever person who pulls all the strings.
It follows (2015)
Now this a horror movie with a strong theme to it. It’s about a teenage girl who has sexual intercourse with her new boyfriend, only to learn he was passing a curse onto her. The curse is being chased by a shape-shifting ghost, only seen by its victim. Her ‘boyfriend’ then tells her the only way to avoid death from the curse, is to sleep with someone else. Unlike most horror movies, it doesn’t rely on ‘jump scares.’ The director takes time to build up the fear factor in the movie, which helps the plot. What makes me like the movie is how its first scene may be a foreshadow of the suspenseful end.