One of the many genres of film, horror, has expanded to have many sub-genres which appeal to a multitude of audiences.

The classic movie The Shining and a newer film Hereditary have one thing in common, they’re both in Miles Montgomery’s top 5 horror movies. “On a scale of one to ten, The Shining would be 7 and Hereditary would be a 9, I wouldn’t rate any a 10” said Montgomery 22’. Hereditary tells the story of a woman and her daughter who begin to unravel terrifying secrets about their ancestry as they attempt to get away from their inherited fate. This movie messes with your head and really makes you think about what is going on making it utterly terrifying.   The shining focuses on a man who watches over an isolated resort during the winter. The plot follows him on his descent to insanity. The small yet terrifying details about the man’s son and the hotel are a large part of what make this film so scary. Matthew Portu, a history teacher at HB, and movie lover, is a big fan of The Shining as well. “The movie does a really great job of stringing you along and getting creepier and creepier” said Portu. 

All kinds of horror can be chilling, but some might say psychological horror is by far the best. “It’s scarier than just visual horror; it makes you think and messes with your head” said Montgomery 22’. Audrey Schultz on the other hand, likes something more realistic “I really like movies about things that can actually happen, like Hush, where a deaf woman’s house gets broken into,” said Schultz ‘22. The main character in “Hush” is deaf and lives alone in an isolated area. The film focuses on her struggle to get away from a serial killer. 

Regardless of the style, all horror movies “bring an entirely different experience compared to any other kind of movie. Comedies make you laugh, dramas make you cry, but horror can do both and still terrify you,” said Montgomery. Although some say that a horror movie is solely daunting, others say, “It’s somewhat therapeutic to take a breather and step into someone else’s world, and realize things really aren’t as bad as they could be, I should be grateful that I’m not being hunted down by a serial killer.” said Schultz. So whether you’re terrified or you find horror soothing and therapeutic, there’s a style out there for you. 

Horror movies are always a thrill, but sometimes it can be hard to find the right one, any of the following will always be a good watch; The Shining, The Saw Series, Hereditary, Psycho, and The Sixth Sense.