Horror has long been more than jump scares and masked killers. At its best, the genre confronts our deepest fears — mortality, isolation, the monstrous within — through stories that linger long after the credits roll. Whether you're a longtime fan or looking to dive into horror, these six films are among the genre's finest to binge watch this weekend. The Exorcist When a young girl in Georgetown begins exhibiting terrifying and inexplicable behavior, her desperate mother turns to two Catholic priests, one wrestling with his own crisis of faith, to perform an exorcism before it's too late. Directed by William Friedkin, the 1973 film stars Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair and Max von Sydow. Adapted by William Peter Blatty from his own 1971 novel, it became the first horror film ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, ultimately winning two Oscars, for Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay. Get Out A young Black man travels upstate to meet his white girlfriend's family for the first time, only to uncover a series of increasingly disturbing secrets lurking beneath their welcoming, liberal facade. Written and directed by Jordan Peele in his feature debut, the 2017 film stars Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams and Catherine Keener. It earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, with Peele winning Best Original Screenplay and becoming the first Black screenwriter to do so. Hereditary After the death of her secretive mother, a grieving miniaturist and her family are drawn into a mounting series of disturbing, inexplicable events that suggest a dark legacy stretching back generations. Written and directed by Ari Aster in his feature debut, the 2018 film stars Toni Collette, Alex Wolff and Gabriel Byrne. Collette's performance drew widespread critical acclaim and was frequently cited as one of the finest of the year in the horror genre. The Shining A struggling writer takes a job as winter caretaker of an isolated, historic hotel, but as he and his family settle in for the snowbound season, a malevolent presence begins to unravel his sanity. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the 1980 film stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd. Adapted from Stephen King's 1977 novel, it was met with mixed reviews on release but has since become widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films, and one of the greatest films, ever made. A Quiet Place In a world overrun by blind creatures that hunt by sound alone, a family is forced to live in near-total silence, communicating in sign language as they fight to protect their children and survive. Directed by John Krasinski, the 2018 film stars Emily Blunt, Krasinski and Millicent Simmonds. It won the Critics' Choice Award for Best Horror/Sci-Fi Film and earned praise for reinventing the creature feature through tension built almost entirely on sound design and silence. The Silence of the Lambs An FBI trainee is assigned to interview an imprisoned, brilliant psychiatrist and convicted cannibal in hopes of gaining insight into a separate case involving a serial killer still at large. Directed by Jonathan Demme, the 1991 film stars Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Based on Thomas Harris's 1988 novel, it swept the Academy Awards' Big Five categories, Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Adapted Screenplay, making it the only horror film in history to win Best Picture.
