Horror movies are too often pigeonholed as being used only to scare audiences and depict graphic violence. These films prove this couldn’t be further from the truth. Plenty of amazing scary movies use carefully crafted emotional appeals to encourage the viewer to connect with the characters and feel their ups and downs as deeply as possible. The root of many horror stories is grief and loss, as the reason characters are driven to terrible actions is because of their own dark pasts. Watching these projects is a reminder of what horror movies are capable of.
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While some horror movies are so terrifying you won’t want to leave the house after watching them, these films focus on emotional journeys rather than jump scares. This isn’t to say that there aren’t plenty of chilling and unsettling moments throughout the movies. However, these are balanced by the quiet, thought-provoking moments that encourage the viewer to empathize with the characters onscreen. While the story and visual style are great tools to communicate these sentiments, the central performances of the actors are often the most compelling ways to connect with the audience.
You are watching: 10 Horror Movies That Packed Huge Emotional Punches
10
The Orphanage (2007)
Directed by J. A. Bayona
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The Orphanage
R
Horror
Drama
Thriller
Release Date
December 28, 2007
Runtime
105 Minutes
Cast
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-
Belén Rueda
Laura
-
Fernando Cayo
Carlos
-
Roger Príncep
Simon
-
Mabel Rivera
Pilar
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Though the emotional journey of The Orphanage is difficult to handle at times, it’s an emotionally gripping narrative that compels the viewer to think deeply about the world. Belén Rueda gives an incredible performance as Laura, the film’s protagonist, who must come to terms with her own traumatic past to find out what happened to her son. His disappearance occurs after Laura moves her family back to the orphanage she grew up in, unaware of the dark past it conceals.
Even though Laura is haunted by her past, this haunting isn’t as scary as it is tragic.
Even though Laura is haunted by her past, this haunting isn’t as scary as it is tragic. After Laura learns the truth about the children’s fate in the orphanage, she isn’t scared away but attempts to help heal these wounds and provide the restless spirits with a way to move on. There are plenty of chilling moments throughout The Orphanage, but it leaves the viewer on an uplifting note as the spirits have healed from their unfinished business.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
The Orphanage (2007) |
87% |
86% |
9
Train To Busan (2016)
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho
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Train to Busan
t
Horror
Action
9.7/10
Release Date
July 1, 2016
Runtime
118minutes
Cast
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Gong Yoo
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As much a fast-paced action flick as it is a horror movie, Train to Busan manages to include a strong emotional throughline in its tight, unrelenting runtime. Train to Busan doesn’t spend too much time setting up the stakes and personal motivations of its characters, as they’re easier to understand, diving right into the violence and gore of the zombie apocalypse. The driving force behind the narrative is Seok-woo’s (Gong Yoo) quest to bring his young daughter to safety in the midst of the chaos.
Though their relationship is imperfect, as Seok-woo hasn’t been the most present father, this makes it all the more impactful when he steps up to protect her and the other passengers on their train. In the dire circumstances throughout Train to Busan, it often feels as though all hope is lost, but the movie keeps from getting too depressing by keeping the action moving at a propulsive pace. However, this doesn’t diminish the emotional journey we go on with Seok-woo.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Train to Busan (2016) |
95% |
89% |
8
Midsommar (2019)
Directed by Ari Aster
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Midsommar
R
Mystery
Drama
Horror
6/10
26
6.9/10
Release Date
July 3, 2019
Runtime
147 minutes
Cast
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-
Julia Ragnarsson
-
Rebecka Johnston
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Florence Pugh cemented herself as an actress to watch thanks to her starring role in Ari Aster’s Midsommar. Her character, Dani, is one of the most relatable horror protagonists of the past decade, rising above the tropes and formulas that usually befall the final girl archetype. Dani’s pain is a central figure throughout the film, as it opens with the death of her family, and her experience throughout the story is defined by the betrayals and emotional manipulations of her boyfriend, Christian (Jack Reynor).
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However, the film doesn’t make Dani into a helpless victim but a relatable and vulnerable person who finds refuge in the collective emotional safety of the cult. Midsommar was Aster’s follow-up to his horror hit Hereditary, which also dealt with familial trauma and included many unique visual motifs. Though it’s an extreme example of the emotional journey of a breakup, Midsommar hits home thanks to Pugh’s portrayal of Dani. The slow and deliberate build of tension throughout the project lends itself to thoughtful reactions to each gory set piece.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Midsommar (2019) |
83% |
63% |
7
Cargo (2017)
Directed by Ben Howling & Yolanda Ramke
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Cargo
TV-MA
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Drama
Horror
7/10
8/10
Release Date
May 18, 2018
Runtime
105 minutes
Cast
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-
Susie Porter
-
Anthony Hayes
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Cargo is an updated and fresh take on the zombie genre, with Martin Freeman’s Andy working against the clock to bring his infant daughter to safety before he succumbs to the deadly virus. As he encounters different people who are already fully infected or are using the crisis as a means to gather power, Andy never stops pushing himself to find refuge for his child. There are many close calls in Cargo, as the movie paints an unforgiving portrait of the end of the world.
Like all the best post-apocalyptic movies, Cargo gives the viewer something, or someone, to root for, even when it seems as if all hope is lost. The ending of Cargo is poignant and genuinely hopeful, giving the audience reason to believe in humanity’s future for the first time. Without the help of strangers and learning to trust others, Andy would never have gotten his daughter to safety. His journey is long and terrifying, but Cargo makes the struggles he faces worth it in the end.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Cargo (2017) |
88% |
67% |
6
The Night House (2020)
Directed by David Bruckner
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The Night House
R
Horror
Thriller
8/10
9/10
Release Date
July 16, 2021
Runtime
108 minutes
Cast
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-
Stacy Martin
-
Sarah Goldberg
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Almost the entire narrative of The Night House can be read as a conversation about grief and healing from loss. The protagonist, Beth (Rebecca Hall), is struggling to recover from her husband’s death and is shocked to discover that he was keeping many secrets from her when he was alive. Though there is a paranormal entity in The Night House, it’s more of a physical manifestation of the fear of death and the unknown rather than a piece of folklore.
Hall’s performance elevates The Night House beyond any typical horror movie, as she demonstrates an intimate understanding of her character and her place in the world.
Hall’s performance elevates The Night House beyond any typical horror movie, as she demonstrates an intimate understanding of her character and her place in the world. You can’t help feeling deeply connected to Beth and her pain, as her experiences aren’t so different from real life, just with a demonic twist. Losing her husband is terrible, but finding out about the fears that plagued him and the life he hid from her is almost worse.
|
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
The Night House (2020) |
87% |
69% |
5
Bones And All (2022)
Directed by Luca Guadagnino
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Bones and All
R
Drama
Horror
Romance
5/10
Release Date
November 23, 2022
Runtime
130 minutes
Cast
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-
Chloe Sevigny
-
Timothée Chalamet
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One of the best cannibal movies of all time, Bones and All, is more of a romance than a horror movie. Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet play the star-crossed lovers Maren and Lee, who are brought together due to their shared appetite. Though Bones and All might seem like a departure for the director, Luca Guadagnino, on the surface, the themes and messages of the movie are remarkably similar to his iconic works like Call Me By Your Name.
Cannibalism has long been used as a metaphor for the all-consuming nature of first love and paying the hiding of a secret that will ostracize you. Bones and All uses this familiar motif and takes it even further, crafting a coming-of-age tale in the dusty plains of the American Midwest. Visually and stylistically, Bones and All uplifts its narrative, giving the audience plenty of breathing room between its violence to appreciate the turmoil that shapes its characters.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Bones and All (2022) |
82% |
63% |
4
Carrie (1976)
Directed by Brian De Palma
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Carrie
R
Horror
Thriller
Release Date
November 3, 1976
Runtime
98 minutes
Cast
See All
-
Piper Laurie
Margaret White
-
Sissy Spacek
Carrie
-
Amy Irving
Sue Snell
-
William Katt
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Tommy Ross
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One of the most influential horror movies of all time, Carrie catapulted Sissy Spacek to fame for her portrayal of the film’s troubled heroine, Carrie. Based on Stephen King’s novel, Carrie is a supernatural story about what happens when a young woman is repressed and bullied and how her anger must come out sooner or later. From the start, it’s easy to see Carrie as a tragic figure, as she has no refuge from the traumas she faces in school or at home.
Carrie’s vengeful outburst is sparked by a truly sad and humiliating moment.
The final sequence of Carrie is notoriously gory and blood-soaked. However, Carrie’s vengeful outburst is sparked by a truly sad and humiliating moment. When she’s at her most vulnerable, her peers choose to hurt her. It’s unsurprising that by this point, Carrie’s had enough. After seeing Carrie relentlessly hurt and shamed from beginning to end, there’s a bit of satisfaction during the movie’s violent climax, as her tormentors are punished, even if it doesn’t heal Carrie’s wounds.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Carrie (1976) |
94% |
77% |
3
I Saw The TV Glow (2024)
Directed by Jane Schoenbrun
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I Saw the TV Glow
PG-13
Drama
Horror
6/10
7.4/10
Release Date
May 3, 2024
Runtime
100 minutes
Cast
See All
-
Justice Smith
Owen
-
Jack Haven
Maddy
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Justice Smith and Jack Haven lead the cast of Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw The TV Glow, a horror-fantasy movie that intertwines allegories about gender dysphoria with classic themes of coming-of-age and feeling out of place. Smith and Haven’s characters, Owen and Maddy, both take refuge in a fantasy television show from their adolescence, which allows them to escape the struggles of their lives. However, the series quickly becomes more tangible than reality.
The fictional television series in I Saw The TV Glow has drawn frequent comparisons to the fantasy show Buffy The Vampire Slayer. While fans of Buffy will appreciate the references and Easter eggs, I Saw The TV Glow is relatable for anyone who grew up feeling out of place and plagued by anxiety that they weren’t following the right path. Smith’s performance as Owen is deeply moving, as the audience feels his terror at being left behind by Maddy, as well as his fear of losing what he has.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
I Saw The TV Glow (2024) |
84% |
72% |
2
A Quiet Place (2018)
Directed by John Krasinski
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A Quiet Place
PG-13
Horror
Drama
Science Fiction
8/10
15
7.8/10
Release Date
April 3, 2018
Runtime
91 minutes
Cast
See All
-
John Krasinski
Lee Abbott
-
Emily Blunt
Evelyn Abbott
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The first installment of the A Quiet Place franchise was an unexpected hit for John Krasinski as both a star and the director of the project. As Lee, the patriarch of the family we follow in A Quiet Place, Krasinski anchors the story. We see him caring for his kids and partnering with his wife, Evelyn (Emily Blunt), to keep them safe. There aren’t many gory or outright terrifying moments in A Quiet Place, as the threat of the aliens and the tension any sound onscreen creates is enough to hit the audience hard.
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It’s a clever premise, as so much of cinema relies on sound, and A Quiet Place does an excellent job of making you care deeply for this family. They work well together as a unit, and it’s devastating to see what they have to sacrifice for the sake of their children. The fact that A Quiet Place can build these dynamics and show the audience the way these relationships work so clearly with minimal dialogue is a testament to why the movie quickly became a massive success, earning multiple sequels.
|
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
A Quiet Place (2018) |
96% |
83% |
1
Crimson Peak (2015)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
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Crimson Peak
R
Horror
Documentary
Fantasy
Mystery
Romance
Thriller
5/10
6.6/10
Release Date
October 13, 2015
Runtime
119 minutes
Cast
See All
-
Charlie Hunnam
-
Jessica Chastain
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One of the best fantasy movies that are pretty dark, Crimson Peak is an underrated addition to Guillermo del Toro’s filmography. Starring Mia Wasikowska as the heroine of the film, Edith Cushing, Crimson Peak is a dark, gothic film that takes a sharp, supernatural turn, changing Edith’s life forever. Although it’s clear that there’s something going on with Thomas Sharpe (Tim Hiddleston), her love interest, as people begin dying around her, and she receives warnings from supernatural spirits.
Though the romance between Edith and Thomas isn’t aspirational or healthy, they do have a connection, and Thomas begins to redeem himself by the end of the film. Seeing them split apart and understanding the depth of what Thomas has done is a deeply impactful moment in the movie. As both a fantasy and horror film, Crimson Peak straddles the line between each genre, taking the most shocking and emotional moments of the story and imbuing them with distinct stylization and aesthetics.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Crimson Peak (2015) |
72% |
56% |
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Category: Entertainment