{"id":5699,"date":"2026-04-22T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/?p=5699"},"modified":"2026-04-21T16:49:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T20:49:46","slug":"highlights-from-my-journey-watching-666-horror-films-the-2000s-to-the-mid-2010s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/2026\/04\/22\/highlights-from-my-journey-watching-666-horror-films-the-2000s-to-the-mid-2010s\/","title":{"rendered":"Highlights from My Journey Watching 666 Horror Films: The 2000s to the mid-2010s"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"seriesmeta\">This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/series\/666\/\" class=\"series-69\" title=\"666\">666<\/a><\/div>\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">By Draven Copeland, Managing Editor<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Like I talked about in the last entry in this series, I recently completed my goal of watching 666 horror movies, because why not? I\u2019ve learned a lot about both the genre and myself as I trucked along through the good, the bad, the terrifying, and everything in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the horror genre is so all-encompassing, including subgenres of all vibes from teenage comedy-horror to found-footage zombie horror, it allows for all kinds of experiences, encouraging artists to consistently create something new and different from the rest in contribution to the ongoing legacy of telling spooky stories. While not all horror movies are actually meant to be scary, I\u2019ve discovered that the act of confronting fear in the safety of the movie theater or my living room can be a positive opportunity for personal growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the argument that these movies \u201cdesensitize\u201d their audiences \u2013 which is not entirely untrue \u2013 I\u2019ve realized that taking these safe opportunities to learn about what scares us and why can help us to grow out of those fears andcan help us become a better person. Whatever the case, take this journey with me as I walk you through the highlights of the second set of 222 movies on the list. So, here are the winners of each category of list numbers 223-444!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Least Scary of the Bunch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/OogaBooga-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"&quot;Ooga Booga&quot; horror movie poster\" class=\"wp-image-5726\" style=\"width:551px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/OogaBooga-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/OogaBooga-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/OogaBooga-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/OogaBooga.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is probably one of the best Full Moon posters, and that&#8217;s no exaggeration&#8230; it feels like there was actually some effort put in here and the skulls hanging off the spear are so cool. | Full Moon Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Ooga Booga (2013)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>Made by Full Moon Studios \u2013 the production company behind the <em>Puppet Master <\/em>and <em>Killjoy<\/em> franchises I covered in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/2026\/04\/15\/highlights-from-my-journey-watching-666-horror-films-the-1890s-to-the-early-2000s\/\">the previous entry in this series<\/a> \u2013 this B-horror blaxploitation film starring <em>another<\/em> killer puppet that isn\u2019t scary in the slightest. When the soul of a Black man killed by racist police officers is placed into an action figure, he goes on a spree of murderous vengeance to clear his name for the sake of his family. It\u2019s actually a pretty interesting storyline, albeit bogged down by the abundance of racial stereotypes that have plagued Full Moon\u2019s films for decades now; nonetheless, for a movie made primarily to serve as a backstory for a background character in the <em>Evil Bong<\/em> films, it\u2019s surprisingly well thought-out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/deathgasm-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"Deathgasm\" class=\"wp-image-5725\" style=\"width:560px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/deathgasm-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/deathgasm-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/deathgasm-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/deathgasm.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">For a low-budget horror-comedy poster this isn&#8217;t half bad! I like the giant demon thing in the back, it ties the whole thing together. | Raven Banner Entertainment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Deathgasm (2015)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>A hilarious mix of metalhead culture and <em>Evil Dead<\/em>-esque demonic zombie action, <em>Deathgasm<\/em> was a comfort watch for me when I was a young high schooler listening to Bring Me the Horizon and Motionless in White on my headphones all day long. Serving as both a satirization of ultra-violent horror movies and a love-letter to teenage metal-loving outcasts, this film feels like <em>Scott Pilgrim vs. The World <\/em>meets <em>Night of the Living Dead<\/em> with tons of references to songs by classic bands like Cannibal Corpse and Mayhem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a sequel finally on the way \u2013 tentatively titled <em>Goremageddon<\/em> \u2013 now is the perfect time to try this one out! I\u2019ve never seen it taken off of free streaming services like Tubi or Plex, and it\u2019s a fun, gory ride anytime you need one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Scariest Picks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/poughkeepsie.jpg\" alt=\"Poughkeepsie Tapes Poster\" class=\"wp-image-5840\" style=\"width:481px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/poughkeepsie.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/poughkeepsie-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/poughkeepsie-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/poughkeepsie-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Although this poster is creepy enough out of context because of the stylization of the text and the dark lighting, once you know that those are hours and hours of tapes made by the killer, it adds a whole new level of fear. | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the eeriest movies I\u2019ve ever seen, primarily because of the extremely realistic documentary style, <em>The Poughkeepsie Tapes<\/em> is one of the only horror films I\u2019ve seen that I truly believe could\u2019ve happened in real life. Although it is fictional and scripted, the film is portrayed as a retrospective on the investigation of a prolific serial killer in New York who intricately filmed all of his crimes and left them for the police to find after he\u2019d gotten away with everything he\u2019d done. Although we never see him clearly \u2013 he\u2019s either behind the camera or wearing a mask when he\u2019s seen \u2013 the fear we see in his victims and the horrific connotations of what relatively little we see in these tapes make for a viewing experience that truly gets under your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To this day, it\u2019s one of the most psychologically terrifying movies I\u2019ve ever seen, despite its low budget and unprofessional actors. It freaked me out so badly the first time I watched it that I actually ran up the stairs to my bedroom, which I can\u2019t remember doing otherwise since childhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lakeMungo.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Mungo Poster\" class=\"wp-image-5839\" style=\"width:444px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lakeMungo.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lakeMungo-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lakeMungo-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lakeMungo-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This poster is definitely scarier after you&#8217;ve seen the movie, but it&#8217;s still plenty creepy as is&#8230; I like this poster better than the original release, which makes the film look like it takes place on the lake. | Arclight Films<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Lake Mungo (2008)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>Another documentary-style horror film, this one is terrifying in a very different way from <em>The Poughkeepsie Tapes<\/em> \u2013 the fear brought on by <em>Lake Mungo<\/em> comes largely from the threat of the supernatural instead of horrifyingly real. The \u201cdocumentary\u201d follows a family discussing their inexplicable experiences following the sudden disappearance and death of their daughter, who drowned in the titular lake. Although the movie has plenty of creepy moments, it\u2019s the film\u2019s exploration of the inevitability of death and the unseen tragedies in life that really sticks with me long after watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although jump -scares are generally heavily criticized by the horror fan community, the single jump scare in this film is genuinely the best one I\u2019ve ever seen and still terrifies me even when I know it\u2019s coming. Not only is that shot itself freaky as hell, but it\u2019s also the meaning behind it that puts it above all the rest. I\u2019d highly recommend this if you\u2019re okay with a slow-burn horror that will really fuck with you even after it\u2019s over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/oculus-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"Oculus movie poster\" class=\"wp-image-5724\" style=\"width:560px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/oculus-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/oculus-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/oculus-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/oculus.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The framing of this poster is ingenious, as it&#8217;s what&#8217;s behind the mirror that is the real terror. | Relativity Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Oculus (2013)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>I have such nostalgia connected to <em>Oculus<\/em>, as it was the first time I watched a horror movie with a group of friends that had us all shaking after it was over. I\u2019m happy to say it still holds up watching as an adult \u2013 the constant uncertainty caused by the combination of psychological and supernatural horror works incredibly well to make for a steadily stressful experience throughout the whole movie. Following two siblings who reunite to prove the supernatural abilities of a cursed mirror, the plot is relatively simple but with great character development that plays into the horror as the film goes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Written and directed by my favorite horror filmmaker, Mike Flanagan, who went on to make the amazing Netflix series <em>The Haunting of Hill House<\/em> and <em>The Fall of the House of Usher<\/em>, this film proves his unique understanding of what makes us afraid and how it connects to tragic experiences in our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Most Disturbing to Watch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"341\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/unnamed.jpg\" alt=\"TokyoGorePolice\" class=\"wp-image-3054\" style=\"width:535px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/unnamed.jpg 341w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/unnamed-333x500.jpg 333w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 341px) 100vw, 341px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The lake of gore under the lead character is such a hilarious touch, and the outfit is equally ridiculous&#8230; perfectly fitting for such a crazy movie. | Sony Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Tokyo Gore Police [original title: \u6771\u4eac\u6b8b\u9177\u8b66\u5bdf] (2008)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>Unlike the rest of the films in this section, I had an absolute blast watching this movie; the extreme gore\/body didn\u2019t gross me out, but instead was played as a dark comedy that really worked for me. In a dystopian future version of Tokyo riddled with mutants able to turn their injuries into weapons, a lone member of a specialized police force battles against them to avenge her father and bring peace to the city. There\u2019s no shortage of the wildest character designs I\u2019ve ever seen \u2013 from legs that become a crocodile mouth to arms that, when sliced off, becomeing a pair of chainsaws attached to yo-yo-esque strings of muscle, I can\u2019t even scratch the surface of what crazy biomechanical contraptions come out of these people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s honestly the most insane film I\u2019ve ever seen in my life, all starting with a scene in which the main character shoots a rocket launcher into the ground and rides the recoil up to the top of a building to fight the chainsaw-arm guy. The fever-dream-like cinematography and entirely unpredictable plot are really fun if you\u2019re interested in that sort of thing, but I could see this being extremely uncomfortable to watch if you&#8217;re bothered by gore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/serbianfilm-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"SerbianFilm\" class=\"wp-image-5723\" style=\"width:620px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/serbianfilm-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/serbianfilm-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/serbianfilm-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/serbianfilm.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I like how this poster has the lead character in the final scene of the film and an earlier scene of the film side by side, I feel like this could be more intense though, especially considering the content of the film. | Unearthed Films<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>A Serbian Film [original title: Srpski film] (2010)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although I actually find artistic depth in this film, the abyss of depravity it reaches is truly something I\u2019ve never seen from any movie other than <em>Sal<\/em><em>\u00f2<\/em>, which I covered in this same section of the last entry in this series. Following an aging adult film star who is dragged into starring in one last \u201cart film\u201d that would solve his growing financial problems for the rest of his family\u2019s lives, he soon realizes that the film he\u2019s making is not at all what he thought it was. Interrogating the film industry and its persistent need to do something more shocking than what has been done before, there\u2019s actually some depth to the plot, although the film actually becomes what it\u2019s criticizing in many ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With some of the most unbelievably graphic content I\u2019ve ever seen in my life, I can say this is the most disturbing film I\u2019ve ever seen. I can\u2019t recommend it at all, and actually struggle even to talk about it, though I do think there\u2019s some value in it as a part of the New French Extremity movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>I Spit on Your Grave (2010)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>(Note: I couldn\u2019t find a poster that didn\u2019t unreasonably sexualize the lead character to the point that it wasn\u2019t appropriate for the journal, which should tell you all you need to know about this movie.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>Boy, do I hate this franchise. Despite the fact that this remake and its sequels are far better movies than the original 1978 \u201cclassic\u201d of the horror subgenre, these rape-revenge horror films continue to be grossly indulgent and are still being written and directed by men for some reason. Following the same plot of the original film, a writer is brutally assaulted by a group of men in a long and needlessly exploitative scene before returning to the town for gory revenge. The vengeance is a lot better than the original film, with <em>Saw<\/em>-inspired traps and otherwise-inflicted torture on the rapists that is admittedly enjoyable to watch, but still doesn\u2019t make up for the unreasonably long and gratuitous assault sequence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re going to watch any of these films \u2013 and I still maintain that you shouldn\u2019t \u2013 this is the best option in the five-film franchise as far as I\u2019m aware, as I stopped watching them after the first three. If you\u2019re looking for a movie in this genre and want one that\u2019s actually good, I highly recommend Coralie Fargeat\u2019s <em>Revenge<\/em>; it\u2019s one of my favorite horror films ever made and actually does the genre feminist justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Worst Ones<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"1170\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gingerdeadman2.jpg\" alt=\"Gingerdeadman2\" class=\"wp-image-5722\" style=\"width:553px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gingerdeadman2.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gingerdeadman2-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gingerdeadman2-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I don&#8217;t really know what to say about this poster&#8230; it&#8217;s so lame. | Full Moon Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Gingerdead Man 2: The Passion of the Crust (2008)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>While the first <em>Gingerdead Man <\/em>is actually pretty entertaining, as it combined the vibes of a cutesy Hallmark small-town romance movie with a gingerbread man possessed by the spirit of an executed serial killer \u2013 yes, really \u2013 this sequel loses all of the novelty and becomes just a bad puppet horror movie. You probably guessed it was a Full Moon film, and you\u2019d be absolutely right., I don\u2019t know why the hell I keep watching these things. The references to <em>Passion of the Christ<\/em> pretty much end with the title, although there is a brief crucifixion of the titular killer; I feel like if the movie were to lean more into that, it would\u2019ve at least been entertaining?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third film in the series, <em>Saturday Night Cleaver<\/em>, features time-travel and is actually pretty good as well;, this middle entry in the trilogy is just hot garbage with no fun to be had at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"801\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Hellraiser9-801x1200.jpg\" alt=\"Hellraiser9\" class=\"wp-image-5721\" style=\"width:531px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Hellraiser9-801x1200.jpg 801w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Hellraiser9-334x500.jpg 334w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Hellraiser9-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Hellraiser9.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 801px) 100vw, 801px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I actually like this poster, it&#8217;s adequately creepy and actually centers Pinhead&#8217;s suffering better most posters, it just sucks that this was used for such a terrible sequel. | Dimension Extreme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Hellraiser: Revelations (2011)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I\u2019m completely honest, the vibes of the <em>Hellraiser<\/em> franchise are the best thing to come out of the long-running horror hits of the 80s, and the books by franchise creator Clive Barker are even better. The combination of psychosexuality and dark-fantasy inspired demonic creatures, all done with practical effects and makeup, is something I love to see, even though the films are always hit-or-miss as they continue along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This ninth entry in the franchise is the biggest miss of the bunch \u2013 I truly don\u2019t understand how this passed through the hands of so many people and didn\u2019t get scrapped along the way. The new actor for Pinhead, the lead antagonist of the franchise, is an awful replacement for the amazing Doug Bradley, the production quality feels worse than it ever has in the series before or since, and the acting\/dialogue is damn near insufferable. Please just skip this and watch the far better <em>Hellraiser: Judgement<\/em> instead\u2026 or just stick with the first four and the remake, they\u2019re the best ones anyways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Most Underrated Ones<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/kristy-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"Kristy\" class=\"wp-image-5719\" style=\"width:544px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/kristy-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/kristy-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/kristy-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/kristy.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I feel like this lame poster is part of the reason this one isn&#8217;t that popular&#8230; it&#8217;s not terrible, it&#8217;s just not anything particularly unique. | The Weinstein Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Kristy (2014)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>Recommended to me by my favorite uncle, <em>Kristy<\/em> is the most underrated horror film I\u2019ve ever seen in my life. The story centers on a college student alone on campus during Thanksgiving break, being targeted by a nationally -operating, dark-web organization of murderers tasked with killing \u201cKristys,\u201d a Latin name they assign to their victims that means \u201cfollower of God.\u201d The killers live-stream their murders for their fellow members to watch, which is an extremely underused concept in horror\/thrillers, and the movie is intensely stressful from start to finish \u2013 exactly what we like to see.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not the greatest horror-thriller ever made, as it definitely feels like a mid-2010s indie-horror film, <em>but<\/em> the fact that I had never heard of it and never heard anyone talk about it until my uncle recommended it is absolutely crazy for a movie this good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lastshift-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"LastShift\" class=\"wp-image-5718\" style=\"width:540px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lastshift-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lastshift-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lastshift-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/lastshift.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I love the creativity in this poster, especially in the title &#8212; the combination of typeface and scratched writing is so cool, along with the pentacle, obviously. | Magnet Releasing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Last Shift (2014)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>The best low-budget horror film to come out of the 2010s, and one of the best demonic cult-centered movies I\u2019ve ever seen, <em>Last Shift<\/em> is extremely creative with its premise and scares. When a rookie policewoman is assigned a solo graveyard shift at a closing police station, she encounters increasingly aggressive, terrifying visions related to a Satanic cult that had terrorized the small town in past years. Relying on psychological terror and practical effects\/camerawork to work with the low budget, the editing, acting, and scares are absolutely top-notch \u2013 this film is more effective than even the majority of big-budget horror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although it was remade as <em>Malum<\/em> in 2023, this version is <em>far<\/em> superior \u2013 from what I hear, at least., I never gave it a try because I\u2019ve always decided to rewatch this one instead. If Satanic psychological terror is your thing, <em>Last Shift<\/em> is one of the best options out there, and is usually streaming on free apps, currently Tubi, Fandango, and Pluto TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/southbound-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"Southbound movie poster\" class=\"wp-image-5717\" style=\"width:520px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/southbound-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/southbound-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/southbound-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/southbound.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This poster is what got me to watch the movie, I love this design and it fits the movie so well. | The Orchard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Southbound (2015)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>One of the many anthology horror films that became popular in the 2010s after the success of <em>Trick \u2018r Treat <\/em>and <em>V\/H\/S<\/em>, <em>Southbound<\/em> is actually my favorite in the subgenre, as the separate stories are all connected by a cursed stretch of road in the middle of nowhere. A collection of road-trip horror stories that all feature some degree of surrealism and may actually be set in hell, this film doesn\u2019t suffer from any of the low points that plague the anthology genre, as every single story is equally interesting in its own right. The design for the demon angels that are ever-present in the background is one of my favorite creature designs in all of horror, and incredibly well incorporated into the shots with CGI \u2013 something especially impressive considering the film\u2019s low budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I stumbled upon this at some point in high school, as I was intrigued by the cover, and have never heard anyone talking about it before or since. It\u2019s one I\u2019ll always recommend to those interested in a fun short-horror collection, and I\u2019d confidently say it\u2019s better in consistent quality than pretty much any of the others out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Best Ones<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/theDescent-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"The Descent movie poster\" class=\"wp-image-5716\" style=\"width:535px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/theDescent-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/theDescent-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/theDescent-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/theDescent.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another all-time great horror poster, I love the use of darkness here and the unclear faces in the mist. | Path\u00e9 Distribution<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>The Descent (2005)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>Combining the confined monster-horror of <em>Alien<\/em> with the psychological vibes of <em>Shutter Island<\/em> and gory violence similar to <em>Predator<\/em>, this is the most grounded monster movie I\u2019ve seen. Set in an underground cave and following a woman still reconciling with the sudden death of her husband in the most violent car crash sequence I\u2019ve seen put to screen, her group of friends is stalked and eventually attacked by grotesque humans that have evolved over hundreds of years to survive in the eternal darkness of the cave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I actually got the chance to watch this film in a cave a couple of years ago, solidifying it as one of the best horror films I\u2019ve ever seen \u2013 I kept thinking I was seeing the creatures in the shadows as I made my way out. If you\u2019re a fan of any of the films I mentioned in the last paragraph, <em>please<\/em> do yourself a favor and check this one out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Rec-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"REC\" class=\"wp-image-5735\" style=\"width:564px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Rec-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Rec-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Rec-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Rec.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is actually my favorite shot in all of found footage horror; it&#8217;s similar to the famous shot from The Blair Witch Project, but it&#8217;s even scarier in the movie, trust me. | Filmax<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>[REC] (2007)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>I feel like this Spanish found-footage zombie classic is often overlooked because it came out just before zombie media became hugely popular in America, following the success of the honestly inferior works like <em>The Walking Dead<\/em> and <em>World War Z<\/em>. <em>[REC] <\/em>is honestly up there with <em>Night of the Living Dead<\/em> and <em>MadS<\/em> as my favorite zombie movies of all time, and it\u2019s certainly the scariest I\u2019ve seen from the subgenre. Following a television reporter covering a day in the life of a firefighter on an overnight shift that is quarantined in an apartment complex after an unknown virus outbreak begins in the building, the deterioration of the situation is shown through the handling of the camera and the growing anxiety among the group stuck in the building.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I love the use of a confined space in the zombie genre; instead of an apocalyptic threat, the virus slowly takes over the small group of unwitting citizens, making the danger feel more real and pressing instead of dystopian or fantastical. The English dub of this film is <em>terrible<\/em>, so I recommend you watch the original Spanish- language version if you check this one out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BlackSwan-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"Black Swan movie poster\" class=\"wp-image-5714\" style=\"width:551px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BlackSwan-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BlackSwan-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BlackSwan-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BlackSwan.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The poster features Natalie Portman in her role; I really like the subtle editing on her eyes, it&#8217;s strangely unsettling. | Fox Searchlight Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Black Swan (2010)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em>Directed by one of my all-time favorite directors, Darren Aronofsky (of <em>Requiem for a Dream <\/em>and <em>Mother!<\/em> fame), it\u2019s safe to say that <em>Black Swan<\/em> is one of his most popular films, combining body-horror imagery with psychological horror in the context of ballet. Starring Natalie Portman in her Oscar-winning role, her character faces the extremely competitive environment of professional ballet, demonizing her competition for the role of the Black Swan in her performance of <em>Swan Lake<\/em> to the point of psychosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Delving into the hellish demands of performance and intense competition, <em>Black Swan<\/em> is more artistically deep than most horror films, using the subtext of the plot as the main source of terror \u2013 along with the creepy cinematography, of course. If you like the vibes of <em>Shutter Island<\/em> but wish it took place on a ballet stage with Natalie Portman, this is for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><\/strong>Like last time, I have a few more I want to mention that didn\u2019t make the cut for any of these categories: the extremely effective found-footage exorcism film, <em>The Last Exorcism<\/em>, the <em>Saw<\/em>-inspired serial killer horror film <em>The Collector<\/em>, and another \u201cmockumentary\u201d horror classic that is not talked about nearly enough, <em>Hell House LLC<\/em>. I\u2019ve had a lot of fun sharing this exciting journey with whoever has gotten this far. With the obvious exceptions, I\u2019d recommend any of these films if you\u2019re looking for a fun horror movie to watch. Be sure to check out my last article if you\u2019re looking for something older, and stay tuned forcheck out the final entry next week if you\u2019re looking for something from the last decade!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"seriesmeta\">This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/series\/666\/\" class=\"series-69\" title=\"666\">666<\/a><\/div><p>By Draven Copeland, Managing Editor Like I talked about in the last entry in this series, I recently completed my goal of watching 666 horror movies, because why not? 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