10 Terrifying Movies To Keep The Frights Flowing After You Watch Insidious

By Dolores Quintana · @doloresquintana · July 5, 2023, 9:18 PM EDT
Insidious (2010)

If you loved "Insidious," what films can you watch after seeing all the sequels, including the new film in the theaters? Here are some suggestions for spooky movies with similar plots and themes from the 1970s forward. Possessions, demons, creepy homes, and families, oh my!

Oculus (2013)

Oculus (2013)

Image Credit, IMDB

"Oculus" is a film that was written by Mike Flanagan, now well known for the Netflix series "The Haunting of Hill House" and "Gerald's Game." A family moves into a house with an antique mirror that starts to possess the parents in the family while causing them to hallucinate. The mirror tricks people into killing others and intends to trap the family members inside of it forever. Things go terribly wrong after the children return as adults to deal with the mirror's evil. The film stars Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff, and Rory Cochrane.

The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)

The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)

Image Credit: Bad Hat Harry Productions

"The Taking of Deborah Logan" is a film about a woman who seems to show symptoms of possession, and a team of student filmmakers decides to make a film documenting the goings-on. The filmmakers observe bizarre behavior that makes them suspect that a serial killer may have possessed Logan and might be trying to finish the ritual he started before his death. Adam Robitel directed the movie, which stars Jill Larson, Anne Ramsay, and Michelle Ang, and he later directed "Insidious: The Last Key."

Malum (2023)

Malum (2023)

Image Credit: Welcome Villain Films

"Malum" is a reimaging of the film "The Last Shift," and Anthony DiBlasi directed both films. "Malum" is the story of a young police officer, Jessica, who is left alone in a decommissioned police station where her father shot several of his fellow officers and then killed himself after a raid on a Charles Manson-like cult. She starts experiencing strange phenomena and tries to discover the source of these sinister events. It stars Jessica Sula, Eric Olson, and Chaney Morrow.

The Sentinel (1977)

The Sentinel (1977)

Image Credit: IMDB

"The Sentinel" is a strange and creepy film from the 70s with some great actors. Michael Winner, better known for making the "Death Wish" films, directed this film, and it stars Chris Sarandon, Cristina Raines, Christopher Walken, Martin Balsam, John Carradine, José Ferrer, Ava Gardner, Arthur Kennedy, Burgess Meredith, among others. An unstable fashion model Alison Parker moves into an old apartment building and starts seeing people do strange things. As things get even more bizarre, she is confronted by the dead people in the building who are possessed by demons. The building houses Hell's doorway, and Alison has been chosen as its next guardian.

The Old Ways (2020)

The Old Ways (2020)

Image Credit: Soapbox Films

"The Old Ways" is a story about possession near Veracruz, Mexico, where a Mexican woman who has become a reporter in the United States returns home to investigate the local caves. As a child, she witnessed an exorcism performed on her mother. Brigitte Kali Canales plays Cristina, the reporter trapped by the local bruja, Luz, played by Julia Vera, and her cousin, Miranda, played by Andrea Cortés. She is held in a homemade cell and insists that she is not possessed but isn't that just what someone possessed by a demon would say? The film, directed by Christopher Alender, is a different take on demonic possession and is very scary.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Image Credit: IMDB

Possession but make it found footage! "Paranormal Activity" was a sensation when it was released. Directed by Oren Peli and starring Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat, the film is about a couple, Katie and Micah, who move into a new home. Katie believes that a presence all her life has followed her, and Micah sets up a camera to record everything that happens while they sleep. Horrifying things start to happen as Micah chooses to disbelieve that a demon might be involved, and things get much worse.

The Dark and the Wicked (2020)

The Dark and the Wicked (2020)

Image Credit: IMDB

Bryan Bertino's "The Dark and the Wicked" is a truly terrifying film. It's got a quality of such despair, and the shocks that it doles out are incredible. It made people, including me, scream inside our cars at the Mission Tiki Drive-In during lockdown. The film stars Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., and Xander Berkeley. It's not just one person being possessed by demons; it's a whole bunch of people being possessed by demons. If your family tells you not to come home, don't.

The Amityville Horror (1979)

The Amityville Horror (1979)

Image Credit: IMDB

While "The Amityville Horror" real life story has long been discredited, the film itself is still powerful. The film was directed by Stuart Rosenberg, who also directed "Cool Hand Luke," and stars an impressive cast, including James Brolin, Margot Kidder, and Rod Steiger. It's a classic horror film for a very good reason, and demons aren't the only horrors in this film. Economic disaster is an intense terror that afflicts the Lutz family and is one we can all relate to.

His House (2020)

His House (2020)

Image Credit: IMDB

"His House" is about a family who immigrates to Britain from South Sudan and loses their daughter during the harrowing journey. The family seems to have been cursed by an apeth or "night witch," which requires them to repay a debt. They face racism and ridicule from their case worker, played by Matt Smith. Bol, played by Sope Dirisu, tries to assimilate, while Rial, played by Wunmi Mosaku, does not. The apeth takes them back to South Sudan, and they must make a choice.

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

Image Credit: IMDB

"The Haunting in Connecticut" is about a family who moves into a house that the owner seems in a hurry to get rid of to be closer to the hospital where their son is getting treatment for his cancer. The home is a former mortuary where the funeral home director Ramsey Aickman was holding seances and acting as a necromancer. The spirit of a young boy Jonah tries to help them, but is it too late? Peter Cornwell directed the film, which stars Virginia Madsen, Kyle Gallner, Martin Donovan, Amanda Crew, and Elias Koteas.

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