In the late 90’s, the spotlight was on The Blair Witch Project. When the 2000’s hit, there was a massive 360 degree turn in the kinds of movies America was fascinated with. This list goes over some of the better horror films from the 21st century.

I couldn’t do a top five – had to do a top ten for this one.

10/Signs

It’s scary, but mostly bizarre. What would you do if aliens put crop signs into YOUR field? As a farmer – like Mel Gibson was in this movie – you’d be annoyed as heck. I’d also like to point out the little girl asking for water after she says aliens are outside her bedroom is just creepy.

9/The Others

More creepy children and their mother. This time, they live in a large house, while the family waits for their patriarch to return from fighting in a war. But for Nicole Kidman and her two children, things aren’t what they seem.

8/It Follows

A strange being that follows you after you’ve slept with someone. No thank you.

7/The Woman in Black

Daniel Radcliffe was trying to shed his Harry Potter character, and he did a great job. A lawyer goes to a home in a remote area to sort out an estate. Turns out the house comes with more than just piles of paperwork – it’s got its own ghost.

6/Insidious

A husband and wife are forced to take drastic measures after their comatose son becomes possessed by an evil entity. Fun fact: the guy who directed some of the movies in the Saw franchise also directed this movie.

5/The Sixth Sense

Famous for coining the phrase, “I see dead people…all the time,” the movie chronicles the experiences of a psychiatrist’s encounter with a young man who can see lost souls. It also has one of the best twist endings.

4/Sinister

This one is higher up on my list than other critics would likely have it, but it was one of the freshest takes on the horror genre I’d seen in a while. A family moves into a new home, but they soon find out that a strange force possesses it. More so, the children get roped into it.

3/Paranormal Activity

How could I not put this on the list? This brought back the found footage genre! It spawned a series of successes – and failures – in the horror genre, and it was also one of the movies that made studios realize horror movies didn’t need to be confined to releases during the Fall months. Also…demons in your own home. Honestly, how do you escape that?

2/The Grudge

To this day, I still can’t watch this movie without covering my eyes at least twenty times. A woman, murdered by her husband, leaves behind her vengeful spirit. Because of her, many people end up both directly and indirectly suffering. It’s also based on a Japanese movie.

1/The Ring

“Seven days.”

Based on a Japanese film, hell hath no fury like Samara Morgan’s cursed video.