Top 5 Psychological Horror Movies You Should Watch in 2021 

Whether you're an avid watcher or are occasionally compelled into watching one with your friends, horror movies always manage to send chills down the spine with their unanticipated jump scares, eerie sound effects, and not so normal- well rather paranormal plot. The horror genre is considered to be imperfect without the inclusion of jump scares but really, horror, in general, is much more than Mr. Dummy Doll pouncing right at your screen.

The horror genre, just like other genres has certain sub-genres and one of them is the psychological subgenre. Psychological horror typically involves the support of certain mental and emotional states to ignite fear and distress in the audience's mind and with all honesty it has been quite successful in doing so. Loosely translated, it messes up with your head, terrifies you, and often leaves you confused towards the end.

Well anyway, here's 5 psychological horror movies to look out for when you're on the horror movies bandwagon:

1. Get Out (2017)

One has to be really living under a rock to have not heard about this movie. Get Out is one of the very popular psychological horror movies directed by Jordan Peele. The story features an African American man, Chris who along with his Caucasian girlfriend arrives at the latter's house to meet her parents. Things escalate pretty swiftly until he notices something sinister. It's not late until he realizes the parents had much more to offer than just a formal greeting and/or approval of their relationship. The plot in general is really unsettling yet thought-provoking. The director Peele won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and the movie was nominated at several other award shows and also made its way in multiple listings of the best films of the 2010s

2. Hereditary (2018)

The number 2 on our list is Ari Aster's "Hereditary". The plot revolves around a family who loses their grandmother, soon after which they sense a mysterious presence. There is something very terrifying about their ancestry but the daughter is adamant about not leaving any stone unturned and so she begins her journey to unravel all possible details. The film involves gruesome violence which might be disconcerting to some but in all, it's the uncertainties this movie displays that make it stand out. The movie was nominated for several awards and won a number of them which helped in gaining global attention, thus driving even more audience into watching one of the best horror movies of 2018.

3. The Shining (1980)

If there's something that defines psychological horror in its entirety, it is the 1980 film "The Shining". Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film is an adaptation of Stephen King's 1977 novel of the same name. The movie features Jack Torrance, a budding writer who is offered to work as a caretaker for the Overlook Hotel during the offseason. Jack is accompanied by his wife, Wendy, and his not-so-ordinary son, Danny. Danny exhibits special psychic abilities which help him uncover the hotel's terrifying past. The hotel appears to be inhabited by supernatural forces which affect Jack's mental state and leaves him insane, thus becoming a threat to his own family. The movie is arguably one of the best horror movies and very recently, in 2019 a sequel "Dr. Sleep" was also released.

4. Doctor Sleep (2019)

Doctor Sleep is a 2019 psychological horror movie directed by Mike Flanagan. Based on Stephen King's 2013 novel of the same name, the movie is a sequel to the 1980 horror hit "The Shining". Danny Torrence, the child with psychic abilities from the prequel "The Shining" is seen as an adult in this movie. Danny encounters a young girl with similar psychic abilities, allegedly being hunted by a vicious cult known for killing young children. Now it all comes down to Danny and he must protect the young girl for she is one of his kind. The movie received satisfactory reviews by the critics, while some criticized the filmmakers for overstretching the plot. Nonetheless, the movie once again opened doors for potential Stephen King's novels adaptations.

5. Midsommar (2019)

Psychological Horror is incomplete without them cult movies. Midsommar is a 2019 horror film directed by Ari Aster, the director of the popular movie "Hereditary". The movie captures a young American couple going through a toxic relationship. Following a family tragedy, they decide to test the waters again and feel a vacation would be a nice place to begin. They attend a one-in every ninety days summer festival in Sweden, which turns out to be much more than just a festival. The couple later finds themselves indulging in uncanny rituals which would only bring misery. The movie received positive reviews from critics and will continue to haunt viewers for times to come.