As wonderful as it has been growing up in Australia, one thing I’ve always envied is how big of a deal Halloween is overseas, especially in the US.

I’ve always loved the concept of Halloween, and of anything spooky really. It started for me at a very young age with a love of Goosebumps books, and from there stemmed into an obsession with horror movies which has continued into my adult life.

In the spirit of Halloween next week, I’ve compiled a list for my fellow Aussies (and for anyone else who wants it) of some scary movies to marathon. A lot of these films flew under the radar a little but are definitely worth watching!

1. Rorschach (2015)

Rorschach follows a pair of skeptical paranormal investigators who are hired by a woman that believes her house is haunted, after herself and her daughter begin experiencing strange events since the death of her mother.

I’m not going to delve too deeply into the plot though, so as not to spoil the movie for you.

Although it’s a found footage film and has a plot line that’s been overdone in the past decade, don’t let the low budget deter you. Rorschach is one of the few recent found footage films that I think has been really well executed, and doesn’t follow the normal copy-paste formula that most directors use.

2. Hangman (2015)

A family return from their holiday to find their house broken into. They continue on with their everyday lives not realising that the culprit is far from done with them.

Hangman has been a bit of a hit and miss with critics, but I actually found it to be quite interesting. This movie gave me the creeps because there’s no ghosts or supernatural elements; this is something that I could see happening in real life, which is a lot more frightening.

Again, it’s found footage and has a plot that’s been done before (see Crawlspace), but I felt genuinely creeped out by some of the scenes and thought it was very creatively done. I would classify it as more of a thriller than a horror movie, but still worth watching.

3. Noroi: The Curse (2005)

Foreign horror films usually always do it better, and Noroi: The Curse is no exception. The Japanese film follows a documentarian as he tries to make the connection between a string of paranormal events and the ancient demon “Kagutaba”.

This movie is entirely in Japanese, so you’ll need to get yourself a copy with subtitles. It also goes for just under two hours which is long for movies of its kind.

Although it’s filmed mostly on a hand-held camera (does include some shakiness at times), I was hooked on the storyline from the beginning and the ending left me wanting more.

4. The Banshee Chapter (2013)

The Banshee Chapter tells of journalist Anne Roland as she tries to link her friend’s sudden disappearance, an ominous government research chemical, and a disturbing radio broadcast of unknown origin together. This film ties into the real life government experiment ‘Project MK Ultra‘.

I watched the trailer for this movie thinking I knew what I was in for, but I was very wrong. By the end of the movie you’ll be questioning everything you’ve just seen and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be furiously googling everything to do with Project MK Ultra.

5. Megan Is Missing (2011)

Megan Is Missing is another found footage film (have you realised by now that I enjoy these kinds of films?) that depicts two teenage girls, Megan and Amy, and their search to find friends online, which results in one of them (Megan) getting kidnapped as Amy tries desperately to find her friend.

This film was also not rated well by critics; many calling it fear mongering and disturbing.

To be honest, the film is quite slow, and the acting at times is painful to watch, but the last half-hour or so made my stomach drop. It is quite full-on and graphic. If anything, this film is a great example of why you should be very careful of who you talk to online.

6. Mr. Jones (2013)

Mr. Jones is a 2013 horror-thriller based on couple Scott and Penny, two filmmakers who set out on an expedition to move into a house in the woods for a year, to create a documentary. Whilst in the woods, they stumble upon the home of the almost legendary and mysterious artist, Mr. Jones. Not long after, strange things begin to happen to the pair.

Surprisingly, I didn’t discover this film until this year, where I stumbled upon it in a subreddit. I don’t know what it is, but something about the artwork that Mr. Jones creates gave me the creeps, and I was eagerly anticipating what came next for the whole movie. Worth a watch!

7. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

The Autopsy of Jane Doe follows a father/son coroner duo, whose lives are turned upside down when they try to identify the body of a young woman who ends up in their morgue.

This movie came to me as a suggestion from my boyfriend, who found it online.

Again, it was one of those films I tried to figure out by watching the trailer, and I ended up being utterly wrong about it. It went in a completely different direction than I anticipated and was cleverly eery at times. Plus it’s on Netflix now, so you don’t have to look for it.

8. Train to Busan (2016)

While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers board a train to an apparent safe-zone in Busan, only to discover they’re not the only ones on board.

This is hands down my favourite movie on this list! This Korean zombie flick will make you laugh, cry and give you an anxiety attack all at the same time. I found myself holding my breath several times in anticipation of what was going to happen next. This one is also on Netflix, so it already has subtitles as it’s all in Korean.

9. Creep (2015)

When a videographer answers a Craigslist ad for a one-day job in a remote mountain town, he finds his client is not at all what he initially seems.

This one is another hidden gem on Netflix. Mark Duplass gives an incredible performance in this movie, and genuinely made me feel so uncomfortable and creeped out. The sequel is set to come out this year as well and you can check out the trailer here.

10. The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)

New York murder investigators uncover a bunch of tapes (later called the Poughkeepsie Tapes) in an abandoned house, showcasing the work of a serial killer over the past few decades.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes is an incredibly disturbing film for many reasons (you’ll understand what I mean once you watch this film).

The types of torture that are depicted are sometimes hard to watch, but what’s more frightening is the thought that someone could actually do some of these unspeakable acts to another human being. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

All you horror movie fans, you won’t be disappointed!

Is there a movie you think I’ve missed? Have you seen any of the scary movies on my list? Let me know your recommendations and thoughts in the comments below!