Loose's Top Five Horror Films

From Midsommar to Last Night in Soho, we list our top five horror films. Our first guest post.

1. The Descent (dir. Neil Marshall, 2005)

A friend group of six young women explore a caving system in the Appalachian Mountains, confronted with the unspeakable horrors that had laid dormant below. The film’s dark, claustrophobic atmosphere, as well as the effective use of both sound and visual effects, creates a viewing experience that makes any audience swear off ever going caving with their friends. The Descent’s official ending varies for American versus UK viewers, begging the question, 'were they doomed the second they entered that cave?'

2. Midsommar (dir. Ari Aster, 2019)

Dani, portrayed by Florence Pugh, finds herself accompanying her unbearable boyfriend and his friends on a trip to a Scandanavian commune for his thesis. Think all of the Pagan rituals and bright surroundings seem a bit much? Well, yeah, they are, because this commune is actually a white supremacist cult, and Dani is their perfect May Queen. If you want an excuse to hate men, as well as see Florence Pugh girlboss her way through cultists, then Midsommar is perfect.

3. Last Night in Soho (dir. Edgar Wright, 2021)

Though it was a flop at the Box Office, Last Night in Soho is captivating, boasting a retro 60s wardrobe and soundtrack alongside its delving into the criminal underworld of London, and a tragic story of abuse at the hands of men. Gripping throughout, the film pays tribute to many horror classics of the 60s-70s, presenting a groovy ghost story with a horrifying twist.

4. Hereditary (dir. Ari Aster, 2018)

Another Ari Aster classic, Hereditary delivers a beautiful blend of cultist sacrifices to the devil and the consequences having a terrible mother has on the psyche, spelling out fun for all the family! Following a disconnected family and a deeply shattered mother-son relationship, Hereditary managed to make you look back on your life and think, 'Hey, my life seems like an absolute dream compared to all of this.' There is also, of course, a cult attempting to bring a demon back to Earth in human form, but swings and roundabouts, right?

5. Train to Busan (dir. Yeon Sang-ho, 2016)

A zombie film that doesn’t follow the common zombie film trope of just throwing excessive blood and guts at the audience and hoping to inspire some modicum of fear. Train to Busan manages to inspire an actual emotional reaction from the audience, following characters to both love and hate, as well as staring Gong Yoo, who broke into Western Audiences in his role in Squid Game. Now, the zombies’ physiology may change depending on what the plot calls for, which does limit this classic – but what do we expect from a zombie horror?

Written by Jessica Eaton

Edited by Lucy Eaton