20 Best Horror Movies To Watch on HBO Max

It's a creepy, mostly silent classic with the strange air of a nightmare, where things happen with a leisurely somnambulist assurance. It's a movie that was inspired by Sheridan Le Fanu tales, predating Bram Stoker's Dracula.  

It features a female vampire and differs greatly from the male-centered demonic predator that would go on to dominate the horror genre during the 20th century.

Although this vampire, or vampyr, does not yet have the long bicuspid fangs, the film did establish some of the essential elements of the vampire genre, such as the stake through the heart and the vital dusty and enigmatic German-language tome from central Europe that holds the key to understanding how to defeat vampires. 

The movie is a horror and fantasy and is a good watch for the viewers. 

If you are a horror man, you must have heard about The Shining. The Shining is a movie made in the 1980s and features a horror/mystery genre.

The Shining took the straightforward idea of a haunted hotel and built it up into an unforgettable, psychological horror that will withstand the test of time despite being derided by its original creator.  

It is the best movie ever made about writer's block and one of the scariest tales ever made regarding cabin fever. The Shining is a fantastic horror film that masterfully builds suspense.

Because of his constant warnings that something bad was about to happen, Kubrick kept us watching to see what Jack would do. 

The movie is based on the novel by the famous writer, Stephen King, which makes it even better. 

Seven is an American 1995 film that stars great actors such as Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. The movie was nominated for an Oscar award and has won 29 awards and 49 nominations in total.  

David Fincher is the film's director, while Andrew Kevin Walker is its screenwriter. The story of Seven, which takes place in a lawless, unnamed city, centers on disillusioned detective William Somerset (Freeman).

He works to apprehend a serial killer before he can complete a string of killings based on the seven deadly sins. 

Walker, a budding author, based Seven on his observations after relocating from a suburban area to New York City in the late 1980s, a time of increasing crime and drug abuse. 

An Italian movie studio optioned his script, but when it ran into financial trouble, it sold the rights to New Line Cinema. 

Poltergeist is another one of my personal favorites. Coming from a horror lover, the movie is a perfect choice to give you the chills that you need. The movie’s environment is ideal in every way. Without depending on the excessive jump scares and useless loud noises that are used in modern horror movies. 

Although the music does become stronger, the mood is not ruined. It doesn't feel forced at all and fits well. They did a fantastic job of relaying the tale. They also didn't leap about a lot. They didn't add ineffective, hurried filler to lengthen the film; instead, they kept their attention on the crucial elements. 

It also does a fantastic job at playing on various phobias and fears. Whether it's a fear they had as a youngster or one they have today as an adult, many individuals can connect to them. The ride is undoubtedly harrowing, but luckily they don't go beyond and ruin the mood. 

A Horror movie classic A Nightmare On Elm Street is one of the most renowned movies to exist. The movie has superb editing, evocative filmmaking, and lighting that is never too dark or dull.  

The screenplay is clever, and the tale is engaging, but Nightmare on Elm Street truly excels in how it incorporates its horrors. The soundtrack also contributes to enhancing the mood without being overt.

Although there is significant gore, it is not overdone, and there are some suspenseful elements.  

The conclusion is stunning and unexpected. The narrative is far more inventive than you may expect, with a murderer named Freddy Krueger who kills you while you're sleeping while wearing a bladed glove. If you are a true fan of horror, you must know the name, Freddy Krueger. 

William Lindsay Gresham wrote and published the book Nightmare Alley in 1946. The movie is based on the novel.

It features some of the best performances of the year and is expertly written, directed, and photographed. With such a refined, excellent cast, it's no surprise that the acting was top-notch. 

It's an engrossing tale that grabs your attention right away. As always, Del Toro's masterful storytelling was fascinating to watch, especially when it had dramatic, suspenseful, but intriguing characters and a compelling tale. 

Bradley Cooper is outstanding as "Stan," giving a stunning performance. He was spectacular and endearing. 

The best zombie movie of all time is Night Of The Living "Dead" by George Romero. Without a lot of language or speaking, the acting is done extremely effectively and traditionally, yet there is still plenty to transmit.  

The body language and gaze of the characters are dramatic. The music and sound effects mix with the frightening "black"-and-"white" film footage to create a very authentically terrifying and hopeless feeling of the end of all hope.  

In this type of cinematic style, the blood, and the flames really stand out. Slowly, the knowledge that there is no way out of the walking corpses that are ripping out guts, eating flesh, and devouring everyone sets in. 

Another Stephen King classic movie, Misery is the perfect watch for horror lovers. One of the finest film adaptations of Stephen King's work is Misery, along with The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me. 

It is a fantastic psychological thriller, a movie in and of itself, with a superb mood. The sets, costumes, settings, and cinematography all provide excellent visuals throughout the movie.

The tale is consistently well-paced and intriguing while the writing is excellent, tackling issues like passionate loyalty, creative quandaries, and the worthiness of commercial fiction without a psychological thriller set. 

IT is another classic to enjoy for both kids and adults. The movie features a clown named Pennywise. This movie is a gem. The children were superbly acted, and they express friendship with such remarkable skill that you can sense the love and trust in each one of them.  

This film features friendship, terror, and humor. Watching the second one really makes you feel melancholy since every scene is so expertly constructed to convey the residual anxiety that pervades Derry. 

You can almost feel the horror in this movie, which also features one of the most recognizable opening moments. 

The 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers combines a fantastic sci-fi adventure with an original, dramatic, and terrifying thriller. Without going overboard with excessive detail, Don Post and Milt Rice's special make-up effects and props provide the necessary intimidating and ominous effect. 

One such movie is Invasion of the Body Snatchers, which shouldn't be altered by colorization. The film's ominous tone, cramped atmosphere, and rapid speed are all enhanced by "black"-and-"white" photography, careful use of shadow, and editing. 

This film is more than just a corny story about a Marvel supervillain. It is a terrifying psychological journey into the fly transformation process. The three main characters all perform their roles incredibly well, especially Goldblum. 

In addition to being a horror film, this one also deceives the audience by exploring the power of love through the lens of a grotesque creature. The plot unfolds in a manner reminiscent of fairy tales like Edward Scissorhands or Beauty and the Beast. 

This film can tackle dark, psychologically horrifying subjects like an imminent "death" or having no one to fill your place once you pass away. Changing without control into a bad beast gives you all the creeps. 

The horror book The Exorcist was written by American author William Peter Blatty in 1971. This actual story-based film, which was released in 1973 to a considerably less desensitized public than today's moviegoers, surprised ticket purchasers who had no idea what they were about to see.  

The Exorcist is one of the goriest, bloodiest, and most horrifying horror movies ever made. This movie's ominous mood and pacing are masterfully done, and as it progresses, the picture gradually becomes more frightening and blasphemous.  

The movie's plot is intricate and compelling, engrossing you in the drama the characters experience while also delivering some unexpectedly upbeat symbolism on the loss of faith and how it may be restored. 

The follow-up to his 1977 horror books The Shining, Doctor Sleep is a 2013 book by American author Stephen King. Although it is a horror movie with some unsettling scenarios and visuals, the tale is made more intense by these elements. 

This movie resolves the conflict between the Kubrick film and the book versions of the Shining when you consider their respective origins.

This movie will definitely be analyzed by fans and cinema students alike, much like Kubrick's film was for years since it contains so much eye- and brain-candy. 

Del Toro's masterpiece is The Devil's Backbone. It eliminates so many genres in order to inflict suffering, wealth, romance, horror, and the biggest ghost of all, war.  

It has the most despicable villain ever created. The Devil's backbone is located in an arid desert, where a scorching sun shines down on them continuously throughout the day. It takes place during the Spanish Civil War and features people who play a variety of roles. 

If you have not already heard of The Conjuring, you are missing out on a true horror. With the release of The Conjuring, director James Wan completes a modern supernatural horror picture triptych that began with his own Insidious in 2010 and was interrupted by sinister.  

These movies show that the genre is still alive and well, despite the fact that it has become cliched. This one is maybe the greatest of the three.

The Warrens, a husband and couple pair are known for their work as paranormal investigators and renowned demonologists, provided the case file for The Conjuring. The Warrens' earlier expeditions served as the basis for movies like The Amityville Horror. 

Carnival of Souls will give you a lot of emotions. A fine plot was transformed into an enduringly popular horror movie by the backdrop of the deserted pavilion and the spooky organ music. 

The movie will take you on a ride and will give you exactly what you are looking for in a horror movie. If you are ready to get spooked, this movie is definitely for you. 

An excellent horror and thriller and a classic, American Psycho is one of the most renowned movies of all time. Bret Easton Ellis wrote a book titled American Psycho, which was released in 1991.  

Patrick Bateman, a serial killer and Manhattan investment banker, tells the tale in the first person. The movie brilliantly captures the yuppie culture of the 1980s, a generation centered on selfishness, money, and self-deprecation, and manages to make fun of a society that lacks uniqueness.  

Movies truly started to criticize materialism and the way our society denigrated itself in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Fight Club handled this excellently, and while American Psycho doesn't quite measure up to Fight Club, it's still a terrific illustration of that.