8 Best Found-Footage Horror Movies
From Paranormal Activity to Cloverfield, these are the best efforts from the motion-sickness-inducing (but great!) subgenre.
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Can we take a minute to give credit where it’s due? Filmmakers Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick popularized found-footage movies with The Blair Witch Project—and it’s time to present them their flowers. If they hadn’t made their 1999 film, we wouldn’t have horror movies such as Creep,Unfriended, Host, and The Visit. Instead of telling their story through a traditional narrative, the directing duo flipped the switch and let the characters drive the film. The Blair Witch Project allowed viewers to be a fly on the wall amid the most horrifying scenario—a filming technique that has expanded into its own subgenre.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best found-footage horror films that you can stream from home. From Paranormal Activity to Cloverfield, these movies are disturbing and addictive to watch. If you’re a true horror buff, let the tense footage test your limits as you experience the terror firsthand. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll put your cameras in storage, too.
Paranormal Activity
Although Paranormal Activity has many sequels, the franchise’s best film is the original. Released in 2007, it brought every homeowner’s worst fear to life. Katie and Micah move to the suburbs, expecting to live a quiet life. They get their wish—until their home is overtaken by a malevolent presence. Certain that no one will believe them, the couple set up cameras to capture the ghost on video.
The Blair Witch Project
In The Blair Witch Project, a group of film students set out to find a local legend—and stumble into a horrifying situation instead. When their quest leads them into the woods, Heather, Joshua, and Michael become the target of a vengeful witch. Their recordings show everything they experienced in frightening detail.
Late Night with the Devil
Late Night with the Devil stars David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy, a down-on-his-luck television host. After his ratings tank, Jack invites a possessed child on air for a live Halloween broadcast. It doesn’t end well—and every gruesome twist and turn happens as the cameras roll.
Cloverfield
Cloverfield follows a group of friends attending a going-away party. The celebration is cut short when, um, a giant creature descends upon New York City. As the friends scramble to find safety, they record the chaos with a handheld camcorder. By the way: Never forget Cloverfield’s brilliant marketing campaign.
The Visit
M. Night Shyamalan is the only person who could make grandparents seem creepy. Siblings Becca and Tyler travel to Pennsylvania to meet their Nanna and Pop-Pop for the first time. Everything’s normal at the beginning, but as time progresses, they realize that their grandparents are a bit…strange. Naturally, they decide to record everything for evidence!
Unfriended
A bunch of teenagers log on to a video group chat that’s interrupted by a mysterious user. They think it’s a glitch but then discover that the account belongs to their dead classmate Laura Barns. As the night progresses, they’re haunted by a ghost who forces them to do unspeakable things—and it’s all caught on camera.
Creep
Patrick Brice plays Aaron, a filmmaker who’s hired to drive to a stranger’s house for a shoot. The man says he has terminal brain cancer—and he wants to film a video for his unborn child. It seems like a reasonable request, but as the day goes on, Aaron questions why he’s really there.
Host
Host is one of the few good things to come from the pandemic. Six friends in London—Haley, Jemma, Radina, Emma, Caroline, and Teddy—meet for a weekly Zoom social hour. To their surprise, Haley has hired a medium to lead a virtual séance. The guide warns them to take it seriously, but Haley’s friends goof off instead. Over the course of the night, they each notice strange occurrences in their homes. At first, they believe it’s an elaborate prank, but they quickly learn they’ve connected with a demonic spirit.
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