Back to Fallen Cave, main page…
10 Best Horror Movies That Are Emotionally Devastating
First will be movies that we have seen with Bigfoot Eruption contributor, Heidi of Corvallis, Oregon. They will fall in the rankings as we watch more. Below that will be the movies Heid has not seen yet, but in a ranking so she can see what we are recommending for our next over the phone viewing, or if she feels bold enough to watch alone. We will analyze in a way that fits the format of this site as we look for clues.
Warning: Don’t replace other and better things with our page on Horror movies. We tread very carefully here. We consider this an interesting part of warfare and will admit some of the dangers of this research strategy as we go along.
We will try to keep the storyline vague as not to spoil it but watch for when we call out a “Spoiler Alert.”
Best Horror Seen with Heidi, and WHY?
*****
Note: Below we will have categories for movies she saw, and they will be in the order of “most liked.” Below that will be movies that we want to see with her someday.
HELLHOLE
Spoiler Alert: What is worse than Satan winning? This movie shows what is worse.
Grade: The best horror movie with the best surprise ending while being the worst outcome in the history of the world. Actually, was made better by being a foreign film (Poland) with subtitles.
Spoiler: Evil priests.
The ending of this movie should be the worst nightmare for anyone on planet earth.
REC
Another foreign film from Spain. So good, we were sad that an AMerican remake was made, called Quarantine.
Especially in REC2, the idea of a spiritual reason for the outbreak is revealed which we find interesting. The first movie was more meant as a shocker film and not meant to learn why the scenario happened. We need to remember that as we finish our book.
Grade: Heid watched this movie on our recommendation and did not wait to see it with us. Meaning, she couldn’t wait to see it and thus we ranked it pretty high.
Note: We watch with Heidi over the phone.
The third movie was a storyline in the same timeline but in a different part of town otherwise had nothing to do with the first two movies. A standalone story, but others reacting to the same outbreak. Note: The senseless way the hero dies in the end.
The fourth movie continues with the original character and moves the story along. We have not seen it yet, but we are curious.
MIDNIGHT MASS
Midnight Mass (TV Mini Series 2021) – IMDb
Heidi liked this a lot and recommended it us us on Netflix.
Let’s you hold on to your own faith while it destroys man-made religion. Or does it?
Does the idea of vampirism bore you? This is a new take on the idea while not being about that at all. Get ready to be surprised.
Heidi recommended this one to us. It paints the picture of questioning religion as our foundation, when maybe Christ should be our foundation. Hypothesizes what life after death s like. Is this a fair or unfair stab at religion?
Also shows how scripture can be twisted any way you want. This series would warn against doing that.
Still wondering if this one wants to further distance us from Christ as savior, while treading all over Religion in general.
THE PLATFORM
We wanted Heidi to see this because the Sequel has a surprise ending that sort of ties everything together.
Another movie where it being a foreign film (Spain) only made it better.
A movie about an impossible scenario. Notice how the facilitators of this situation don’t seem to feel what they are doing is wrong. Note: One of the facilitators realizes it but takes rash actions that seemed overly dangerous and is like she didn’t think it through.
Seems like a movie purposed to bend your mind. Slow moving but such a horrific situation you really pay attention.
Was it worth it for Heidi?
Grade: Pending.
HOUSE ON THE BAYOU
A House on the Bayou (2021) – IMDb
Evil tries to do good? Everyone beware. If you liked the SAW movies, you will understand the idea. Not as gory.
Partial spoiler alert: Not saying that the bad guy was a Fallen Angel but consider what if he was. Notice how a Fallen Angel can (and did and still do) justify doing wrong for what they think is “just” in their own minds.
Notice the compassion at the end of the movie towards people that have done harm in the life of the lead character.
Grade: Pending. She was shocked and saddened by the ending. Ultimately, the revealed premise is clever and somehow, felt original.
SMILE
Spoiler alert in this one.
Done in a perspective where there is no concept of reaching out to God for help.
Pretty good casting. Moments of relief when you think things might get better.
Message: Don’t assume everyone is just crazy. They might be seeing beyond the veil, at the paranormal, which makes them react as a crazy person.
Note: Don’t open yourself up to attack/oppression/possession. We mostly do it, unaware, so be careful. Like no Ouija boards! In this movie they never explain how the first person let this evil into them? In this movie, it is just a thing that has been happening. Maybe in a part two we see an origin story?
Spoiler Alert: When the evil wins, it makes us think that this movie was made with the intent to promote the satanic side of things. Meaning, did we open ourselves up to the evil by watching it? Who knows, maybe in a part 2, they actually seek a priest. Note: Why didn’t this character seek out a priest?
Grade: Too many innocent people getting hurt. No good way to ever end the horror. There is a way but it isn’t good.
WRATH of MAN
Ok, so not a horror movie, more of a gangster movie, but checks all the boxes. Even the implying of a sex scene was done with taste. Note: a graphic sex scene would not have added anything to the story.
A movie that shows that doing a bad thing, for reasons that you justify as good, does not justify the means. And we are not talking about the Jason Statham character, who is the lead antagonist, we are talking about the other guys. In fact, this movie wants you, makes you, want to root for him, because the other people in the movie are far worse.
Several times he gets the bad guys that are worse than him and then shows kindness to the people that those bad guys had been hurting. Even showing compassion to someone, they had just tortured, offering gifts, as if to say, “Thanks for the info, now please don’t retaliate.”
Guy Ritchie is very artsy in his movie making, which gave it a felling of quality. Artsy meaning, music choice and even transitions from one scene to another. Using all aspects to paint this canvas.
Grade: Pending. Easy to put at the bottom since we did not finish it. The streaming of this moving actually failed us with technical issues right in the climatic ending that reveals the goal of the main character, played by Jason Statham.
Note: Guy Ritchie has a way of making a unique movie.
WATCH WISH LIST
*****
The Platform 2
We have to get Heidi to the end so she can see the surprise ending.
Movies Recommended for Heidi:
THE TALL MAN
This movie is nothing what you think it is. We once thought it was an unoriginal take on a gloomy character stalking a house. Nope. Anything but that. The movie misleads you and then surprises you.
The ending is jaw dropping and forces you to ponder, “Are they seriously making me take the side of the villains?” Get ready for a discussion after this one.
Get ready to raise Jessica Biel to a higher level of respect in movie making. This was her movie.
Grade: Definitely wants to watch it again from the perspective of now knowing what was really going on.
DEVIL IN THE DARK
We really want Heidi to see this with us. A shocking ending. As the story progresses, they tease here and there as they lull you to sleep with developing the storyline of the estranged relationship of these two brothers, and then whammo at the end. Maybe if a sequel happens, they will reveal more.
Two Hallmark actors land in this one, and we felt happy for them. A good “Get” for their resumes.
As soon as we finished this, we wanted to find online commentary on it. Surprise ending. Love the ending. A perfect finish to the strategic drawn-out relationship building.
THE POPE’S EXORCIST
The Pope’s Exorcist (2023) – IMDb
Older generation believes in Satan and Evil, and the younger generation doesn’t. Sounds like there is a lesson here. Russell Crow portrays the exorcist version of James Bond.
We actually started this one with Heidi and we were not able to finish it. Not sure what it means that we have watched other movies instead of finishing it.
We liked it the first time we saw it. The message was good and gives hope for the good guys of Christianity to succeed.
Note: Notice all the scenes that don’t seem original and yet so many seems that do seem original. This film really did work.
We enjoyed how confession works to protect the exorcists and makes the exorcism more successful. In the Podcast, The Exorcist Files, it is said many times that going to confession before an exorcism, is recommended for every team member.
M3GAN
We love James Woo! Heidi wants to see this. Can we see this again? Now that is has been awhile, that would be fun.
Humans messing around with A.I so you know what that means.
Note: A sequel is coming.
Note: James Woo is a candidate for putting our book, A Bigfoot Eruption, on the big screen, because of how he takes a story and creates spinoffs. The Bigfoot series would have endless spinoff movies. Also, his ability to have Christian lead characters (The Conjuring) is a plus, since in our book the main character is a Christian.
PYEWACKET
If you think being into witchcraft is cool, it still hates you and will destroy you. Oh, was that a spoiler? A movie about consequences. Made us realize that Laurie Holden is a big deal. Good for her.
Spoiler Alert: Evil wins, in this one. So, what is the message? Perhaps, to not take witchcraft lightly.
THE CRUCIFICTION
Points for being based on a true story, so no one can say, “That happened too easily,” or “That wouldn’t have happened.” We have to say that this was really well done. One problem is that we were never in fear for the main character. She was so hardened that we as fans wanted her to get scared half to death. We were almost rooting for her to get scared into believing. Good usage of images, like masks.
Nuns and a priest going to jail for trying to help someone, through Exorcism, again, this movie gets points for that. Always points given by us when priests and nuns are trying to help.
Urgency to see with Heidi? This one can wait. Sorry, we need to think on this one. The shock factor? Was it predictable? Did it make us say “OMG?” Hmmm…
Was the lead character such a jerk that we were losing interest? However, this hardened soul brought out some good points about people that are angry at God or not wanting to believe in God.
Worthwhile Quotes: Pending.
LAST SHIFT
Spoiler Alert: Evil wins, in this one. So, what is the message? The lead character does nothing wrong and loses badly; however, pay attention to what her mom tells her in the beginning of the movie. Sometimes, listen to the people that have a warning that they themselves cannot explain. Especially a mom?
Also, don’t have the rookie start her career with such an odd assignment, as if she was being discarded, or set-up for failure.
Grade: No way Heidi would enjoy this with the senseless destruction of a relatively good person. Good have good lessons about when to walk away.
ALL EYES
Interesting. What is the message here? We think we know what happened, like Bigfoot Eruption trying to write a book, they had an idea, a really unique idea, and then tried to build a story around it. Not saying that it didn’t work. Take notice of the unique movie “filler” moments. I suppose it could be called, story development, that leads to his unique situation at the end.
Result: We need to see this with Heid to get her thoughts on it.
GHOST RIDER
Good job Nicolas Cage. Analyze if he really had to lose what he loved most. It happens more than once in the movie so you can have many chances to ask this question. Also, we are always intrigued by casting others to play the younger versions of the characters. Take notice. Why does casting choose the people that they do. Is it hard to find a younger version of people to play the role? Meaning, would it be hard to find an actor that looked like a young Nicolas Cage or even Eva Mendez?
Note: In Solo, the movie, a young Han Solo was cast by someone other than Harrison Ford, and it actually worked for us. Also, why not digitize characters to look young. It worked in limited scenes in the Mandalorian, for duplication a young Luke Skywalker.
Spoiler Alert: We have heard that the devil can’t own your soul because it belongs to God. This movie shows the devil actually upholding his end of the deal, making us fear him less? Is that a dangerous presumption? It did seem that Satan was not the only rogue Fallen Angel, and they were at odds with each other. This concept may be likely. Holy Cow! For more on that idea seek out Timothy Alberino.
Ok, this movie may be a bigger discussion piece than we thought.
BLOOD VESSEL
This movie gets points for getting spooky with the Nazi agenda and their occultic satanic scientific dabbling at warfare experimentation, as they looked for ultimate weapons.
Spoiler Alert: Killing the most famous actor in your cast within the first three minutes? What? As a fan, we were disappointed. Also, good people almost winning, that is hard. An ending that shocks you with great disappointment. Their better be a sequel, because was this journey worth the outcome? Again, evil wins. We suppose it is a lesson to not dabble into Evil as the Nazis did.
Note the production company seemed to represent the Satanic side of things, with their name and imagery, so maybe this movie is a doorway.
Horror; images, by Tama66 – Pixabay.
Horror; images, by Tama66 – Pixabay.