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The 10 scariest movies ranked according to science (and how scary they actually are)

By Natalie Zamora

Talk to Me - Courtesy A24
Talk to Me - Courtesy A24 /
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8. The Exorcism of Emily Rose

  • Release Year: 2005
  • Director: Scott Derrickson
  • Cast: Jennifer Carpenter, Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Campbell Scott, Colm Feore
  • Scare Level, According to Us: 3.5/5
  • Where to Watch: Streaming on Hulu, Peacock, Pluto TV, available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

Framed as a legal drama, The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a pretty underrated horror movie in my opinion, and I’m pleasantly surprised to see it on the list. It follows the story of a teenager named Emily who’s forced to drop out of school after experiencing intense episodes of epilepsy and muscle spasms. Her parents decide to confer with a Catholic priest named Father Richard Moore, who concludes that Emily is being possessed by a demon. Sadly, (and this is not a spoiler, it’s made known at the start of the film) Emily passes away and the priest is charged with negligent homicide for performing an exorcism.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is very creepy. The tone of the movie is incredibly dark and Jennifer Carpenter does a great job depicting the young woman going through excruciating pain and torment at the hands of whatever is inside of her. As a kid watching this movie, it definitely scared me. Now, not so much, but it still feels very chilling on any given rewatch.

Smile movie
Caitlin Stasey in Paramount Pictures Presents in Association with Paramount Players A Temple Hill Production “SMILE.” /

7. Smile

Another recent movie on the list is Smile, which really impressed me when I saw it in theaters last fall. The horror flick follows a therapist named Dr. Rose Cotter whose world is turned upside down after her patient at a psychiatric ward kills herself right in front of her. Her patient was trying to tell her that she recently witnessed her professor die by suicide and was convinced something was now stalking her. As expected, this is the pattern that the movie now follows. Rose is then targeted by the invisible entity that can transform into different people, including strangers and even her loved ones.

Smile was one of my favorite horror movies of 2022; it’s very creepy, suspenseful, entertaining, and features unexpected turns I didn’t see coming. I thought it would be just another basic horror movie I’d forget about in a few days, but it turns out Smile is actually pretty complex. In terms of the scare level, I understand why this one would make heart races. There are jump scares, disturbing images, violence, blood, and multiple instances of self-harm.

If you’re not easily scared, you’d probably consider Smile just creepy. But if you’re new to the genre, this one might just give you nightmares.

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