Tag: scary

The Scariest Movies According to Science: “Sinister” Tops the 2025 List

Think you’ve got nerves of steel? The Science of Scare Project would like to have a word.

Their 2025 ranking of The Scariest Movies According to Science is out, and it’s based on cold, hard data—specifically, how fast your heart starts pounding while you watch.

Here’s how they figure it out: volunteers are hooked up to heart monitors while watching a lineup of horror movies, and their heart rates are tracked from start to finish.

The higher the spikes, the scarier the movie. Simple, scientific, and absolutely terrifying.

According to this year’s study, “Sinister” (2012) remains the undisputed champion of fear. Directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Ethan Hawke, the film’s mix of true-crime writing and supernatural terror has once again left audiences with the biggest jumps in heart rate.

Right behind it is “Host” (2020), the pandemic-era Zoom horror flick that somehow managed to make video calls even scarier than they already were. And in third place is “Skinamarink” (2022), a hauntingly slow, surreal nightmare that proves minimalism can be just as scary as monsters or gore.

Here’s the full Top 10 list:

  1. “Sinister” (2012)
  2. “Host” (2020)
  3. “Skinamarink” (2022)
  4. “Insidious” (2010)
  5. “Hereditary” (2018)
  6. “The Conjuring” (2013)
  7. “Smile 2” (2024)
  8. “Smile” (2022)
  9. “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (2005)
  10. “Talk to Me” (2022)

The Science of Scare Project has been running this heart-pounding experiment for years, and while the lineup changes, Sinister almost always lands near the top. The takeaway? Even a decade later, it still knows how to get under your skin.

If you’re looking for a scientifically proven reason to sleep with the lights on tonight, start from number one and work your way down. Just maybe keep a defibrillator handy.

Best Halloween Movies for Kids by Age (From Toddlers to Teens)

Spooky season is officially here.

If you’re planning a family movie night, you’ll want something festive without accidentally giving your toddler nightmares. Here’s your ultimate guide to the best Halloween movies for kids of every age group.

Little kids, ages 2 to 7
At this stage, “scary” means maybe a pumpkin with slightly pointy eyebrows. Classics like “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and Disney’s “The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad” bring cozy nostalgia with zero trauma. If you’re looking for something newer, “Hotel Transylvania” gives you a monster mash with Adam Sandler’s voice leading the way, while “Monsters, Inc.” proves once and for all that even scary creatures can be lovable.

Big kids, ages 7 to 11
Now we’re talking about kids who actually want a little fright with their fun. Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is the ultimate spooky-but-sweet option, while Disney Channel’s cult favorite “Halloweentown” is peak ‘90s kid magic. “Casper” keeps things ghostly but friendly, “Frankenweenie” lets Burton flex his black-and-white quirkiness, and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” may not be a “Halloween movie,” but between the costumes, the candy, and the aliens, it earns its spot.

Tweens
Middle schoolers live for chaos, and these movies deliver. “Hocus Pocus” is basically required viewing if you want to be allowed into spooky season. “The Addams Family” nails that goth-but-funny energy, while “Goosebumps” (with Jack Black as R.L. Stine) is scarier than it has any right to be. For straight-up silliness, there’s Adam Sandler’s “Hubie Halloween.” And if your tween wants a comedy that also features a truly disastrous party, “Fun Size” is the pick.

Teenagers
The training wheels are officially off. “Beetlejuice” and “Poltergeist” are classics that bring the perfect mix of creepy and campy. “Gremlins” proves that small pets can, in fact, destroy your life. “Ghostbusters” is always a crowd-pleaser (and yes, the special effects are gloriously retro), while “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” finally puts those haunting childhood book illustrations onto the big screen.

So whether you’ve got a toddler who thinks pumpkins are hilarious or a teen who insists they’re “too cool” for movie night but secretly still wants popcorn and ghosts, this list has you covered. And if you’re the parent who’s on their 87th rewatch of “Hotel Transylvania,” just remember… it could be worse. At least it’s not “Caillou: The Halloween Special.”

Get Paid $666 to Watch Horror Movies This Halloween

If your idea of the perfect night is turning off the lights, grabbing some popcorn, and screaming your lungs out at a horror flick, CableTV.com has a gig for you. The site is offering $666 (yes, the devil’s favorite number) to watch, rank, and review five scary movies as part of what they’re calling a “Thrillternship.”

This spooky side hustle isn’t just about the cash. The chosen “Thrilltern” also gets a $50 Uber Eats gift card for their midnight snacks and a one-year subscription to Screambox, so the scares can keep on coming long after the experiment is over. But there’s a catch: applicants must be 18 or older, and the deadline to apply is October 7th.

CableTV is clear that this isn’t for the faint of heart.

In their words, they want “real fans of fear, enthusiasts of the eerie, and devotees to the dreadful.” Translation: if you’re the type who hides behind a pillow during “Hocus Pocus”, this job probably isn’t for you.

The assignment is simple but chilling. You’ll choose five movies from their curated list of 13 of the scariest horror films ever made. And it’s a heavy-hitting lineup.

Think classics like “The Exorcist” (1973), “Halloween” (1978), and “The Shining” (1980), alongside modern nightmares like “Hereditary” (2018) and “Get Out” (2017). The list also includes cult favorites like “The Thing” (1982), “Candyman” (1992), and “The Evil Dead” (1981).

Your job is to watch, survive, and then rank and review them. Easy money, right?

Unless you pick something like “Martyrs” (2008), which has been traumatizing audiences for years.

These kinds of promotions pop up every Halloween season, with companies paying people to binge horror movies in exchange for their screams, opinions, and social media buzz. The $666 payout is a clever marketing nod, but the free snacks and streaming subscription sweeten the deal.

So if you’ve got nerves of steel, a love of horror history, and a tolerance for creepy late-night Uber Eats deliveries, this Thrillternship might be your dream (or nightmare) gig. Just don’t forget to sleep with the lights on after “IT” (2017).

Would you sign up for $666 to scare yourself silly, or are you leaving this job to the horror junkies?

Exit mobile version