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Top 10 Scariest Moments in Modern Horror
WatchMojo
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9/16/2024
Boo! Did we get you? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most unsettling, creepy, and/or terrifying moments from 21st-century horror. Spoilers ahead for the following movies.
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00:00
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most unsettling, creepy
00:07
and or terrifying moments from 21st century horror.
00:10
Spoilers ahead for the following movies.
00:13
Please stop.
00:14
Dad, make it stop.
00:15
What's happening?
00:16
Why is everyone scared?
00:17
Why are you scaring me?
00:20
Number 10.
00:21
Restaurant Sabotage, The Invisible Man
00:27
With her ex, Adrian, possibly tormenting her from beyond the grave, Elizabeth Moss'
00:32
character, Cecilia, asks her sister, Emily, for help.
00:35
The pair meet at a restaurant before a terrible twist.
00:38
Using his cloaked suit, the villain slits the sister's throat before placing the murder
00:41
weapon in the lead's hand.
00:46
The scene is disturbing on its own, but it's made worse when you consider the larger implications.
00:50
The heroine is forced to confront the fact that she can't escape the antagonist.
00:53
When in public, he finds a way to frame the protagonist in the most awful way possible.
01:01
She's then locked away, grieving, and further traumatized.
01:04
We honestly don't blame her for feeling hopeless.
01:12
Number 9.
01:13
The Tall Man, It Follows
01:16
If you sleep with the wrong person, you might become the victim of an unstoppable force.
01:20
This unsettling detail powers this unforgettable moment.
01:31
Jay Height worries about when the evil figure will come for her, with this scene giving
01:35
her yet another reason to run away.
01:36
The tall man embodies her would-be killer in a terrifying reveal.
01:49
With a menacing presence and pace, the entity inches its way closer to its prey.
01:53
It makes you consider what you'd do in a similar situation.
01:56
Not only that, this sequence reminds you that It Follows has a constant tension that few
02:00
horror films can replicate.
02:05
Number 8.
02:06
Night Vision, The Descent
02:07
A group of friends get lost in a cave, but they have much worse problems to worry about.
02:22
They use a video camera's night vision to inspect the darker areas around them.
02:27
After finding some animal remains, they also encounter some testy cannibals.
02:30
It just goes to show that some things in life aren't meant to be seen at all.
02:41
While the night vision helps them see, it also leads up to one of the best jump scares
02:44
in the movie.
02:45
You're waiting for something to happen during the group's trip, but you aren't expecting
02:48
a villain this scary.
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It'll also have you reconsidering any spelunking plans you might have.
02:56
Number 7.
02:57
The Bedroom Scare, The Babadook
03:01
As if life isn't hard enough, a widowed mother has to deal with this titular creature.
03:05
She endures one appearance from the Babadook that's nothing short of scarring.
03:15
Delivering on an ominous presence, this scene puts the evil figure right in the heroine's
03:19
bedroom.
03:20
The startling sequence includes details that would keep anybody awake at night.
03:25
From the opening of a door to hiding under the covers, Emilia slowly waits for something
03:29
terrible to happen.
03:30
This moment also makes the issue something she can no longer avoid anymore.
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If you don't sleep with one eye open, you might after watching this jump scare.
03:45
Number 6.
03:46
Dragged Out of the Bedroom, Paranormal Activity
03:50
As a twist on the haunted house genre, paranormal activity was something of a phenomenon.
03:55
It also included some shocking moments that felt all too real due to the movie's lo-fi
03:58
quality.
04:07
Setting up a camera in their bedroom, they capture a spooky sight when Katie is dragged
04:10
out of bed.
04:11
With his partner's screams ringing out, Mika tries to save her with this unimaginable
04:15
moment.
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The scene makes us all want to lock our doors and sleep with a nightlight.
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The film's strong suit is that it can make this kind of sequence seem possible.
04:38
Along with some great acting, the nightmare encounter might have you lying awake at night
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worried about ghosts.
04:46
Number 5.
04:47
Watching the Video, The Ring
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It doesn't take long for The Ring to make one rule clear.
04:54
You shouldn't watch the creepy video unless you want to die.
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The fact that we know that makes this scene even more scary.
05:05
Watching Noah's time dwindle down, you might even find yourself yelling at the screen to
05:09
stop it.
05:10
Noah's failed attempt to get there in time only adds to his tense sequence.
05:22
Samara crawls out of the TV, creating one of the scariest images in the film.
05:39
The demonic girl takes down Noah in an unsettling climax, showing what happens when your week
05:43
comes to a close.
05:50
Number 4.
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Georgie Meets Pennywise, It
05:55
Early on in this horror film, the young Georgie plays with a paper boat.
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His adventure takes a dark turn when he encounters an unlikely antagonist.
06:01
This creepy scene sets the mood for a memorable tale, forcing some viewers to confront their
06:15
fear of clowns.
06:18
Pennywise lurks in the sewer and quickly establishes himself as one of the most evil forces ever.
06:23
The combination of the location, the weather, and the villain's behavior makes this frightening
06:26
from the jump.
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It only gets worse when the boy suffers a terrible fate.
06:46
While some horror plots might let a younger character get away, it freaks you out by showing
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you that nobody's safe.
06:58
Number 3.
06:59
Game Over, Saw
07:01
Before all of the sequels, Saw was an entirely new experience for horror fans.
07:14
The photographer Adam realizes that the body he's been spending time with isn't actually
07:19
In a haunting image, the corpse gets up and reveals himself to be the mastermind behind
07:23
it all.
07:32
This scary moment puts the final signature on a crazy ride.
07:45
With the heroes stunned and trapped, this movie leaves audiences on a haunting cliffhanger.
07:50
It also makes you wonder about how diabolical one person could possibly be.
07:57
Number 2.
07:58
The Sunken Place, Get Out
07:59
It's never easy to meet your partner's parents, but even more so when they're horror
08:11
movie villains.
08:12
Chris has a chat with his girlfriend's mom, Missy, that takes a dark turn.
08:15
She hypnotizes the hero, showing him a place worse than a typical nightmare.
08:28
The mysterious void makes him question his own reality.
08:37
Even though he wakes up, it's a mind-altering experience that feels too close to home.
08:41
It's one major sign that Chris shouldn't trust the Armitage family, either.
08:44
Like all the worst dreams, The Sunken Place combines several fears into one and gives
08:48
the modern classic one of its essential moments.
09:05
Jordan Peele keeps this nightmarish quality going in his follow-up, Us.
09:15
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:18
The Witch in the Cave, The Witch.
09:19
Caleb stumbles through the woods, finding an ominous woman that's nothing short of
09:23
evil.
09:27
Gator Food, Ex.
09:29
Bobby Lynn Anger's Pearl, becoming alligator bait in a shocking reversal.
09:35
Possessed in a Dress, The Others.
09:36
In a haunting scene, Grace discovers an older woman in place of her daughter.
09:53
Mother Reveal, Barbarian.
09:55
Tess finds Keith in the tunnels, only for a frightening villain to appear and spoil
09:58
the moment.
10:02
The Wardrobe, The Conjuring.
10:04
There might be something in the wardrobe, but a freaky reveal proves otherwise.
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10:18
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10:20
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10:30
Number 1.
10:31
Annie Gets Possessed, Hereditary.
10:33
Needless to say, the Graham family is having a bad time in Hereditary.
10:37
Both the daughter and father die tragically before the mother, Annie, becomes possessed.
10:41
She flies after her son, Peter, until he hides in the attic.
10:52
It's gotta be especially scary to find yourself chased by one of your parents.
10:55
With his mom banging against the ceiling, the teenager confronts his own mortality and
11:05
the evil that surrounds him.
11:06
It's all part of a truly gruesome third act, rivaling Ari Aster's other works such as the
11:10
cliff scene in Midsommar.
11:15
This climax ultimately sells the breakdown of the family unit.
11:18
With the help of a coven, this disturbing sequence pushes the notion of grief to a horrifying
11:22
extreme.
11:34
Did we forget another scary moment in modern horror?
11:43
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11:45
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