Scott Derrickson’s Sinister takes the haunted house story to a new level. With its true-crime thriller feel and creepy Super 8mm footage, it’s designed to make you jump. The movie’s jump scares are so effective that they raised viewers’ heart rates from an average 65 BPM to 86 BPM, according to the “Science of Scare Project.”
The film follows Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), a true-crime writer who moves his family to a new home in Chatford, Pennsylvania, to investigate the deaths of the previous residents, the Stevensons. What he finds: mysterious tapes and signs of demonic activity, makes things even scarier.
The best horror movies, like Sinister, have one thing in common: a relentless focus on terrifying the audience throughout, creating engaging narratives they can’t look away from, even if it means watching through their fingers. If you loved Sinister, check out these 15 other films that will definitely give you a fright.
Advertisement List of 15 Best Horror Movies Like Sinister To Watch
We’ve compiled the 15 best horror movies like Sinister that promise to send shivers down your spine. Have a look at them:
1. The Empty Man
The Empty Man is a film about a cult that slipped under the radar when it first came out. It is a title worth seeking out for horror fans looking for something unique. Though the titular being is less concrete than an entity like the Bughuul, their ominous stalking presence is palpable throughout. This dark detective tale will captivate sinister fans who enjoy the film’s mystery element.
Check out the trailer here:
2. The Shining
Few horror films can be described as flawless or terrifying as Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining. This story of one family’s horrific ordeal in a haunted hotel has inspired countless horror films in the decades since its release. Few can match Kubrick’s pervasive sense of dread in every scene. Aside from its historical significance, fans of Sinister should consider this film essential viewing due to its relentless atmosphere.
Check out the trailer here:
3. The Blair Witch Project
This classic found footage film is still regarded as the genre’s pinnacle, accomplishing much with few resources. The film follows a small film crew as they attempt to document a local legend in the woods surrounding a small town in Maryland. It employs improvisational acting and cinematography (with the cameras left in the hands of the actors) to great effect, forcing the audience to imagine the evil force that stalks the characters in the darkness. Horror fans who enjoyed Sinister’s 8mm footage will find The Blair Witch Project‘s 16mm shots chilling.
Check out the trailer here:
4. Insidious
Director James Wan is well-known for launching several highly profitable and popular horror film franchises. One is the ghostly Insidious series he created with creative collaborator Leigh Whannell. The first film in the series combined haunted house and possession tropes to create something truly memorable. The ghoulish figures that terrorize the film’s unsuspecting family are enough to make any seasoned horror fan jump out of their seats a little. It, like Sinister, is one of the best jump scare films ever made.
Check out the trailer here:
5. The Conjuring
The Conjuring was another massive success from James Wan, launching an even more extensive and far-reaching horror movie franchise. It contains several similar elements to Insidious but funnels them through a period setting to a story based on real-life accounts of paranormal activity at a family home in Rhode Island. Full of classic scares, the ensemble’s acting pedigree elevated The Conjuring above being just another ghost or possession film. The fans of Sinister will appreciate the dramatic pedigree on display, as well as the mix of slow-burning tension and startling scares.
Check out the trailer here:
6. Hereditary
Few modern horror films have better performances than Ari Aster’s feature-length debut, Hereditary, especially Toni Collette’s lead role as a bereaved mother struggling with her mental health and her relationship with her son. Though full of supernatural elements, the film is more of a nightmarish mood piece, but it will fully satisfy a Sinister fan’s craving for unforgettable creative kills.
Check out the trailer here:
7. The Autopsy of Jane Doe
André Øvredal’s scary campfire tale is about a father and son coroner team trying to determine the cause of death of a strangely perfect corpse. It will appeal to horror movie fans who enjoyed the steady sense of foreboding brought on by the unraveling of Sinister’s demonic plot. The story of The Autopsy of Jane Doe feels more prosperous and more detailed than most traditional supernatural horror films, even though it takes place mainly in a tiny location.
Check out the trailer here:
8. The Ring
Gore Verbinski’s American remake of Hideo Nakata’s iconic J-horror film is a masterpiece in its own right, capturing the original’s best elements while adding the director’s striking visual style. The Ring‘s focus on dark symbols is uniquely terrifying. It follows a journalist as they try to uncover the origins of a modern folktale about a videotape that kills the viewer seven days after they watch it. The disturbing images on the cursed tape would fit right in with Bughuul’s collection of terrifying home movies.
Check out the trailer here:
9. Oculus
Next to The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Mike Flanagan’s classically American gothic tale of a haunted mirror. It is one of the most minutely scaled horror hits of recent years, yet it tells a fully fleshed-out story with well-rounded characters. Oculus, like Sinister, is produced by low-budget horror king Jason Blum, but as with Sinister, this only adds to the story’s effectiveness.
Check out the trailer here:
10. The Devil’s Candy
A young family gets more than they bargained for when they move into what is, unbeknownst to them, the former home of a serial killer, who begins to appear on their doorstep regularly. Sean Byrne’s visceral thriller is about as intense as even the most seasoned horror movie veterans can handle, with razor-sharp tension and a monstrous villain made all the scarier by how real he feels. Fans of horror films who want to experience the same level of relentless terror as Sinister should seek out this hidden gem.
Check out the trailer here:
11. Saw
The Saw slasher film franchise is a must-watch if you enjoy horror movies with blood, gore, and suspense. The series begins with two men waking up in a disgusting and unfamiliar bathroom without remembering how they got there. They quickly realize they are pawns in the Jigsaw Killer’s sadistic game.
Check out the trailer here:
12. Get Out
Jordan Peele wrote and directed Get Out, an Oscar-winning psychological horror film about a young Black man in an interracial relationship. When Chris first meets his girlfriend’s parents, he has no idea what to expect. He quickly realizes he is the target of a sick and twisted plan.
Check out the trailer here:
13. In a Lonely Place
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Cast | Humphrey Bogart, Gloria Grahame |
| Director | Nicholas Ray |
| Genre | Film Noir, Thriller |
| IMDb Rating | 7.9/10 |
In a Lonely Place, follows Dixon Steele, a struggling screenwriter with a bad temper. After a woman he meets is murdered, Dixon becomes the prime suspect. His neighbor, Laurel, helps clear his name, and they begin a romance. However, as their relationship deepens, Laurel starts to fear that Dixon might be capable of violence, leaving her unsure if he’s really innocent.
14. Psycho II
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Cast | Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Meg Tilly |
| Director | Richard Franklin |
| Genre | Horror, Thriller |
| IMDb Rating | 6.6/10 |
Psycho II (1983) takes place 22 years after the events of the original Psycho. Norman Bates is released from a mental institution, believing he is cured. He returns to his motel and old life, but strange things start happening, making him doubt his sanity. As bodies start piling up, Norman is unsure if he’s being framed or if his darker side has resurfaced.
15. Last Night in Soho
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Cast | Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith |
| Director | Edgar Wright |
| Genre | Psychological Thriller, Horror |
| IMDb Rating | 7.0/10 |
Last Night in Soho (2021) follows Eloise, a young woman passionate about fashion design, who moves to London to attend school. She starts having vivid dreams where she is transported to 1960s Soho and experiences life through the eyes of a glamorous singer named Sandie. As the dreams become darker and more intense, Eloise realizes something sinister happened to Sandie, and the past starts creeping into her present life.
Common Queries
Sinister was named the scariest film based on heart rate beats per minute (bpm) in 2020 and retained the title until 2021.
Sinister has reclaimed its crown as the scariest movie ever made.
Just below Insidious with a BPM spike of 132 was The Conjuring.
The first Sinister was a scary, atmospheric horror film, but the sequel falls flat, feeling more like a mix of Children of the Corn and a family drama.
The Conjuring (2013) is based on a true story.
Bottom Line
If you’re a fan of Sinister and looking for similar horror films, you’ll find plenty of chilling horror movies like Sinister above. Movies like Insidious, The Conjuring, and Hereditary have the same creepy atmosphere and jump scares. These movies also deal with the supernatural and will keep you feeling tense even after they end.