Jeremy's top scary movies to watch this Halloween

10/31/07 - Keeping in theme with Halloween, let's talk about what scares us, especially cinematically. Thinking about what scares us makes us cringe at the thought that something so haunting could become a reality.The thought of walking to your car alone late at night and hearing startling noises in the distance- and then having them creep up behind you- is not just a fear but something that could actually happen.

How about waking up in the middle of the night to see a figure standing in the corner, gazing at you and ready to make a move?

When I see horror movies, I enjoy getting scared. Movies that are based on monsters or creatures from outer space (think Killer Tomatoes) don't have an effect on me because I always keep in mind that none of that could ever happen in real life- but when a horror movie can keep you wrapped in the storyline and make you actually believe that what's on the screen is real, then the movie is a success.

The following is a list of the movies that scare me at the moment. As a side note, these movies scare me and may not scare you, so don't laugh or ridicule me.

1. The Shining

The first movie on the list is The Shining. In short: a family rents a hotel, the hotel is haunted, the husband goes crazy, husband tries to kill family and then... this is the part where you would rent the movie. The reasoning for its terrifying effect on me is because there is a part where the son is riding his tricycle down the halls of the hotel and encounters a pair of twin girls. They begin to chant "REDRUM," which, when spelled backwards, is murder.

2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is definitely not a fun movie to watch alone. Maybe the fact that it's based loosely on a true story might have something to do with it. Knowing that somewhere in the world there's a family that runs everything in a small town and has a relative that wears the skin of humans isn't easy to cope with.

3. Requiem for a Dream

Even though this movie might not constitute as a horror movie for some, Requiem for a Dream is by far one of the scariest I've ever seen. Requiem gives you an insight into the downfalls of addiction to drugs ranging from heroin to speed. The best part of this movie is that there is no happy ending. Requiem shows you the real consequences of taking drugs and gives you the worst-case scenario.

4. Child's Play

When I was a little kid, I had a My Buddy doll that was my best friend. Our friendship ended quickly after I saw Child's Play. I think it was a horrible idea for someone to make a movie based on Chucky, a children's doll that is full of evil and kills people. This proves to be a traumatizing experience for children who witness this movie.

5. The Ring

The Ring takes the cake as one of the scariest movies on this list. The idea of watching a makeshift video that places upon the viewer a life expectancy of seven days doesn't help me sleep at night. The most horrific part of the movie is the still scene of the well on the television set, followed by pale white fingertips grasping over the edge and a decrypted body leaping up and coming through the TV.

These are the five movies that make me cringe every time I see them. Granted some of them might not have the same effect on you, but something about these movies invokes some of my most hidden fears. Fear of addiction, isolation and the paranormal are things that can come in reality and can happen at any moment.