There is an element of horror that is fundamentally "mysterious." The genre constantly asks us to try to understand and interpret otherworldly terrors and bizarre happenings, whether it be a family being haunted by a malicious spirit, as in Sinister, or being chased down by a seemingly invincible man, like Jason Vorhees. Yet, there are horror films that lean heavily into mystery to the point where the two genres become almost indistinguishable.
Finding movies that perfectly pair the two genres can be hard to track down, as many on this list are often underappreciated. These ten films immaculately invite viewers into a horrific guessing game, often leading to a shocking climax that will resonate long afterward.
10 'Sun Choke' (2015) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Sun Choke TV-MA Drama Horror Mystery Thriller Release Date October 1, 2015 Runtime 89 minutes Director Ben Cresciman Producers Georg Kallert, Wandie Kabule, Peter J. Nieves Cast See All Barbara Crampton Irma Sarah Hagan Janie Sara Malakul Lane Savannah Evan Jones Booker
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A young woman, Janie (Sarah Hagan), lives under a strict at-home regime after having suffered a nervous breakdown. Ananny, Irma (Barbara Crampton), overlooks her "treatment," and the two develop a complex relationship. As Janie begins to find a modicum of freedom under the watchful eye of Irma, she becomes obsessed with another woman, who she then begins to stalk. As Janie begins to contort her emotions with a dependence on Savannah, she becomes increasingly violent towards herself and those around her.
A Slow Descent Into Madness
Sun Choke marks one of Barbara Cramptons' best performances, equally matched by Sarah Hagan; the two playing off each other makes for a profoundly intense viewing experience. Ben Crusciman's film also thrives in ambiguity, blending elements of horror, drama, psychology, and mystery to create a disorienting tale of a woman navigating severe mental health struggles. Coupled with an abstract narrative and visual style, Sun Choke will keep viewers guessing about the reality of Janie's slow descent up to the closing moments.
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Posts 1 9 'Oddity' (2024) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Oddity R Horror Thriller 4 /5 Release Date July 19, 2024 Runtime 98 Minutes Director Damien Mc Carthy Writers Damian Mc Carthy Cast See All Gwilym Lee Carolyn Bracken
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Opening with the murder of the wife of an affluent doctor who heads an insane asylum-during an undisclosed era wherein the term is apt-Oddity then cuts to the following anniversary of the woman's death. Her twin sister, a blind procurer of supernatural items, invites herself into the home of her deceased sister to try to make peace with the past. Bringing a distorted large sculpture with her, she begins to unravel the truth about what happened to her sister under the uncomfortable eye of her widowed husband and his new partner.
Solving a Murder Using the Supernatural
Director Damien Mc Carrthy may emerge as one of the greatest horror directors of the 21st century; Oddity is the perfect follow-up to his other masterful mystery-horror film, Caveat. Damien Mc Carthy creates folklore from traditional Irish themes and modern supernatural tropes. The blend ensures that his features keep their outcome hidden until the very end. Combine this with a masterfully executed slow burn backed by pristine atmospheric dread, and no one else is crafting horror mysteries like Mc Carthy.
8 'Toad Road' (2013) Toad Road Drama Horror Thriller Release Date October 25, 2013 Runtime 76 minutes Director Jason Banker Producers Elijah Wood, Adrian Salpeter Cast Sara Anne Jones Sara James Davidson James Jim Driscoll Detective Whitleigh Higuera Whitleigh
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James idles away his college years on a cocktail of drugs and booze while jumping from party to party; it is during this period that he meets Sara, who has similar proclivities. Together, the two decide one day to try a new "trip" to the Toad Road, rumored to be a portal to the seven gates of hell. Yet when James returns without Sara, he begins to spiral out of control of having lost a partner and those around him, pinning her disappearance on him.
To Hell and Back
Indie horror at its best, Toad Road offers a slow decline into madness, a complete breakdown of self under guilt and substance abuse. The movie also blurs the lines of reality, leaving the audience guessing about Sara's whereabouts and questioning the living hell James finds himself in if he was the actual one who went down Town Road never to return. An abstract, minimalistic horror flick, Toad Road holds niche appeal, but those willing to flow with its vibes will find themselves trapped in the same Hypnagogic state where the protagonist finds himself.
7 'Resolution' (2012) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Resolution Not Rated Horror Thriller Mystery Release Date April 22, 2012 Runtime 93 minutes Director Aaron Moorhead Producers Hal Wolverton, Alicia Johnson Cast See All Peter Cilella Michael Danube Vinny Curran Chris Daniels Zahn McClarnon Charles Bill Oberst Jr. Byron
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To help his friend Chris (Vinny Curran) overcome his substance abuse issues, Michael (Peter Cilella) brings him to a remote cabin in an indigenous reserve to help him detox. As the two spend time there, they are confronted with Chris's past mistakes as gangs come to collect drugs owed and bizarre instances happening around the reserve. The movie is closely linked to 2017's The Endless, which offers an expansion of themes introduced by director Aaron Moorhead in Resolution.
A Friend In Need
Resolution does a phenomenal job of slowly introducing otherworldly elements into a tale of friendship and struggling with past traumas through substance abuse. There is an immediate desire to see Chris overcome his issues, and Micheal presents himself as a legitimately kind and loving human being. This empathetic approach makes the various abstract and mysterious happenings around the pair engaging from start to finish. This is one case of the less you know, the better before going in.
6 'Noroi: The Curse' (2005) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Noroi: The Curse Horror Mystery Thriller Release Date August 20, 2005 Runtime 115 minutes Director Kôji Shiraishi Writers Kôji Shiraishi, Naoyuki Yokota Cast See All Jin Muraki Marika Matsumoto Satoru Jitsunashi Rio Kanno
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Koji Shiraishi is either a name of little value to the horror fan or the definition of obsessive championing of a creative working in the genre. Shiraishi has been crafting countless found-footage horror films that make up the best the genre has to offer, with Noroi: The Curse (2005) being the introductory period for most. The story here is straightforward: a TV investigator looks into a case of bizarre events taking place. With the film, the finer details count.
An Investigation into the Darkest Corners of Japan
Shiraishi thrives on bridging the gap between Japanese urban legends and folklore and making it palatable to an unfamiliar audience by crafting a slow-burning mystery that explains while it terrifies; he has made found footage horror movies for the likes of Slit Mouth Woman and Toilet Ghost. Still, Noroi: The Curse has become among his most revered works because it has one of the most memorable conclusions in all his filmography. To get there, you have to go through plenty of fake interviews of low quality, but it is worth the trip to unravel the horrific climax Shirashi slowly builds toward.
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Posts 5 'The Damned' (2025) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 The Damned Drama Horror Mystery Release Date January 3, 2025 Runtime 89 Minutes Director Thordur Palsson Writers Jamie Hannigan, Thordur Palsson Cast Rory McCann Joe Cole Francis Magee Siobhan Finneran
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Set in 19th-century Iceland, The Damned follows a widow, Eva (Odessa Young), who manages a remote fishing outpost facing challenging times with potential starvation due to lack of success on the sea. When she and her team see a ship stranded in the distance, they try to pillage any resources. However, a violent confrontation brings a potential curse onto Eva and the men at her outpost, which causes them to act bizarrely.
A Madness-Inducing Curse
A beautifully shot folk horror film, The Damned immerses the viewer in the unforgiving cold landscape of Iceland. What starts as a straightforward tale of a haunting, begins to unravel slightly as holding a more considerable significance tied to Eva's past. The pacing here is perfect, loaded with scares to keep the terror going, and the conclusion will catch viewers off guard.
4 'The Empty Man' (2020) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 The Empty Man R Horror Drama Mystery Release Date October 23, 2020 Runtime 137 Minutes Director David Prior Writers David Prior, Cullen Bunn Cast See All James Badge Dale Marin Ireland Sasha Frolova Samantha Logan
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Split into two timelines, The Empty Man first introduces viewers to the idea of an ancient evil entity hidden in the mountains of Bhutan, discovered by mountain explorers who stumble upon the being. The film then cuts decades later to Missouri, where former detective James Lasombra is managing his grief over the death of his wife and son in a car accident by helping a widowed neighbor with her child. Yet, when the kid goes missing, James finds himself immersed in a personal investigation with ties to the entity that, decades previously, terrorized a small group of mountaineers.
Cults, Ancient Evil, and One Man's Quest for the Truth
The Empty Man is one of the most divisive horror films of 2020. Its story spans many decades and mashes up genre elements in a way that sees the movie undergo tonal shifts rather than deliver a singular one. However, those who vibe with this approach will find the shifts only deepen the mystery as James navigates cults and conspiracy theories to reach the film's shocking conclusion. For fans of strictly horror-mystery films, it should please in abundance despite its cumbersome runtime of over two hours -- hefty for a horror production.
3 'Triangle' (2009) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Triangle R Mystery Horror Thriller Release Date October 16, 2009 Runtime 99 Minutes Director Christopher Smith Writers Christopher Smith Cast See All Melissa George Michael Dorman Rachael Carpani Henry Nixon
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A group of friends find themselves stranded on an abandoned cruise ship after their yacht capsizes in the Ocean. Among them is Jess, a single mother who struggles with her mental health and the raising of a special-needs child. On the cruise ship, it is slowly revealed to Jess that she and her friends are caught in a time loop with a killer on the loose. Jess then begins to try to upset the loop to save herself and her friends.
Time-Looped Terror
2009's Triangle is one of horror's biggest hidden gems. The feature has developed a cult following for its unique approach to time-bending horror and the slasher genre. As a mystery, the movie perfectly keeps viewers guessing about the nature of the phenomenon and how, if at all, Jess' actions are pushing towards fixing the infinite loop of death. For horror fans, there is also some ghastly imagery, including one victim making their way to a corner of the ship when injured, only to find piles of corpses of themselves.
2 'Signal Broadcast Intrusion' (2021) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Broadcast Signal Intrusion Thriller Mystery Horror Crime Drama Release Date October 22, 2021 Runtime 104 minutes Director Jacob Gentry Writers Phil Drinkwater Producers Greg Newman, Malik B. Ali, Harry Shum Jr., Badie Ali, Brett Hays, Hamza Ali, Nicola Goelzhaeuser Cast See All Harry Shum Jr. James Kelley Mack Alice Chris Sullivan Phreaker Michael B. Woods MacAlister
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Still struggling with his wife's disappearance, James continues his repetitious job of archiving old video broadcasts. However, when he comes across an infamous incident where someone took over the airwaves to broadcast their video -- known as a Broadcast Signal intrusion -- he becomes obsessed with discovering the truth behind the event. As he begins to dig, he gets resistance from various sources, but his belief that it is tied to his wife's disappearance pushes him forward.
Drawing Influence From Real-Life Mysteries
Broadcast Signal Intrusion takes the infamous "Max Headroom Incident" and mashes it up against the disconcerting "I Feel Fantastic" YouTube video, an early internet mystery. For those interested in bizarre cultural moments like those that influenced it, Broadcast Signal Intrusion instantly transports them back to those eras in visuals, tone, and themes. The movie is lighter on horror than the others on this list and is predominantly a mystery. Still, the nightmarish image of the white-masked killer James Investigates certainly brings uncomfortable dread.
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Posts 1 'Censor' (2021) Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Censor Not Yet Rated Horror Mystery Release Date June 11, 2021 Runtime 84 Minutes Director Prano Bailey-Bond Writers Prano Bailey-Bond, Anthony Fletcher Cast See All Niamh Algar Nicholas Burns Vincent Franklin Sophia La Porta
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Taking place during the "video nasties" era of horror censorship in the UK, Censor follows Enid, whose job it is to watch movies and determine if they can be released. However, Enid begins an investigation when she stumbles upon a film with an actor she believes to be her long-lost sister. Dealing with mental health all her life, the lines between reality and fiction start to blur for Enid.
Director Prano Bailey-Bond delivered a love letter to one of the most absurd periods of censorship, which only acted to make certain horror films become cherished classics. It is an oddly nostalgic era, even for those who did not live through it, as it exemplified the vilification of the genre many fans have felt at one point or another. Still, this only acts as a backdrop to the deeply engaging story of Enid's struggle to find her sister, which will keep viewers guessing. The movie has a strong visual flair and moments of extreme violence that make it well-rounded and arguably the best on this list.