When people think about sharing scary stories and trying to scare each other, whether as kids whispering at sleepovers or as young adults chatting during late nights, a ghost story is always a classic tale. It's no wonder that ghost stories are such a popular horror subgenre. Unfortunately, watching too many films about haunted houses can get old and fast, as fans wonder if it's possible to tell more inventive and creative tales.
These horror movies are all about ghosts but take on the topic in a more interesting way, and these movies also have something smart to say about family, marriage, and/or friendship.
The Others (2001)
A fresh and unique movie about ghosts is always welcome since the subgenre can feel very played out. The 2001 horror movie The Others is one of the most unique horror films of the last few decades as in this story, the main characters turn out to be the ghosts.
While there are signs pointing to Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman) and her son Nicholas (James Bentley) and daughter Anne (Alakina Mann) being spirits, since the kids are sensitive to light, this is still a horror movie plot twist that people still feel incredulous about. It's amazing and impressive to watch Grace learn that while she feels that there is a supernatural presence in her house and calls it "the others," she and her family are "the others" who are ghosts.
What Lies Beneath (2000)
While Harrison Ford's classic movie characters are famous, he starred in the 2000 horror film What Lies Beneath as a harsh man whose marriage falls apart and reveals the supernatural force that has been in their house all along.
Ford plays Norman Spencer, a brilliant scientific researcher whose wife Claire (Michelle Pfeiffer) thinks that something is wrong. While everyone calls Claire nuts, a typical horror and thriller trope, it turns out that Norman murdered his previous wife Madison (Amber Valletta) and her spirit is here, trying to tell Claire what's going on. While the movie might feel a little flat, dated, and not quite as impressive today, it felt unique and groundbreaking at the time.
Things Heard & Seen (2021)
Both a ghost story and a modern domestic drama, Things Heard & Seen was released on Netflix in 2021 and stars Amanda Seyfried and James Norton as married couple Catherine and George Claire. As Catherine recovers from an eating disorder, she and George move to the countryside so he can work as a college prof, and Catherine is certain that there are spirits in their beautiful, old-fashioned house.
Things Heard And Seen is a feminist horror movie as Catherine wants to leave her abusive husband George who cheated on her with a young girl (Natalia Dyer from Stranger Things). Catherine is sick and tired of living the boring, quiet, country life that her husband wants as she's a talented, free spirit who wants to live life on her own terms. When George murders Catherine, the movie's religious and spiritual themes come full circle as audiences learn that he will go to hell. It's thrilling to see a horror film talk about ghosts, marriage, motherhood, and happiness. It's what Tara in Scream (2022) would call "elevated horror."
Unfriended (2014)
2014's Unfriended is not only an impressive, unique horror movie but it's also a great story about a ghost who targets teenage friends who are talking online. Blaire Lily (Shelley Hennig) used to be best friends with Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman), and after some horrible bullying, Laura died. The spirit of Laura wants Blair and her friends to play Never Have I Ever and stay in the chat as Laura's ghost gives them chances to survive or be killed.
The concept of a ghost showing up in a group chat on a computer screen is interesting, and the movie does a really good job keeping audiences invested and not sure what will happen next. Blaire is the one who can tell that something is up, even if her boyfriend Mitch Roussel (Moses Storm) thinks that she's being too nervous and paranoid.
Oculus (2013)
Mike Flanagan's TV series Midnight Mass is fantastic and the list of his amazing projects is definitely long. Flanagan's 2013 horror movie Oculus is also a new, different take on a ghost story and focuses on two siblings who have been dealing with the death of their parents since they were young kids.
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Siblings Kaylie (Karen Gillan) and Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites) go back home to their childhood home where horrible things took place. Tim was put in a hospital for murdering their parents, but it was actually a totally evil and dangerous mirror that did that. The mirror has a ghost attached who often comes out, and it's truly scary to watch. The movie comes full circle when Tim accidentally kills Kaylie and her ghost hangs out along with their mom and dad's spirits at the house, as Tim goes to jail and has to live with this horror.