9 Of The Spookiest Horror Films On Netflix Canada

The VVitch

(2015) The gist: A puritan family in 1600s New England finds their faith tested when they are terrorized by black-magic forces originating in the woods beside their settlement. Why we love it: If your preferred horror trope is terrifying religious overtones — or star-making performances by goats — scroll no further. Quartz called it “the best horror film of the decade.” Spooky rating: 9/10

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

(2005) The gist: Loosely based on the life of Anneliese Michel, this supernatural thriller tracks an agnostic lawyer’s quest to exonerate a priest of homicide following an exorcism. Why we love it: Laura Linney! Eerie flashbacks add plenty of suspense to the already suspenseful pace, as do the extreme possession contortions, filmed without CGI effects (!), by the actor Jennifer Carpenter. Spooky rating: 8/10

Veronica

(2017) The gist: Veronica, recently orphaned and in charge of her younger siblings, invokes her dead father’s spirit during a solar eclipse with the help of a homemade ouija board and two friends. It doesn’t end well. Why we love it: When it was released on Netflix in March, the flick was so terrifying that it led scores of viewers to live-tweet their reactions — right after they turned it off. If you forge past the beginning credits, there’s also a blind, chain-smoking nun. Spooky rating: 10/10

Young Frankenstein

(1974) The gist: Gene Wilder stars as Mary Shelley’s titular mad scientist. Peter Boyle supports as his monstrous creation. Why we love it: Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle and Mel Brooks in the director’s chair. Hilarity, naturally, ensues. Spooky rating: 3/10

Before I Wake

(2016) The gist: Foster parents Jessie and Mark welcome eight-year-old Cody only to find out that his nightmares become real. Why we love it: Creepy kid plus subconscious spookery equals a tight combination of horror and fantasy that results in a scare-fest — without the cliched startles — that thinking women will appreciate. New moms? Maybe not. Spooky rating: 6/10

Crimson Peak

(2015) The gist: Billed as a “gothic romance” that takes not-so-subtle cues from Cruel Intentions, the movie follows an aspiring author who travels to an isolated mansion (first mistake) in the English moors only to find it, you guessed it, haunted as hell. Why we love it: The cast. Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain’s performances are wrapped in a ghost-filled Guillermo del Toro-approved package. Spooky rating: 7/10

The Conjuring 2

(2016) The gist: Back for the sequel, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson play Lorraine and Ed Warren, British paranormal experts sent to help a single mother cope with some majorly intrusive spiritual interference. Why we love it: A peppering of violence will nauseate some viewers, but history buffs will appreciate the franchise’s real-life roots: Farming and Wilson’s characters are the founders of the IRL New England Society for Psychic Research, the oldest ghost hunting group in New England. Spooky rating: 8/10

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House

(2016) The gist: Lily, a young nurse, is hired as a caretaker for Helen Bloom, a best-selling author of ghost stories. Her house is, appropriately, haunted. Why we love it: Ruth Wilson delivers unparalleled creepiness in this artistic meditation on the annals of death. Spooky rating: 6/10

What We Do in the Shadows

(2014) The gist: This horror “mockumentary” follows a group of Kiwi vampires as they navigate the complexities of cohabitating while undead. Why we love it: The comedic combination of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi means a laugh a minute, rather than a slash a minute. Spooky rating: 4/10