It’s that time of year again where thrills and chills invade your body and supernatural beings come out to play. It’s the perfect atmosphere to watch horror movies- more specifically, Asian horror movies. I’ve compiled a top 5 list of Asian horror films that are perfect for any Halloween movie night.

Note: The list isn’t in any particular order. I enjoyed watching all of the following films.

Shutter (Thailand)
Shutter was a surprisingly good horror film that had my heart beating fast. It’s about a couple who accidently hit a woman with their car but instead of helping her, they run away. Now when the boyfriend takes pictures (he’s a photographer), they contain weird shadows and shapes that are unexplainable and strange events start to occur around the couple. What made this movie scary for me was the use of photographs to see the ghost. There are tons of claims in the real world where photographs are taken and an unexplained shadow or figure appears. So when this “real life” experience is incorporated into a film, it makes the horror seem more real. Especially to someone who believes in the existence of ghosts and watches shows such as Ghost Hunters or Destination Truth every week. Overall it’s a good scare and the surprising twist in the end makes the movie worthwhile to watch.

A Tale of Two Sisters (South Korea)
Let me just start out by saying that everything about this movie is beautiful. The music, cinematography, acting - it is all a work of art. Even the poster is hauntingly stunning. The story sounds like a typical horror flick - family moves in a new home; the home is haunted; evil stepmother; Sadako-like ghost. But really my lame excuse of a quick summary doesn’t do the movie any justice (can it even be considered a summary?). The movie does have a few freaky scenes that make you jump but they’re not terrifying enough to keep you up at night. I put this movie on this list, not because of its scare factor but rather for the phychological effect it can have on the audience. By the end of the movie you’ll most likely be confused and have a WTF moment. You might need to watch the movie a second time to fully understand what just happened in the end or you can do it the easy way and look it up on the internet. Whatever works for you.

Reincarnation (Japan)
To be honest, I didn’t think Reincarnation would be a good movie. I saw the trailer and wasn’t impressed. I read some reviews that weren’t too pleasing. I just avoided watching this movie. But my friend somehow convinced me to watch it and boy, was I wrong about the movie! The story revolves around an actress who is hired to be in a movie based on some grisly murders that took place some years ago, and now she’s being followed by the dead victims of the massacre. Maybe it’s because I had some doubts of the movie but it totally freaked me out. Especially the parts when it showed this horrendous doll. I honestly couldn’t sleep afterwards nor could I open my eyes. I was afraid I might see the doll if I did open them (paranoia much?). I just hate dolls. They freak me out. With the freakiness aside, the story itself is generic but it did have a unique twist in the end that makes you scream in your head “NO WAY!”

Alone (Thailand)
This film was recommended by my friend and I must thank her for creeping me out. The story revolves around Pim, who once had a conjoined twin who sadly died when they underwent surgery to be separated. But when she goes to visit her ill mom with her husband, the presence of her dead sister lingers. What kept me watching the movie the most was the storyline and the creepy atmosphere. There was one scene in particular that just scared the shiz out of me and I almost had a heart attack because it was unexpected. I’m not going to tell you guys which scene it is because that would spoil all the fun of watching a horror movie if you’re told all the creepy scenes. Like every other Asian horror flick, this movie has a plot twist in the end that just screws with your head. Wonder where the writers come up with these ideas…

Ju-on (Japan)
Who hasn’t heard of Ju-on - the famous Japanese movie that spawned the hit Grudge movies in America? I don’t know if the Grudge is a scary movie (never seen it) but Ju-on just kept bringing the chills throughout the film. The dark, eerie setting helps to induce fear in the audience before the ghosts actually show up. The story involves a curse that follows people who either enter the house or has contact with a person who did. Sounds simple enough but the way the filmmakers execute the story was over-the-top creepy. I was on edge the whole movie, trying to prepare myself for all the ’surprises’ the movie had in store for its audience but that didn’t help at all. I still jumped at every little shadow or noise. I think Ju-on has the best (that is, the scariest) Sadako-like ghost of all the Asian horror movies. Maybe it’s the combination of the bloody look and the eerie noise she makes. The story is a bit confusing and is all over the place. But who cares? If it can deliver the thrills, it fulfills its purpose as a horror film.

Hope you guys enjoyed my picks and hopefully you’ll get scared (or at least creeped out) by them. Enjoy!