Psychological Horror backdrop

Psychological Horror movies

Mind-driven fear: paranoia, hallucinations, breakdown, and unreliable perception where the threat may be internal or unclear.

Longlegs

1. Longlegs

Crime Horror Thriller Serial Killer Crime Psychological Horror
6.6
20241h 41min

Overview

FBI Agent Lee Harker is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer. As the case takes complex turns, unearthing evidence of the occult, Harker discovers a personal connection to the merciless killer and must race against time to stop him before he claims the lives of another innocent family.

Themes

Memory and trauma, Investigation pressure, Occult manipulation, Familial violence, Haunted objects, Coded messages

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Hulu
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

I Saw the TV Glow

2. I Saw the TV Glow

Drama Horror Coming-of-Age Drama Psychological Horror
5.8
20241h 40min

Overview

Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate Maddy introduces him to a mysterious TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

Themes

"movie: i saw the tv glow. genres: drama, Horror, Drama, Horror main themes: high school, Friendship, Loss of sense of reality, High school, Friendship, Loss of sense of reality full keywords list: high school, Friendship, Loss of sense of reality, Sexuality, Identity, Obsession, Surrealism, Asthma, Sleepover, Nostalgia, Buried alive, Suburbia, Coming of age, Loneliness, Arcade, Vhs, Tv show in film, Guilt, Lgbt, Lgbt teen, Nostalgic, Planetarium, Running away, Gender dysphoria, Existentialism, Hopeless, 1990s, Repression, Escapism, Subconscious, 2000s, 2010s, Gay theme, Queer horror, Movie theater, Bar, Independent film, Body horror, Intimate, Teenager, Liminal space, Nonbinary director, Hopeful. concept analysis: the film explores the themes of escapism and the impact of unresolved grief on identity. it delves into the blurred lines between reality and fiction, Questioning the nature of existence and the lengths one might go to escape their pain."

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
HBO Max
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Overview

A group of criminals kidnap a teenage ballet dancer, the daughter of a notorious gang leader, in order to obtain a ransom of $50 million, but over time, they discover that she is not just an ordinary girl. After the kidnappers begin to diminish, one by one, they discover, to their increasing horror, that they are locked inside with no normal little girl.

Themes

Betrayal and manipulation, Survival under siege, Power and coercion, Unreliable guardianship, Supernatural threat, Extortion and captivity

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Peacock Premium
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Stopmotion

4. Stopmotion

Horror Animation Psychological Horror Stop-Motion Animation
5.6
20241h 34min

Overview

Ella Blake, a stop-motion animator struggling to control her demons after the loss of her overbearing mother, embarks upon the creation of a film that becomes the battleground for her sanity. As Ella’s mind starts to fracture, the characters in her project take on a life of their own.

Themes

"movie: stopmotion. genres: horror, Animation, Horror, Animation main themes: stop motion, Adult animation, Live action and animation, Stop motion, Adult animation, Live action and animation full keywords list: stop motion, Adult animation, Live action and animation. concept analysis: the film explores the destructive nature of artistic obsession and the psychological toll of familial expectations. it delves into themes of identity, Trauma, And the fine line between creation and madness."

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Hulu
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Sister Death

5. Sister Death

Drama Horror Historical Drama Psychological Horror
5.7
20231h 31min

Overview

Spain, 1949. Narcisa, a novice, arrives at an old convent, converted into a girls' school, to work as a teacher.

Themes

Hauntings as memory, Wartime sexual violence, Female education under constraint, Concealment within convent, Religious authority and fear, Memory of war in education

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Cobweb

6. Cobweb

Horror Psychological Horror
5.9
20231h 28min

Overview

Eight year old Peter is plagued by a mysterious, constant tapping from inside his bedroom wall—one that his parents insist is all in his imagination. As Peter's fear intensifies, he believes that his parents could be hiding a terrible, dangerous secret and questions their trustworthiness.

Themes

"movie: cobweb. genres: horror, Horror main themes: nightmare, Halloween, Dysfunctional family, Nightmare, Halloween, Dysfunctional family full keywords list: nightmare, Halloween, Dysfunctional family, Pumpkin, Basement, Devil, Demon, Schoolteacher, Child protagonist. concept analysis: the film explores the themes of familial betrayal and the psychological impact of neglect, Illustrating how fear and isolation can distort reality. it serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of hidden truths and the lengths one might go to escape a toxic environment."

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Influencer

7. Influencer

Horror Thriller Psychological Horror Survival Thriller
6.2
20231h 32min

Overview

While struggling on a solo backpacking trip in Thailand, social media influencer Madison meets CW, who travels with ease and shows her a more uninhibited way of living. But CW's interest in her takes a darker turn.

Themes

Trust under pressure, Betrayal and manipulation, Social media deception, Identity theft risk, False identity exposure, Online reputation risk

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Nefarious

8. Nefarious

Horror Drama Psychological Horror Psychological Drama
6.4
20231h 38min

Overview

On the day of his scheduled execution, a convicted serial killer gets a psychiatric evaluation during which he claims he is a demon, and further claims that before their time is over, the psychiatrist will commit three murders of his own.

Themes

Religion vs atheism, Possession and manipulation, Sanity under evaluation, Ethics of execution, Dissociative identity tension

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Clock

9. Clock

Horror Thriller Psychological Horror Mind Game Thriller
5.0
20231h 32min

Overview

On the eve of her 38th birthday, a woman desperately attempts to fix her broken biological clock.

Themes

Surveillance and control, Trust and deception, Body autonomy, Medical authority, Biomedical ethics, Pressure of motherhood

Available on

Hulu
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Infinity Pool

10. Infinity Pool

Horror Science Fiction Psychological Horror Dystopian Sci-Fi
6.0
20231h 58min

Overview

While staying at an isolated island resort, James and Em are enjoying a perfect vacation of pristine beaches, exceptional staff, and soaking up the sun. But guided by the seductive and mysterious Gabi, they venture outside the resort grounds and find themselves in a culture filled with violence, hedonism, and untold horror. A tragic accident leaves them facing a zero tolerance policy for crime: either you'll be executed, or, if you’re rich enough to afford it, you can watch yourself die instead.

Themes

Class inequality, Deception and coercion, Commodified punishment, Spectacle of violence, Duplication and identity, Hedonism and danger

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.