This one is a classic for a reason and probably made a whole lot of people second-guess themselves every time they went for a swim when the movie first came out.  Unlike many monster movies involving fictional creatures, the main threat of Jaws is a very real great white shark terrorizing the secluded town of Amity Island. That makes the threat all the more real as a group including the police chief, a fish scientist, and a hardened ship captain set out to try and capture the killer beast and make it back in one piece.

Honorable Mentions: It Follows (2015), The Thing (1982)

Yes, yes we know zombies are technically monsters. But since there are so many good zombie movies out there, we think they deserve their own category in our list. Train to Busan may not be an ordinary zombie movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a fantastic film worth watching. This Korean movie follows the protagonist and his daughter as they board a train that’s about to become overrun with the undead. Through the film, we see the character develop to become the brave father he always wanted to be for his daughter, all while fighting off hordes of zombies on a moving train.

Talk about subverting expectations! This movie starts as a cliché setup for a typical horror movie involving a group of unsuspecting teens heading up to a remote cabin for some weekend fun – or so they think. However, the movie plot quickly turns into something completely different and self-aware to its own tropes. After realizing their role in a much greater conspiracy, the characters stop becoming helpless pawns and start taking back control. This is a refreshing one for fans of classic 80s slasher flicks.This would also be a great movie to watch while on a cabin getaway for extra thrills.

Honorable Mentions: Cabin Fever (2002), Tucker and Dale VS Evil (2010)

This thriller follows a young boy as he comes to terms with his ability to see ghosts. Following the perspective of Bruce Willis’s character, a child psychologist, we get a peek into the disturbing visions that plague the boy’s gifted mind. This is widely regarded as M. Knight Shamylan’s best movie and contains one of his best signature twist endings. Whatever you do – don’t look this movie up before you watch. Otherwise it spoils the whole experience!

Honorable Mentions:The Conjuring (2013), Ghostbusters (1989)

A dramatic thriller where a FBI agent tracks down an elusive serial killer with the help of an imprisoned genius psychologist who happens to be a cannibal? There’s a premise for an interesting scary movie if we’ve ever heard one. Jodie Foster gives a career-defining performance here, alongside Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal who turns the creepy factor all the way up to 11. We wouldn’t recommend watching this one on a full stomach!

Honorable Mentions: Psycho (1960), Scream (1996), Halloween (1980)

Even though The Shining might fit well into the Cabin Horror Movie category, we thought that Stephen King adaptations should get their own category here. Stanley Kubrick’s take on the King classic isn’t just a great scary movie, it’s a great movie period. Though it often differs from the book it’s based on, The Shining centers around the eerie yet luxurious Overlook Hotel and the Torrance family’s descent into madness as they are snowed in during the harsh winter. Jack and Wendy Torrance quickly turn on each other, leaving their son Danny to fend for himself with his special powers.

Honorable Mentions: Misery (1990), It (2017)

This is one we remembered from our childhoods that still sticks with us every time we see an old house. The animated movie centers around a group of kids trying to figure out what is possessing the demonic house across the street as stranger and stranger things start to happen in the neighborhood. This movie is seriously funny and still holds up years later. We’d definitely recommend for a more lighthearted, yet spooky time!

Honorable Mentions:The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Coraline (2009), Frankenweenie (2012),