5 Chilling Films to Watch This Winter!
The winter season is in full swing, and one of the best things we can do when we are snowed in is to curl up and watch a movie! The genre we love is known for taking everyday situations and turning them on their ears, but what about the seasons? I for one don’t want to be freezing out in the cold, and that got me thinking about some incredible winter horror films!
1) The Thing (1982)
Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Masur, David Clennon, Donald Moffat, T.K. Carter, and Richard A. Dysart
Directed by: John Carpenter
When a group of researchers discover that a shapeshifting parasitic alien is residing amongst them, tensions are raised along with the body count! Featuring highly praised special effects that stand up to the best of what this day and age has to offer, director John Carpenter brings to life a phenomenal script written by Bill Lancaster. You have probably already seen this film countless times, but if you haven’t, fix that ASAP! I promise you will enjoy it!
2) Frozen (2010)
Starring: Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, and Kevin Zegers
Directed By: Adam Green
Writer/director Adam Green has brought us quite a few films already that can be and should be considered modern day classics, and this one is up there with the best of them! Frozen follows three friends as they go to a ski resort for the afternoon. The trio decide that they want to take one last trip down the mountain, but unfortunately the ski lift attendants forget about them when closing down the resort for the weekend. Trapped on their ski lift, our heroes must face extreme weather, hunger, and many other dangers that make Frozen a tense and thrilling ride from beginning to end!
3) The Shining (1980)
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd
Directed By: Stanley Kubrick
This Stanley Kubrick classic is definitely a film to watch during the winter! Based on the novel of the same name by legendary horror author Stephen King, The Shining is considered one of the genre’s best and that’s not far from the truth. The setting is very claustrophobic and takes you on a downward spiral that you may not want to slide down. In it we follow Jack Torrence – portrayed brilliantly by Nicholson – as he takes the only job that he can get as the weekend caretaker of the Overlook Hotel. The job isn’t a difficult one; however, the hotel is located high up in the mountains and shuts down during the winter. As the season continues, the Torrence family is stuck at the hotel with no access to outside help as many things begin to go bump in the night, causing Jack to slowly lose his mind. The scares are as chilling as the weather itself!
https://youtu.be/1G7Ju035-8U
4) Let the Right One In (2008)
Starring: Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Ika Nord, and Peter Carlberg
Directed By: Tomas Alfredson
Let the Right One In gives us one of the best vampire stories that has ever been committed to film! In the suburb of Blackeberg, a bullied 12-year-old boy develops a relationship with a child vampire. With a winter backdrop that serves as a stark contrast to the gallons of red blood shed throughout, this should be on anyone’s must see list! An American remake titled Let Me In was released back in 2010, and both films are enjoyable in their own right, but if you could only watch one – go with the original!
5) Cold Prey (2006)
Starring: Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Rolf Kristian Larsen, Viktoria Winge, Endre Martin Midstigen, and Tomas Alf Larsen
Directed By: Roar Uthaug
The Norwegian slasher film Cold Prey making this list shouldn’t be a surprise at all. It follows a group of friends on vacation in Jotunheimen to go snowboarding; after one of the group breaks a leg, they are forced to find shelter in an old abandoned hotel, where they discover that they may not be as alone as they originally thought. Hailed as one of the best Norwegian horror films ever made, this should scratch the wintery itchy of slasher fans universally!
