13 best found horror films

The genre of found footage horror films is still relatively new compared to creature features or slashers that have graced our screens for as long as we can remember. However, being a relatively new genre means there are plenty of exciting and innovative entries, so here are the best.

As above so below

Where to stream: Netflix

It’s hard not to fall into the same basic formula when it comes to found footage horror films. There are times when you feel like once you’ve seen one found footage horror film, you’ve seen them all. Sometimes, As above so below may seem generic, especially regarding its main character. However, for every unoriginal trope in the film, many imaginative sequences make the most of its filmmaking style. Serving as a unique interpretation of Dante’s Inferno, As above so below is a must-see for some intense found footage scares.

The Blair Witch Project

Where to stream: Pavão

This classic found footage horror film is often considered the one that started it all (although that’s not necessarily the case; more on that later). The Blair Witch Project presents an unprecedented level of guerrilla cinema and storytelling that puts its actors in a difficult situation. Telling the story of three college students in search of a myth who end up falling down a rabbit hole of uncertainty and ambiguity when they get lost in the woods. The film is the perfect example of how invisible horror can be scarier than anything explicitly shown and whose style is replicated to this day.

Paranormal Activity

Where to stream: Max.

Another milestone in the genre is the first Paranormal Activity film, whose creativity and structure would lead to a myriad of spinoffs and sequels that would never recapture the magic of this first film. With an inspired marketing campaign and scares that felt a little real despite its paranormal setting, this found footage film would be a resounding box office success and feature a disturbing ending that’s one of the scariest on this entire list.

Late at night with the devil

Where to stream: Hulu

Late at night with the devil is the newest found footage film on this list, focusing on late-night talk show host Jack Delroy. With his talk show Night Owls struggling to maintain ratings, Delroy tries to give it one last shot at relevance with a special Halloween-themed episode featuring the paranormal, with the films serving as found footage of the live taping before it went horribly wrong. With an impeccable performance by David Dastmalchian and genuinely frightening moments thanks to its lost media aesthetic, Late at night with the devil shows that the found footage genre still has life.

Host

Where to stream: AMC+

For every uninspired Paranormal Activity sequel, there are more inspired efforts in the found footage genre, like Host. Host takes place entirely via an online video call and features a group of six friends who become victims of demonic possession thanks to their online séance. The film feels like a modern spiritual successor to Paranormal Activity, transporting these themes and scares to a modern online horror landscape. The resulting film is genuinely a product of its time, as its release during the quarantine and pandemic of 2020 helped address some real-world fears.

V/H/S/85

Where to stream: Shudder

THE V/H/S Film series are notable for their anthology format and the number of creatives who join each episode to bring the found footage story to life. V/H/S/85 stands out in particular, with horror directors like Scott Derrickson and Gigi Saul Guerrero joining the series to leave their own grisly marks on the franchise. It’s Derrickson’s entry in this edition of the series that stands out the most, mainly because it’s linked to his 2021 film, The Black Phone.

Related: 10 Best Tim Burton Movies, Ranked

Cloverfield

Where to stream: Paramount+

The found footage film produced by JJ Abrams and directed by Matt Reeves is part horror film and part monster movie, presented to viewers as a classified government file from a video camera recovered the night a monster decimated New York. Told entirely from the perspective of a handheld camera intended to document a going-away party, Cloverfield is equal parts thrilling and terrifying. There aren’t many monster movies like Cloverfieldas the film hides the monster behind rubble and terror for most of the running time, and the perspective of the camera looking at the destruction makes the audience feel small and vulnerable. It’s an entry inspired by the found footage genre that you shouldn’t miss.

A cut of the dead

Where to stream: AMC+

A cut of the dead it is not entirely structured around the genre of found footage. However, the parts of the film that utilize it help elevate this zombie horror comedy film. Embracing low-budget cinema, this meta-zombie story tells the story of the fictional production of a zombie film before things become incredibly real and dangerous as real zombies invade the production. It’s a more light-hearted watch compared to other films on this list, and despite its dark premise, the film manages to keep things humorous.

The visit

Where to stream: Max.

Legendary director M. Night Shyamalan faced a series of critical failures before 2015 The visit would help reestablish the filmmaker as one of the best. Returning to his roots and self-financing the film, The visit has Shyamalan playing up the found footage genre with an intense thriller about two children who visit their maternal grandparents only to slowly discover that something is wrong with the elderly couple. The visit It’s Shyamalan at his best, using the genre to its fullest, as this style of filmmaking suits the director’s talent for twists and the unexpected especially well.

No friendship

Where to stream: Netflix

No friendship is another found footage horror film set in the social media landscape. The world of the Internet has opened up a new avenue for directors and screenwriters to produce scares, and similar to Hostit uses desktop interfaces to tell its chilling story. Online hauntings are difficult to pull off, but No friendship takes a unique angle, mixing the supernatural with the cyber world that was considered experimental at the time of its release. The images found were no longer restricted to the format of cassette tapes or camera recordings – a laptop screen can also capture some horrors.

The Sacrament

Where to stream: Pavão

Before A24 distributed the slasher X trilogyTi West would make her mark in another horror genre with the 2013 found footage film The Sacrament. Revolving around two fictional VICE journalists as they explore the inner workings of a reclusive cult, The Sacrament would be inspired by the real-life tragedy of the Jonestown Massacre. This movie is a slow burn similar to The Blair Witch Project and it’s a descent into madness that also serves as a dark commentary on how real-life violence is scarier than anything that can be shown on screen.

V/H/S

Where to stream: Pavão

The original V/H/S the film did not receive the best reviews at the time of its release. However, it should be included on this list because of how its format and narrative structure would lead to countless more inspired sequels, spawning a franchise filled with so many scares and creative stories. This first entry also features segments from directors who would later become more famous, such as Adam Wingard and Ti West. No more images found than V/H/Sand this first film is the perfect entry point into the series.

The last broadcast

Where to stream: AMC+

Released a full year earlier The Blair Witch Project, The last broadcast could technically be considered the first film to employ the use of found footage in its narrative to create a compelling and terrifying film. However, Blair Witch it would end up having a more considerable impact and legacy after its release. Still, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check out this film, which chronicles a documentary filmmaker and journalist who sets out to uncover the truth behind a series of murders.

And these are the best horror films found.

---