The 2022 horror movie You Won't Be Alone tells the terrifying story of a woman in Macedonia who is forced to begin living as a witch. This has always been a compelling subject for the world of horror, as it involves spells, dark magic, and characters who try to change themselves or the situations that they find themselves in.
Over the past few decades, several horror films have examined witchcraft, and Redditors are recommending the most well-crafted ones. Some films are campy and fun and others are more serious, and they all examine the role of magic in various stories.
We Summon The Darkness (2019)
Stream on Netflix
Redditor rondeuce40 suggested We Summon The Darkness, a film with a twist that happens fairly early on. The fan described the plot as, "A couple guys meet a few girls at a heavy metal concert and they travel to one of the girl's parent's house afterwards, occult things happen."
Audiences quickly find out that the three main characters practice witchcraft and the musicians are their victims. The film wasn't very well-received, but since many horror movies about witches were released several decades ago, it does offer up a contemporary look at this type of story.
Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982)
Rent on AppleTV
The Halloween franchise has great characters and while most fans praise the first film and don't enjoy Halloween III: Season Of The Witch, the movie does talk about witchcraft. One Redditor shared that "Halloween 3 is worth a watch for a non-traditional take."
This movie stands out from the others as it has a completely different tone and feeling. The connection to the other films involves a shop that makes Halloween masks, but Michael Myers isn't in this film at all. The villain Conal Cochran is interested in performing a ritual.
Hagazussa (2017)
Stream on Tubi and Kanopy
Redditor kdubs said Hagazussa: A Heather's Curse is a "sleeper flick that’ll surprise you with grit and also an amazing soundtrack."
An underrated horror film that some may not have heard of, written and directed by Lukas Feigelfeld, the movie focuses on characters who are involved with rituals and magic. There are four parts: Shadows, Horn, Blood, and then Fire. The story definitely gets very dark and intense.
Suspiria (1977)
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Redditor sveltegamine shared that they are "a huge fan of the original Suspiria," an influential Italian horror movie. Ballerina Suzy Bannion begins attending a school in Germany, and she meets fellow dancer Pat Hingle. After Pat is killed, Suzy learns that there is something sinister going on here.
Suspiria is beloved for its atmosphere, which is equal parts artistic and disturbing, as Suzy finds out that a witch seems to have started the school and that students keep going missing. It's always compelling to see a coven and the amazing dancing makes the film even more fun to watch.
Pumpkinhead (1988)
Stream on DirecTV and rent on AppleTV
Pumpkinhead is a beloved film that is different from other '80s releases, as instead of being a campy slasher or paranormal story, it's a bit all over the place but in a good way. Redditor AskCritical2244 posted that the film has "witch stuff, demon stuff, sorta woods, lots of revenge."
Ed Harley once saw a monster murdering someone, and now that he's grown up, he has a bone to pick and visits a witch, hoping that they can help him out. The witch is the one who brings the creature called Pumpkinhead to life.
The Woods (2006)
Rent on AppleTV
With a title like The Woods, it's clear that this is a scary movie with a perfect atmosphere. One Redditor suggested The Woods and said, "A girl at a boarding school has nightmares, hears voices in the woods and suspects a witches coven is in her school."
Heather Fasulo is forced to attend a boarding school since she is rebellious, and she finds out that several witches were students at Falburn Academy and hurt many people. This is a good premise as it's clear that there are still witches around, which makes this a scarier and more intense academic experience than Heather was likely expecting.
The Lords Of Salem (2013)
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Rob Zombie loves horror movies and has made a few of his own, and Redditor ChuckZombie suggested "The Lords of Salem," his 2013 release about characters living in Salem, Massachusetts.
The main character, Heidi LaRoc is fascinated by the witch trials that took place where she lives, and she also becomes interested in The Lords, a band. The movie takes some wild turns, which is what tends to happen with Zombie's films.
The Wretched (2019)
Stream on Hulu
Redditor Human_Personface recommended The Wretched, writing, "The witch in the movie is a cool balance between traditional witch folklore and creepy monster."
In The Wretched, Ben Shaw lives right next to door to a woman who is actually a witch. Audiences will be riveted by Ben's desire to investigate, as Ben feels that his instincts are correct, but when he tells his friend Mallory, she doesn't think that he's telling the truth.
A Dark Song (2016)
Stream on AMC+
A Dark Song is an underrated 2010s horror movie, with the main character Sophia Howard living in Wales and wanting to perform a ritual. Redditor EyesElation wrote, "That was a great movie, the story was so interesting and different. And the acting was real good too."
Sophia has lost her son and she wants to contact him, which audiences can tell is not the best decision, but she's determined to keep going. A Dark Song has an incredibly eerie tone that doesn't stop.
The Craft (1996)
Rent on AppleTV
Redditor WitchTrialz recommended The Craft for"the 90s teen nostalgia." When Sarah Bailey moves to a new town, three witches Bonnie Harper, Rochelle Zimmerman, and Nancy Downs are interested in having her join their coven.
The Craft is a moving, serious yet fun story about friendship, love, family, and characters who don't fit in but who like the fact that they're different and stand out from others. The movie becomes very dark as Sarah learns that it's not always a good thing to have magical powers.