LaReeca Rucker

You might think that, as a Halloween enthusiast, I’m a die-hard horror movie fan.

Plot twist: I’m not.

Blood, guts, and excessive gore? Hard pass. Movies like “Saw” and its many splattery sequels aren’t for me. I’ve also never been particularly scared of monsters, witches or zombies. Why? Because they’re fictional — and often so over-the-top that they feel more like fantasy than fear.

But here’s the twist in my Halloween story: I may not love traditional horror, but I adore psychological thrillers.

As both a journalist and a news junkie, I think part of the draw comes from real-life stories that shock us — not because they involve mythical creatures, but because they involve ordinary people doing things that are anything but ordinary. The stories that make us click? They’re often about someone who’s done something so baffling and outside the realm of normal behavior that we’re left asking, Why? What made them snap? What went wrong?

And sometimes the most chilling stories are the ones where there is no clear motive, no obvious red flag — just someone who was perfectly “normal”… until they weren’t. That unknown is far scarier than any ghost or ghoul.

I gravitate toward films with deeply complex characters, unpredictable plots, and emotional or psychological spirals that pull you in and don’t let go. I love a good twist, a moral dilemma, or a narrative that blurs the lines between sanity and madness.

So while I’m not cozying up with a chainsaw-wielding villain this Halloween, I am diving into thrillers that leave me thinking long after the credits roll.

Here are a few that caught my attention over the last year — and I’ve linked to a few older blog posts too. If you’re looking for something smart, suspenseful, and just creepy enough to keep the lights on a little longer, you might find your next favorite thriller right here.

Honeymoon (2014) – Originally found on another list of horror/thriller recommendations, a newlywed couple arrives at the family cabin in the woods. Everything is fine at first, then strange things begin to happen. Bea, played by Rose Leslie of “Game of Thrones” fame, and Paul seem set for their romantic getaway, then Bea goes missing. Paul finds her disoriented in the woods, and her behavior becomes increasingly worrisome. As the viewer, you’re intrigued throughout the film because you are hoping for some satisfying answer as to why she has begun behaving so abnormally, but in the end, the film becomes more horror than thriller, so thriller fans may find the ending disappointing, while horror fans enjoy it.

Berlin Syndrome (2017) – Berlin Syndrome is another film I saw on a thriller/horror list that I had to check out, and it would probably be my top choice from this post. The Australian film tells the story of a young journalist named Claire, who travels to Germany and meets an attractive guy named Andi. She decides to have a one-night stand, which proves to be a terrifying mistake. When she wakes up, she realizes she doesn’t have a key to unlock the door of the apartment. In time, she soon understands that her charming captor has locked her inside. Teresa Palmer, who bears a striking resemblance to Kristen Stewart, and actor Max Riemelt give strong performances. The film is an interesting character study of a psychopathic predator who masquerades by day as a teacher and the confusing relationship he has with his victim.

1922 (2017) – Set in 1922, the lead character of this film, based on a Stephen King novella, is a farmer who sits down to give a written confession of the sins that haunt him. In 1922, he murdered his wife for financial gain and convinced his son to help him. We see both of their lives unravel because of these selfish decisions.

Raw (2016) – This French-Belgian horror film is about a vegetarian named Justine, who leaves home to attend veterinary school, joining her sister, Alexia, who is already enrolled. After a hazing ritual, Justine realizes she has a taste for blood. The film moves slowly, so you don’t really understand what is happening completely until the end. Then, like “Honeymoon,” it switches from psychological thriller to a unique horror genre approach.

It Follows (2014): Another film with great reviews, so I watched. It’s described as a supernatural psychological horror film that “follows a girl pursued by a supernatural entity after a sexual encounter.” I can’t really explain it, but if you are a fan of the horror/thriller genre, you’ll probably want to check it out. If you remember the horror movie rules outlined in “Scream” – for teenagers, this scenario almost always results in a horror movie death.

Hush (2016): This was an unexpectedly good thriller about a young deaf author who is terrorized by a masked man who tries to break into her house. But she is no victim. The lead actress also co-wrote the screenplay with her husband, who directed the film.