Found footage movies are great, gripping, and scary. Getting to experience the intensity of these stories first-hand can spark an unmatched thrill within people. So, if you’re looking for your fix of found-footage flicks, then we got just the list for you. Here are the best found footage movies of all time:
15. Paranormal Activity (2007)
Paranormal Activity’s release seemingly unleashed an array of found-footage movies after it. Some of which are on this list. After the first Blair Witch, this film was the first film to receive such a widespread response.
The story itself is of a young couple who move into a new house. However, when they begin feeling the presence of something else in their house, they begin to suspect it to be paranormal. Hence, paranormal activities begin as we see the unruly film unfold.
Several sequels have been spawned ever since the super success of the first film.
14. The Bay (2012)
The Bay follows the classic mockumentary style, as it tells the story of a small town on the seaside. It’s a remarkable story that takes elements from scientific & gore horror clichés.
However, perhaps the most unsettling part of this film is how accurate the parasite-based plot is to reality.
13. REC (2007)
REC is perhaps one of the best horror films in general and not only a good found-footage film. This film tells us the story of late-night TV host Angela, who chases leads and ends up finding a fire service on their way to an apartment.
However, things get awry when the police shut off the apartment building. The reason? An old woman is infected by an intense and unnatural disease, which gives her demonic strength.
12. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum gives away the story in its title. It begins when a crew of streamers set out to broadcast live from an abandoned asylum. Besides the surprising tone of any found footage film, this film quickly becomes an atmospheric horror.
As the crew ventures deeper into the asylum, they find out things are much worse than they had hoped for. The frightening building soon begins to unveil its darkest and most unwanted secrets as the crew begins to crumble.
11. Host (2020)
Host is a remarkable film for people living in the era of Zoom meetings. This film made everyone think of the possibilities of such an occurrence in real life. It begins when a group of six friends ends up inviting a demonic singularity during an online meeting.
However, the host of the meeting isn’t the only one affected by the botched séance, as all the participants begin to feel this presence in their own homes. It’s a remarkable film, and it’ll surely give you a thought or two before sleeping.
10. Trollhunter (2010)
Trollhunter begins when bears start to get killed mysteriously in beautiful Norway. Three friends decide that it’s time to join forces with the man in charge of the case to find the reason behind these killings throughout the country.
The twist comes in when the group realizes the man in charge isn’t an ordinary investigator and is, in fact, a troll hunter. They brush off danger at every turn, as this found footage film keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout its 1 hour and 43 minutes runtime.
9. Unfriended (2014)
Unfriended started a slew of horror films based on social media and online chatting. The truly first-of-its-kind film tells us the story of six friends. One day, they all get a message from their dead friend. While they brush it off as a prank, darker things begin to unveil.
Then, things quickly turn ugly as we see the whole story from the perspective of each friend’s webcam. It’s a great film, and it keeps you guessing what happens next. Moreover, it’s less than 90 minutes long, so you don’t have to worry about sitting too long.
8. As Above, So Below (2014)
As Above, So Below has all the ingredients of successful horror. While the ratings would suggest otherwise, this is undoubtedly an entertaining found-footage film. The story is led by the main character Scarlett, who is bent on finding the philosopher’s stone.
This film has everything, a sense of adventure, a found-footage theme, and a horror lurking around the corner. So, be prepared to be taken by surprise by this rather underrated found footage film.
7. V/H/S (2012)
V/H/S is truly the stuff of old-school horrors, which still takes you by surprise, despite its clichéd nature. This found footage film begins when four thieves are hired to steal a VHS tape from an old house.
Things quickly take an ugly turn as the crew begins to realize this isn’t a normal heist or burglary. Soon, dark secrets begin to unveil as this found-footage film takes you by the scruff of your neck.
6. Chronicle (2012)
Chronicle is the story of three high school students who end up finding a natural phenomenon in the woods. Soon, they begin feeling that this discovery might have given them supernatural abilities.
The film acted as a fast-paced breath of fresh air in the found-footage genre. Instead of relying solely on horror elements, this film added sci-fi elements. On top of all that, this film became about friendship by the time the credits rolled.
5. The Last Broadcast (1998)
The Last Broadcast isn’t your picture-esque modern horror film; it’s something else entirely. It follows the story of David Leigh, who wishes to unveil the true criminals behind certain disappearances over the years.
What he believes to be the work of a mythical creature, the Jersey Devil, turns out to be something way more repulsive and twisted. The twist is something that you must find out for yourself in this intriguing and shocking found-footage film.
4. Lake Mungo (2008)
Lake Mungo begins with the tragic drowning of a teenager, Alice Palmer. Sometime later, her brother sets up video cameras in their house’s vicinity to capture what he believes to be the ghost of her sister.
This film’s story and premise will make the hair on the back of your neck stand as it unfolds. It’s genuinely the kind of movie that you have to see to believe. So, be prepared to be caught off-guard by this enthralling horror movie.
3. Monsters (2010)
Monsters is the film Gareth Edwards was known for before Legendary’s Godzilla. This film captures alien-ridden South America, which has been quarantined and labeled an “infected” zone after alien life crashes into it.
The story is anything but your average alien film, as it tells the long-term effects of any such occurrences. Shot beautifully in found-footage style, this story will take you on a journey that you might never forget—much like the characters.
2. Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield might be one of the best monster movies of all time, but it’s the second greatest on this list. The story might sound clichéd, as a colossal monster attacks New York. However, the use of the found-footage film by Matt Reeves makes this film a must-watch.
The story is that of three friends who are desperately trying to save their friends amidst this monster attack. We follow the characters everywhere through the lenses of their hand-held camera, as some sequences will leave you in awe.
1. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project is perhaps the best found-footage film of all time. At the time of its release, this film was a needle mover, the talk of the town, and a true pop-culture phenomenon. Earning more than $248 million, this was the first horror film to ever achieve something like this.
As for the story itself, it’s about three students who wish to find the truth behind the infamous Salem witch trials. As soon as this film was released, it gave birth to a subgenre, that we all love today—and the reason this list exists.
Honorable Mentions
- Grave Encounters (2011)
- One Cut of the Dead (2017)
- Hell House LLC (2015)
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