My 10 Favourite Found Footage Horror Movies Ever – Ranked
Welcome to Ranking Horror. Today, we are switching things up as we are checking out the My 10 Favourite Found Footage Horror Movies Ever – Ranked.
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This is our 50th list on Ranking Horror so I decided that every milestone list will be focusing on some of my own, personal, favourite horror movies. I figured we would start with found footage because we have been talking about it a lot, lately. I have to make it clear, because this is a controversial topic. This is my opinion – it’s my 10 favourite found footage horror movies ever. With that being said, all of these movies are fantastic.
I will point out that there is no Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity. It’s not that I don’t like those movies, I just like the listed titles more. I have also skipped my all time favourite found footage movie, The Dirties, as it is more of a crime drama. Without further ado, let’s take a look at My 10 Favourite Found Footage Horror Movies Ever – Ranked.
| Rank | Movie Title (Year) | The Reality Factor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Mungo (2008) | Grief Caught on Camera |
| 2 | One Cut of the Dead (2017) | The Long Take Zombie Miracle |
| 3 | Exhibit A (2007) | A Family Tragedy Recorded |
| 4 | Noroi: The Curse (2005) | The J-Horror Documentary Masterpiece |
| 5 | Troll Hunter (2010) | Giant Slaying in Norway |
10. The Conspiracy (2012) – Down the Rabbit Hole
- Director: Christopher MacBride
- Cast: Aaron Poole, James Gilbert
- Runtime: 84 minutes
- IMDb: 6.4/10
Why it Ranked: The Conspiracy is one of those found footage movies that really flew under people’s radars. Coming during the found footage boom period of the 2010s, I can only imagine there was a bit of fatigue for the genre at that point. Christopher MacBride found himself getting pretty absorbed into the world of online conspiracy theories, sparking an idea in him to actually make a movie centred on that specific topic. The Conspiracy is engrossing from start to finish, with just enough line blurring to make the movie feel like actual found footage of a real crime. Amazing stuff and perfectly executed.
Synopsis: The story follows a pair of journalists making a documentary about conspiracy theorists. They find themselves in a horrifying situation when they delve too deep into the world they are trying to uncover.
Where to Watch: Tubi, Peacock, Plex
9. Butterfly Kisses (2018) – Don’t Blink
- Director: Erik Kristopher Myers
- Cast: Seth Adam Kallick, Rachel Armiger
- Runtime: 91 minutes
- IMDb: 5.8/10
Why it Ranked: Butterfly Kisses, from 2018, is an enormously underrated found footage horror movie. Director Erik Kristopher Myers concocted an utterly terrifying, and completely believable, folk legend in the form of Peeping Tom. It’s almost impossible not to be fully bought in as the mystery unravels. There are some genuinely scary scenes and, while the movie slips up here and there, there are few found footage horror movies that have stayed with me quite like Butterfly Kisses. Sadly, director Erik Myers would take his own life shortly after this movie was made. An utter tragedy for his family and the horror movie world.
Synopsis: The story follows a journalist who finds tapes made by students depicting the legend of “Peeping Tom”. A mysterious figure who, once you spot him, gets a little closer every time you blink. The question is, what happened to the students and could the legend actually be true?
Where to Watch: Tubi, Amazon Prime Video
8. Host (2020) – The Ultimate Zoom Call Nightmare
- Director: Rob Savage
- Cast: Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore
- Runtime: 57 minutes
- IMDb: 6.5/10
Why it Ranked: I really debated whether, or not, to include Host as I, sort of, view it more as a screenlife horror than a found footage horror. Host was made during the 2020 world crisis which is pretty remarkable, to be honest. Each actor managed their own set and recording. The whole group came together to plan things out. Director Rob Savage directed the cast remotely and everyone was sent old fashioned filmmaking effect’s equipment to perform their own special effects. What a fantastic story and, remarkably, the movie is utterly fantastic. Compelling, relentlessly paced, and genuinely scary. Definitely one of the best found footage horror movies ever.
Synopsis: Host follows a group of friends meeting up for an online video chat during the 2020 lockdown. Only to encounter paranormal goings on after a session with an online medium goes badly wrong.
Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+
7. Late Night With The Devil (2023) – Live TV from Hell
- Director: Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
- Cast: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- IMDb: 7.0/10
Why it Ranked: This one was an IMDB tie breaker when it came to whether or not it could be considered found footage. I suppose, technically, it is found footage in the most literal sense as Late Night With The Devil depicts the unseen footage of the harrowing events that happened on the Halloween special of host Jack Delroy’s (David Dastmalchian) late night show. It plays out in, sort of, a mockumentary format as people recount the events that lead up to that night, as well as what actually happened on the show. It’s completely fascinating stuff and feels extremely fresh against a backdrop of all too familiar horror movies. Definitely one of the best found footage horror movies ever.
Synopsis: A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms.
Where to Watch: Shudder, Hulu
6. Creep (2014) – A Friendly Stranger
- Director: Patrick Brice
- Cast: Mark Duplass, Patrick Brice
- Runtime: 77 minutes
- IMDb: 6.3/10
Why it Ranked: Creep is probably one of the best known found footage horror movies of recent years. Directed by Patrick Brice and starring the fantastic Mark Duplass. I always discuss upcoming lists with my fiancée and we usually agree. I think that Creep would be the first movie we are totally split on. She is not a big fan of it but I absolutely love it. It’s one of those films that focuses heavily on the eccentricity of a certain character and relies on the quirkiness of the setup to unnerve the viewer. Mark Duplass has crafted a genuinely bizarre, and unsettling, figure in the form of Josef and I find him completely compelling. The less said about Peach Fuzz, as well, the better. Amazing stuff.
Synopsis: The story follows a videographer who accepts a job filming a video diary for a terminally ill man. Little realising that the man might not be quite what he seems.
Where to Watch: Netflix
5. Troll Hunter (2010) – Norwegian Mythology Realised
- Director: André Øvredal
- Cast: Otto Jespersen, Robert Stoltenberg
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- IMDb: 6.9/10
Why it Ranked: Wow! Was this movie ever unexpected when I watched it for the first time? André Øvredal completely subverts expectations with this horror that, sort of, pokes a bit of fun at the genre, as a whole. All while remaining fast paced, intense, compelling, and extremely enjoyable. It’s just a great ride and a big achievement considering the budget. André Øvredal would go on to direct the excellent The Autopsy of Jane Doe which, though not found footage, is well worth checking out.
Synopsis: The story follows a group of students investigating bear attacks, only to find out that the source may be something altogether more scary.
Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy), Hoopla
4. Noroi: The Curse (2005) – A J-Horror Masterclass
- Director: Kôji Shiraishi
- Cast: Jin Muraki, Rio Kanno
- Runtime: 115 minutes
- IMDb: 6.9/10
Why it Ranked: Noroi: The Curse, by writer, director, Kôji Shiraishi, is the best Japanese found footage horror movie of all time by quite a way. In fact, I can’t think of too many others that even come close to how great it is. Noroi adopts a varied approach to the found footage genre. Combining historic footage with clips from television shows and interviews with people connected to the cases. It’s a pretty long movie and does require some focus but the story is utterly compelling. Some of the subtle scares are among the best in found footage horror history. Shiraishi would carry on producing found footage horror but Noroi: The Curse remains his magnum opus.
Synopsis: The story recounts the events that lead up to a paranormal journalist going missing while in pursuit of a story about a gifted young girl who disappeared.
Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+
3. Exhibit A (2007) – A Family in Crisis
- Director: Dom Rotheroe
- Cast: Bradley Cole, Brittany Ashworth
- Runtime: 85 minutes
- IMDb: 6.1/10
Why it Ranked: I am not sure whether Exhibit A could be considered horror so much as simply horrifying. The film is presented as recovered evidence of a terrible crime. I don’t want to say too much as it gives the whole thing away but, suffice to say, Exhibit A remains one of the more disturbing movies I have watched. The realism here, as well as the fantastic acting by all involved, particularly Brittany Ashworth and Bradley Cole as the girl doing the filming and her father, make this a movie that is shocking in a multitude of ways. Adrian Tofei, who would go on to direct Be My Cat, described Exhibit A as his favourite found footage horror and an inspiration to his own film-making efforts. Which gives you some idea of just how well regarded this movie is by many. Not an entertaining watch by any stretch but utterly fantastic, regardless.
Synopsis: A teenage girl’s video diary captures the disintegration of her father’s mental state and the collapse of her family unit under financial pressure.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
2. One Cut of the Dead (2017) – Zombies, Cameras, Action!
- Director: Shin’ichirô Ueda
- Cast: Takayuki Hamatsu, Yuzuki Akiyama
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- IMDb: 7.6/10
Why it Ranked: This was another movie I debated including as a fair chunk of One Cut of the Dead is not actually found footage. The decider, for me, was seeing it classed as found footage horror on IMDB. Yes, I am that fickle. One Cut of the Dead is an incredible movie. Right up there, in J-Horror terms, with Noroi but worlds apart in tone. Directed by Shin’ichirô Ueda, the first thirty minutes are going to seem like a very low quality found footage horror. You are probably going to want to switch it off. Stick with it! It gets so much better. In fact, One Cut of the Dead is my favourite zombie movie (click for loads of zombie horror lists) of all time. It is just so damn entertaining, funny, unexpected, innovative and, even, quite moving in parts. I absolutely love it and it completely deserves its place on this list.
Synopsis: It follows the story of a group of low budget horror movie makers heading to an abandoned WW2 facility to make a zombie flick. Only to find themselves attacked by actual zombies.
Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+
1. Lake Mungo (2008) – A Haunting Exploration of Grief
- Director: Joel Anderson
- Cast: Rosie Traynor, David Pledger
- Runtime: 87 minutes
- IMDb: 6.3/10
Why it Ranked: It had to be here, right? I mean, Lake Mungo is definitely a divisive movie but, for those who vibe with it, it stays with them. When it comes to best found footage horror, this will be on a lot of people’s lists. Lake Mungo takes a strange turn fairly early on that flips the movie on its head which puts a few people off. Stick with it, though. The story is absolutely tragic and brilliantly presented. It’s not the most outright scary movie on this list but the few moments that are there really get you. Lake Mungo is just a brilliant, brilliant found footage movie.
Synopsis: The story follows a family who recently experienced the tragic death of their daughter. Playing out like a documentary, we see interviews with the family recounting their struggles with grief and the strange paranormal events suddenly taking place in their homes.
Where to Watch: Tubi, Shudder, Amazon Prime Video
The Cameras Keep Rolling
And there we have it, my personal picks for the 10 best found footage horror movies ever made. From the faux-documentary tragedy of Lake Mungo to the high-concept terror of The Conspiracy, these films prove that the genre is about so much more than just shaky cameras and people running through the woods. While the classics like Blair Witch paved the way, these titles have taken the format to incredible new heights.
We are always uncovering more hidden gems, so be sure to check back for more lists. If you enjoyed this deep dive, why not take a look at some more of our found footage horror rankings? I’ll be back soon with more lists. Stay spooky.
📹 Quick Picks: Found Footage Essentials
- 🏆 The Masterpiece: Lake Mungo (2008)
- 🧟 The Creative Genius: One Cut of the Dead (2017)
- 👹 The J-Horror Legend: Noroi: The Curse (2005)
- 🧌 The Monster Movie: Troll Hunter (2010)
- 💻 The Modern Scare: Host (2020)
