10 More Screenlife Horror Movies To Disturb You Through Your Devices

Welcome to Ranking Horror. Yesterday we checked out 10 Cosmic Horror Movies and today we are following that up with 10 More Screenlife Horror Movies To Disturb You Through Devices. This is an accompaniment to our original list of 10 Screenlife Horror Movies.

For those of you who don’t know, screenlife horror is a derivative of found footage that manages to be, somehow, even lower budget and easier to make. The vast majority of the scares take place through the medium of a computer screen. This means you will be seeing characters browsing the web, chatting on video calls, and talking on IM services.

While the excellent 2020 hit Host may be the most well-known screenlife horror example, there are a few movies that may just have flown under your radar. With that being said, I had to trudge through the bottom of the sewer to find these. Don’t be surprised if some of them smell like crap. There are a few gems here, but some are only for the most devoted fans of the sub-genre. Let’s take a look.

10. Safer at Home (2021) – Pandemic Paranoia Gone Wrong

Why it Ranked: Look, I didn’t promise that all of these movies would be good. In fact, I actually warned you about how bad some of these films are. I can only assume the director was on ecstasy when he made this film as it is pretty damn awful. Still, it’s a screenlife horror and if you are a fan of the genre, you are probably desperate enough for content that you will watch it, right?

Synopsis: Set in 2022 Los Angeles, a group of friends hook up on a video call to take ecstasy together to liven up their lockdown. The night takes a dark turn after an accident, and their paranoia and secrets unravel in real-time as they attempt to cover up a crime from their respective homes.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video (Rent/Buy)

9. e-Demon (2018) – The Budget Unfriended

Why it Ranked: e-Demon is, for lack of a better description, a knock-off version of Unfriended. It’s pretty much the same entire deal just with an older cast. Strangely enough, I found it weirdly entertaining. I am not sure why because it isn’t a great film, but if you like seeing people get possessed through their monitors, this’ll do the trick.

Synopsis: Ancient evil gets a digital upgrade as four friends from different corners of the U.S. video chat one night. They inadvertently share a cursed file that unleashes a demonic entity capable of possessing people through their screens, forcing them to fight for their lives in a series of disturbing digital challenges.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Tubi, Plex

8. Deadware (2021) – Nostalgic Dial-Up Dread

Why it Ranked: The main thing that Deadware has going for it is its late 90s, early 2000s, aesthetic. Anyone longing for something that looks a bit closer to The Collingswood Story will probably be satisfied. There just isn’t enough going on here to make it a truly solid recommendation, but it’s a short enough watch that it won’t waste too much of your life.

Synopsis: Set in the early 2000s, two friends test out a retro video chat programme called House of Vore. As they play a seemingly innocent point-and-click game, they discover that the software is a gateway for something sinister that intends to cross over from the digital realm into theirs.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Tubi, Amazon Prime Video

7. /Demo_n (2024) – Glitching Into Hell

Why it Ranked: What a terrible title… /Demo_n. This is formulaic stuff: ultra low-budget, fairly derivative when it comes to screenlife, and not all that interesting. However, the video game parts are actually pretty cool, and if you’re a completionist for the “killer link” sub-genre, it’s worth a cheeky look.

Synopsis: An online reunion between a group of friends turns deadly when Gary opens an email containing a link to a demo of a video game. Little do they realise that the game will turn their entire night upside down as the virtual horrors begin to manifest in their real-world surroundings.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Found TV

6. 13 Sherwood Avenue (2023) – AI Smart Home Nightmares

Why it Ranked: British director Richard Mansfield absolutely loves making ultra low-budget found footage and screenlife horror movies. He also loves loves featuring his own name or the word Sherwood in the titles… In fact, he has directed 11 such feature length movies since 2017. I didn’t think it was all that interesting, but some people actually really enjoy the DIY nature of it. It’s a very specific flavour of indie horror that prioritises concept over polish.

Synopsis: Most of the action here takes place via a computer screen, documenting the story of a man who was found dead in his home. His AI smart devices began communicating with him in a sinister way, suggesting that the ghost in the machine might be something far more literally supernatural.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

5. Livescream (2018) – Level Up or Die

Why it Ranked: Livescream is ultra low budget and I can’t imagine all that many people have even watched it. However, there’s a niche appeal here. People who spend their time watching streamers playing video games will probably get a kick out of just how well this film nails the vibe of Twitch-style culture.

Synopsis: A popular video game streamer decides to play a mysterious indie horror game sent to him by a viewer. He soon discovers the game is tailored specifically to him, mirroring his own apartment and personal fears. As he progresses, the stakes become real: if he fails in the game, he dies in real life.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Tubi, Amazon (Rent/Buy)

4. Dashcam (2021) – The Most Hated Heroine in Horror

Why it Ranked: From the director of Host, this is a chaotic and provocative ride that’s probably going to frustrate you. Dashcam has the dubious distinction of featuring the “worst horror protagonist ever” according to many genre fans. If you can get past Annie Hardy’s obnoxious nature, the movie is actually a technical marvel of chaotic, real-time terror.

Synopsis: Told through the livestream of an abrasive right-wing musician, the film follows her as she breaks lockdown, steals her friend’s car, and ends up in a terrifying ordeal involving a seemingly frail old woman who needs a ride – but turns out to be something far more monstrous.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Hulu, Apple TV

3. Open Windows (2014) – A Voyeuristic Nightmare

Why it Ranked: Director Nacho Vigalondo was responsible for Timecrimes, so there’s a real talent pedigree here. It’s a bit long and overambitious, but it’s also a tense and often effective horror that doesn’t get enough love from the mainstream found footage crowd.

Synopsis: A celebrity-obsessed fan wins a dinner date with his favourite actress, only for it to be cancelled. A mysterious man then gives him access to her personal devices, pulling him into a high-tech game of cat-and-mouse where he becomes a pawn in a much larger, darker plot.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Tubi, Amazon Prime Video

2. Profile (2018) – Undercover on the Dark Web

Why it Ranked: Producer Timur Bekmambetov is one of the forefathers of the screenlife genre. He produced the 2014 movie Unfriended, among others, and claimed that he had the idea for a screenlife horror movie all the way back in the late 90s. Profile is a tense thriller that fits the screenlife mould perfectly. It’s a grounded, terrifyingly realistic look at how easily we can be manipulated through our screens.

Synopsis: A British journalist goes undercover to bait and expose a terrorist recruiter online. She creates a fake persona to infiltrate the extremist network, but she finds herself in grave danger when the lines between her real life and her online facade begin to blur.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Hulu, Amazon (Rent/Buy)

1. Missing (2023) – The Peak of Digital Suspense

Why it Ranked: Missing is a cut above most of the movies on this list. In fact, it is one of the best screenlife movies ever and absolutely worth checking out. It’s tense, compelling, and very well paced. It takes the “thriller” aspect of screenlife and polishes it to a mirror shine.

Synopsis: When her mother disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, a tech-savvy teenager uses all the digital tools at her disposal – from Google Maps to TaskRabbit – to find her from thousands of miles away, uncovering a dark web of secrets in the process.

Where to Watch: Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu

Log Out Before It’s Too Late

And that is a wrap on our second dive into the digital dustbins of screenlife horror. Like I said at the start, I had to trudge through some serious muck to find ten more entries for this sub-genre. Screenlife is a bit of a double-edged sword; for every polished thriller like Missing, there are ten Safer at Homes waiting to bore you to tears.

Still, there is something undeniably effective about seeing a horror story play out on a screen just like the one you’re staring at right now. It makes the threat feel closer, more personal, and a hell of a lot more plausible. Whether you’re into the high-stakes investigative work of a tech-savvy teen or the low-budget possession of a cursed Zoom call, these films prove that our devices are just as haunted as any old Victorian mansion.

I’m off to put some tape over my webcam and change all my passwords for the tenth time this week. Stay safe, stay spooky, and for the love of everything holy, don’t open any mysterious attachments from strangers. I’ll be back soon with another ranking to help you find the good stuff in the endless sea of horror.

💻 Quick Picks: Screenlife Frights for Your Vibe

• 🏆 The Must-Watch Masterpiece: Missing (2023)
• 🎭 The Best Undercover Thriller: Profile (2018)
• 🤬 The Most Frustrating (But Effective) Ride: Dashcam (2021)
• 🖥️ The Best Retro Aesthetic: Deadware (2021)
• 📉 The “So Bad It’s Almost Fun” Entry: e-Demon (2018)