Top 10 Exorcism Movies

There are dozens of possession movies out there, but none quite like “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” This one is a combination horror flick and courtroom drama, following Father Richard Moore as he’s accused of negligent homicide. The Emily Rose in question is a 19-year-old student who dies following an unsuccessful exorcism. The story is loosely based on that of Anneliese Michel, a young German woman whose cause of death was deemed a negligent homicide following dozens of exorcisms. The film toes a great line between realism and spiritualism, asking us to question the nature of possession and its possible link to mental health issues. Add in a fantastically spooky Jennifer Carpenter and you have yourself a memorable horror movie.

When you think of possession movies, you probably think of Hollywood films with startling special effects that cost millions to produce. Well, that’s not “Godless,” a small Australian film said to have been shot on a shoestring budget and made on a MacBook Pro. But the indie filmmaking gives Hollywood a run for its money, as “Godless” has beautiful photography, creative camera work, bombastic sound design, and a memorable lead performance from Georgia Eyers. The script is also very smart, offering nuance and intelligence to go with its disturbing themes. Just when the possession subgenre seems tired and too been-there-done-that, in comes “Godless” to inject a bit of life.

And speaking of injecting life into an age-old genre, let’s talk “The Medium!” Sort of a mix between “The Exorcist” and “The Blair Witch Project,” “The Medium” follows a documentary crew as they travel into Thailand. They visit a local healer named Nim, who is convinced that her niece will become the new physical medium for the god Ba Yan. Unfortunately, the spirit is of a far more malicious nature. This is a great looking film with a unique setting and wonderful sense of culture, offering visuals and scenarios not often seen in these types of movies. Combined with its use of the found footage technique, “The Medium” is a refreshing standout in the possession genre.

Written and directed by Damien LeVeck, “The Cleansing Hour” is named after the fictional livestream of the same name. Longtime friends Max and Drew host the titular internet show, in which they stage exorcisms and pass them off as real to millions of viewers. But they get way more than they bargained for when one of the “victims” actually becomes possessed. It’s a fun and often terrifying commentary on internet fame and the obsessive chase for higher viewer counts. It’s also a smart meta-take on the genre itself, showing how possession scenes can be staged and filmed.

We return to the story of Anneliese Michel with “Requiem,” a German film directed by Hans-Christian Schmid. While the story covers similar ground as “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” the two films couldn’t be more different in terms of style. Whereas “Emily Rose” contained Hollywood special effects and grand possession sequences, “Requiem” takes a far more subdued approach. There are no special effects, and the movie is filmed in a more realistic manner complete with natural sound design and a documentary-style. This not only makes the scary scenes more effective, it also helps present the debate between possession and mental illness in a more nuanced manner. And dang, is Sandra Hüller ever good!

Found footage compliments possession movies very well. There’s something about seeing these types of scares through what’s meant to feel like a handheld camera that really gets the spine tingling. “The Taking of Deborah Logan” is one of the best movies of its kind, concerning the character of, well, Deborah Logan. A small documentary crew hopes to chronicle Deborah’s battle with Alzheimer's, but they soon learn that something paranormal is affecting the woman’s mind. The acting is commendable, and the film utilizes the technique of found footage to offer up some very memorable and unique scares. We guarantee that one specific visual at the end will never leave your memory.

Another found footage movie, “The Last Exorcism” follows Cotton Marcus, a Louisiana reverend who performs fraudulent exorcisms on people who think they’ve got demons or evil spirits in them. Having lost his faith, Cotton does not believe in real possessions. That is, until he meets one Nell Sweetzer. The story twists and veers into some unexpected directions, which helps keep things gleefully unpredictable. This is especially important in the possession genre, as the lesser entries tend to repeat the same old story beats. This, combined with the style of the film and the creepy lead performance from Ashley Bell, ensures that “The Last Exorcism” will not be the last exorcism movie on your mind.

James Wan changed the horror industry with “The Conjuring.” Is that an exaggeration? Maybe, but it sure was important! An enormously successful film, “The Conjuring” grossed over $300 million and launched an extended fictional universe that has grossed billions. In fact, it is currently the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time, and it all started with this little haunted house movie. Wan is a masterful director of horror, which he proved with “The Conjuring” and its equally-engrossing sequel. He draws great performances out of his actors, crafts a sublimely creepy atmosphere, and envisions some of the most creative scares in the genre. “The Conjuring” conjured up a new era of horror. Ok, we’re done with the puns.

“The Medium” was written by South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin. “The Wailing” was both written and directed by him, and let us tell you, the man is a fantastic director. “The Wailing” shares many similarities with “The Medium,” including themes of possession, Asian mythology, and a remote setting. In this one, a mysterious man enters the small Korean village of Gokseong. Shortly after his arrival, the residents begin acting erratically, supernaturally, and dangerously. Running at two and a half hours, “The Wailing” is gloriously dense, providing ample time for an absorbing story that is wickedly dark and perfectly paced. This is a masterpiece of the genre - not just the possession genre, but horror in general.

We mean, it’s “The Exorcist.” Long hailed as the scariest movie ever made, “The Exorcist” helped legitimize the horror genre with its historic Oscar nomination for Best Picture. It influenced many of the possession tropes that are still being used decades later, and the filmmaking techniques - including its Oscar-winning sound - still holds up. It also produced a very solid third entry - how many horror franchises can say that? But while “The Exorcist” is remembered for its possession sequences, most of the film centers around a dramatic personal crisis that raises interesting questions about faith and spirituality. All of this is conveyed through Oscar-winning writing, proving that “The Exorcist” isn’t just a great horror movie, it’s a great movie. Period.