15 Most Terrifying Horror Film Moments Of The Decade (So Far)

While the 2000s was dominated by torture porn, the 2010s have been defined by a return to old school horror and subtle scares. For true fans, that's always a welcome change.

The catalyst for this change was Paranormal Activity in 2009, which did so well on such a small budget that, in the following years, studios stopped spending as much on these genre films. While that might seem like a bad thing, in many cases it has actually forced filmmakers to be more innovative and restrained. When you can't rely on crazy special effects, you have to make simple things terrifying; like a pair of clapping hands or a tall man walking into a room.

They play on primal fears, forcing you to confront what lies in the darkness, in the water, or in your bedroom while you sleep. After all, the simpler a scare the longer it'll stay with you, and by that token these are undoubtably the decade's best.

The Conjuring spinoff Annabelle isn't a great movie, but this one moment makes the whole thing worth watching. About halfway through the film, Mia takes a trip to the basement of her apartment building when suddenly, some sort of demon creature grabs her arm out of nowhere. She runs into the elevator and pushes the button for her floor, and that seems like it'll be the end of the scene, right?

Nope, it's just getting started. The elevator door opens, but she's not upstairs. She's still in the basement. It's horrifying to know there's a monster lurking somewhere nearby, let alone right in front of you, and yet there's nowhere to go but forward. The elevator won't budge, and she's trapped down there. The only way to escape is to run straight back where she came from, where a demonic creature hides in the shadows.

Far scarier than running away from a monster is running towards a monster, and that's exactly what Mia is forced to do in this sequence. You can feel the adrenaline rushing through your veins watching her sprint towards the exit, and it's a primal fear that goes back to being a child, running up the stairs in the dark convinced something is chasing you. It's an unforgettable scene that transcends an otherwise forgettable film.