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10 Screen Life Horror Movies You Can Watch Right Now
We have become a social media-obsessed culture. Everything we do, we post online and we never think of the dangers that wait for us afterward. Social media and technology have influenced the horror genre creating an entirely new subgenre- Screen Life Horror– where all the horror is set entirely on a computer screen.
I thought it’d be the perfect time to take a look back at 10 of the top screen life horror movies available now. Check to see where these titles are streaming or available to rent by clicking HERE.
Unfriended (2014)
If there is one horror movie that really captures the screen life formula it would be 2014’s Unfriended.
Captured all on a webcam, Unfriended unfolds over a teenage girl’s computer screen as she and her friends are the targets of a vengeful spirit who is out for revenge after a viral video that depicted a shaming bullying incident that resulted in their friend’s suicide. On the anniversary of their friend’s suicide, they receive a mysterious message from someone claiming to be their dead friend that threatens to expose their darkest secrets.
A take on cyberbullying and the damages that come along with it, Unfriended is surprisingly scary and well crafted. Even though it’s not the first film to use the screen life format, it manages to use it effectively by generating some innovative and chilling sequences.
Unfriended is now available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
Searching (2018)
Being told entirely through a computer screen, the thriller Searching has David Kim’s (John Cho) 16-year-old daughter suddenly vanishing without a trace. With little to no help from the police, David has to search for his daughter in the one place that no one has looked; her laptop, where her innermost secrets are kept, and hoping to find out what he can. He searches her computer’s history and traces her digital footprints and has to link up the clues before his daughter disappears forever.
Searching is a top-notch thriller with suburb storytelling that immediately hooks you in and has you questioning everything. Filled with twists and turns, Searching is an original and unique psychological thriller that will entice any horror fan.
Searching is now available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
Ratter (2015)
The crime of cyberstalking is brought to the surface with director Branden Kramer’s film Ratter.
Ratter has Emma (Ashley Benson), a single girl living alone in New York City, that finds herself being watched by a stalker who has hacked all of her devices so that he can watch her anywhere, at any time. But watching isn’t enough and his stalking goes from virtual to physical.
Ratter is one of those films that just gets under your skin by showing just how fragile our sense of privacy really is. Ratter keeps a plot simple by focusing more on suspense and building up Emma’s sense of paranoia that leads up to an ending that will leave you rattled.
Ratter is now available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
The Den (2013)
Okay! Admit it, at one time or another you’ve been on a Chatroulette-esque site, usually stumbling on someone flossing their teeth or dancing around naked. But what if you stumbled upon a murder, what would you do? That’s exactly what happens in The Den, a webcam-based horror film that makes you think twice before going online.
Elizabeth (Melanie Papalia), a graduate student conducting a sociological experiment seeing how many strangers she can connect with and how many of those turn out to be a meaningful connection. One night, Elizabeth logs into a webcam site known as The Den, during her cam session she witnesses a brutal murder and becomes the killer’s next intended target.
The Den is a rough and tough slasher film that borderlines on being a snuff film as the film doesn’t shy away from being vicious and down-right brutal at times.
Ratter is now available to watch for Amazon Prime Video members.
Megan is Missing (2011)
We’re told at a young age not to talk to strangers, but what about strangers online? They can’t hurt us — right? In Megan is Missing we find out how dangerous the internet can truly be.
In the film, we meet Megan (Rachel Quinn) and her friend Amy (Amber Perkins), they’re best friends. They are 14-years-old and do everything together. Go to parties, talk on their phone, share secrets, post videos online and chat with guys online. But on January 14, 2007 Megan disappeared…forever.
First to capitalize the dangers of the internet, Director Michael Goi based the film on actual child abductions cases and features teenagers being kidnapped and tortured. The amount of torture and violence is extremely disturbing but at the same time all too real. The film will leave you wondering- What happened to Megan and could it happen to me?
Megan is Missing is now available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)
Breaking away from the traditional found footage formula that the franchise is known for, Paranormal Activity 4 shifted to from a hand-held camera to a screen life format.
Taking place five years after Paranormal Activity 2, Katie Featherston and her nephew Hunter are still missing after the events of part 2 and a new family begins experiencing the same type of paranormal activity.
Not as scary as the previous entries but still features some frightening scenes involving a demon materializing through the screen of an Xbox Kinect, a creepy neighbor kid and pulse-pounding ending that will take your breath away. But the screen life format couldn’t save the franchise as the franchise was starting to lose steam by this point.
Paranormal Activity 4 is now available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)
Down the dark rabbit hole, we go with Blumhouse’s Unfriended: Dark Web which digs deep into the sinister corners of the internet.
A solid follow-up to Unfriended, Dark Web follows Matias (Colin Woodell) a young man who finds a laptop at a coffee shop. After bringing it home, he goes online for a game night with his friends. The night of fun turns deadly when Matias discovers that his new laptop has access to the dark web, and shows his friends a mysterious folder that unlocks disturbing videos of people being tortured. The group of friends receive a message that they will die if they disconnect or call the police and that they are being watched by cybercriminals that will stop at nothing to cover their tracks.
Shifting from ghosts to hackers, Dark Web is grittier and nastier than its predecessor with graphic videos depicting women being tortured, kidnapped and held captive. Dark Web is a movie that makes you scared of browsing the internet because one wrong click and you can enter a world that you won’t get out of.
Unfriended: Dark Web is now available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
V/H/S (2012)
Segment “The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger”
When you’re thinking of screen life horror films, your mind doesn’t instantly go to V/H/S as its more of a traditional found footage film. But there is a segment called The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger, that fits perfectly into the sub-genre.
The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger, is told entirely through a series of video chats as we follow Emily (Helen Rogers) as she notices an odd bump in her arm which reminds her of something strange that happened to her as a child. While at the same time, Emily also begins noticing strange occurrences happening in her home. Frequently Skyping with her boyfriend, we watch her get relentlessly terrorized by supernatural forces and watch as she slowly begins losing her mind.
Out of all the V/H/S segments, you never know exactly what is going on. Is it paranormal? Is it aliens? Or is it all in her imagination? But that’s exactly what the screen life format does, never reveals too much and when it does its all too terrifying. Still solidly creepy as this segment delivers on the shocks and the jump scares that will make you skin crawl.
V/H/S is available to watch on Shudder.
Open Windows (2014)
In 2014, we dived into the world of voyeurism, obsession, webcamming, and computer hacking with Nacho Vigalondo’s film Open Windows.
Told entirely through a laptop, Open Windows Nick Chambers (Elijah Wood) wins a contest to meet his favorite actress, Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey) -he’s her biggest fan. Jill refuses to have dinner with Nick, but he gets a second chance as he is given the opportunity to spy on Jill through her webcam… Nick is then pulled into a deadly game of cat and mouse.
This is the kind of film Hitchcock would make if he were still around today. Considered a modern-day Rear Window with plot twists, suspense and ending you won’t see coming. This high-tech thriller is not to be missed.
Open Windows is now available to watch for Amazon Prime Video members.
Host (2020)
One of the best and maybe one of the only good things to come out of 2020 was Rob Savage’s Host. Filmed entirely during lockdown and clocking in under 60 minutes, Host is a fast-paced horror film that takes having a Zoom party to another level.
Taking place entirely during a Zoom call, six friends gather together to conduct a séance. During the séance, things go wrong and the girls contact a sinister presence. Strange occurrences begin to happen and the girls face the fact that they may not survive the night.
Anxiety producing, terrifying, unbelievably scary, what hasn’t been said about this movie? Rob Savage delivers an original and modern take on the screen-life format by incorporating them at a time when all we do have is Zoom calls.
Host is now available to watch on Shudder for subscribers.
Honorable Mentions:
Other genre favorites include Collingswood Story, Usernamer:666, Followed, Cam and Shook. Shook can be watched on Shudder.
This article has been updated from our archives.
News
ShoStak Opens the Door for Filmmakers to Build and Own Their Stories
A new player is stepping into the space, but ShoStak is making one thing clear right away.
It is not trying to be the next Netflix. It is not chasing TikTok.
“Cinema does not need another platform. It needs a new model.”
That idea sits at the core of what ShoStak is building. Not just a place to watch content, but a system where creators and audiences connect in a way that feels very different from what we are used to.
The First 150 Competition Is Already Underway
ShoStak is kicking things off with its First 150 Competition, giving filmmakers a chance to present their story worlds and compete for the opportunity to move into production.
Projects are introduced as series concepts or pilots, then advance through multiple stages. Audience voting plays a role, but it is only part of the process.
Selections are ultimately shaped by a mix of audience engagement, creative execution, and overall project readiness. It is not just about popularity. It is about building something that can actually move forward.
For creators, it is a rare chance to get in front of both an audience and a structured development path at the same time.
One Platform, Built Around a New Model
Everything now lives under ShoStak.tv, where both creators and audiences come together.
Creators can sign up, develop their projects, and begin building their audience. Viewers can discover new series, follow story worlds, and engage with projects as they evolve.
ShoStak describes this as a cinematic ecosystem. Stories are not treated as disposable content designed to spike and disappear. They are built to grow over time.
And that growth happens in public.
Ownership Without Losing Structure
One of ShoStak’s core ideas is giving creators more control over what they build.
Filmmakers are positioned to:
- Retain ownership of their intellectual property
- Build direct relationships with their audience
- Grow projects based on real engagement
At the same time, this is not a free-for-all.
There is still structure. Projects are evaluated, developed, and refined through a process that blends audience input with creative and strategic decision-making.
Instead of removing the system entirely, ShoStak is reshaping how creators move through it.
Development Happens in Public
This is where things start to separate from the traditional model.
Instead of developing behind closed doors, ShoStak allows projects to evolve in front of an audience.
Creators introduce their ideas, build a following, and expand their worlds over time. As engagement grows, so does the project.
It is less about waiting for approval and more about proving momentum.
Over time, that turns the platform into something larger than a development program. It becomes an open ecosystem where creators and audiences push stories forward together.
More Than Just Testing Ideas
Micro-series are a big part of ShoStak’s approach, but they are not just a testing ground.
They can be the final product.
The format allows creators to:
- Tell complete stories in shorter form
- Build long-term story worlds
- Expand into larger projects when it makes sense
It is not about proving an idea and moving on. It is about giving that idea room to grow in whatever direction fits.
Why This Matters for Horror
Horror has always thrived outside the system.
Some of the most memorable films in the genre came from creators taking risks, working with limited resources, and finding their audience without waiting for permission.
ShoStak’s model fits naturally into that mindset.
It gives horror creators a space to:
- Build original story worlds
- Connect directly with fans
- Grow projects without losing control
And with early content like Civilian and Liminal already rolling out, it is clear the platform is aiming for more than just quick-hit content.
A Different Path Forward
ShoStak is not trying to compete by doing the same thing better.
It is trying to change how stories are created, developed, and sustained.
By combining creator ownership, audience engagement, and a structured development path, it offers something that feels closer to a creative ecosystem than a traditional platform.
Whether it works long-term is still unknown.
But for filmmakers looking for a new way in, it is opening a door that has been closed for a long time.
News
The Clayface Teaser Just Made October Feel Very Far Away
Clayface is a character whose face changes. Or rather, he is a man whose body can transform into whatever is required in the moment. He primarily uses this skill to land acting jobs and murder people. Fun Guy.
Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, an actor whose face gets destroyed in a gangster attack. Naomi Ackie is the scientist who hands him something that fixes the problem by making it considerably worse. Bandages. Blood. Then a face that begins to melt. You know where this ends.
Who Made This
The director is James Watkins, who made Speak No Evil in 2024 and before that Eden Lake, which is one of the more quietly devastating horror films of the last twenty years. Watkins does not make comfortable films. He makes films that stay in the room with you after you leave the theater and this one is about a DC villain whose body does not hold its shape anymore.
The script is from Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini. Flanagan built the language of prestige horror television with The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass before moving back into features with The Life of Chuck. He writes characters who are being destroyed from the inside and the outside simultaneously.
The October Play
Clayface opens October 23, which puts it squarely in Halloween season and makes it the first DC film that actually belongs there. The project is likely rated R. The trailer confirms why.
There is a face melting off.
Watch the teaser. Then clear your calendar for October 23.
News
‘Behind the Mask 2’ Slays Kickstarter
If you are hardwired into the horror community there is no doubt you heard the gasp around the internet earlier this month when Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon was announced. The announcement of the long anticipated sequel came at a screening of the original at American Cinematheque in Los Angeles.
That same evening we also learned that Behind the Mask’s director Scott Glosserman as well as writer David J. Stieve will be returning to the film. Furthermore, cast members Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, and Robert Englund will be reprising their roles from the original.
A Kick into Overdrive
While the sequel is happening one way or another, a Kickstarter campaign was established. The money pledged would allow the filmmakers to create a movie that goes above and beyond their original budget.
As the campaign’s page states;
“The film is happening, that’s no-take-backs. If we hit these goals, it makes it possible to do it bigger, bloodier, and bolder.”
The campaign goes on, saying;
“This is not a “save the movie” campaign. The movie is happening. Kickstarter is how we make it our way. “
Roughly two weeks after the sequel’s announcement, the campaign launched with a modest day one goal of $20,000. To say that fans crushed this number is an understatement. In 9 minutes they reached their goal. In less than 24 hours the amount of backers climbed to over 300, and the pledges donated totaled more than $100,000!
Get to the Good Stuff!
For pledging, the moviemakers have included incentives that are truly in line with what the horror community wants.
The rewards begin at $25 with a digital streaming link of Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon. Tiers continue on as the pledge amounts increase. T-shirts, posters, Blu Rays and scripts are just some of the middle tier goodies. The larger donation amounts are rewarded with on screen “Special Thank You”s and various producer credits.
It is the ‘Exclusive Add Ons’ where things get really interesting. Once a backer has already pledged, they can add on additional perks. These additions include
“accessories, autographs, props, and truly unique, fan forward in-person experiences… all intended to complement your chosen reward tier!”
One of the unique add on perks includes VHS tapes of the original Behind the Mask or the sequel, your choice! Given the fact the first movie was created right on the heels of when VHS was truly dead, older horror fans will especially find this perk an exciting addition to their vintage collection.
The reward add-ons also have the horror prop collectors in mind. You can purchase Leslie Vernon’s weapon of choice, a scythe, as well as his mask. Both of these are signed by actor Nathan Baesel.
For more personal experiences, you can add on a visit to the Behind the Mask II set during filming! You can also choose a cast and crew screening in LA or New York, complete with an after party. Finally, for the crème de la crème; you can be killed onscreen by Leslie Vernon himself!
Powered by the Fans
Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon is the little slasher movie that could!
For two decades the creators tried to find ways to make Leslie’s legacy continue. A failed first Kickstarter, rumors, teases, and false starts all led to the delay of a dream.
For twenty years the movie’s cult gathering slowly formed, cultivated, and grew louder and louder. Too loud to be ignored.
As soon as the campaign went live, horror fans donated their hard earned money. And let’s face it; we are currently living in a time where the dollar doesn’t stretch as far. The fact that the long awaited sequel gained so much traction and backing, so quickly, really demonstrates the community’s love, support, and anticipation for Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon.
It looks like Leslie Vernon will finally be returning!
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