From 2012 to The Ring: 13 scary movies that will make you feel better about the current state of the world.

While an actual global pandemic rages on outside our homes, maybe your preference is to take the edge off with a horror film.

An odd choice maybe, but hey, each to their own distraction technique.

To help, we’ve curated our 13 scariest and most gripping movies that’ll satiate even the biggest horror film buff. From end-of-the-world scenarios to haunted spirits and bloodthirsty cults, we’d like to think we’ve got something for everyone.

All you have to do is hit play.

This is what astrological signs are like in social isolation. Cancers, please put down those scissors. You do not need a fringe. Post continues below.

1. 2012.

Where can I watch it? Netflix.

Remember for a hot second in 2012 when we thought the world was going to end? The Mayan calendar may have been involved.

The film imagines what it would be like if that were to actually happen, and in this case, a global string of cataclysmic disasters is objectively worse than a global pandemic.

2. Paranormal Activity.

Where can I watch it? Stan.

Watch the original movie that spawned one of the most well-known horror franchises to date. After moving into their new house, Katie and Micah are terrorised by a demon who Katie believes has been following her all her life.

Plus, if you find yourself with a few spare hours, you can even watch the five other Paranormal Activity films in the franchise.

3. Midsommar.

Where can I watch it? YouTube and Google Play.

When a group of university friends travel to rural Sweden, they stumble into a midsummer festival that combines dancing around a maypole with a bit of human sacrifice. It's a wild movie.

Not to be crude, but when you're being chased by a bunch of murderous Scandinavian cult leaders, not going outside doesn't seem that bad.

4. The Ring.

Where can I watch it? Stan.

A classic horror film that will make you think twice before picking up a call from an unknown number. Rachel, a journalist, uncovers a cursed videotape that kills whoever watches it in seven days.

After accidentally watching the tape herself, she receives a call from an unknown caller who whispers "seven days". Before she runs out of time, Rachel tries to uncover the source of the twisted curse.

5. Lost Highway.

Where can I watch it? Stan.

Fred, an LA saxophonist, is accused of murdering and dismembering his wife's body. However, he has no recollection of doing so. Despite this, in the days leading up to her death, he recalls having visions and receiving tapes from someone who is seemingly stalking them. Needless to say, not all is what it seems.

6. Annabelle Comes Home.

Where can I watch it? Netflix.

Another instalment of The Conjuring universe, Annabelle Comes Home follows the original story of the possessed doll. Taking place in the home of demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, Annabelle gets unleashed from her locked case and immediately wreaks havoc.

7. Martyrs.

Where can I watch it? YouTube and Google Play.

This award-winning, controversial French film is not for the faint of heart. After being tortured and kidnapped as a child, Lucie is out for revenge and commits a horrific crime in doing so. She's joined by a young woman called Anna, who was also a victim of childhood abuse. The film follows Anna as she discovers the group responsible for their torture.

8. The Cabin in the Woods.

Where can I watch it? Netflix.

A classic slash horror film with a zombie twist, The Cabin in the Woods is a modern classic. A group of college students spend the weekend in a cabin (yes, in the woods) where they're attacked by the zombified Buckner family. They attempt to escape, but little do they know, there are more evil forces at play.

9. Candyman II: Farewell to the Flesh.

Where can I watch it? Stan.

You might as well watch this classic horror film before the 2020 remake comes out. According to the Candyman legend, you can summon the murderous spirit if you say his name five times while looking at a mirror.

In the second standalone instalment of the 90s horror series, Candyman haunts a woman named Alice who is connected to the family who was responsible for his death decades ago.

10. Hush.

Where can I watch it? Netflix.

A deaf author named Maddie, who lives in an isolated house in the woods with her cat, becomes the target of a masked killer. After he kills her friend, Maddie must do all she can to stay alive.

If you're social-distancing on your own, this might not be the film for you. We're definitely going to say it's better watched in the company of others.

11. Prom Night.

Where can I watch it? YouTube and Google Play.

It's been three years since her high school teacher, Richard Fenton, murdered Donna's entire family. On the eve of her senior prom, he escapes from custody. Still obsessed with his former student, he stops at nothing to find her.

While Prom Night got a rather measly seven per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, don't let that stop you. Sometimes there's nothing better than a really (really) bad horror film. It's rather soothing in its own way.

12. Let The Right One In.

Where can I watch it? Stan.

Forget what you think you know about vampire films, this horror-romance follows what begins as an innocent crush between Eli (a centuries old vampire) and a shy 12-year-old boy, Oskar. However, Eli's insatiable need for human blood becomes an issue.

If you have some extra time, treat yourself to the Swedish book the film was adapted from. It's darker and even more sinister.

13. The Curse of La Llorona.

Where can I watch it? Netflix.

This film is very loosely-based on the Mexican folklore about a scorned woman who drowns her children in a lake while in a fit of rage, and then stalks the world for other children to kill, in hopes of exchanging them for her two sons. The curse has now made its way to modern day Los Angeles, where La Llorona has locked onto the family of Anna Tate-Garcia (Linda Cardellini) and her two children, Chris and Samantha.

Expect lots of jump scares and a brilliantly twisted plot line.

What shows and movies are you watching right now? Tell us in a comment below.