As horror film aficionados across the country will likely agree, being a fan of scary movies can be a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you’re more prepared for the inevitable zombie apocalypse than any of your friends; but on the other hand, you’re often misunderstood by your peers.

According to some “normal people” — like my roommate, for instance — horror fanatics have seen too much. They’ve been watching clips of dismemberment, torture, and Jack Nicholson limping around with an axe for far too long to be entirely healthy. As a horror fan myself, most of this I attempt to deny — but the stigma remains.

For all the misunderstood horror film fans across Toronto, I bring good news: the Toronto After Dark Film Festival is here to quench your thirst for a nightmare-inducing movie. Taking place at the Scotiabank Theatre from October 16–24, Toronto After Dark promises a wide variety of thoroughly terrifying films, each one set to be more dreadful than the next. Here are some recommendations to suit all levels of horror film fans.

Zombeavers
Saturday, October 18, 7:00 pm

If you aren’t already sold on the name alone, allow me to provide some context for this movie. Much like the infamous Sharknado or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Zombeavers is an absolutely ridiculous concept for a film that was lucky enough to get any funding. However, for being a self-aware horror/comedy about a group of teenagers fighting off an angry hoard of zombie beavers, this movie actually looks pretty funny. It will inevitably include an excruciating amount of beaver-related jokes but will nonetheless serve as a breath of fresh air for those who need a break from terror.

Projected scare factor: Maybe a little jump-scare here and there but nothing too awful.
The Drownsman
Sunday, October 19, 4:15 pm

Somewhere between terrifying and downright scarring comes The Drownsman, a psychological thriller with a hint of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Venturing inside the mind of a troubled young woman, this movie focuses on her intense fear of drowning and the horrors that come with it. Both suspenseful and scary, The Drownsman may very well remove any glimmer of hope from your day, leaving you thoroughly disturbed and in critical need of a sitcom marathon. My best wishes to anyone intent on actually seeing this.

Project scare factor: Try not to pee yourself.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
Thursday, October 23, 7:00 pm

Set in rural America, the little town of Texarkana is tormented by a series of murders — all seemingly linked to sightings of a mysterious man. Originally a cult classic from the ’70s, The Town that Dreaded Sundown has been reinvented by the creator of American Horror Story to evoke complete and utter fear in whoever is brave enough to witness it. There will be a short film shown before the screening titled Satan’s Dolls. Sounds charming.

Projected scare factor: Very scary. Enter at your own risk.

Let Us Prey
Friday, October 24, 7:00 pm

Let Us Prey looks genuinely terrifying — the trailer itself is nauseating enough for most. The film follows the barbaric outbreak of violence that occurs when a medieval-looking man (conveniently, Game of Thrones’ Liam Cunningham) appears at an isolated police station in the middle of the night. But who knows, this one seems much more gory than it does suspenseful — and the suspenseful ones are usually the scariest. I definitely wouldn’t encourage eating too much beforehand, though.

Projected scare factor: Definitely Not Safe For Work, and probably Not Safe For Life either.