As profitable as the "found footage" genre of horror films seems, Hollywood took a while to notice it as the potential channel for small concepts to become bigger, without huge budgets going down the drain. In the '90s, there was the witch from Blair township; in the 2000s a certain activity was extremely paranormal and drove people in hordes to movie theaters. Clearly there was something here, and at some point big studios and important filmmakers decided to recognize found footage films as more than just successful experiments.

It's how this part of the industry massively grew up in the former decade. Of course, horror was the primordial genre, but it also drifted towards action and whatever setting in which extreme realism could do more for the film. Sure, Hollywood experimented, and some good things came out of it, but the 2010s also saw the birth of a few relatively obscure studios that would use found footage as the perfect method to make indie horror the proper business card for upcoming filmmakers.

In this sea of films, many failed. But there were also far too many that made our heads turn and made found footage one of the most successful and scariest shooting styles of modern cinema. These are the top found footage films of the 2010s.

26 The Last Exorcism

The Last Exorcism

Produced by Eli Roth, Daniel Stamm's The Last Exorcism put together demonic possession movies and found footage in a plot that went by fast and depended mostly on good special effects and performances that did the job. To put it alongside The Exorcist is really too much, but it's good enough to unsettle you and leave you awake for hours. Why? The realism is undeniable.

Oh, and it was one of the first times Caleb Landry Jones showed up on the screen, and that guy is awesome.

25 Paranormal Activity 2

Security camera footage of a child's crib and bedroom in Paranormal Activity 2
Paramount Pictures

The saga continues, and this time there are kids involved. Paranormal Activity 2 manages a similar effect of the first one in the audience. The storyline is presented as a prequel with the characters being related to Katie. We won't spoil much if you haven't seen this one, but if you decide to, do so with the lights on. For some, it was scarier; for others, capitalizing on the presence of kids was excessive. Regardless, you will enjoy this horror film if you're into the Paranormal Activity series and found footage.

24 Butterfly Kisses

Butterfly Kisses movie
Gravitas Ventures

We start to go meta with Butterfly Kisses and its "film within a film" concept. A shady filmmaker puts all his energy into making a documentary about footage he just found and faces an urban legend that's definitely not real. Or is it? The great thing about this one is the doubt that's seeded early on, and how your concern grows out of it without making necessarily being framed in an explosive or scary film. Goosebumps will come, but more out of sadness and dread than just plain fear.

Related: Best Found Footage Movies of the 90s, Ranked

23 Grave Encounters

Grave Encounters
Tribeca Film

The Vicious Brothers direct Grave Encounters, and this time they go for the "ghost hunters deserve to die" thing. It looks corny, and sometimes the performances are questionable, but the film is terribly scary when it has to be. You will ask yourself, "why do people willingly enter an abandon psychiatric hospital where ghosts reside?" But believe us, it's worth it.

22 V/H/S

VHS Second Honeymoon
Magnet Releasing

The first of many. V/H/S is a very cool film that introduces a concept that still doesn't make sense but calls for as many sequels as possible. In this one, segments like Tuesday the 17th and Second Honeymoon are among the best in found footage history.

Related: Best V/H/S Segments Across The FIlm Franchise, Ranked

We also like to celebrate it as the perfect launchpad for upcoming filmmakers who found their safe haven in found footage, and producers who love horror above anything else. One of its segments, Amateur Night, was good enough to launch a spin-off feature called Siren.

21 The Conspiracy

The Conspiracy
XLRator

A relatively unknown film, The Conspiracy is a solid horror thriller without supernatural elements or excessive violence. Instead, it goes for a full exploitation of the conspiracy thriller concept with a clever use of the found footage tools that only a film of this nature can use. Hidden cameras are useful but also a great use of light and blocking to make for an unnerving feeling of impending doom.

20 Unfriended: Dark Web

Unfriended: Dark Web Review: Brutal, Inventive, But Not Very Scary
OTL Releasing

Screen on screen films just have to be clever to be effective. This variation of found footage proved to be useful in Unfriended, but its sequel Unfriended: Dark Web takes things further along the way as it mixes the supernatural with the dark side of technology. The result is a small yet terrifying film that doesn't rest for one minute. Special effects are insanely cool in this one.

Related: Top 10 Scariest Movies Outside of Horror

19 Willow Creek

Willow Creek
Dark Sky Films

If people are familiar with Willow Creek, it's because of director Bobcat Goldthwait (the famous '90s comedian turned director of dark comedies like God Bless America and World's Greatest Dad), and not because it's actually a very clever found footage horror film. This is the story of a couple who enter the woods to unravel the mystery of Bigfoot, and they encounter... well, something. The sound design in Willow Creek is another character in itself, and trust us, you will think again before going to the woods to explore local legends.

18 The Den

The Den
IFC Midnight

Mixing screen time with found footage, The Den doesn't start like a solid horror film. At first, it's actually pretty slow and almost naive. But then it goes into full horror mode, and it becomes one of the best in its found footage genre. This is the story of Liz, a woman who investigates murders taking place on a webcam site, and her going down a rabbit hole that's perhaps too dangerous. This is one of the few of the list that works better when watching it on a small screen.

17 Afflicted

Afflicted movie
Entertainment One

Afflicted is a small gem of a film that through the use of great special effects, tells a different story than what you would imagine. It's not as scary as it could be, but it's so well-made that we couldn't help but put it on the list. The journey of two friends becomes an enthralling mystery about the sickness that one of them starts showing. Never has found footage been this emotional.

16 As Above So Below

As Above So Below Extended Red Band Trailer Still
Universal Pictures

Of course, we weren't going to leave As Above So Below out of the list. This is the story of a group of explorers who one day decide to enter the catacombs in Paris without imagining they could be the entryway into something very dark that's out of this world. To call it a great exercise in tension is an understatement. Watch this one with the lights off, but don't do it alone.

15 The Dirties

The Dirties
Phase 4 Films

What starts off as a very interesting school project becomes a morbid venture of vengeance in The Dirties. This 2013 film wasn't seen by many, but it paved the way for found footage films that weren't necessarily horror-oriented. Regardless, the story about a young filmmaker shooting a film about bullies becomes an invasive cinematic experience after which you won't want to explore your past for a long time.

14 The Possession of Michael King

The possession of michael king
Anchor Bay Films

The Possession of Michael King is a rare film of its genre. It's a drama that justifiably turns into horror through a plot about grief and the weird way Michael deals with it. The film progresses into a body horror film that, mixed with the demonic, makes for a fun time at the movies. The performance by Shane Johnson as Michael is one of the best in this list and in modern horror. We dare you to find one that is better.

13 Searching

Searching movie with John Cho
Sony Pictures Releasing

Aneesh Chaganty's Searching is a great example of clever scripting in a "screen on screen" setting, or what is called a screenlife film. The story about a father trying to find his teenage daughter through the use of technology starts by being riskily funny, but quickly it turns into a gripping thriller. Perhaps you're thinking of how a film shot like this can make you tense. We invite you to watch Searching and experiment that for yourself. Screenlife films take found footage to the next level, and Searching is one of the best of its kind.

12 Frankenstein’s Army

Frankenstein's army
MPI Media Group

A great variation of war films that mixes horror, found footage, and creature effects in an insane extravaganza that horror fans should never have missed. It's the story of a Soviet soldier that in a reconnaissance mission faces a doctor with a lot of creativity and an ancestor with a unique talent. Frankenstein's Army is a horror blast that's unlike any other modern film.

Related: Best War Horror Movies, Ranked

11 Blair Witch

Blair Witch movie 2016
Lionsgate Films

The 2016 return to the witchverse, Blair Witch, is a solid found footage modern horror that manages to be the sequel everyone deserved. Directed by the always effective Adam Wingard and written by his collaborator Simon Barrett, Blair Witch follows a group of friends who decide to investigate Heather's disappearance, a group which includes Heather's sister. Guess who they find in a third act that will shatter your expectations?

10 Chronicle

Chronicle
20th Century Fox

Josh Trank deserves more. He's got Chronicle in his past, and it's a great superhero film that somehow uses found footage and ends up being a great example of the genre. Also, it's got great performances by then-up-and-coming modern actors who portray a group of teenagers that gain superpowers and each of them uses them to their advantage.

9 End of Watch

End of Watch
Open Road Films

The most mainstream film on the list isn't horror. But that's OK. We forgive you, David Ayer, because we really love your police action film End of Watch. This is a very good film about a couple of police agents working in South L.A. and dealing with their dangerous line of work. Though it mixes styles, whoever didn't believe found footage could be used in this plot, must be taking that back now with regret. The film has great performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anna Kendrick, and Frank Grillo.

8 The Sacrament

The Sacrament movie
Magnolia Pictures

Ti West masterfully directs the Jonestown-inspired found footage horror thriller The Sacrament. It wouldn't be the same without the solid performances by some modern actors (who are also directors) that are unfortunately seen less than they deserve (Joe Swanberg, Kentucker Audley, Amy Seimetz, and Gene Jones). This is a great tension-filled film in which you're always waiting for something to explode. When it does, be prepared for a fantastic third act.

7 One Cut of the Dead

One Cut of the Dead
Enbu Seminar

This Japanese zombie horror comedy is much, much better than you would imagine. One Cut of the Dead tells the story of a film crew shooting a zombie film as they encounter some real-life threats. But that's not all. Definitely not all. You will laugh, cry, grab your partner and almost applaud at what's essentially a perfect film made with so much passion you won't believe your eyes.