Horror fulfills a certain itch within me.
I’ve always wanted to have powers. But I didn’t want to be a superhero (or villain) but I wanted to do cool, amazing, unique things. I thought it would make my life a bit easier if I could make things move with my mind or go invisible or talk to animals. To be honest, at 34, it still sounds cool but probably extra complimented as an adult than as a kid.
And horror (and fantasy and sci-fi) does that a lot. And I think that’s a reason why I enjoy or favor supernatural/paranormal subgenre more than anything. I like the fantastical element of this is not a slasher where people are hunted, stalked and killed in some elaborate way (I do enjoy slashers) but I would rather see four teenage girls bond and then become complete lunatics with dark magic. Granted, Sarah was naturally gifted and she was the outlier but still. I wanna watch that, be immersed in that world instead of a Friday the 13th sequel.
So I thought about it and said, I wonder what movies I’ve seen that fit this category and behold there were many! I won’t include Chronicle or even Matilda which I love both films but the are on the backburner with MMPR.
Ordinary people become extraordinary.
Let’s talk about power wielding horror BUT and there is a BUT, there is one key note: the characters have to be human.
BIGGEST takeaway, I had to break these up into groups that make sense or are cohesive.
WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN
The Omen (1978) – Damien is the son of the devil yet his mere presence is powerful to cause sinister events to occur.
The Sixth Sense (1999) – I stand by this statement, if you could see dead people/how they died, I would be genuinely freaked out.
Stephen King’s Rose Red (2002) – One of our main characters (two really), are children who are gifted/have an attachment to Rose Red. Also, the majority of the characters are adults with psychic gifts. 
Firestarter (1984) – A mini pyromaniac, that concept kinda freaks me out but dang it, baby face Drew Barrymore is a cutie.
Stephen King’s IT (1990 mini series) – I think the losers’ club are gifted when they come together, there was a reason why this group of kids found each other and fought against Pennywise more than once.
The Shining (1980) – Danny’s gifted but his mother is on the verge of a collapse and his father, he’s already gone mentally. Redrum.
TEENAGE DREAM
Phenomena (1985) – A young Jennifer Connelly plays a character who can communicate/control insects.
Carrie (1976) – Sissy Spacek’s depiction as Carrie White is so beautiful, vulnerable, you wish the best for her and cheer for her.
Friday the 13th Part VII (1988) – I still don’t understand the ending with the dad, like why? Anyway if you wanna experience Carrie vs Jason, this is it.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) – The beginning of teenagers having gifts in the dreamworld that makes them (feel) powerful against Freddy. Also, Nancy is in this one! 
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) – The sequel to the teenagers against Freddy but now they are dying off one by one.
The Craft (1996) – 3 teenagers play with magic, 1 new girl is magically (and naturally) gifted and when they combine, they become reckless, resentful, and greedy.
ADULTING
Tourist Trap (1979) – A film I reviewed a while back and surprised by what the full story of Tourist Trap is, the addition of telekinesis is the cherry on top of a PG horror film… PG13? It’s not R, I do remember that.
One Dark Night (1983) – I wish this film focused a bit more and narrowed on the telekinetic/psychic aspect because I found that more fascinating than a jealous girl challenging another girl to spend the night in a mausoleum. 
The Dead Zone (1983) – This entire film is so bleak. I can’t imagine having a gift that can torment you from all aspects of the other person not believing and you think you’re crazy or seeing real events.
Scanners (1981) – They make having powers cool as fuck, especially if you can explode people’s heads! It also looks like a nightmare but like cool as fuck is at 70%.
Wes Craven’s Shock (1989) – This is one of the weirdest movies I’ve seen… and it reminded me of my retail days of carpet + static + earphones = MAJOR SHOCK. Now imagine that x 1000. But to other people… but random note, that movie was so… not what I thought it would be.
These films just fill in the void of what I wish I could do, and I’m sure I’m not alone. A lot of us wish we can have multiples of ourselves to do daily tasks, be invisible, teleport, move things with our minds or read minds… perhaps we want to be mutants in the Marvel universe? Let me know what films fit into this horror category of being human but gifted in some way.
Leave a comment below! See you guys next week!
Shots of Horror 