October is finally here!

The month of Halloween remains the best time of year for people to watch some great horror films. While the United States has produced some iconic horror films — from "The Exorcist" (1973) to "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) — that never fail to scare the next generation, there are other horror movies outside the U.S.

It is exciting and refreshing to watch a horror film in a different language. You are stepping into a whole different world when it comes to foreign horror films. Each country has their different approach and style when it comes to producing horror films. And my personal favorite thus far is Japanese horror films.

I don't speak Japanese. I never visited Japan.

Yet, that doesn't stop me from sitting in front of my television and watch a Japanese horror film. The first time I was introduced to Japanese horror, a close friend of mine—one who appreciates Japanese culture—made me watch "Dark Water" (2002) by director Hideo Nakata.

I had no idea what to expect with this movie. Based on the movie's official cover, my first thought was "NOPE" because lets face it: a mysterious and dark hallway with a hooded figure behind a little girl was enough to make me shiver. But I sat through the whole movie—with an occasional scream here and there—and enjoyed it very much.

You see, Japanese horror films are very different when it comes to horror genre. They tend to focus more on psychological horror where they depend on the character's fears and unstable emotions to create the film's tension. While watching "Dark Water," my source of fear did not come from the spirit itself; instead it was thematic details like the movie's darksome atmosphere and eerie sound effects that fed my fears.

And this particular technique can be seen in other Japanese horror films such as "Ringu" (1998) and the "Ju-On" series. Japanese horror films take fear to a whole other level. One where you will be physically, emotionally and mentally scared.

However, the Japanese are not the only ones who can deliver unforgettable horror films. Like Japan, the Spanish people also enjoy producing psychological horror movies. One of my favorites is "The Orphanage" (2007), originally called "El Orfanato," by Spanish director J. A. Bayona.

There are no "cheap scares" that most scary movies use to keep the audience entertained. Instead, the audience explores the movie's sinister atmosphere of a closed orphanage, with the protagonist's son communicating with an invisible spirit. Everything about this film, from the intense performance to excellent cinematography, allows the audience to become vulnerable and eventually lose themselves as well.

Besides, how can you not shiver when seeing a masked child standing in the dark?

While restless spirits are great for scares in horror movies, nothing is more frightening then being trapped. This is seen in "[REC]" (2007) by Spanish directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza. Normally the audience sees the horror unfold in front of them, but with this movie: the audience is part of the hellish world.

The shaky-camera technique that "[REC]" uses has created an environment where the person is experiencing the action as if they were a character as well. The sense of confusion and claustrophobia consistently builds as the movie progresses. Once again, the audience's vulnerability is used and with the film's pitch-black setting, it reflects everyone's nightmare on screen.

Although I only touched upon Japanese and Spanish horror films, there are many more foreign horror films to explore. From South Korea's "A Tale of Two Sisters" (2003) to Sweden's "Let the Right One In" (2008), the options are endless. In fact, I still have a few on my list that I must see myself such as Austria's physiological horror film "Goodnight Mommy" (2014) or Guillermo del Toro's gothic horror film "The Devil's Backbone" (2001).

So with October just beginning, instead of seeing "A Nightmare on Elm Street" for the millionth time (although it is a good movie), why not spice it up a little and see a French horror film like "Martyrs"
(2008) for a change?

Sometimes, to get scared, you must step away from your comfort zone. Besides, fear knows no language barrier.