Halloween is the time to celebrate all things spooky, but the way we celebrate sometimes can differ greatly from person to person. For me, watching horror movies throughout the month of October has always been a tradition I have tried to uphold. In more recent years I have turned to sharing my finds with friends and family. Horror is a genre founded on suspense and surprise, so showing my favorites to someone who has yet to experience them brings me joy.
Horror has always resonated with me above all other genres because, regardless of quality, a good horror film is almost always trying to do something different. This has led to a huge variety of subgenres that span between different audiences. As part of the free service I provide to you, my loyal followers, I am going to use this space to try to recommend a spooky movie for even the most discerning of viewers.
For those seeking an under-seen classic
The Blob (1988)
I’m leading off with what I would normally consider an all-time classic that very few people I’ve spoken to have ever seen. Chuck Russell’s 1988 remake of the The Blob is a short, snappy, effects-driven monster movie that I can almost put on par with classics like The Thing. It’s a movie with very little downtime and makes for a fun and stomach-churning watch this Halloween.
Available on: Shudder, Rental
For those who fear their fellow man
Green Room (2015)
It’s a rather well-trodden cliche now that the scariest monster of all is man. This is immediately evident in Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room, which pits a down-on-their-luck punk band against a venue full of white supremacists after they accidentally witness a murder. With its brutally realistic portrayal of violent crime coupled with the anxiety of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, this movie plays like a 90-minute panic attack.
Available on: Showtime, Kanopy, PlutoTV, Rental
For those seeking a real mind-f**k
Possessor (2020)
Science fiction is a genre that plays well with horror because it allows for things to get fantastical without being outright supernatural. Brandon Cronenberg (son of the body-horror legend David) made his sophomore feature in Possessor, the story of an assassin in a futuristic world where technology exists to inhabit other peoples’ bodies. This movie throws in some very trippy visuals in combination with some gut-wrenching violence and really challenges the viewer more than most mainstream horror can get away with.
Available on: Tubi TV, Kanopy, Rental
For those seeking something foreign
Exhuma (2024)
Different cultures have different societal fears and the horror films of said cultures tend to reflect that. Jang Jae-hyun’s Exhuma feels a little more western-inspired than most, but definitely relies on Korean customs and folklore to differentiate itself. The film follows a small group of paranormal investigators of a sort trying to dispel a curse on a newborn child. It’s a little bit on the lengthy side, but the slow-burn first half satisfyingly leads into an absolutely bonkers back half.
Available on: Shudder, Kanopy, Rental
For those seeking something off the beaten path
The Empty Man (2020)
The downside to having seen so many horror movies is that it takes a lot to genuinely surprise me. When David Prior’s The Empty Man hit theaters in December of 2020, nobody was planning on rushing out to the theaters for one reason or another. It wasn’t until later the following year that it would be dumped onto Video On Demand and largely overlooked by nearly everyone. It’s a shame because it very deftly and simultaneously juggles elements of cop procedural, urban legend, cult, and cosmic horror to form a mostly cohesive cerebral trip.
Available on: Hulu, Rental
For those who want to laugh
Deadstream (2022)
Comedy in a horror film is typically used to diffuse tension for a break in the action but can also be used to trick audiences into letting their guard down. Vanessa and Joseph Winter’s Deadstream is a comedic found-footage film that follows a disgraced streaming personality who attempts to gain back his following by streaming live from within a haunted house. Comedy is extremely subjective, but everyone I’ve shared this one with has absolutely loved it. Its humor is largely broad, but there are some genuinely gut-busting and gnarly, goopy and gory bits that I go back to over and over again.
Available on: Netflix, Shudder, Hoopla, Tubi TV, Rental
For the whole family (or scaredy-cats)
Coraline (2009)
My final recommendation acts as a catch-all for those who might not be up to the task of a fully-fledged horror movie. Henry Selick’s Coraline is a stop-motion animated film aimed at a younger audience but doesn’t necessarily shy away from being genuinely creepy. The sheer artistry on display is enough to capture the attention span of children while the darker themes and undertones keep the adults engaged. This should be a Halloween staple in mostly every household.
Available on: Tubi TV, Rental
Horror is my least favorite genre, and RomComs are slightly better, lol. So for me it’s a choice between fright and cringe!