Alright horror heads, October 2025 is finally here and you know what that means. Time to lock the doors, grab some candy, and binge watch every scary movie known to mankind. I’ve spent way too much time putting together this massive list of 150 Halloween movies that’ll keep you busy all month long.
Real talk, finding good Halloween movies shouldn’t be this hard. You hop on Netflix, scroll for 20 minutes, and end up rewatching The Conjuring for the tenth time. Not this year though. I’ve got everything from those brand new releases that just dropped (hello Black Phone 2!) to the classics your parents swear are scarier than anything made today. Spoiler alert: they might be right about The Exorcist.
| Category | How Many | Perfect For |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Horror Bangers (2020-2025) | 25 | People who want fresh scares |
| Classic Horror Icons | 25 | Nostalgia junkies |
| Supernatural & Ghost Stories | 20 | Paranormal believers |
| Slashers & Serial Killers | 20 | Gore lovers |
| Family-Friendly Halloween | 20 | Kids and wimps (no judgment) |
| Creature Features | 15 | Monster movie maniacs |
| Psychological Horror | 15 | Mind-bender fans |
| Zombies & End Times | 10 | Undead enthusiasts |
Okay so Ryan Coogler just dropped this vampire musical horror thing and it’s absolutely wild. Michael B. Jordan plays twin brothers running a juke joint and then BAM, Irish vampire shows up. The soundtrack goes so hard you’ll forget you’re watching horror. Nobody expected Coogler to go full horror but here we are and I’m not complaining. The twist at the end? You’ll need to watch it twice just to catch all the hints. This is what happens when you let talented directors do whatever they want.
Zach Cregger said “bet, I can do it again” after Barbarian and boy did he deliver. Picture this: entire class of kids disappears except one. Josh Brolin and Julia Garner trying to figure out what happened. Every time you think you know where it’s going, nope, wrong again buddy. Critics are losing their minds over this one. It’s the kind of movie that makes you immediately text your friends “DUDE YOU GOTTA WATCH THIS.”
The Grabber’s back but get this, now he’s attacking through dreams like some kinda bootleg Freddy Krueger. Ethan Hawke somehow made his character even creepier which I didn’t think was possible. They moved the setting to this winter camp which makes everything feel super isolated and hopeless. Finn’s dealing with major PTSD from the first movie while his sister’s getting creepy phone calls in her dreams. Scott Derrickson really said “let me traumatize y’all again” and we’re here for it.
The found footage kings are back with a Halloween special and it’s exactly what you’d want. We got killer trick-or-treaters, cursed candy, the works. Some segments are campy fun while others go full nightmare mode. The practical effects are disgusting in the best way. It’s basically a Halloween party in movie form. Perfect for when you can’t decide what kind of horror you’re in the mood for.
Danny Boyle came back to show everyone how zombie movies should be done. Britain’s been completely cut off from the world and the rage virus evolved into something way worse. Jodie Comer’s giving an Oscar-worthy performance as this desperate mom trying to protect her kid. The opening hour doesn’t let you breathe at all. The infected are smarter and faster now which is just great, exactly what we needed. This hits different after living through an actual pandemic.
These Australian kids made a ouija board look like child’s play. Using a mummified hand to talk to dead people at parties? What could possibly go wrong? Sophie Wilde absolutely kills it as the lead. That opening scene will have you shook within the first five minutes. The Philippou brothers came straight from YouTube and honestly, it shows in the best way. They know exactly what scares people our age.
Mia Goth went full psycho in this technicolor prequel to X and it’s beautiful. Set in 1918, it looks like Wizard of Oz had a baby with Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That eight-minute monologue Mia does in one take? Pure insanity. The kills are creative but it’s watching her slowly lose it that really gets you. Ti West made a slasher that looks like a Disney movie and somehow that makes it scarier. That ending shot haunts me.
This movie starts as one thing and becomes something completely different. Like, you think you’re watching an Airbnb horror then WHAM, left turn into crazytown. Bill Skarsgård plays the nice guy for once which makes everything feel wrong. Justin Long is perfectly hateable. The creature design? Nightmare fuel. Just go in blind, trust me on this one.
Hugh Grant playing a religious psycho is chef’s kiss casting. Two Mormon girls knock on the wrong door and end up in this theological nightmare. Grant uses his charm to be absolutely terrifying. No jump scares needed, just pure psychological chess. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East hold their own against him. The basement scene alone is worth the watch.
Ralph Fiennes serves up social commentary with a side of murder. Anya Taylor-Joy continues her horror queen streak as the only guest who sees through the BS. The food looks amazing which makes the horror hit different. Each course gets progressively more insane. It’s Saw meets Gordon Ramsay and somehow that combo works perfectly. Rich people getting what they deserve never gets old.
That creepy smile marketing was everywhere and the movie actually lived up to it. The curse spreads through witnessing trauma which is a genius concept. Jump scares that actually work even when you see them coming. The entity design in the final reveal is absolutely terrifying. Kyle Gallner shows up to connect it to a bigger universe. Can’t wait for Smile 2 to mess us up even more.
Sebastian Stan went from Winter Soldier to cannibal and we’re all confused but here for it. Daisy Edgar-Jones navigating modern dating horror is too real. The dark humor makes the cannibalism easier to swallow (pun intended). When that title card drops midway through? Mind blown. His house looks like a serial killer’s Pinterest board which is somehow perfect.
James Wan said “screw it, let’s get weird” and gave us this bonkers masterpiece. The third act reveal is so insane it loops back to genius. This is camp horror that takes itself seriously while being ridiculous. That backwards chase scene is already iconic. Feels like an ’80s Argento film on crack.
British religious horror that’s a proper slow burn. This nurse gets way too into her faith and things get dark. Morfydd Clark makes you feel bad for her even as she goes off the rails. They use body horror sparingly but when they do, yikes. The ending recontextualizes everything in the worst/best way.
Made during lockdown about a Zoom séance gone wrong. Only 56 minutes but scarier than most two-hour horror films. Made for literally $100K and it shows what you can do with creativity. The Zoom format never breaks which keeps you immersed. We all lived through awkward video calls so this hits close to home.
Refugee couple escapes war just to find their new UK home is haunted AF. Uses supernatural horror to explore real trauma brilliantly. Wunmi Mosaku and Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù give performances that’ll wreck you. The creature design pulls from African folklore which feels fresh. Social commentary that remembers to actually be scary.
Leigh Whannell turned the classic monster into a tech-bro abuser and it works. Elisabeth Moss makes you feel every second of paranoia. The invisible effects are simple but crazy effective. That kitchen knife scene? Perfection. Takes gaslighting and makes it literal which is genius. The suit reveal changes everything.
Nia DaCosta and Jordan Peele updated the legend for modern times. Tackles gentrification while still being scary as hell. The shadow puppet sequences are gorgeous. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II brings depth to what could’ve been basic. Tony Todd’s presence is felt even with minimal screen time. Say his name five times, I dare you.
Not traditional horror but the dread is real. Dev Patel on a quest facing psychological tests. Every frame looks like a medieval painting. The Green Knight practical effect is incredible. It’s artsy without being pretentious. Perfect Halloween mood without jump scares.
Ti West made a love letter to ’70s horror with a porn crew getting murdered on a farm. Mia Goth plays both hero and villain which is wild. The slasher elements are perfectly executed. Kid Cudi showing actual acting chops was a pleasant surprise. Launched a franchise that keeps getting better.
Gen Z gets murdered at a hurricane party and it’s hilarious. Each character is a different type of terminally online person. Pete Davidson’s brief appearance actually works. The final reveal is brilliant commentary on miscommunication. Proof that whodunits can still feel fresh.
James McAvoy weaponizes social anxiety in this remake. Being too polite literally becomes deadly. McAvoy switches from charming to terrifying instantly. The kids’ performances add another layer of tension. Takes the Danish original’s nihilism and adds American action.
Nic Cage goes full unhinged as a satanic serial killer. The ’90s setting adds that analog horror vibe. Maika Monroe continues killing it in horror. The satanic panic stuff feels relevant again somehow. Cage’s makeup and voice choices are genuinely disturbing.
David Dastmalchian as a ’70s talk show host whose Halloween special goes to hell. Found footage through vintage TV is brilliant. Watching supernatural stuff happen during “live” broadcast is intense. The practical effects feel period-appropriate. Like watching actual cursed television.
Argentinian possession film that breaks all the rules. No electricity, no guns, no faith, you’re screwed. The violence is shocking even for horror veterans. Rural setting makes everything feel hopeless. Mean-spirited in the best possible way.
John Carpenter basically invented the slasher template and everyone’s still copying it. Michael Myers is scary because there’s no reason for what he does. That piano theme lives rent-free in everyone’s head. Jamie Lee Curtis became the ultimate final girl. The way Carpenter uses shadows and empty space is masterclass filmmaking. You know that shot of Michael just standing there? Still terrifying.
Half a century later and this is still the scariest movie ever made, fight me. The practical effects look better than most CGI today. Linda Blair and that demon voice will mess you up. Takes its sweet time before the possession starts which makes it hit harder. Father Karras dealing with faith issues adds actual depth. Spider-walk scene still makes people nope out.
Made for pocket change and feels like a snuff film. That dinner scene is the most uncomfortable thing ever filmed. Leatherface doesn’t need dialogue to be terrifying. You can feel the Texas heat through the screen. Way less gory than people remember but somehow that’s worse. The final girl laughing maniacally at the end is perfect.
Hitchcock really said “let me kill the main character 40 minutes in” and changed cinema forever. The shower scene was so shocking people thought it was real. Anthony Perkins makes Norman sympathetic and creepy at the same time. Janet Leigh did more in 40 minutes than most actors do in entire movies. The Bates house is creepy without any actual ghosts. Those violin screeches defined horror music.
Romero invented modern zombies and threw in social commentary for free. Casting a Black lead in 1968 was revolutionary. The zombies are slow but relentless which is somehow scarier. Made for nothing and proved horror could be art. That ending still hits like a truck. “They’re coming to get you, Barbara” is iconic.
Stephen King hates it but Kubrick made a masterpiece, sorry not sorry. Jack Nicholson’s descent into madness is perfectly unhinged. The Overlook Hotel feels like a living thing trying to kill you. Shelley Duvall was genuinely terrified during filming and it shows. Is it ghosts or madness? Who cares, it’s terrifying either way. Blood elevator is pure nightmare fuel.
Max Schreck’s Count Orlok is still the creepiest vampire design ever. Silent film that proves you don’t need sound to scare people. The shadow on the stairs scene gets copied to this day. Unauthorized Dracula adaptation that’s better than most official ones. German Expressionism created the visual language of horror. Plague metaphor hits different post-COVID.
Boris Karloff made the monster tragic not just scary. “It’s alive!” became the ultimate mad scientist line. The creation scene with all the sparks set the standard. The monster with the little girl shows it’s more than just horror. Jack Pierce’s makeup is still THE Frankenstein look. Universal peaked early with this one.
Bela Lugosi IS Dracula, everyone else is just cosplaying. That accent turned “I vant to suck your blood” into legend. No music makes everything feel off in the best way. Dwight Frye as Renfield is completely unhinged. The Spanish version shot on the same sets is lowkey better. Created vampire rules we still use.
Lon Chaney Jr. makes you feel bad for the werewolf which is impressive. Transformation scenes were mind-blowing for the time. Foggy moors are the perfect Gothic setting. Established werewolf mythology everyone still follows. That poem about pure hearts and prayers still slaps.
Rare sequel that’s better than the original. Elsa Lanchester’s hair is iconic for five minutes of screen time. Dr. Pretorius camping it up is perfect. The monster learns to speak which adds depth. “We belong dead” hits right in the feels. James Whale knew exactly what he was doing.
German Expressionism that looks like a nightmare painted on film. Twist ending basically invented unreliable narrators. Conrad Veidt’s sleepwalker is hauntingly beautiful. Those painted sets make everything feel wrong. Proved movies could be weird art. Tim Burton watched this once and never recovered.
Universal’s last great monster represents fear of the unknown. Underwater filming was revolutionary. Julie Adams in that white swimsuit became legendary. The creature suit still looks incredible. Amazon setting adds exotic danger. Basically Jaws before Jaws existed.
The OG monster spectacle that still impresses. Stop-motion by Willis O’Brien created impossible worlds. Fay Wray screaming became the template. Empire State Building scene still makes you sad for Kong. It’s actually a tragedy pretending to be a monster movie. “Beauty killed the beast” is straight poetry.
Boris Karloff again, bringing tragedy to Imhotep. Opening resurrection scene is legitimately creepy. Karloff’s eyes tell a thousand years of loneliness. Reincarnation plot became horror standard. Way more atmospheric than the Brendan Fraser version. Universal knew how to make monsters sympathetic.
Claude Rains acts with just his voice and kills it. Special effects that still look good today. Watching him go mad with power is perfectly paced. “We’ll begin with a reign of terror” delivered with pure joy. The unwrapping scene is still impressive. Science gone wrong at its finest.
Lon Chaney did his own makeup and created horror history. The unmasking made people literally faint. Paris Opera House setting adds grandeur. Chaney’s physical acting transcends silent film limits. That Technicolor ball scene is stunning. Proved horror could be epic.
Using actual carnival performers was controversial but adds authenticity. “One of us!” became THE outsider chant. Wedding feast scene builds crazy tension. The revenge ending is still shocking. Makes “normal” people the real monsters. Banned for decades, now it’s recognized genius.
Fredric March won an Oscar and deserved it. Transformation scenes were groundbreaking. Sexual stuff that’s frank for 1931. Miriam Hopkins plays virgin and whore perfectly. Hyde makeup is genuinely disturbing. Best adaptation of the story, hands down.
James Whale balancing comedy and horror perfectly. Boris Karloff’s mute butler is pure menace. Started the “travelers stuck in creepy house” thing. Charles Laughton chewing scenery gloriously. The Femm family is delightfully insane. “Have a potato” is weirdly iconic.
Val Lewton proved less is more in horror. Swimming pool scene is shadow horror perfection. Simone Simon brings exotic danger. Sexual repression themes surprisingly adult. Modern horror needs to study this. The bus jump scare invented the fake-out.
Cold War paranoia meets Arctic horror. Frozen setting adds perfect isolation. Rapid-fire dialogue was revolutionary. “Keep watching the skies” became sci-fi horror’s motto. Vegetable alien is uniquely terrifying. Carpenter’s remake honors this while going harder.
Vincent Price’s first major horror role and he owns it. 3D effects were mind-blowing for the time. Price brings Shakespeare to schlock. Wax figures hiding corpses is perfectly creepy. That paddle-ball 3D scene is hilarious. Launched Price’s horror career.
“Help me! Help me!” in that tiny voice haunts dreams. Matter transporter horror became standard. Domestic drama grounds the crazy concept. The fly-head reveal still works. Vincent Price adds class to everything. Cronenberg’s is gorier but this is creepier.
Polanski made paranoia into art. Mia Farrow going from happy to terrified is heartbreaking. The neighbors being satanists is somehow the least scary part. “He has his father’s eyes” is an all-time line. The rape scene disturbs without showing anything. Ruth Gordon’s Oscar was deserved.
James Wan brought class back to haunted house movies. The clapping game is simple genius that works every time. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson have amazing chemistry. Hide and seek in the dark is tension perfection. “Based on true events” makes it extra creepy. Launched the most successful horror universe.
Ari Aster came out swinging with family trauma horror. That car scene comes out of nowhere and destroys you. Toni Collette was robbed of an Oscar. The miniatures add this weird sense of doom. Check your ceiling corners forever after watching. The ending goes full cult crazy and it works.
Australian grief metaphor using a creepy kids’ book monster. The pop-up book itself is terrifying. Essie Davis gives one of horror’s best performances. The kid being annoying is realistic which makes it worse. “Babadook-dook-dook” will live in your brain. The ending about living with grief is perfect.
STD curse is genius in its simplicity. Disasterpeace’s synth score creates perfect dread. Never explaining the origin makes it scarier. Tall man in the doorway is an all-timer scare. The pool climax is visually incredible. Captures teenage anxiety perfectly.
Those Super 8 films are genuinely messed up. Ethan Hawke grounds supernatural stuff with real family drama. Bughuul’s design is simple but effective. The lawnmower film hits different. Each kill film gets progressively worse. Kids as killers is deeply disturbing.
The Further is one of horror’s coolest alternate dimensions. Red-faced demon behind Patrick Wilson is instantly iconic. Astral projection brings fresh ideas to haunting. “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” is ruined forever. Lin Shaye’s Elise became the franchise MVP. That last shot though.
Nicole Kidman carries this Gothic masterpiece. The twist makes you immediately want to rewatch. Kids’ light sensitivity adds unique atmosphere. “I am your daughter!” delivered perfectly. Servant reveals are genuinely shocking. Classy horror that earns every scare.
The twist is so famous people forget how scary it is. “I see dead people” launched endless memes. Red showing up everywhere is brilliant. Tent scene with puking girl is terrifying. Haley Joel Osment acted circles around adults. Shyamalan peaked early but what a peak.
American remake that actually works. That cursed tape is genuinely disturbing. Seven-day countdown is perfect ticking clock. Samara crawling from the TV traumatized everyone. Naomi Watts sells the investigation angle. The well scene is pure claustrophobia.
Found footage done right with zero budget. Static bedroom camera builds insane anticipation. Katie standing over Micah for hours is so creepy. Footsteps in powder reveal is genius. Made for $15K, made $193 million. Proved you just need good ideas.
That croaking sound ruins your sleep. Non-linear structure adds perfect confusion. Shower scene breaks the safe space rule. Japanese ghost aesthetic was fresh for Western audiences. Even the kid ghost is creepy when he’s helping. Sarah Michelle Gellar brought the Buffy crowd.
Jennifer Connelly elevates this moody ghost story. Water stain ceiling creates constant anxiety. Elevator scene is perfectly done. Ghost girl backstory is genuinely sad. The apartment building feels real depressing. More sad than scary which makes it unique.
John Cusack vs evil hotel room is brilliant. Based on King’s story but expanded perfectly. Room’s reality-bending attacks are creative. “We’ve Only Just Begun” is ruined forever. Samuel L. Jackson’s warnings are perfectly ominous. Multiple endings all work.
Australian mockumentary that’s devastating and creepy. Cell phone photo reveal is an all-time scare. Using real family photos adds authenticity. Grief exploration feels real. Final revelation changes everything. Criminally underrated masterpiece.
Iranian horror using djinn during war. Missing doll creates perfect parent anxiety. Hijab as horror imagery is powerful. Unexploded missile adds constant tension. Narges Rashidi anchors the supernatural dread. Political horror that’s actually scary.
Two people doing a months-long ritual for different reasons. Ritual accuracy adds rare authenticity. Psychological toll feels realistic. Angel reveal is beautiful and terrifying. Catherine Walker’s grieving mother breaks hearts. Takes supernatural seriously.
Martin Freeman brings perfect skepticism to this British anthology. Each story builds to the big reveal. Abandoned asylum segment is proper creepy. Forest demon practical effects rule. Ending reframes everything as psychological. British horror with dark humor.
Irish horror trapping you on an island with broken memory. That toy rabbit drummer is instantly iconic. Narrow corridors create perfect claustrophobia. Mystery unfolds perfectly. Amnesia as horror feels fresh. Minimalist but maximum dread.
Ti West’s ’80s Satanic panic homage nails the period. Slow build pays off huge. Shot on 16mm for authentic grain. Pizza dance scene shows character perfectly. Eclipse deadline adds cosmic dread. That final image haunts you.
Throwback haunted house that doesn’t skimp on gore. Burned ghosts are genuinely disturbing. Barbara Crampton brings horror royalty cred. Possession violence is shockingly brutal. Period setting adds isolation. House history cleverly revealed.
Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson saved slashers with meta brilliance. Drew Barrymore dying in the opening was genius. “What’s your favorite scary movie?” is the ultimate line. Killer reveal actually surprises and makes sense. The rules speech changed horror forever. Still spawning sequels that don’t suck.
Freddy attacks you in dreams where you can’t escape. Robert Englund made Freddy funny and scary. Practical effects are incredible, especially the ceiling death. Young Johnny Depp gets gloriously blood-geysered. Sleep deprivation adds real desperation. Nancy is an underrated final girl.
Summer camp slasher that started it all. The killer reveal still surprises people. Tom Savini’s effects are gloriously gross. Kevin Bacon’s arrow throat is iconic. Final lake jump scare is perfect. Launched Jason even though he’s barely in it.
Killer doll shouldn’t work but Brad Dourif’s voice sells it. Voodoo angle adds unique flavor. Chucky getting more human makes him scarier. Battery scene builds perfect suspense. Catherine Hicks grounds the insanity. Still going strong as a franchise.
Tony Todd brings class to the slasher genre. Urban legend angle was fresh and smart. Cabrini-Green setting adds social depth. Virginia Madsen elevates everything. Bee effects are genuinely unsettling. Philip Glass score is hauntingly beautiful.
Hopkins and Foster create cinema’s best hero-villain dynamic. “Hello, Clarice” isn’t even in the movie but feels essential. Night vision climax is unbearable tension. Buffalo Bill is disturbing without being cheap. Psychological chess matches are riveting. Won Best Picture which never happens for horror.
Fincher’s serial killer masterpiece is relentlessly dark. Sin murders are creative without showing much. “What’s in the box?” became instant legend. Constantly raining city feels oppressive. Spacey showing up uncredited was wild. The ending is perfectly bleak.
Fincher again with true crime obsession horror. Basement scene creates tension from nothing. Gyllenhaal’s obsession spiral is perfectly paced. Period detail adds authenticity. Not solving it makes it scarier. Procedural horror at its finest.
Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman is terrifyingly hilarious. Business card scene is perfect satire. Is it real or not? Who knows. Chainsaw chase is grotesquely funny. ’80s excess criticism still hits. “I have to return some videotapes” is perfect.
Home invasion where the victim fights back hard. Animal masks are simple but effective. Sharni Vinson’s Erin is an instant classic final girl. Dinner scene setup is perfectly awkward. Each kill creatively staged. Blender scene is disgustingly inventive.
Deaf woman vs killer is brilliant and simple. Kate Siegel sells every moment. Killer removing his mask early is genius. Using disability tactically is empowering. Mike Flanagan’s direction is tight. Sound design from her perspective is incredible.
“Because you were home” is the scariest motive ever. Masks are simple but effective. Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman feel real. Record player repeating adds dread. Standing silent in frame beats attacking. “Based on true events” makes it worse.
Haneke’s remake is deliberately uncomfortable. Breaking fourth wall makes you complicit. Remote control rewind is shocking. Michael Pitt’s polite psycho is terrifying. Violence mostly offscreen but devastating. Horror that hates you for watching.
Punks vs Nazis in a siege thriller. Patrick Stewart as a villain is inspired. Throat cutting is shockingly casual. Anton Yelchin’s last performance hits hard. Siege tension is unbearable. Realistic violence that hurts.
Wedding night hunt is dark comedy gold. Samara Weaving’s dress getting destroyed tells the story. Rich family satire lands perfectly. Each death creatively staged. The ending goes completely bonkers. “Fucking rich people” indeed.
Groundhog Day meets slasher is genius. Jessica Rothe makes bratty likeable. Baby mask is creepy and funny. Each death is different and creative. Mystery actually makes sense. Sequel goes sci-fi and still works.
Body swap slasher with Vince Vaughn as a teen girl. Wine cellar scene is brutal. Kathryn Newton’s killer physicality impresses. Gender dynamics commentary is smart. High school archetype kills are perfect. Vaughn commits completely.
Netflix’s slasher saga spans three time periods brilliantly. Each film has distinct style matching its era. LGBTQ+ romance centering it is refreshing. Kills are brutal for “teen” horror. Mythology actually pays off. Proof slashers can innovate.
Art the Clown became horror’s new icon through pure brutality. Bedroom scene is one of horror’s most extreme. David Howard Thornton’s physical performance terrifies. Final girl actually fights back. 138 minutes of epic slasher madness. Love it or hate it, unforgettable.
Eli Roth made his fake trailer real and it’s glorious. Black Friday opening is brutal commentary. John Carver design instantly iconic. Kills match Thanksgiving traditions. Whodunit element works. Parade scene is perfectly over-the-top.
Bette Midler and the sisters camping it up perfectly. Salem setting adds historical flavor. “I Put a Spell on You” is an all-time musical moment. Talking cat adds heart. Virgin jokes fly over kids’ heads. Became tradition through TV reruns.
Burton’s stop-motion works for two holidays. Danny Elfman’s songs are instant classics. Jack Skellington became every goth kid’s hero. Sally deserves more credit as a character. Animation is gorgeous. “This is Halloween” is THE song.
Laika’s Gaiman adaptation is properly creepy for kids. Button eyes are nightmare fuel at any age. Other Mother transformation is terrifying. Dakota Fanning’s voice work perfect. Animation detail is insane. Respects kids enough to scare them.
Zombie film for kids with surprising depth. Bully and acceptance themes hit hard. Twist about the witch is moving. Stop-motion gorgeously detailed. Humor balances scares well. About understanding not defeating monsters.
Sandler as Dracula works somehow. Monster hotel concept is clever. Father-daughter relationship has heart. Animation style is energetic. Genndy Tartakovsky directs perfectly. Spawned solid franchise.
Friendly ghost gets solid live-action treatment. CGI impressive for 1995. Christina Ricci fits perfectly. Bill Pullman as ghost therapist is inspired. Uncles are just scary enough. Devon Sawa caused crushes. “Can I keep you?” hits.
Murray leads perfect ensemble. Stay Puft is iconic comedy kaiju. “He slimed me” entered culture. Library ghost genuinely scary. Rick Moranis possession hilarious. Theme song undeniable earworm.
Keaton’s manic energy drives everything. Bureaucratic afterlife is brilliant. “Day-O” scene perfectly bizarre. Sandworms genuinely creepy. Winona Ryder’s Lydia launched looks. Burton’s style fully formed.
Disney Channel movie became generational touchstone. Debbie Reynolds perfect as grandma witch. Monster town imaginatively designed. Practical effects hold up. Launched three sequels. Marnie paved way for teen witches.
R.L. Stine creatures come alive with Jack Black as Stine. Meta concept of books releasing monsters works. Monster cameos reward book fans. Slappy genuinely creepy. Black perfectly hammy. Respects source material.
Motion-capture scarier than expected. House eating people genuinely frightening. Backstory surprisingly tragic. Animation style unique. Kids feel realistic. Uvula scene disgustingly perfect.
Burton’s stop-motion visually stunning. Love triangle with corpse handled well. Elfman songs hauntingly beautiful. Helena Bonham Carter brings pathos. Land of dead more fun. Ending genuinely bittersweet.
Burton’s feature remake gorgeous black and white. Pet cemetery homages clever. Science teacher brilliantly weird. Each kid’s monster reflects personality. Sparky genuinely loveable. Love letter to Universal.
Anjelica Huston deliciously evil. Transformation scenes genuinely disturbing. Henson’s effects incredible. Mouse work impressively detailed. Roald Dahl darkness translates. Ending surprisingly dark.
Moranis and plant create comedy gold. Songs insanely catchy. Steve Martin’s dentist scene-stealing. Practical plant amazing. “Feed me Seymour!” perfectly delivered. Theatrical ending darker but better.
Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston perfect casting. Christina Ricci’s Wednesday iconic. Macabre humor lands every joke. Production design gorgeously Gothic. “Mamushka!” pure joy. Weirdness as aspirational.
Pixar’s Day of Dead visually stunning. Generational trauma story hits deep. “Remember Me” makes everyone cry. Land of Dead incredibly imaginative. Miguel’s journey genuinely moving. Makes death beautiful.
Bowie as Goblin King perfectly otherworldly. Henson creatures imaginatively designed. Jennifer Connelly grounds fantasy. M.C. Escher climax visually stunning. “Magic Dance” absolute bop. Those pants awakened many.
Mogwai to Gremlin transformation perfect kid trauma. Gizmo impossibly cute. Christmas setting unique. Kitchen battle inventive chaos. Phoebe Cates’s Santa story dark. Mean-spirited perfectly.
DreamWorks Halloween special spoofs horror perfectly. Each character’s story fits. Duloc apocalypse genuinely creepy. Puss in Boots hilarious. Animation feature quality. Short sweet Halloween fun.
Carpenter’s paranoid masterpiece has the best practical effects ever filmed. Blood test scene creates unbearable tension. Dog transformation is pure nightmare fuel. Kurt Russell’s MacReady is the perfect reluctant leader. That ambiguous ending still has people arguing. Rob Bottin’s creature work has never been topped.
Rick Baker’s transformation scene remains undefeated. Comedy and horror balanced perfectly. Dead friend visits are darkly hilarious. Piccadilly Circus rampage is chaos. Abrupt ending perfectly cruel. “Blue Moon” forever linked to werewolves.
Cronenberg’s remake is tragic love story with gore. Goldblum’s transformation heartbreaking. “Be afraid. Be very afraid” entered culture. Fingernail scene makes everyone squirm. Geena Davis grounds the insanity. Ending genuinely tragic.
Ridley Scott made haunted house in space. Chestburster shocked everyone globally. Giger’s design uniquely disturbing. Sigourney Weaver redefined heroes. Facehugger is sexual horror. “In space no one can hear you scream.”
Cameron turned horror to action without losing fear. “Get away from her you bitch” perfectly delivered. Queen alien incredible design. Bill Paxton’s Hudson quotably panicked. Motion tracker creates tension. Newt adds emotional stakes.
Arnold vs alien hunter is peak ’80s. Cloaking effect revolutionary. Jungle setting adds Vietnam vibes. “Get to the chopper!” perfectly memed. Stan Winston’s design iconic. Self-destruct laugh haunting.
Claustrophobia alone terrifies before creatures. All-female cast refreshingly capable. Crawler design perfectly cave-evolved. Night vision scene all-timer. UK ending way better. Cave horror perfection.
Found footage kaiju was fresh. Party opening makes you care. Not showing monster fully genius. Subway tunnel terrifying. Parasites add street danger. Final bridge shot haunting.
Bong Joon-ho’s creature has emotional depth. Monster daylight appearance bold. Family dysfunction adds stakes. Creature design uniquely amphibious. Environmental message doesn’t overwhelm. South Korea does monsters right.
Kevin Bacon fighting underground worms rules. Graboids cleverly designed. Desert town perfect setting. Practical effects beautiful. Burt Gummer hilariously prepared. Knows exactly what it is.
Stan Winston directs his creation masterfully. Revenge demon concept unique. Lance Henriksen brings gravitas. Creature connection clever. Backwoods atmosphere perfect. Ending genuinely tragic.
British soldiers vs werewolves brilliantly simple. Werewolf designs uniquely tall. Siege warfare adds military tactics. Sean Pertwee badass sergeant. Low budget enhances griminess. “There is no spoon” perfectly timed.
Parasite creature cleverly contained. Gas station perfectly claustrophobic. Splinter infection disgustingly creative. Unlikely allies work well. Creature effects impressively gross. Low budget done right.
ISS setting adds no escape tension. Calvin evolves disturbingly fast. Reynolds early death shocking. Zero gravity deaths creative. Ending perfectly bleak. Better Alien clone than most.
Scarlett Johansson alien predator inspired. Documentary style unsettling. Black void scenes surreal. Beach scene devastatingly cruel. Body horror minimalist effective. Art house sci-fi horror.
Pattinson and Dafoe go insane together beautifully. Period dialogue hypnotically strange. 1.19:1 ratio adds claustrophobia. Mermaid scenes hallucinatory. Seagull scene shocking. “HARK!” instant classic monologue.
Aster’s daylight horror gorgeously disturbing. Florence Pugh’s grief devastating. Swedish cult disturbingly plausible. Cliff scene shocks when expected. Bear suit ending insane catharsis. Every frame a painting.
Eggers’ period accuracy adds dread. Black Phillip became meme icon. Anya Taylor-Joy remarkable debut. Authentic 1630s dialogue. “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?” perfect. Ending feminist triumph.
Aronofsky’s biblical allegory purposefully overwhelming. Jennifer Lawrence anchors insanity. House as body/earth clever. Baby scene genuinely upsetting. Escalation anxiety-inducing. Love or hate, unforgettable.
Portman’s Oscar performance perfectly unhinged. Body horror ballet beautiful disturbing. Mila Kunis dark double works. Mother relationship uncomfortable. Transformation effects subtle effective. Ending perfect ambiguity.
Scorsese Gothic keeps you guessing. DiCaprio unreliable narrator perfect. Asylum oppressively atmospheric. Twist recontextualizes brilliantly. “Which would be worse?” haunting. Neo-noir psychological perfection.
Peele weaponizes liberal racism brilliantly. Sunken place terrifying concept. Kaluuya’s hypnosis tears haunting. Tea cup stirring builds tension. Obama comment perfectly cringe. Social horror smartest.
Dinner party hell builds unbearable tension. Paranoia justified or not? Logan Marshall-Green’s grief palpable. Cult reveal perfectly timed. Final shot expands horror. Slow burn done right.
Quantum physics dinner party unique. Parallel universe cleverly executed. Made for $50K improvised. Marker system brilliant. Each revelation ups paranoia. Mind-bending shoestring budget.
Bale’s skeletal transformation disturbing. Insomnia paranoia authentically exhausting. Reveal recontextualizes perfectly. Industrial setting grimy. Weight loss dangerously real. Psychological deterioration visualized.
Polanski’s apartment horror claustrophobic. Deneuve’s madness mesmerizing. Walls cracking psyche breaking. Rabbit decomposition marks time. Hands through walls nightmare. Sexual repression horror.
Grief premonition Venice Gothic dread. Red coat brilliant visual. Sutherland Christie chemistry real. Sex scene surprisingly explicit. Ending devastating irony. Atmospheric horror perfection.
Dutch original existential perfection. Killer’s banality terrifying. Protagonist’s obsession understandable destructive. Ending claustrophobic nightmare. Never watch American remake. True crime best.
Miike’s slow burn explodes shocking. “Kiri kiri kiri” haunts. Wire scene unwatchable brutal. Bag contents mysteriously horrible. Dating horror pre-apps. Japanese extreme gateway.
Vertical prison brutally simple. Food distribution capitalism metaphor. Monthly changes add randomness. Goreng’s idealism tragic. Child reveal changes everything. Social horror sci-fi.
Romero’s mall sequel perfects commentary. Consumer culture critique resonates. Savini’s gore legendary. Biker invasion adds evil. Helicopter escape ambiguous. Peak zombie cinema.
Boyle made zombies fast terrifying. Empty London hauntingly beautiful. Murphy’s awakening perfect. Infected rabid not undead. Eccleston scarier than zombies. Digital adds documentary.
South Korea adds emotional depth. Class warfare commentary sharp. Train setting pressure cooker. Each car battle creative. Ending destroys you. Zombies can innovate.
Pitt’s globe-trotting has massive pieces. Israel wall spectacular. Plane sequence clever confined. Fast zombies pyramid terrifying. Vaccine solution smart. Blockbuster zombies right.
Wright’s rom-zom-com balances perfectly. Winchester plan brilliantly stupid. Queen soundtrack inspired. Nick Frost lovably useless. Fence jumping comedy gold. British humor meets horror.
Rules of survival clever structure. Bill Murray genius cameo. Woody’s Twinkie obsession perfect. Amusement park creative climax. Emma Stone’s edge works. Columbus narration neurotic.
Fungal zombies with hybrids fresh. Sennia Nanua remarkable performance. Classroom establishes rules. Glenn Close brings gravitas. Ending hopeful doom. Smart zombie evolution.
Spanish found footage apartment quarantine. Reporter perspective adds urgency. Attic revelation terrifying. Night vision finale iconic. Possession angle religious. Original beats Quarantine.
Peter Jackson’s splatter gloriously excessive. Lawnmower scene legendary. Zombie baby hilariously wrong. “Kick ass for the Lord!” perfect. Dinner party disgusting. Most blood ever.
Japanese zombie comedy brilliant structure. 37-minute take impressive. Second half recontextualizes. Behind-scenes genius. Ending heartwarming. Zombies aren’t dead.
Netflix is killing it this October. Frankenstein from del Toro drops November 7th, Monster: The Ed Gein Story with Charlie Hunnam is already up, and 28 Years Later just hit. They’ve got the whole Fear Street trilogy ready to binge, plus His House if you want something that’ll actually mess with your head. The Platform and Bird Box are there for psychological scares. Don’t skip their international stuff either, The Wailing and Kingdom are absolutely insane.
For sure! Start with the certified kid-friendly classics: Hocus Pocus (unless they’re scared of Bette Midler), Nightmare Before Christmas (it’s got skeletons but they sing), and anything Hotel Transylvania. Casper from ’95 is perfect if they can handle mild ghost action. Wallace & Gromit’s Were-Rabbit is hilarious. Coraline might be pushing it depending on the kid, those button eyes are creepy. Know your kid though, some 8-year-olds love Goosebumps while others need to stick with Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin.
Black Phone 2 drops October 17th and Ethan Hawke’s bringing nightmare fuel. Shelby Oaks on the 24th from that YouTube film critic guy Chris Stuckmann. V/H/S: Halloween’s getting a limited run before it hits Shudder. Plus a bunch of classics are getting re-releases, check your local theater for Alien, The Exorcist, and Halloween screenings. Some places are doing double features which is sick.
Shudder is the GOAT for horror, literally built for us sickos. They’re getting Hell House LLC: Lineage on October 30th plus V/H/S: Halloween. But yo, Tubi is free and has an insane B-movie collection nobody talks about. Prime and Hulu have solid libraries. Netflix focuses on newer stuff and originals. Max (or whatever it’s called now) has the classics. Honestly just get Shudder for October, it’s worth it.
Look everyone’s different but Sinister consistently tops those “scientifically proven” scary lists. The Exorcist still makes grown adults leave theaters. Hereditary had people sleeping with lights on for weeks, that ceiling scene messed everyone up. But real talk? Whatever scares YOU is the scariest. Some people think The Ring is terrifying while others laugh at it.
Usually yeah, release order works best since they build on each other. Friday the 13th makes more sense that way. But Evil Dead? Watch whatever, they barely connect. The Conjuring universe has this whole timeline that’s different from release order which is confusing. Start with the first one and if you like it, keep going. Don’t feel obligated to watch all 47 Hellraiser movies though.
Tons! Practical Magic is witchy without being scary. Beetlejuice is more funny than frightening. Young Frankenstein is pure comedy. Tim Burton’s whole thing works, Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie have the aesthetic without scares. Addams Family movies are perfect. What We Do in the Shadows is hilarious. Even Twilight works if you want vampires that sparkle instead of scare.
The Conjuring movies claim to be but take that with a massive grain of salt. Zodiac actually happened. Texas Chainsaw was “inspired” by Ed Gein but it’s not really his story. The Strangers pulls from multiple real home invasions. But honestly when horror says “based on true events” they usually mean “we made 99% of this up but one time something vaguely similar happened somewhere.”
Alright, 150 movies later and you’ve got enough horror to last until next Halloween. This year’s been absolutely stacked with bangers. Between Sinners changing the vampire game and Weapons proving lightning strikes twice for Cregger, 2025’s already legendary.
Here’s the thing: don’t try to watch all 150 unless you want your brain to melt. Pick a vibe each weekend. Maybe classic Universal monsters one week, then modern A24 weirdness the next. Throw in some comedies when you need to decompress. And always have a palate cleanser ready, trust me.
The best Halloween movie? It’s the one you watch with friends who scream at the same parts you do. Whether you’re streaming on Shudder, catching Black Phone 2 in theaters October 17th, or introducing someone to The Thing for the first time, this October’s got something special for everyone.
Now get out there and get scared. Just maybe check your closets first. Happy Halloween you beautiful horror freaks!
