Here is a list of 5 horror movies to help get you in the Halloween Spirit! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and there’s nothing like a horror film to keep the spirit going all year. But it’s October, and this year Friday the 13th is in October, to boot! So we all have a duty to up our game. ‘Tis the season for the dark, the scary, and the macabre. What better way to start things off than with a great film?
Really, though, I love a good horror movie just about any time of year. To me, a horror movie should be an amusement park thrill ride, a rollercoaster of excitement, adrenaline, and fun. And it should be scary. If at some point I don’t feel afraid, then why am I watching a horror film? That’s supposed to be the whole point, right?
Of course, these movies aren’t kid friendly, but if you’re okay with mature content, violence, and gore, then these should be right for you.
The following are some of my favorites, and I couldn’t recommend them more.
The Descent (Neil Marshall, 2005)
Identity (James Mangold, 2003)
While some might question if this is horror, to me, it checks off all the right boxes. It has a dark setting, characters facing a mysterious threat bent on killing them all, and a wonderful twist that I know I never saw coming. This is another example of a character-centered horror film, and it stars some big names, like John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes, and Alfred Molina.
Like a good mystery? Love characters with hidden motives and want something that will keep you on the edge of your seat? Then this is the one. In this film, ten strangers are stranded in a desert hotel during a rainstorm, only to find out that they are being killed off, one by one.
Dawn of the Dead (Zack Snyder, 2004)
This is probably my favorite zombie film of all time. Of course, it’s a remake of George A. Romero’s 1978 movie by the same name, but, to me, this is the film that introduced the post-9/11 zombie. In the years after this film came out, there was a zombie Renaissance. The crawling dead were everywhere, and this film is a testament to why the zombie became such a rich cultural force in the years to come.
Follow a group of survivors from a worldwide zombie outbreak who have taken shelter in their local shopping mall. It sounds simple enough, but along the way this disaster film influenced flick introduces us to some memorable characters—like Ving Rhames’ Kenneth and Ty Burrell’s Steve—and offers us action, tension, horror, comedy, and an unyielding sense of a world overrun by danger.
Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018)
How can I not mention Ari Aster’s award-showered feature film debut? I will say one thing, though: this is a film that left me feeling deeply disturbed. I wouldn’t recommend it for a date night, unless you and your date are really into horror films, that is. This film will take root in your mind, and you’ll be thinking of it for years to come. On top of that, Toni Collette gives an amazing performance, and the amount of detail put into the set design is astounding.
It is one of those films you could watch over and over again to try to catch all of the details—well, that is, if you can get yourself to watch it again. It’s an experience, but it’s one you have to be ready for. It follows a family grieving after the death of their grandmother only to be hounded by a demonic entity. Terrifying is a good word for this film. If you love horror films, you can’t escape this one—you’ll have to check it out at some point. So why not now?
Quarantine (John Erick Dowdle, 2008)
Here’s a wonderful found-footage horror film. This American film is almost a verbatim remake of the Spanish film Rec (paid link) by Balagueró and Plaza from 2007, and there has been a lot of debate over which one is better. Personally, I think they are pretty equal. It probably just depends on which version you saw first. And Quarantine was my first experience, and it was a great experience.
It has the shaky-camera intensity of the found-footage genre, but I also like how they managed to put in some wonderful character and plot detail. There are scenes that will surprise, scenes that will shock, and some that will make you feel alone, trapped in the dark. Follow a reporter and her cameraman as they tag along with the Los Angeles fire department when they receive a distress call from an apartment building. And then everything just falls apart, no one knows what is going on, and then the government quarantines them in the building, trapping them in with something horrible. It’s a great ride.
So, there you have it! 5 horror movies to get you in the Halloween Spirit. Get out there, have a good scare, and have some fun this October.
But while these are a great start, these films have me thinking of a bunch of other movies that deserve a spotlight, too. Yeah, I am pretty sure there will be another list like this coming out soon. So, keep posted for a second installment of Halloween horror films. There’s also a third installment, too!
But hopefully this will be enough to satiate your ghastly cravings for now.
Until next time!