Spooky season is here: 31 horror movies and shows to watch in October
October is the perfect month for pumpkin-flavored everything, football Sundays, apple picking and all things Halloween. For me, October also ushers in what I call “Scary Movie Month.”
Inspired by Charlotte resident Ally Frazier and her annual #31DaysofHorror list, I’ve observed Scary Movie Month for the past few years. Every October, I watch a scary movie or TV show since there are so many entries lately (I’m looking at you, Netflix) a day.
From a scream (apologies in advance to my dog) to an awkward laugh after a tense scene to frantically looking up to see if the dog or cat dies, I have always loved the reaction I have to scary movies.
In the spirit of the season, I’m sharing the list of 31 movies and series I plan to watch this month, including my thoughts on the ones I’ve watched so far and where to watch these films if you’re brave enough to join in.
Halloween movies to watch
“Malignant” (2021)
Synopsis: What happens when you realize that the terrifying visions you are having are real? What if the truth is more shocking than the gruesome visions?
How to Watch: Now streaming on Netflix
What to know: People have strong opinions about this movie, and I love that. I thought it was brilliant. It made me laugh, made me say “WTF” out loud, and did what is very rare these days for a movie — it surprised me.
“Suspiria” (1977)
Synopsis: A macabre fairytale, sweet Susie’s dream of being a professional ballet dancer may be dashed by a coven of witches.
How to Watch: Tubi
What to know: Visually stunning with a soundtrack that adds to the tension, this classic will make you cringe.
“Suspiria” (2018)
Synopsis: Susie is back in this reimagined tale of a girl who dreams of being a ballet dancer, but her instructors are a bunch of witches with sinister motives.
How to Watch: Amazon
What to know: It probably has one of the most creative torture scenes I’ve watched in a long time.
“Till Death” (2021)
Synopsis: What could go wrong when Emma goes with her domineering husband to a secluded cabin in the woods to celebrate their anniversary? The short answer is everything.
How to Watch: Now streaming on Netflix
What to know: A bloody movie that made me glad I had a simple divorce from my ex. I got into this one more than I expected.
“Bingo Hell” (2021)
Synopsis: Gentrification, greed and demons have no place in a beloved bingo hall.
How to Watch: Available on Amazon Prime
What to know: This movie was silly gorey fun with some heart. And, remember, respect your elders.
“Candyman” (1992)
Synopsis: A graduate student studying urban legends in Chicago realizes too late that some legends are rooted in truth. Also, never say his name in the mirror five times.
How to Watch: Tubi, Apple TV and Amazon
What to know: Revisit the original before watching the new one. I hadn’t watched this movie since I was a teenager, but it still made me jump, cringe and vow never ever to say his name five times.
“Midnight Mass” (2021)
Synopsis: A seemingly idyllic yet isolated island welcomes a charismatic priest who brings more than the good word with him.
How to Watch: Now streaming on Netflix
What to know: Avoid the spoilers on social media, and be prepared to binge-watch this seven-episode limited series that gives new life to an old horror trope.
“Final Destination 3” (2006)
Synopsis: Another teenager has a premonition of death and has to learn the valuable lesson that you can’t cheat death.
How to Watch: HBO Max, Amazon and Apple TV
What to Know: This will make you rethink getting on a rollercoaster or in the tanning bed—are people still using tanning beds?
“Dark Skies” (2013)
Synopsis: When weird things begin happening at their house, the Barretts soon learn that they may have attracted unwanted attention from visitors not of this world.
How to Watch: Now streaming on Netflix
What to know: Scary Movie Month is never complete without an alien movie. If you have kids, pay attention to their artwork. It may let you know if they are in contact with aliens.
“There’s Someone Inside Your House” (2021)
Synopsis: Secrets are never truly secret in a digital world. And, in this case, some of those secrets will get you killed.
How to Watch: Now streaming on Netflix
What to know: A mix of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “Scream” with some gore and political commentary mixed in.
“The Amityville Horror” (1979)
Synopsis: Supernatural forces terrorize a family in their new home. A great reminder to research the former owners of any home you may want to buy.
How to Watch: HBO Max and Amazon
What to know: The pacing is a bit off, but this classic has everything from a haunted house to a satanist to bleeding walls to unsuspecting sweet family tropes covered.
“Annabelle” (2014)
Synopsis: A beautiful doll turns out to be the perfect vessel for evil.
How to Watch: HBO Max, Amazon and Apple TV
What to know: Dolls are creepy. Be prepared for jump scares and a constant uncomfortable feeling for a new mom and her sweet baby.
“Annabelle: Creation” (2017)
Synopsis: Again, with the creepy dolls, but this is the origin story.
How to Watch: HBO Max, Amazon and Apple TV
What to know: Have I mentioned that dolls are creepy? This origin story in the Annabelle saga (there are three movies for this doll) includes family tragedy, orphans and shows that our doll was not born bad.
“Apostle” (2018)
Synopsis: Another idyllic island community, but this time it is inhabited by a cult. A brother goes in search of his sister kidnapped by the cult. What will he find on his journey?
How to Watch: Now streaming on Netflix
What to know: From start to finish, this was one of the most unsettling movies I’ve seen in a long time. The first hour was a slow burn, but the second hour was a nonstop inferno of stress and gore. Not one for kids or someone squeamish.
“Audition” (1999)
Synopsis: Dating is tough, and in this case, it proves to be deadly.
How to Watch: Tubi and Apple TV
What to know: Stay tuned for an update
“Candyman” (2021)
Synopsis: A new take on the urban legend of the murdered with a hook for a hand. When will we ever learn not to say his name five times?
How to Watch: Amazon and Apple TV (more options to come)
What to know: Stay tuned for an update
“Freaky” (2020)
Synopsis: Unlike the sweet “Freaky Friday” movie where the teenager switches bodies with her mother, this movie is about a teenager who switches bodies with a serial killer. With Vince Vaughn starring, there should be some laughs among the bloodshed.
How to Watch: HBO Max
What to know: While it is a funny and entertaining watch with Vaughn portraying a 16-year old, this film also has some solid death sequences. Full disclosure, I’ve watched this twice as it made me laugh.
“Halloween Kills” (2021)
Synopsis: Has Michael Myers seen the end to his murderous reign in Haddonfield? If so, not before one last bloody confrontation with the community and with Laurie Strode.
How to Watch: Peacock TV and theatrical release on Oct. 15
What to know: Halloween Kills is extremely violent and has the highest kill count I’ve seen in a movie in a long time, if not ever. It is the perfect setup for the final in this trilogy, “Halloween Ends,” so don’t expect this to be the conclusion of the Myers/Strode/Haddonfield saga.
“The Hitcher” (1986)
Synopsis: On a cross-country trip, a motorist picks up a hitchhiker who turns out to be a serial killer. A cat and mouse game unfolds, and the movie serves as a warning to never pick up hitchhikers.
What to know: Stay tuned for an update
“Hocus Pocus” (1993)
Synopsis: Salem newcomer Max, an angsty teenager who thinks he knows everything realizes he doesn’t when he accidentally awakens the Sanderson Sisters, 17th-century witches craving immortality and the souls of Salem’s children. Mayhem and laughs ensue.
How to Watch: Disney+, Amazon and Apple TV
What to know: A forever favorite of mine, it was time to return to Salem and laugh at the Sanderson Sisters. Even during Scary Movie Month, your nerves need a break.
“King Kong” (1933)
Synopsis: A film crew goes to a remote island and discovers a giant Ape. Instead of leaving him where he’s happy, he is taken from his island home and goes ape in New York City.
How to Watch: HBO Max
What to know: This film may be almost 100 years old, but the story and the film are still effective. I was on the edge of my seat watching it in 2021, and I can’t imagine the reaction audiences had to this film in 1933.
“Les Diaboliques” (1955)
Synopsis: A cruel and abusive headmaster of a boarding school becomes the target of a murder plot hatched by his wife and his mistress. Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned.
How to Watch: Amazon
What to know: Stay tuned for an update
“Martyrs” (2008)
Synopsis: A revenge movie where things are not always what they seem and are sometimes even worse.
How to Watch: Amazon and Apple TV
What to know: Stay tuned for an update
“Psycho” (1960)
Synopsis: After embezzling money from her employer and leaving town, a woman stops at a roadside motel where she meets a meek man with a love of taxidermy and a seemingly domineering mother.
What to know: This classic Hitchcock horror story is still terrifying. Also, hotel reviews are our friends.
“Rec” (2007)
Synopsis: In pursuit of a breaking story, a television reporter and her cameraman become trapped in an apartment building where residents have been infected by an unknown virus.
How to Watch: Amazon and Shudder
What to know: Clocking in at just under 80 minutes, this Spanish horror movie was a suspenseful rollercoaster ride until the last frame. Please be advised that this film does feature shaky camera footage that may make some viewers queasy.
“Ringu” (1998)
Synopsis: After watching a horrifying videotape, the viewers have a week to live before they meet their death. Can a reporter solve the mystery and survive the week?
How to Watch: Amazon and Shudder
What to know: Stay tuned for an update
“The Ring” (2002)
Synopsis: The American version of “Ringu” introduced the concept of the haunted VHS tape to a wider audience and scared even more people.
How to Watch: Amazon and Apple TV
What to know: Terrifying then (in 2002) and terrifying now.
“The Shining” (1980)
Synopsis: Not the family bonding moment he hoped for, Jack and his family soon realize that staying in an isolated hotel in the middle of winter makes “Jack a dull boy.”
How to Watch: HBO Max, Amazon and Apple TV
What to know: Jack Nicolson, well, being Jack Nicolson. You’ll never look at twins the same way again.
“Thirteen Ghosts” (2001)
Synopsis: Inheriting a beautiful old house from an eccentric uncle should be a gift, right? In this case, you’d be dead wrong as the house contains more secrets than guest bathrooms.
How to Watch: HBO Max, Amazon and Apple TV
What to know: I remember that this movie scared me when it first came out, but now other than some solid makeup/prosthetics on the ghosts and Matthew Lillard in his prime, I found it more creepy than scary. Lots of blood, gore and early 2000s actors.
“Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil” (2010)
Synopsis: A backwoods vacation takes a bloody and hilarious turn for two friends when ignorant college students mistake them for a pair of murderous hillbillies.
How to Watch: Amazon and Apple TV
What to know: This comedy is one for the whole family. My parents loved it.
“Vampyr” (1932)
Synopsis: What begins as a traveler renting a room in an inn ends with him learning of the existence of vampires and fighting for his life.
How to Watch: HBO Max
What to know: Stay tuned for an update
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
