Halloween is a great time to be with friends, go out, dress up, and most importantly have fun. But, people have seemed to truly forget what makes Halloween, well, Halloween. It’s getting scared and having fun while doing it. After all the partying and having fun, a great way to truly get a feel for Halloween is watching horror movies. Horror movies are not only a great way to truly horrify yourself, but they allow for a great way to get closer to family, friends, or a loved one. So with that being said, here are the top fifteen horror movies that I recommend you should watch (in no particular order) with those closest to you, or watch it by yourselves to get the full experience.
- Halloween
Release Date: 2018
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 79%
IMDb – 6.5/10
Everyone knows what Halloween is, the movies of course. But for those of you who extremely surprisingly don’t know, the Halloween franchise is about a serial killer named Micheal Myers who is trying to kill his sister, Laurie Strode. In almost every Halloween movie, Micheal has the same goal throughout. I chose Halloween (2018) though because the franchise as a whole isn’t the best and this one is actually good and enjoyable to watch. If you’ve (again, surprisingly) never seen a Halloween film, this is a great introduction to Micheal Myers as a killer and this movie also single-handedly brought back the franchise after a bunch of mediocre movies. It’s enjoyable, gory (for those who can handle that), and a great watch during October. You should also definitely watch Halloween Kills, the second part in the reboot trilogy of Halloween. It’s also great fun and extremely fun to watch (don’t watch Halloween Ends, it’s super boring and it sucks).
- Longlegs
Release Date: 2024
Age Rating: R
Rating/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 85%
IMDb – 6.7/10
Longlegs is classified as more of a Crime/Thriller, but has many horror elements and was advertised as a horror movie, and it very much is a horror movie in my opinion. Longlegs is about an FBI Agent named Lee Harker, an oddly shy and timid woman who is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case. As she discovers more and more about the case, she slowly realizes how personal it is to her. That’s all I’m going to tell you about this movie. Longlegs is an insane roller coaster of twists and turns and a plot that will keep you hooked the entire runtime of the film. Like I said before, this movie is classified as a thriller but it has many horror elements. It is very unsettling and disturbing at times and at times leaves you genuinely on the edge of your seat. The plot twists in this movie are insane and the slow reveal of the oddity of certain things in the movie and why things are the way they are, are crazy. This movie is the perfect blend of a crime/thriller, investigation, and disturbing film that will keep you on the edge of your seat. However, I will say that when the movie was released this year, it was marketed as the “scariest movie of the year” which I will tell you it’s definitely not and it’s more about what you interpret to be scary. But this movie is disturbing and a thrill ride from start to finish.
- Scream (franchise)
Release Dates: 1996-2023
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Scream (1996) – 81% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 7.4/10
Scream 2 (1997) – 81% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 6.3/10
Scream 3 (2000) – 41% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 5.7/10
Scream 4 (2011) – 60% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 6.2/10
Scream (2022) – 76% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 6.3/10
Scream 6 (2023) – 76% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 6.5/10
The Scream franchise is a great time for any slasher fans (like me). Even the Scream films that are rated a little poorly like Scream 3, are still an enjoyable time for the kills and the killer reveals. The best parts of each Scream film are the characters and the killer reveals which will shock you each time, and none of them feel cheap or stupid. Most of the Scream movies are very clever and at times funny. They also poke fun at horror movie tropes and make fun of things like horror trilogies/sequels. The first Scream movie which came out in 1996, surrounds Sydney Prescott, a high school student who is being terrorized by a killer named Ghostface who dresses up in a Ghostface costume. Ultimately that is what the rest of the Scream films are about but each of them brings something different and new to the table. It keeps the movies fresh and alive with new characters, new killers each time around, and they are great fun to watch overall with any loved one. Of course, there are lots of Scream films (six films!), but they are all entertaining and will keep you wanting to watch them movie after movie. The Scream movies are fun horror films that poke fun at horror movies itself and will leave you with a good feeling after watching them.
- The Strangers
Release Date: 2008
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 49%
IMDb – 6.1/10
In my eyes, The Strangers is a classic horror film and is personally my favorite horror movie of all time. Though the reviews may turn you off, I assure you that this movie is not a waste of time. But I will say this movie is a slow-burn so if you aren’t into those types of movies, then you probably won’t like this movie. The Strangers is a home invasion movie about a couple who after coming back from a wedding, get a knock at the door extremely late at night. As the movie progresses, the couple is being toyed and messed with by these killers who get off on scaring the life out of people. The reason I love this film is because of the perfect atmosphere, eeriness, and tension within the film. The entire runtime of the film, you never feel safe and feel like something is going to happen. It’s extremely unsettling and when stuff does happen it catches you off guard all the time. Although it is my favorite horror movie, the film isn’t perfect and I feel they could’ve done a few things differently with the film. But overall, it is a great film in my opinion and will keep you on the edge of your seat, unsettled, and creeped out throughout the movie. The Strangers also has two other sequels called The Strangers: Prey At Night and The Strangers: Chapter 1. But, I didn’t put these on the list because although Prey At Night is good, it isn’t creepy or unsettling. It has way more action than the first. The Strangers: Chapter 1 is just a complete disappointment and waste of everyone’s time. It wasn’t good at all and left me very disappointed due to my love for the first film. But, please do watch The Strangers.
- A Quiet Place
Release Date: 2018
Age Rating: PG-13
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 96%
IMDb – 7.5/10
A Quiet Place is the definition of a perfect premise and great execution. I’d be quite shocked if you have never seen A Quiet Place before. It’s a popular and great film that each and every horror fan needs to watch at least once. A Quiet Place, as implied by the title, is an apocalyptic film about being quiet. There are monsters/aliens that have invaded Earth and have extremely good hearing. If they hear something, they will try to kill it or you. The monsters are ruthless and if you make even the tiniest peep, they will find you or at least try to kill you. A Quiet Place follows the Abbott family which is a mother, father, son, and daughter as they try to survive the apocalypse. The family, unfortunately, finds themselves in huge trouble when the aliens start to invade their home and the family must fight to survive. The film can be very unsettling at times and have you cringing at moments when certain things happen. The family goes through a lot and it’s insane how they even survive the things they go through. It’s a scary, edge-of-your-seat movie that once things start happening, it never lets up.
- It (franchise)
Release Dates: 2017-2019
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
It (2017) – 89% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 7.3/10
It Chapter Two (2019) – 62% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 6.5/10
When It was released back in 2017, it became an instant horror classic and was widely loved. It did so well that it even continued the story and got a sequel, It Chapter Two. Both movies are a great watch, though Chapter Two is a bit of a letdown, it’s still a good film. It is a horror film and remake of the 1990 miniseries of the same title. The premise is the same as the original film. IT is about a clown named Pennywise who terrorizes the town of Derry every 27 years including these seven young kids this time around. The seven kids get together to face their fears and defeat Pennywise. IT has a great atmosphere and is quite horrifying at times. It also has a mix of comedy between the kids. The kids bring light to the overall dark and horrifying feeling/atmosphere of the film. Pennywise the Clown is a truly scary creature in many ways such as his design, the things he does to the kids, and of course, his infamous smile. What’s also great about the movie is that Pennywise scares each of the kids with their own personal fears and tries to kill them with their fears. It adds a great layer of suspense and character for each of the kids so we know them better as characters. It also keeps each scene fresh and memorable because of how different everyone’s fears are. It Chapter Two is also a good film but you don’t have to watch it. You should if you want the entire experience of it and to know what happens to the once-young characters. In the second film, Pennywise returns again 27 years later to haunt Derry. But now, the kids are all grown up and band back together to defeat Pennywise once and for all this time. Chapter Two is a good film but feels bloated in terms of runtime, too much going on, repetitive, and a bit boring at times. It definitely is not as rewatchable as the first film. But like I said, the movie is still great with a lot of good stuff going for it but the pacing and bloatedness of the film brings it down quite a bit.
- Talk to Me
Release Date: 2023
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 94%
IMDb – 7.1/10
Talk to Me (in my opinion) was the best horror movie of 2023. Talk To Me is a supernatural horror film that follows a young woman named Mia and her group of friends who find out how to talk to spirits through an embalmed hand. They must grab the hand and when ready to talk to the spirits, they must say “Talk to me”. When they do so, they become possessed and only have 90 seconds before their bodies are completely taken over by the spirits, and can’t come back from it. Fun fact, this movie was directed by two brothers, Danny and Micheal Philippou who run a very popular YouTube channel by the name of RackaRacka. They have lots of subscribers, 6.86 million to be exact. Their content on YouTube is short films and they put lots of their effort into these short films. Anyways, about the film. Talk to Me is amazingly crafted with disturbing and edge-of-your-seat horror sequences. The embalmed hand has lots of detail and has lots of effort put into it. It keeps you wondering what is going to happen throughout the whole film and keeps you guessing. There’s a great twist in the film too that shocks you and genuinely keeps you wanting more. I also love the feeling that there’s no hope in the movie with a great atmosphere. It feels like something could happen at any point in the movie. The ending is also shocking and leaves you speechless. One thing that isn’t really a problem in the film but is something I should talk about is how stupid the characters are.
- Sinister
Release Date: 2012
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 63%
IMDb – 6.8/10
Sinister is probably the most disturbing and creepiest horror film on this list, and that I’ve ever seen. Sinister is a movie about a family that moves into a new house in a new neighborhood. The main character, Ellison, is a true-crime book writer and he hasn’t had another bestseller in more than ten years. Ellison then finds a box in the attic with a whole bunch of snuff films that were never found. Ellison then embarks on trying to figure out this mystery for this bestseller while putting his entire family in jeopardy by not moving out of this house. The first two acts of this movie are truly amazing. Each film that you watch is different and disturbing in every way. It makes you extremely uneasy. The music and atmosphere in this movie is completely unmatched. The more the movie goes on, the more you want to figure out about what’s going on. If you want to be disturbed and shocked, this movie is definitely for you. It’s got everything. It’s horrifying, disturbing, and just very unsettling at some points. This movie does have a second part, but I don’t recommend watching it. It’s not very good and it’s clear the quality of the movie has dropped significantly more than the first one. The story is mediocre at best and is pretty forgettable. But please do watch Sinister.
- The Ring
Release Date: 2002
Age Rating: PG-13
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 71%
IMDb – 7.1/10
The Ring is a classic horror film that almost always comes to mind when the horror genre is talked about. Everyone who has seen The Ring knows it’s a horror classic because, at the time of its release, it was something different from the typical slasher films that were released around that time. If you haven’t seen The Ring, it follows a mother/news reporter named Rachel and her son Aiden. In the movie, four teenagers die mysteriously after watching a tape with weird and unsettling images. Rachel then discovers the tape that if you watch, will kill you within seven days. Her curiosity peaks and she ends up sitting through the whole tape. Then each day after that, creepy things start to happen to her as she’s trying to figure out the mystery behind this super creepy tape. This movie is highly regarded for its psychological horror, plot twist, great performances, eeriness, and it isn’t a typical horror film and as I said before, was different than every other horror film around that time. What’s crazy is this movie is an American remake of the Japanese horror film called Ringu. The film brought new things to the table that at the time nobody had really seen before and had borrowed from the Japanese version which also helped the film a lot. It’s a great film that creeps you at and it doesn’t need a lot of gore or blood to be terrifying and eerie. The Ring is definitely worth a watch if you haven’t already.
- You’re Next
Release Date: 2011
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 80%
IMDb – 6.6/10
If you liked The Strangers but wanted something more, this movie is definitely for you. You’re Next is another home invasion film like The Strangers, except with lots more violence and action. You’re Next follows the Davisons, a wealthy family who all get together in a huge estate for the weekend to try to fix their broken family. Things go wrong pretty fast as seemingly strangers start to attack the house with a variety of weapons. It isn’t clear how many there are but the family has to fight to survive. This movie isn’t anything groundbreaking but it’s the perfect mix of a simple plot with lots of great action as the family is being stalked by the killers. The acting is pretty great and you never feel like anyone is safe while watching the film. The killers can pop out at any moment and try to attack anyone in the family. Though the film isn’t as creepy or as suspenseful as The Strangers, it’s still a great thrill ride with great action and an awesome alternative to The Strangers if you don’t like slower movies. You’re Next is one of those movies that’s fun to watch with a huge group of people and you won’t forget about it after.
- Evil Dead Rise
Release Date: 2023
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 84%
IMDb – 6.5/10
The Evil Dead franchise has been around for a long time, specifically ever since 1981 which is when the first Evil Dead was released. People praise the Evil Dead franchise for the creativeness and cheesiness of all the films. They all blend horror and comedy together. Each film has a sense of humor inside of it mixed with horror. Evil Dead is considered a classic to many people. Evil Dead got its first remake back in 2013 by the same title and I also highly recommend watching it. It’s a really good remake which most remakes fail to accomplish and is actually worth your time. Evil Dead Rise is the second modern Evil Dead film that takes place in a high-rise apartment building. It follows a family of three kids and two sisters (one of them being the mother of course). One of the kids finds a creepy and haunted book underground that unleashes demons. Their family time then gets cut short by the demons and the family fights to survive in their apartment building. Evil Dead Rise is an absolutely insane film that is filled to the brim with violence and is a complete thrill ride that, once it starts to kick off, never lets go until the end of the movie. This Evil Dead movie doesn’t have as much humor as the other ones but is still a great watch for Evil Dead fans. For someone who’s never seen an Evil Dead movie, just know that these movies are completely off the rails when it comes to violence. The kills in this movie are crazy and it’s really entertaining to see the family fight for their lives. The only thing I wish they did better in this film was develop the family a little more, but it doesn’t take away from the non-stop thrill ride or the action. It’s always a shock when someone in the family gets possessed to see what they’d do to their family member, and what the person getting attacked might do to them. It’s not particularly scary, but it’s extremely entertaining with a bunch of violence if you’re up for that.
- Fear Street Trilogy
Release Date: 2021
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Fear Street Part One: 1994 – 84% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 6.2/10
Fear Street Part Two: 1978 – 87% Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb 6.7/10
Fear Street Part Three: 1666 – 88% Rotten Tomatoes, 6.6/10
Fear Street is the definition of a great horror trilogy, that brings something new with each film, and is really fun to see unfold. It’s nothing crazy, but enjoyable with a good cast of characters that you begin to root for as the series goes on. Fear Street is based of R. L. Stine’s books of the same name. The movie is about a group of teenagers that find an evil force on accident that has haunted their town for centuries. The kids try to unravel the truth behind this evil as they fight for their lives throughout the three films. Each film is enjoyable and explores the truth behind the supernatural evil that the kids are trying to stop. The movies aren’t anything groundbreaking like I said before, but they are really enjoyable and it makes you want to stick around ‘till the end. I love how the film turns a seemingly simple slasher horror film into something bigger that I’ve never really seen before. It’s a fresh idea that is explored pretty well. The main teenagers are also entertaining and I personally thought the cast of characters is great. If I had to pick the best out of the three movies, It would definitely be Fear Street Part Two. It feels like a classic slasher film, something like Friday The 13th. But as we begin to uncover, it’s more than just people killing other people and it is really fun to watch. Overall, Fear Street is a pretty good trilogy (which we don’t see as many great trilogies, or parts to movies nowadays) and is worth a watch with a group of people.
- The Babadook
Release Date: 2014
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 98%
IMDb – 6.8/10
The Babadook is a truly disturbing and unsettling psychological horror movie that anyone who has watched can agree is actually pretty terrifying. The Babadook follows a mother named Amelia and a son with behavioral problems named Samuel, who are grieving after the mother’s husband (and the kids father) passed away in a terrible car accident. One day, the mother reads a book called “Mister Babadook” to her son before bed. As the movie unfolds, her son starts to see The Babadook in his dreams and around him. His mom doesn’t believe him at first but then as things start to happen to her too, she starts to see that her son might be right about The Babadook. The Babadook isn’t your typical horror movie though, as the Babadook itself represents the mother and son’s grief over their husband/father’s death. Not many horror movies have a deeper message or something that symbolizes another person’s emotions. Throughout the movie, you can see how the two main characters are affected by the husband’s death so much. The mom and son butt heads a lot of the time and the stellar acting definitely ramps up the tension and uneasy feeling in those scenes. The film is definitely a slow-burn but the movie keeps you interested and when stuff finally starts happening, it keeps you wanting to see the mother and son get the happy ending they deserve. When The Babadook does appear on-screen or is in the room with one of the characters, it is pretty creepy and terrifying. It’s especially scary with the noises the creature makes. Watching this in theaters would’ve been truly scary. Two main characters are very well written and you feel for them the entire film and how they both feel are a major part of the film because The Babadook plays with the grief and feeling of loss they have. The Babadook is a great horror film that mixes symbolism with horror and does it in a great way. Like I said, it’s a slow-burn movie, but it’s definitely worth watching.
- Get Out
Release Date: 2017
Age Rating: R
Ratings/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 98%
IMDb – 7.8/10
Get Out is another psychological horror film that was directed by the lovable Jordan Peele. Get Out centers around a guy named Chris and his girlfriend named Rose. Rose invites Chris over to meet her parents and family over the weekend. When Chris arrives there, he writes off Rose’s family as acting nervous because of his interracial relationship with Rose. But the more and more Chris analyzes this family, he starts to notice some things completely off. A few disturbing things happen here and there and he knows something is going on behind the scenes. For starters, Get Out isn’t particularly that scary. It’s more of a thriller film but has lots of horror elements within it. It’s a pretty disturbing film at times and the themes explored in this movie are relevant to modern times. As you can probably dissect from the description I gave about this film, it deals with heavy themes of racism, slavery, and the relations between black and white people. Jordan Peele explores in this film how bad racism can get and how racism itself is a horror that black people would want to escape, and it’s true. The themes along with its disturbing elements, amazing acting, and very mysterious premise all mix together to bring us a truly great horror/thriller film that will stick with you for a long time. After I watched Get Out, it stuck with me for a while. This is also another movie where the characters are well written and they don’t bring down the movie like other horror movies do when they have terrible characters. Get Out is a must-watch for horror and thriller fans.
- Hereditary
Release Date: 2018
Age Rating: R
Rating/Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes – 90%
IMDb – 7.3/10
Hereditary is one of those horror films where as much as you might want to, you can’t forget it at all. If this list was in a particular order, this movie would probably be number one still. See how psychological horror films are the best? Hereditary is ANOTHER physiological horror film that follows a family that after their great grandmothers passing, her daughter and grandchildren start to figure out the disturbing and dark secrets of their ancestors and family. I don’t want to say too much about this film because it’s best if you experience it for yourself. This movie is honestly one of the most disturbing and scariest horror films I’ve ever seen. Hereditary has some of the best acting I’ve seen in a horror film, insane plot twists, and you get to see the destruction of this poor family throughout the movie. It tackles themes of loss and grief like The Babadook, and it turns those themes into a horror nightmare. It’s not a jumpscare-filled or terrifying film by any means, but it does enough to completely shock you and shows things that will stay with you forever. More disturbing things happen as the family finds out more and more about the crazy things attached to their ancestry. The family becomes more and more disjointed and broken. Each scene is also significantly lifted by the incredible acting from each character, especially the mother. Hereditary is another must-watch and if you don’t know much about it, keep it that way. Go into it with an open mind and just watch it. It’s truly great.
Each and every one of these movies has something different to tackle or show in the horror genre. I tried to keep each movie fresh and pick different types of horror movies to keep the amount of variety. You should go and watch at least a few of these horror movies. I promise you that you’re not wasting your time with any of these movies and there’s so much fun to be had with each one. Horror is a great genre and the good horror movies always leave a lasting impact on you like almost all of the ones on here. Some are enjoyable and fun, while others are might have you sit and think on them for a little while.
