Fall is a very magical time of year if you ask me. The weather starts to get chilly, the skies are overcast, everything that was once green begins to die in the most beautiful fashion, and you can get pumpkin spice literally everything. I have always loved fall because I can feel a spark in the crisp air – a spark of something different, creepy and maybe even a little menacing. That spark is the impending joy that is Halloween. October is finally here and before we know it, we’ll be paying decent money to get the shit scared out of us at haunted houses and the trick-or-treaters will be at our doors. Halloween is a mind set, one that takes over most people for the entirety of the 10th month of the year and there is no better way to get yourself in the spirit than cuddling up with a good scary movie to excite and spook you.
There’s no time like the present to start gearing up for Halloween, so why not take this weekend off, stay home, and binge watch until you’re too scared to turn the lights off. Without further adieu, here I are the 10 best movies to watch on Netflix to get yourself in the Halloween spirit: (In no particular order)
1. Banshee Chapter (2013)
This is one of the best horror movies I’ve seen in years. It is based on H.P. Lovecraft’s story From Beyond and bases that premise on the chemical experiments the government performed on American soldiers in the 1960’s. Banshee Chapter has genuinely terrifying jump out scare moments, a truly disturbing story, minimal gore and violence, and one of the creepiest songs I’ve ever heard in my life. This movie will stick with you after you’ve watched it, you won’t want to sleep alone and especially not in the dark.
2. Creep (2014)
Creep is not your typical horror movie, and it continues to dodge your expectations all the way to the very end. This one won’t leave you sleepless, but it will hold your attention and make you uncomfortable while your watching it because it preys on the part of you that wants to trust people and give them the benefit of the doubt. Creep should absolutely be added to your list of things to watch; it’s very well written and like no other movie I’ve seen. Not to mention it’s just plain Creep-y (you see what I did there?)
3. Mr. Jones (2013)
This is another “Not-your-typical-horror-movie” movie. It will captivate you even though at first glance it kind of just seems like another found footage movie. In fact, the director utilizes several different techniques, including handicam, interviews, and separated wide shots. Mr. Jones is thoughtful, and introduces you to very real characters that are impossible not to care about. There are moments of suspense, very creepy artwork imagery, and a plot culmination that is not only scary but sweet and dances on the lines of the fantastical.
4. You’re Next (2011)
Oh this movie is so much fun. It’s gory, but there’s nothing too outlandish and the writing is clever and at moments very cynical towards the human race. You’re Next felt like watching The Strangers, but with so much more character and a way better plot base and story arc. I didn’t have very high expectations going into this movie and I was blown away – I laughed, I screamed, I jumped and then I watched it again. You’re Next won’t keep you up at night, but it will leave you exhilarated.
5. V/H/S (2012) and V/H/S 2 (2013)
These movies are perfect for getting in the mood for Halloween. Each film is a combination of short films with the longest being around 20 minutes. The stories are fun – some are ridiculously cheesy and others have some real merit to them. Each story is unique and the subjects range from ghosts to monsters to doomsday cults and there’s even one about what it would look like if you were wearing a GoPro while getting attacked by/becoming a zombie. Each anthology goes by quick, and after I watched the first V/H/S I immediately put on the second one because I wanted more. There is a third movie in this series and I have to suggest that you avoid it at all costs. It was such a disappointment, and there wasn’t a single moment in it worth watching.
6. We Are What We Are (2013)
We Are What We Are made it’s way quietly through the indie circuit, receiving more and more critical praise and making it one of the most buzzed about horror movies of the last few years. It moves a little slow and spends a lot of time really developing the story and characters so if you are expecting to jump into 90 minutes of non-stop hack and slash action this is not the movie for you. Instead, We Are What We Are almost feels like the intellect’s horror movie as it focuses on a family that believe they are normal even though they do horrible things in the name of tradition. There is a twist at the end of this one that left most viewers stunned and disturbed, so be forewarned. It didn’t bother me at all, but I’m a weirdo.
7. Hellraiser (1987) and Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
I know these movies came out 28 years ago (good god that makes me feel old) but I really believe they’ve held up over time. The Hellraiser movies are similar to the demonic possession movies that were all the rage a few years ago, but they take that fear to the darkest place possible. Full disclosure: these movies still scare the shit out of me. The gates of hell can be opened and what comes out is way scarier than whatever possessed Emily Rose. The Cenobites are still, hands down, some of the scariest and most compelling monsters in cinema history and they are at their best in the first two Hellraiser films. Even after all these years the plot holds up, the effects hold up, and these movies will leave you disturbed and frightened.
8. The Scream Movies
These movies are classics. I’m pretty sure I still know the words to every single phone call from the first and second movies, not to mention basically all the lines. The Scream series has style and was incredible in its time, the first film single handedly reinvented the slasher flick genre and gave it validity again. I never thought the Scream movies were scary, just freaking amazing, so watching the series won’t give you nightmares, but it will probably make you giddy with nostalgia and joy.
9. Deep in the Darkness (2014)
This movie is kind of like The Village, if the monsters were real and not just dumb people in dumb costumes. Deep in the Darkness has some pretty freaky looking creatures that live in the woods and down in a series of caves around a small town and if the residents don’t keep them happy they basically go berserk. The monster people things are really scary, the acting is good, and the plot has enough action to keep things going while never really landing in cheesy territory. This movie may leave you more uncomfortable than you expected once it’s over, and wondering who or what could be outside your window or underneath your floor boards.
10: The House at the End of Time (2013)
The House at the End of Time, or La Casa del fin de los Tiempos is easily one of the best horror movies on Netflix right now. It’s about a haunted/possessed house that a woman returns to once she is elderly to finally figure out the curse it holds that has ruined her entire life. This movie has excellent pace between the dramatic and terrifying moments and more than anything you’ll want Dulce to survive, succeed and find her peace. The House at the End of Time is scary and full of heart, which in this case will only make you more invested in it and more terrified as it unfolds.
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