Now that October is upon us, so is the anticipation for the holiday made famous for fright.
With Halloween just around the corner, many people will be looking for some new horror films to keep them from sleeping too easily or some spooky classics to revisit.
Here are some modern and classic horror movies to enjoy as the 31st approaches move towards the 31st.
โFreakyโ (2020)
Millie Kessler is a high school outcast who swaps bodies with serial killer the Blissfield Butcher, forcing her and her friends to stop the possessed Millie. โFreakyโ takes key influence from both โFreaky Fridayโ and โFriday the 13th,โ so much so that the original title of the movie was โFreaky Friday the 13th.โ
Director Christopher Landon brings both concepts together in a slasher comedy that has the staying power of a modern classic. Landon brought much of his style from his โHappy Death Dayโ duology, and that style earned the movie positive reception from both critics and audiences.
โFreakyโ can be watched on Peacock for free or rented on most digital movie retailers.
โThe Evil Deadโ (1981)
โThe Evil Deadโ was the first movie by acclaimed director Sam Raimi who would go on to direct the original โSpider-Manโ trilogy and โDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.โ
The movie features Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) and his friends who go to a cabin in the woods where they find a mysterious book in the basement.
Despite being a micro-budget indie horror film by a first-time director, โThe Evil Deadโ found large success upon its release. Through this movie, Raimi inspired generations of horror fans and filmmakers with his unique and unpolished style. The legacy of Raimiโs first feature has extended to this day with plans for a sixth movie announced earlier this year.
โThe Evil Deadโ can be watched on AMC+ with a subscription or rented from most digital movie retailers.
โThe Strangersโ (2008)
โThe Strangersโ is a psychological horror film starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman. Harkening back to home invasion classics from the 1970s, โThe Strangersโ finds a couple in the midst of a fight for the future of their relationship that turns into a fight for their lives.
The movie has spawned a sequel and reboot that is fresh out of the theaters. It is an eerie and frightening sendup to a beloved era of horror films.
โThe Strangersโ can be watched on Max with a subscription or rented from most digital movie retailers.
โCabin in the Woodsโ (2011)
Written and directed by Drew Goddard, โCabin in the Woodsโ is a loving homage to horror classics like โThe Evil Dead,โ โThe Thing,โ โNight of the Living Deadโ and many others.
The movie follows a group of college students going to a cabin in the woods, leading to one of the most inventive horror comedies ever made. The movie stars a young Chris Hemsworth and was written by โAvengersโ director Joss Whedon and is a terrific collage of humor and horror that sends up the genreโs long and storied history.
โCabin in the Woodsโ can be watched on Peacock with a subscription or rented from most digital movie retailers.
โThe Texas Chain Saw Massacreโ (1974)
โThe Texas Chain Saw Massacreโ is the feature-length debut of Poltergeist director Tobe Hooper and inspired countless horror films.
Hooperโs horror classic follows a group of teenagers in 1970s Texas who find themselves in the hunting ground of a family of cannibals.
Despite its name, TCM is not a gore-fest. Instead, the movie is more of an art-house psychological horror that focuses on the human fears of the protagonist.
โThe Texas Chain Saw Massacreโ can be watched with a Prime Video subscription, on Tubi for free, or rented from most digital movie retailers.
โBarbarianโ (2022)
โBarbarianโ was released in 2022 to both critical and commercial success and focuses on Tess arriving at her Airbnb to find a stranger named Keith. To avoid spoilers, I wonโt talk much more about โBarbarianโsโ plot because the movie is best watched without knowing much.
Helmed by comedian Zach Cregger, the movie fuses the styles of David Fincher and Sam Raimi to create a truly unique film.
You can watch โBarbarianโ with a Prime Video subscription or it can be rented from most digital movie retailers.
โScreamโ (1996)
โScreamโ is a tried and true classic that I recommend to everyone. The whole movie is a send-up to the horror genre, specifically the golden age of 80s slashers.
โScreamโ follows Woodsboro teen Sydney as she and her friends are tormented by a serial killer wearing a ghostly mask. โScreamโ is filled to the brim with good scares, creative kills, funny jokes that donโt feel out of place, a terrific cast and terrific direction from Wes Craven.
If you havenโt watched it, you absolutely should. If you have, you should watch it again. โScreamโ deserves all the hype itโs been given as one of the best horror films of all time.
โScreamโ can be watched on Max with a subscription or rented from most digital movie retailers.
โHushโ (2016)
Mike Flanagan, director of โDoctor Sleepโ and โHaunting of Hill House,โ brings his A game with this movie.
โHushโ follows deaf writer Maddie as she faces off against a sadistic serial killer who tries to get into her house. Flanagan succeeds on every front with โHush.โ He brings suspense, likable characters, visually engaging chase scenes and well-earned scares.
There isnโt much else to say about โHushโ besides how highly I recommend it.
โHushโ can be rented from most digital movie retailers.
โNopeโ (2022)
Most people know who Jordan Peele is, whether it be from his successful comedy career or his Oscar-winning directorial debut, โGet Out.โ While โGet Outโ is an amazing movie, I would argue that โNopeโ is even better.
โNopeโ is a fusion of blockbuster and horror that results in a movie that goes between impressive and beautifully shot setpieces and genuinely eerie horror.
The movie follows OJ and his sister Emerald who try to take a picture of the alien living above their farm. It boasts amazing performances from Steven Yuen, Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer. This is a movie that truly anyone can enjoy, so you shouldnโt stop yourself from doing so.
โNopeโ can be watched on Starz with a subscription or rented from most digital movie retailers.
โHalloweenโ (1978)
Directed by WKU alumn John Carpenter, this classic film ignited the popularity of slashers.
Though it is not the first slasher, that honor arguably goes to โBlack Christmas,โ โHalloweenโ brought the subgenre to prominence and critical success.
Laurie Strode is the victim of escaped serial killer, Michael Meyers, on Halloween night of 1978.
This movie is a classic for a reason, and it would be borderline sacrilegious to not include it on this list. So my recommendation is to enjoy October 31st watching John Carpenterโs โHalloween.โ
โHalloweenโ can be found on AMC+ and Philo with a subscription, on Crackle and Plex for free or rented from most digital movie retailers.
News Reporter Malone Farmer can be reached at james.farmer674@topper.wku.edu.