Not feeling the spooky season spirit yet? Here are 5 iconic films to get you ready for Halloween!
By: Lynette George
A couple of cute and spooky jack-o'-lanterns on a table outdoors (photo credit: Bekir Dönmez on Unsplash)
Halloween is right around the corner, and there’s nothing I love more than counting down the days by watching some scary, freaky, funny movies. With midterm season looming over us, it’s normal to feel uninspired. So, to help you get in the Halloween spirit, I’ve listed my top 5 horror movies that are perfect for spooky season. Whether you’re here for the tricks or the treats, this list has something for everyone!
1. GET OUT
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, LaKeith Lee Stanfield
With unexpected plot twists and phenomenal acting, Get Out has everything you would want in a horror film. It’s a hair-raising psychological thriller that will leave you spooked for days. Along with it’s uncanny likeness to real life, the film is filled with brilliant and unexpected social commentary that makes it deeply nuanced. At the top of my list, Get Out is both well-crafted and frightening, making it the movie to watch this spooky season.
2. SCREAM
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich
If you’re looking for a more relaxed Halloween Monday, this film is for you. With it’s blend of 90’s humor and perfectly-timed jump scares, Scream gives you the best of both worlds. While it might make you feel unimaginably nostalgic, you’ll definitely be checking the locks on your door after the movie is finished. It’s the type of film that can make you laugh uncontrollably and scream in fear, but even so, everyone should watch Scream at least once in their life.
3. THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Starring: Christina Ricci, Angelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd
The Addams Family has something for everyone. With Wednesday’s cold sass, Pugsley’s bloody hijinx and the burning romance between Gomez and Morticia, this film is a perfectly-balanced Halloween classic. The 1991 version is a known favourite, but the 2019 animated version is also a great pick. And if you’re looking for a more modern adaptation, you can soon binge the new Netflix series Wednesday that releases on November 23rd!
4. US
Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss
If you love sleepless nights and being freaked out by your own reflection, I would highly recommend watching Us. Following a family of creepy and murderous doppelgängers, this psychological horror film is yet another Jordan Peele triumph. Its amazing writing, directing and acting makes the film perfectly unhinged and suspenseful. Personally, it left me a little too spooked (I don’t think I’ll be able to watch it again). But if that’s what you’re looking for this Halloween season, this is the pick for you!
5. THE CONJURING
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sterling Jerins, Joey King
What sort of movie connoisseur would I be if I didn’t include this? The Conjuring is more than a Halloween movie – it’s a cultural phenomenon and a cult classic. It has everything you want in a traditional horror film, including a haunted house, jump scares, ghosts and an exorcism or two. Also, if you end up loving the first movie, there’s The Conjuring 2 and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It that you can binge right after. If you haven’t watched this series already, you’re seriously missing out.