In anticipation of the Scary Season, here are 5 films I recommend you binge over the coming week or two.
The spooky season is almost here, and for most of us, this involves a few watching a scary film or two. So in anticipation of this, here are a list of my top 5 films to watch this Halloween.
I’ve purposely not included staples such as Halloween, The original Exorcist and many others in favour of films that may have flown under your radar, or those that have been lost to time, but still stand up today. I’ve also included a few honourable mentions to wet your horror apetite. So buckle up buttercup, here we go!
SINNERS
Released in 2025, this amazing vampire story is set against the 1930’s Prohibition, twin brothers Smoke and Stacks (both played by Michael B Jordan) open up an illegal speakeasy. Everything goes according to plan until a drifter arrives only to cause havoc, as he is an ancient vampire with the obvious thirst for blood, and the not so obvious thirst for music. One by one, the speakeasy residents become vampiric victims, until all that is left are the only people who can battle this ancient evil.
This film really is a great movie to watch this Halloween. it’s not a traditional monster movie, but it does have monster moments, and the stylistic direction and sets are fantastic. The effects are solid, the direction is great by Ryan Coogler, and Michael B Jordan shines in both roles. The poignant conclusion to this film is what brings everything together. if you haven’t seen this yet, i strongly suggest you watch it where you can.
Available on Amazon Prime, NOW TV and most other formats.
THE EXORCIST 3
Released in 1990, this sequel to The Exorcist is by far the best current sequel in the series. What makes this a great film to watch is the great acting by George C Scott as Detective Kinderman, and Brad Dourif as The Gemini Killer. It’s Dourif who really makes this film, along with the scariest jump scare ever committed to film. Written and directed by the author of The Exorcist (William Peter Blatty) and derived from his novel Legion, this film really is worthy of your time if you’ve never seen it.
They certainly don’t make films like this anymore. It’s a slow burn and the Exorcism part at the end may feel a little tacked on (that’s because it was), but it’s very much better for it. I recommend this film because it’s a brilliantly filmed and scripted sequel, it doesn’t rely on heavy effects, but certainly leans into the original where it’s warranted.
You can watch The Exorcist 3 on Sky Store.
THE FIRST OMEN
Released in 2024, The First Omen tells the story of how Damien was born into the world, and the horrific events that entailed. This again, is another slow burn for the first 40 minutes, but soon ramps up to a conclusion that fits neatly with the original film.
What makes this film a great Halloween choice, are the visceral effects that are genuinely scary at times, and most certainly gross without being gross for the sake of it. The direction by first time director Arkasha Stevenson is absolutely brilliant, as are the cast. The score is creepy too.
When I first watched this film, I was genuinely taken by it. It’s a brilliant prequel and while the studio had little confidence in it, it did solidly at the box office, and even better on streaming services. Go watch this and you can thank me later.
Available to stream on Sky Store, You Tube, Disney + and Google Play
BLACK PHONE
Finney Shaw is a shy but clever 13-year-old boy who’s being held in a soundproof basement by a sadistic, masked killer. When a disconnected phone on the wall starts to ring, he soon discovers that he can hear the voices of the murderer’s previous victims — and they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
This is a brilliant film that slipped under the radar for most, and while it’s budget wasn’t the biggest, the film-makers utilised every penny to great effect, with Ethan Hawke genuinely delivering a terrifying turn as the serial killer. I highly recommend this, and you’ll be glad you watched it!
Available on You Tube, Sky Store, Amazon Prime and others.
WEAPONS
Weapons is a top tier horror thriller, and stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner and Amy Madigan, this is about how every child but one goes missing at the exact same time one early morning, and the effects this has on the community. What evil force could be behind this and can it be stopped?
Directed by Zach Gregger, this masterfully told tale is bewildering, enchanting, and told in a way that makes it quite unique. You may spend the first 30 minutes a bit confused, but it’s intentional, and you’ll see why come the end.
When I first watched this film, I was so impressed with it, I went out and bought it on Blu-Ray. It’s a genuinely mysterious film with horror elements that scream at you half way in the film. The effects are top notch, the story is un-nerving and this makes for a great Halloween film.
Available to stream on Sky Store, Amazon Prime, NOW TV and several other formats.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Black Phone 2
A worthy successor to the original film, this time the story descends into a more “Freddy Krueger” type of film rather than the original premise of the first outing. It’s still good, and worth a look if you enjoyed the first, but it’s not as good.
The Lost Boys
This absolute classic vampire tale is easily one of my favourites in the genre, and while it has a deep 80’s vibe which some may struggle to identify with, the film is a Richard Donner masterpiece and well worth checking out if you’ve never watched it.
The Conjuring
James Wan knocked it out of the park with this supposed true story of a haunted house and the possession that happens as a result. Vera Farmiga stars as self professed psychic Lorraine Warren, and Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren, Lorraine’s husband and self-ordained Demonologist.
While this is a great film with plenty of scares, it’s so loosely based on the real story, it bares little semblance to it. Still, it’s very much worth a watch, and the score is creepy as hell!
My intent here wasn’t to include all the usual suspects that lists have for this time of year. I could have gone the very easy route and included the Nightmare on Elm Street films, Friday 13th and many others including the greatest horror of all time, The Exorcist. The problem there is that they offer nothing new to the average viewer, and the list I have presented here is one that may just offer a new surprising experience for you.
With all that being said, thanks a bunch for reading this post. If it was helpful to you, or you agree with all or some of my choices, let me know in the comments section below. If you liked this post, then show it some love by clicking on the little ‘Like’ button below. I would really appreciate any engagement we have within our community.
Until the next review…don’t be scared, it’s just a movie. Or is it?
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