Top Ten Halloween Flicks to Help You Get Your Spook On

By Tamiera Vandegrift on October 28, 2016

Halloween is creeping around the corner and it’s finally time to break out your candy corn and jack-o’-lanterns. Unfortunately, since we’re way past the age where it’s socially acceptable to go trick-or-treating, the next best thing is sitting down with a few chilling, creepy cinematic classics to help you get your spook on. So, grab your dollar store candy and check out our list of the best horror films to make your skin crawl. If you’re feeling brave, watch them in the dark but don’t say we didn’t warn you.

10. Scream

Image via: en.wikipedia.org

Wes Craven’s Scream was the first of its kind to give a definition to the word “meta”. In this ironically creepy hit, the small town of Woodsboro is under the shadow of a psychotic serial killer with a black suit and mask. At the center of it all is Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell, a young high school student mourning the untimely death of her mother. What makes this 90′s slasher a hit is its ability to keep you on the edge of your seat. While the body count of the teenage populace grows higher, you’re left in the dark wondering who could be behind the mask. After all, everyone is a suspect.

Check out the trailer here.

9. The Strangers

Image via: http://bloody-disgusting.com/

You’ll check your locks twice after checking out this disturbing home invasion flick. After the movie kicks off by letting us know that it was in fact based off of true events and does the honor of sharing some pretty scary statistics on violent crime rates in America, we’re thrown onto a tense, horrific ride that reveals the dark side of human nature. Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler play a young couple staying in an isolated vacation home when disaster strikes as three masked assailants terrorize their home over the course of one night. What the film lacks in gore and graphic violence, it makes up for with eerie silence, suspense, and a growing feeling of uneasiness as the story continues. So turn off the lights, lock your doors, and remember not to talk to strangers.

Check out the trailer here.

8. The Descent

Image via: www.avclub.com

If you’re not already terrified by the dark and closed spaces, you will be after witnessing this terrifying thriller. A group of women embark on a caving expedition where they expected to find adventure. Instead, once they find themselves trapped within the bowels of the cave, they find a species of blind, humanoid creatures who rely on sound to find their prey. As soon as our leading ladies delve into the cave, we feel their fear. We’re left in utter darkness except for the light of their flashlights and glow sticks. We’re crawling through tight, claustrophobic tunnels of rock. You’ll never want to sleep with the lights off again.

Check out the trailer here.

7. Oculus

Image via: www.dawn.com

If you believe that what makes a supernatural thriller strong is its ability to keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat, Mike Flanagan’s Oculus is the perfect flick for you. Siblings Kaylie and Tim are no strangers to horror. After suffering at the hands of a demonic mirror as children, Kaylie and Tim set out to destroy the entity by proving its murderous capabilities. As the mirror gradually takes more and more control of their brains, it psychologically torments the two and warps their sense of reality. As we’re taken along for the ride, we’re won’t be sure which way is up either.

Check out the trailer here.

6. The Conjuring

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The Conjuring is probably one of the creepiest films to come out in the late 2000′s. Based on a true story (an ACTUAL true story. Read more about it here),  paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren venture out to save the Perron family from a demonic presence in their farmhouse. In the 1800′s, the property was a crime scene of a brutal murder and has remained haunted after since. The creeps start out small: moving furniture, flickering lights, random creaks and moans around the house. Eventually, the tension and the horror builds until it is completely clear that the Perron family is not alone and that the Warrens might be their only hope.

Check out the trailer here.

5. The Babadook

Image via: www.rollingstone.com

If it’s in a word, or it’s in a look, you can’t get rid of The Babadook. The Babadook is one of those films that comes out once in a lifetime that shifts your entire perspective while also scaring your pants off of you. The story revolves around a single mother mourning the death of her husband. One day, her son comes across a children’s pop-out book called “The Babadook”. Inside, there are disturbing images of a creature with crazed eyes and a “Jack the Ripper” appearance. Over time, the images from the story begin to leak into reality, leading the woman and her son to take a stand to defeat the monster before it destroys them. Without giving away any spoilers, this film is beautifully atmospheric and way beyond your typical horror flick.

Check out the trailer here.

4. The Shining

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This Kubrick film definitely deserves a spot in the showcase of classic horror and psychological thrillers. Based on the famous Stephen King novel, The Shining revolves around an alcoholic named Jack Torrence, played by Jack Nicholson, who drags his wife and son to an isolated hotel for the winter where a diabolical spiritual presence causes Jack to lose his mind. “The Shining” itself refers to Jack’s son, Danny, who possesses an incredible psychic ability to see horrible visions from the past and the future. The film has the classic Kubrick touch with slow tracking shots and a heavy reliance on perfectly centered images. Nicholson’s both hilarious and terrifying performance steals the show along with Kubrick’s eerie shot composition. There’s also a fan theory that encourages you to pay close attention to the mirrors. I won’t give anything away, but I encourage you to unwrap the mystery while you watch.

Check out the trailer here.

3. Trick ‘r Treat

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What could be better to get in the Halloween spirit than to watch a eerily humorous movie that revolves around Halloween? I really mean that. In every single frame, there is something Halloween related, whether it’s a jack-o-lantern or someone in costume. The Halloween spirit is omnipotent from start to finish. The film revolves around five interwoven tales that all take place on Halloween night. All of them are incredibly entertaining to watch, but also feature some pretty shocking and enjoyable twists. While this film isn’t necessarily scary, at least not as scary as the rest of the list, it is definitely a fun flick to enjoy every Halloween with friends and a ginormous bowl of candy corn.

Check out the trailer here.

2. The Evil Dead

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If you haven’t at least heard of The Evil Dead, you might not be able to call yourself a true horror fan. This  1981 horror film, directed by Sam Raimi, defined the “cult classic” and has been considered to be one of the best cult classics of all time. The setup is as cliche as you can imagine. Five college kids go on vacation to a random isolated cabin, where they find a spooky supernatural presence that begins to both possess and destroy them one by one. If you were to look up “campy, cheesy horror film” in the dictionary, this film’s poster would probably be in there somewhere. This classic is so enjoyably corny that it spawned several sequels and even a spinoff series on Starz (Ash vs. The Evil Dead). If you want laughs instead of spooks, The Evil Dead and all of its sequels will be a perfect Halloween treat.

Check out the trailer here.

1. Halloween

Image via: www.nerdist.com

Michael Myers returned to Haddonfield, Illinois 38 years ago, but still provides scares to this very day. Directed by the talented John Carpenter, Halloween tells the story of Michael Myers, a silent, psychotic serial killer who got his first taste of blood after murdering his older sister as a child. After being institutionalized in an asylum for 15 years, Myers escapes and returns to his hometown to finish the killing spree he started. Halloween may not be the most modern of horror films, but it definitely still holds up after 38 years. As Michael stalks his victims on Halloween night, we feel the suspense building. Could he be behind that door? Or behind that bush? This film has masterfully timed jump scares right when you would least expect it. Go ahead and hold a viewing of this film for your friends and you, but be warned. You might not like to walk home alone in the dark after this one.

Check out the trailer here.

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