30 Movies + TV Shows For Getting You Into The Halloween Mood This Fall
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| Sorry for the blur, turns out taking a picture of a computer screen is really hard. |
October is officially here! Normally, I'd say it's time to start stockpiling your favorite Halloween candy, go pick out and carve the perfect pumpkin, pick out your Halloween costume, and start rolling your favorite spooky films. But thanks to an ongoing global pandemic, a lot of the usual trick-or-treat and party plans are now off the table. And in some regions, it's unclear whether local pumpkin patches will open for normal operations this year. But you know what is still very much on the table? Halloween movie night!
I'm not a huge scary movie person. Gore isn't really my cup of tea, and I don't particularly like messing with evil spirits and demonic possession. I've come to realize, though, that I've actually seen way more scary movies and TV shows than I thought. Not only that, but a lot of them are actually pretty good.
You also don't have to sit down and watch a horror film to get into the Halloween spirit. Thrillers, classic ghost stories, comedies, and family-friendly options abound! Additionally, there are a lot of new shows and movies dropping on all the major streaming platforms this month. Between Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video you will find a lot of new viewing options as well as a decent selection of old favorites.
In today's blog post, I've rounded up 30 of the best spooky and Halloween-themed movies and TV shows on each streaming platform this fall. Whether you want to laugh, scream, or take a nostalgia trip, there's something on this list for everyone. Enjoy!
Netflix
1. The Haunting Of Hill House
I only made it about halfway through this show because the creep factor was just SO high (for me, at least, but I'm also a wimp). I literally had dreams about this show. If that's what you're after, though, then The Haunting Of Hill House is definitely worth a watch. Plus it's follow up, The Haunting Of Bly Manor, will be dropping in October. The show keeps you guessing about what the heck's going on until the very end. Additionally, the show throws in some really fun Easter eggs in the form of hidden ghosts all throughout the show. The actual number of ghosts that have been spotted varies depending on the source, but the number could be as high as 43!
Check out the show for yourself and see how many hidden ghosts you can find.
2. Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina puts a darker and more dramatic spin on the classic comedy sitcom Sabrina The Teenage Witch (a show that you can actually find on Hulu currently). Unfortunately, Netflix has announced ahead of its fourth and final season that the show will be canceled, with the release date of Part 4 unknown as of this writing. But that doesn't mean you can't still get into the witching mood and watch Parts 1-3 while you wait!
3. American Horror Story
Admittedly, I am a few seasons behind on AHS. Four, to be exact. The last season I saw was "Hotel" (Season 5) starring Lady Gaga and while it was great (Lady Gaga fit into the show perfectly), it started to go off the rails a little bit from the first few seasons. The show began to become downright uncomfortable, an aspect that the show runners are no doubt going for, but it just started to become a bit much for me. It's the perfect combination of jump scares, humor, and horror for Halloween! There are nine seasons available on Netflix, although seasons 1-3 are undoubtedly my favorite.
Bonus tip: If you're a fan of Sarah Paulson, a prolific actress throughout the AHS series, her new show Ratchet is available on Netflix right now. I've only watched two episodes, but so far the show has been pretty good (albeit, anxiety-inducing).
4. Train To Busan
If a good zombie thriller is what you seek, look no further than the Korean film Train To Busan. With a critics rating of 94% and an audience rating of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes–a platform that is very harsh and unforgiving to horror films–you know this movie is a good one. Most viewers will likely have to rely on subtitles while watching this film, and although it can be a tad distracting if you are unaccustomed to reading foreign films, just hang in there! This movie is highly rated for a reason.
5. The Haunting Of Bly Manor
The Haunting Of Bly Manor will be releasing on October 9 as a follow-up series to The Haunting Of Hill House. It is currently unclear whether or not there is any connection between the two families or houses, but if it's anything like the first series then you're in for a majorly creepy but interesting new show.
6. The Babysitter
Is your Halloween watch list really complete without a satanic cult? The Babysitter is pretty basic as far as horror flicks go, but it follows a tried-and-true recipe that works well enough. An adolescent boy with a brush on his babysitter comes to find that she is the leader of a satanic cult that wants to kill him. It's not winning any film awards but it scratches the comedy/horror itch. It's sequel The Babysitter: Killer Queen, is also available on Netflix.
7. Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity is a modern classic, in my personal opinion. The anticipation that something might happen gets you more than anything else. Jump scares and "WTF?" moments are seemingly just around every corner even though there are very few actual scary scenes in the movie. Paranormal Activity is perfect for getting you into the spooky Halloween mood. I've lost track of how many sequels there are now, and haven't seen all of them myself, but the original is still a solid film that you can't go wrong with.
8. Hubie Halloween
If you'd much rather go for a comedy than a horror or suspense flick, then there's a new film starring Adam Sandler coming up on October 7. I'm not here to tell you that it's any good. Adam Sandler hasn't produced a good movie in years so I wouldn't get your hopes up too high. But if your desperate for something, anything, new to add to your Halloween rotation then here you go. Hocus Pocus and Ghost Busters are great but you can only watch them so many times.
9. Vampires Vs. The Bronx
Netflix is bringing you another new Halloween option on October 2–Vampires Vs. The Bronx. While on the surface the show is about a group of kids fighting a nest of vampires trying to settle in the neighborhood, there are also other themes at work. Namely, the gentrification of colored and multicultural neighborhoods by middle class white people. If you like a bit of social commentary with your monster shows, then this one is for you.
10. Sleepy Hollow
The Headless Horseman. Constable Ichabod Crane. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp à la 1999. Sleepy Hollow is another classic movie to me, as is the story itself. I once actually read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving because it came pre-downloaded on an e-reader I once received for Christmas (as did Bram Stoker's Dracula). It's a classic ghost story with a Gothic vibe that's perfect for Halloween.
Honorable Mentions
Goosebumps, The Adams Family (animated and live action versions also available at no extra cost on Prime Video)
Hulu
11. Parasite
I have not actually seen Parasite, but as the winner of four academy awards including Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars, this film seems like it deserves to be on the list. I'll admit, it might be a little bit of a stretch to include this film on a Halloween list. Even though it is technically listed as a comedy/thriller, it is probably a bit more of a drama than anything else. Nonetheless, this film is one I've been dying (pun intended) to see. A family of poor workers cunningly infiltrating the home of a wealthy family as devoted servants? What could go wrong?
12. Us
Us is a film I have actually not brought myself to see yet because the trailer itself scares me. I have shivers running up my spine just thinking of all the creepy promos. Critics, however, rave about the film. Jordan Peele seems to really know what he's doing, having also directed Get Out. Plus, I adore Elizabeth Moss and Lupita Nyong'o. Will I get over my fears and finally see the movie this month? We'll see.
13. Castle Rock
Stephen King is the master of scary stories. Carrie, It, and The Shining are just a few of his well-known stories brought to life on the big screen. Castle Rock creates an all-encompassing universe that features some of King's most famous stories, themes, and locations. Some of the actors will look familiar as well if you have seen any other King film adaptations, with Bill Skarsgård and each having Sissy Spacek roles. Let the Halloween scaries commence.
14. Halloween Baking Championship
I see you, cooking competition lovers! Luckily, we can rely on most baking competition shows to do a holiday special–or an entire season! There are four seasons of Halloween-themed bake offs available on Hulu. Want to double down on the Halloween cooking action? You can also watch Halloween Wars, Halloween Cake-Off, and Haunted Gingerbread Showdown.
15. Monsterland
Monsterland is a new Hulu original set to drop on the platform on October 2 (the same day that Vampires Vs. The Bronx is set to drop on Netflix so there will be no shortage of monster TV shows to watch this month). The series is comprised of various monster horror stories and is based off of the novel North American Lake Monsters: Stories by Nathan Ballingrud. So, if scary encounters with mermaids, water beasts, and (apparently) fallen angels seems right up your alley, this is the show for you!
16. Scream Queens
Once again, I'm not here to tell you that Scream Queens is prime television. However, it brings a hilarious and borderline satirical take on your classic sorority slasher flick and a familiar group of actors and producers for anyone who has seen either American Horror Story or Glee (or Victorious, for that matter. Ariana Grande also stars.). As one online review put it, "When Scream Queens is good, it is very, very good, but when it is bad, it is horrid."
Bottom line: Just watch it for the very, very good parts. The series is only two seasons so it's not a huge time commitment anyway.
17. Little Monsters
If you're looking for a zombie comedy that isn't Zombieland (not that there's anything wrong with it), then look no further than Little Monsters–not to be confused with the Little Monsters animated children's show from the 90s which for some reason comes up first on Google. Admittedly, Lupita Nyong'o carries most of the film, but I'm not mad about it.
18. Helstrom
Bring on that new, new! Beginning on October 16, Hulu will begin offering a demon-filled TV series of the Superhero/vigilante variety. The show is based on Marvel Comics characters Daimon and Satana Helstrom who fight demons and also hunt down murderers. It has a weird Supernatural-meets-Dexter-in-the-Marvel-Universe vibe, but I'm kind of here for it. Here's to hoping that the show at least comes in at a 6/10.
19. It: Chapter 2
The movie It can't possibly be left off of any Halloween watch list. Pennywise is literally the epitome of clown creepdom and probably the reason why few kids actually want a clown at their birthday party (thank you, Stephen King). If you happen to have an HBO subscription, either directly from HBO or through Hulu or Amazon Prime Video, then you can watch It: Chapter 2. Nothing quite says Halloween like a scary clown from hell. Enjoy (Without me. I want nothing to do with that.).
Honorable Mentions
The Twilight Zone, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark
Disney Plus
20. Hocus Pocus
Yes, Hocus Pocus still makes the Halloween list because it is as necessary as watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation or Elf at least once during Christmastime. You have to do it. Plus, if you have a cable or streaming television provider, chances are it will be on Freeform or a similar channel at least 10 times so you can't really avoid it.
21. The Nightmare Before Christmas
This movie is another classic that you have the opportunity to watch for either Halloween or Christmas (or both!) thanks to the holiday crossover. It's right up there with Hocus Pocus as a movie that you'll probably have a hard time avoiding during the month of October anyway so why fight it?
22. Halloweentown (1-4)
I lived for Halloweentown when I was a kid. I always looked forward to October because this movie came on. The first one is hands down the best, and the second one is alright as well. Three and four I kind of just pretend don't exist, but if you disagree then you'll be happy to know that all four films are available on Disney Plus!
23. Don't Look Under The Bed
This movie scared the s**t out of me when I was a kid, and can be credited as the source of all my nighttime under-the-bed fears. It also made me distrustful of kids with imaginary friends. I mean, I'm an adult and I still refuse to sleep with a limb hanging off the bed because a demon or boogeyman might grab me. A rational thought? Absolutely not, but I'm not going to take any chances. If you've seen this movie, you know.
24. Phantom Of The Megaplex
At this point, we're kind of just going through all of my favorite childhood Disney Channel movies. Phantom of the Megaplex was a delightfully creepy and mysterious movie that usually got played around Halloween, although on the years where it didn't I was always supremely disappointed. Spooky organ music accompanied the antics of the Phantom, who wanders around a movie theater wreaking havoc on the night of a big premiere. It's a fun movie for children and adults alike.
Honorable Mentions
Other childhood Halloween classics available on Disney Plus are My Mom's Got A Date With A Vampire and The Scream Team. Notably missing, much to my disappointment, are Tower of Terror and Under Wraps.
Amazon Prime
Pretty much any movie you can't watch with a subscription to the above streaming services you can rent on Amazon Prime Video (usually for around $3.99 or less). This will also be the best option for watching all of the classic villains and monsters in action in movies like Friday the 13th and The Nightmare on Elm Street (see honorable mentions at the end).
Titles with an asterisk below are included with Prime Video at no extra charge.
25. The Woman In Black
I really only watched this movie to see Daniel Radcliffe in something other than Harry Potter, and even though it wasn't a particularly great movie (and had a rather unsatisfying ending), I still kind of liked it for some reason. British mystery and Gothic ghost story elements came together to make an all around alright movie. I would actually watch it again, which is something I can't say for a lot of horror or ghost movies.
26. The Strangers
Speaking of movies to watch over and over again, I've probably seen The Strangers more than I've seen any other scary movie (followed closely by The Uninvited, although I don't know a lot of other people who liked this movie as much as I did so I didn't include it here). It's actually a really good movie, full of suspense and psychological terror without being too over the top. A word of warning: this movie may ruin cabin rentals in the woods for you.
I've never seen the movie's sequel but I also don't really feel the need to. The Strangers worked perfectly as a standalone movie, vague ending and all.
27. Hereditary*
I've never actually seen Hereditary, but it always seems to come up on lists of horror movies to watch. Reviewers frequently argue over whether or not the film was actually good, with many people either loving or hating it with very little in between. It's framed as a family drama (you know, family secrets and everything) with some witchcraft and horror mixed in. I have no idea if it's good, but if you're a Prime member it's available to watch for free so what's the harm?
28. Lore*
Season 2 of Lore looks absolutely terrifying, if I'm being perfectly honest. The upcoming season is the handiwork of executive producers from both The Walking Dead and The Exorcist if that tells you anything. It's an anthology series featuring stories based on true (often historical) events and happenings blended with drama and horror. As if history isn't horrific enough. Season 1 is available on Prime Video now and Season 2 will become available on October 19.
29. Corpse Bride
Corpse Bride is probably my favorite Tim Burton animated movie. It's not overplayed on television and it's a simple story with simple characters.
Fun fact: The story is actually based on a Jewish-Russian folktale about a man traveling to a nearby village to be married. While camped out one night, the groom and his friends were horsing around and put the wedding ring on a bony-looking stick. Said groom then proceeded to dance around it and perform a mock wedding ceremony, accidentally marrying and reviving an actual corpse to whom the "stick" belonged. The union is declared illegitimate by village rabbis, but the corpse bride is not appeased until the intended, living bride agrees to keep the dead bride in her memory forever, living out the corpse's hopes and dreams for her.
The story actually has sad roots in history, as the corpse found in the snow was likely a young Jewish woman murdered in a Russian attack. Starting in the 1880s, the Russians began carrying out pogroms–or violent ethnic massacres–on Jewish people. Soldiers frequently targeted wedding carriages and murdered the brides to prevent them from bearing Jewish children. So basically, the moral of the folktale is to never forget the brides murdered in the pogroms. History is really the only horror story we need.
30. Get Out
Get Out is another Jordan Peele horror film that has been met with critical acclaim. It also did very well in the box office, making it the tenth-most profitable movie of 2017. The plot is a little weird, and racial tensions are front and center throughout the whole thing. But at least this is a film where you can say (spoiler alert) the black man in the group isn't killed first. Hallelujah!
Honorable Mentions
Ghostbusters (1984), Beetlejuice, Friday The 13th, Halloween, The Shining, Scream, A Nightmare On Elm Street
