Whether you’re looking for a scary thriller or a funny scare, these are my recommendations for must-see movies this Halloween season. I’ll rate these movies on a scare scale out of 10, so you can know if the movie will be the right fit for you.
Halloween (1978)
In this classic thriller, we follow the story of Michael Myers after he kills his sister Judith and is sentenced to 15 years in jail. He escapes the night before Halloween and his rampage begins in his unexpecting town. Will the town, who is unaware of Michael Myers, survive past Halloween night?
Halloween is one of the films that is scary in a way, but also the cinematography of old movies is funny in several ways. From the sharp angles of scenes and the movement of scenes from one to the next, Halloween is a scary movie, but it honestly makes me laugh too. It doesn’t have all the blood and guts of the newer movies in the series, and for that reason, I give it a 5/10 on the scare scale.
Scream (1996)
Another cult classic and one of my personal favorite scary movies is Scream. A seemingly mundane town in California becomes a blood bath when a killer starts hunting down high schoolers. Sidney Prescott and her friends start receiving strange phone calls coming from a crazed killer, unsure if someone is playing a cruel joke or if they should truly be worried for their own lives.
Scream has a dynamic cast with scenes that go from having you on the edge of your seat scary, to a super funny banter that breaks the tension. The characters make this movie what it is and if you haven’t seen this movie before, you’ll be biting your nails trying to figure out who the killer is. This movie has some gore, but the banter balances it out a lot, I’d give Scream a 6.5/10 on the scare scale.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
Killer Klowns from Outer Space starts when teenagers see a comet crash outside of town, and when they go to investigate they find a big top circus. After seeing that this is no normal circus and it’s truly a place where alien Klowns harvest humans, they try to warn the town but no one listens. Will the town be able to wise up and stop the Klowns killer rampage?
For an older movie, Killer Klowns from Outer Space has an amazing set and character design. The Klowns are genuinely so scary (if you think Pennywise the clown is scary, you have another thing coming with this movie). This movie is really fun visually, but also gives me the creeps, so on the scare scale Killer Klowns from Outer Space gets a 7/10.
Jennifer's Body (2009)
When the popular girl at school gets possessed by a demon, how else must she satisfy her need for human flesh, than with the male population of her high school? When her best friend finds out the truth will she be able to break a friendship to end the bloodshed?
Jennifer's Body is another cult classic that has scary go hand in hand with humor. I have to admit I love watching this movie year-round, but the scariness that this movie trumps up, in the end, makes it perfect for a Halloween viewing. This movie all in all isn’t very scary, but it’s just one of those movies that stick with you, on the scare scale id give it 3.5/10.
Us (2019)
Adeline Wilson and her family head to a beachfront home where she grew up for a vacation. Soon this vacation becomes a nightmare when four masked strangers ascend on the home, making the Wilsons fight to survive. When the masks come off the Wilson family is startled to see themselves in the strangers.
Us honestly made me scared for months after I watched it. The characters and plot are so realistic it is genuinely nightmare-fuel. Not to give too much of the plot away, but you’ll be watching your step and surroundings closely after this movie. I give Us a 10/10 on the scare scale.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Beetlejuice follows Barbara and Adam in their home after a car accident that causes their untimely death. They cannot leave the house and must try to scare the new owners out of their home. To rid themselves of this new family they enlist the help of a wild spirit Beetlejuice, but is his help the right choice, or will he just make the problem worse?
Beetlejuice is a fun for the whole family kind of movie, but it’s not a childish movie entirely. The combination of funny and spooky makes Beetlejuice a great movie to watch around Halloween. The characters and set make the movie come to life (even though most of the characters are undead). Beetlejuice is definitely a 1/10 on the scare scale, because it’s more jump scares than anything else that is truly scary.
Whether you are more of a funny scare type of person, or a scare your pants off type, the movies on this list have a bit of both. I hope these recommendations get you into the Halloween spirit, and you enjoy watching them as much as I do!
