The 10 best horror films available to stream this Halloween
It’s time. Dim the lights, draw the curtains and get a pumpkin-spiced alcoholic drink; it’s Halloween. If there were ever an annual holiday meant for movies, the October 31st would be it, with the spookiest day of the year prompting memories of the very best horror films, including Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street, and the unforgettable John Carpenter movie Halloween.
But, we also know the feeling of sitting in front of the TV, wanting to watch a horror movie, but having no idea what to watch—we’re here to help. Scouring UK streaming services, we’ve picked out ten of the best and most interesting movies to catch this Halloween week, including movies from the likes of James Wan, Scott Derrickson, Ari Aster, Ti West and John Krasinski.
If you’re looking for something a little more spectacular at the movies, we’d recommend catching Smile, starring Caitlin Stasey, Jessie T. Usher and Rob Morgan, or Disney’s latest release Barbarian with Zach Cregger, Justin Long and Georgina Campbell. Whilst the former looks like a good popcorn flick, Barbarian looks like a genuinely terrifying piece of cinema, having received generous scores from critics and audiences already.
Still, for anyone else still with us, let’s dive into a list of some of the finest horror movies of the past 30 years or so. Trust us, and you’ll be in for a quality night of cinema.
The 10 best horror films available to stream this Halloween
10. Insidious (James Wan, 2010) – Netflix
Blending several subgenres of successful horror eras, James Wan’s peculiar film Insidious was a carnivalesque haunted house featuring a theatrical showcase of varied ghouls and barbaric monsters all within the confines of a suburban American home. Creating a new brand of horror that was both terrifying yet also somehow suitable for younger audiences, Wan earned the film a PG-13 rating in America, giving eager teenagers and curious children their first experience of thrilling terror.
Despite its lavish appearance, Insidious was no bank-breaker either, made for just $1.5 million whilst hauling in just under $100 million at the worldwide box office.
9. Sinister (Scott Derrickson, 2012) – Netflix
Telling the story of a horror writer who moves his unwitting family into a house that was recently a murder scene, Scott Derrickson’s playful piece of horror plays off like a Stephen King story spiked with the grisly punk aesthetic of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser. Exploring his new home, the writer, Ellison (Ethan Hawke), discovers an old Super 8 projector along with a set of tapes that span decades, marked ‘Pool Party (1966)’, ‘BBQ (1979)’ and ‘House Painting (2012)’.
This leads him to a world of terror where the child-snatching demon Bughuul enters his life and tries to nick his children. It’s creepy stuff.
8. Malignant (James Wan, 2021) – Now TV
Google the reviews for James Wan’s 2021 film Malignant, and you might not like what you see, but if you’re after something a little different that might make you laugh and wretch at the very same time, then this film might be for you. The misunderstood genre piss-take tells the story of Madison, a woman tormented by grisly murders and visions, which are beginning to worsen day by day.
It all follows a bizarre story that finishes with one of the most surprising twists of modern movie memory, but one which gets better and better the more we think about it.
7. Event Horizon (Paul W. S. Anderson, 1997) – Netflix
Paul W. S. Anderson should never be confused with Paul Thomas Anderson, with the two directors differing greatly in quality and the former being responsible for the likes of Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil. Event Horizon is, no doubt, his greatest film, telling the story of a rescue crew who are sent out to discover what happened to a starship that disappeared many years ago. The carnage they encounter is horrific and most certainly Lovecraftian.
Questioning the horrors of the wider universe, Paul W. S. Anderson uses violent imagery and ethereal science fiction moments to create a genuine sense of unease in this fan-favourite.
6. A Quiet Place: Part II (John Krasinski, 2021) – Now TV
Released in 2021 (or was it 2020?) John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place: Part II was one of the most significant cinematic victims of the Covid-19 pandemic, pushing its release date back a year after its premiere. Still, the film was worth it when it eventually arrived, perfectly continuing the story of Evelyn (Emily Blunt) as she tries to survive in the wilderness of a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by unique monsters.
Also starring Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe and Djimon Hounsou, this one is a must-watch, as long as you’ve seen the first one, of course.
5. Little Shop of Horrors (Frank Oz, 1986) – Amazon Prime Video
Frank Oz’s 1986 pop musical adaptation of a dull 1960s comedy of the same name makes the story a loopy but enjoyable success, with inspired casting such as making the lead singer of Motown group The Four Tops the voice of the deadly plant. Also starring the likes of Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, Jim Belushi, John Candy and the great Bill Murray, this classic from The Dark Crystal filmmaker Frank Oz is a bizarre, luscious horror-comedy classic.
Its bombastic story follows a nerdy florist, Seymour Krelborn (Moranis), who finds his chance for romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant that demands to be regularly fed.
4. Final Destination 5 (Steven Quale, 2011) – Amazon Prime Video
Surprisingly, unlike almost every long-running film franchise, the best film of the Final Destination series is the most recent instalment. Final Destination 5 is the first movie since the original that does the most to change the franchise and has the most fun doing so in the process, featuring some of the craziest deaths of the entire series. This time, the central scene at the film’s beginning is a spectacular bridge collapse that takes the lives of countless victims.
Starring several famous, if a little random, faces, including David Koechner, P.J. Byrne, Miles Fisher and Nicholas D’Agosto, Final Destination 5 is an absolute blast and a promising sign for the future of the franchise.
3. Midsommar (Ari Aster, 2019) – Netflix
Ari Aster’s second feature film follows the breakout success of Hereditary, and fits into the folk horror sub-genre whilst eliciting subtle nods to the pain and torment of a classic romantic breakup movie. Following a group of friends who head for a Swedish retreat in the countryside, Midsommar spirals into a terrifying, claustrophobic horror that messes with the mind and twists the perception of reality.
Led by a fabulous central performance by Florence Pugh, the film is a rollercoaster of a drama that is spiked with dark moments of visceral terror.
2. Under the Shadow (Babak Anvari, 2016) – Netflix
Mixing the genres of war and horror to provide a strong political backbone, Babak Anvari’s directorial debut is a captivating Iranian horror film that is as much a critical analysis of the terror of war on innocent civilians. Focusing on 1980s Tehran, Under the Shadow follows a mother and young daughter who are struggling to cope with the terror of a war-torn city, whilst a separate ancient evil plagues their home.
A creepy, atmospheric chiller, Anvari’s film provides a genuinely fascinating perspective of war by heightening the horror with the curse of the djinn, supernatural creatures rife throughout Islamic folklore.
1. X (Ti West, 2022) – Amazon Prime Video
We could sing the praises of Ti West’s contemporary horror pastiche X till the cows come home. Equally an excellently-told thriller and an intelligent retrospective on the history of the slasher sub-genre in the 1980s, West’s movie changes the landscape of the modern genre. Telling the story of a group of filmmakers who travel to the US countryside to make a porn film, West’s film takes several sadistic twists and turns, inspiring fear and a curious sympathy for the villain.
Starring Mia Goth, who is currently undergoing stunning success in contemporary cinema, X also stars Jenna Ortega, Kid Cudi, Brittany Snow and Martin Henderson.
