The Great Halloween Movie Guide

Note: Click to collapse or expand the section headers below.

A Halloween movie is any movie that seems like it might be fun to watch during the Halloween season. Obviously, the bread and butter of a list like this will end up being horror, but we (my spouse L and I) feel anything with a spooky aesthetic, adequate supernatural elements, or enough frightening suspense can also count. In other words, there are more than just horror films in this guide. Two other things worth noting:

Note 1: This guide only covers movies we've kept track of over the past 9 years or so. There are many other films we've seen that would fit on the list, but which we haven't watched in a long time (and therefore can't accurately review for content). This is a live document, which means that as we (re)watch more Halloween movies, it will continue to grow.
Note 2: We're generally forgiving of flawed movies if we have fun watching them. If we recommend a film, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a towering cinematic achievement. (Sometimes quite the opposite!)

Each movie listed in this guide is summarized (as spoiler-free as possible), rated by two factors, and given an overall yes/no watch recommendation, explained by a brief 1-3 sentence capsule review. I've described what the scores for each rating factor (Fright Factor and Gross-Out) typically mean in the collapsible sections below. The idea here is to make it easier for you to find a film with content that suits whatever mood you’re currently in.

Fright factor is a totally subjective measure of how scary the film is, considering both chills during the film and those that linger in the mind after the fact. In literary terms, we tend to find terror (suspense and fear of the unknown) scarier than horror (dread at things going wrong/people being bad), as a general rule. Therefore, the fright factor score is based on initial viewing only, as already knowing what lies ahead typically makes repeat viewings less scary/suspenseful no matter how well crafted a film is.

Extreme: As scary as it gets. Will probably stick in your mind long after the film is over.
Very High: Pervasive thrills and chills, or high points of extreme terror that cap long, masterful build-ups.
High: Consistently scary, thanks either to lots of rapid-succession scares, or elements that stick with you after the credits roll, but not necessarily both.
Medium-high: Plenty scary, but with other elements that offset the frights throughout, such as moments of beauty, or exciting action sequences.
Medium: A normal amount of scariness for an effective horror film. Should be watchable even without anything to hide your face, but still frightening enough to be exciting.
Medium-low: A few good jumps or shivers, but in a package that's generally more mysterious or suspenseful than truly terrifying.
Low: Has some modestly chilling and/or scary elements, but not very frightening overall.
Very low: Not really scary, but has an element or two that's nominally spooky, such as a man in monster makeup acting monstrous, or a very mild jump scare.
None: Fear isn't the point of this movie at all. There's nothing in it that should scare anyone over the age of six.

Gross-out is a somewhat less subjective estimate of how “icky” the film is. As a general rule, this refers to practical effects showing physical gore and/or grievous injury, from extreme violence to ghastly accidents. Bloodiness is a minor consideration, though blood by itself won't raise the meter very much; on rare occasions, when the issue is extreme enough, this score can also reflect other kinds of unpleasantness, such as abuse, torture, or sexual assault (though we try to avoid films with that kind of subject matter).

Extreme: Just about as nauseating as you can imagine.
Very high: Multiple explicit scenes of gore, violation, or prolonged suffering.
High: Lots of blood-n-guts gore, but either not as explicit as higher grades, or used more sparingly.
Medium-high: Lots of violence and/or blood, plus a handful of explicitly gory shots that could make you squirm.
Medium: Persistent use of low-grade violence or body horror, but without a lot of explicit shots; or, a mostly-not-gory movie with a couple of explicit moments used to create a strong effect.
Medium-low: A couple of icky moments, but generally not very gory or explicit in its depictions of violence. Could be very bloody, though.
Low: Might have a fair amount of blood, or depict some mildly unsettling physical conditions (such as people with bullet or stab wounds, or dead bodies walking around), but nothing that couldn't be shown on prime-time TV. Alternately, has some rough violence, but it's handled in a non-horror way.
Very low: A little physical violence or damage, but nothing that should viscerally bother any adult viewer.
None: Nothing upsetting or bloody about this film at all, and no more violence than an episode of Murder, She Wrote.

Title	Description	Fright factor	Gross-out	Recommended?
13 Ghosts	Fun William Castle haunted house film with a baker's dozen of unique spirits. B&W.	Very low	Very low	Yes. This original version of 13 Ghosts is silly, easy to follow, and just spooky enough to be fun. (However, by all accounts, the '90s remake is better avoided.)
30 Days of Night	A pack of ravenous vampires descends upon the remote settlement of Barrow, Alaska to feed under the town's annual 30-day blanket of midwinter darkness.	Medium-low	Medium-high	Yes; though not without its flaws, this fast-paced, modern take on vampire horror will keep your attention from start to finish. Bear in mind that though it's not especially scary, it's very grim.
1408	Stephen King chiller about a badly haunted hotel room that may suffer from more than just a simple ghost infestation.	Medium	Very low	Yes; it's a pretty solid horror film, though a bit wonky in the back half, and not quite as tight or effective as it could have been.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein	In this classic comedy featuring Universal monsters, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello play hapless shipping clerks who get roped into a weird adventure. B&W.	Very low	None	Yes; it's still funny today, and well-acted. Most consider this supremely silly film to be far and away the comedy duo’s best Universal horror collaboration.
Addams Family, The	Gomez Addams' long-lost brother Fester comes home at last – but is it really him?	Very low	Very low	Yes. This definitive '90s live-action adaptation (starring Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston) is sweet, well-acted, and has just the right amount of Gothic camp.
Addams Family Values	When Gomez and Morticia's third child is born, they decide to hire a nanny, but the woman they choose seems to have an ulterior motive.	Very low	Very low	Yes, though it isn't as good as its predecessor. Look past its weak points and you'll find a charmingly campy sequel with plenty to like.
Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad, The	See Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The.	--	--	--
Alchemist Cookbook, The	An unstable loner living in seclusion sets out to summon a demon.	Low	Low	Yes, though it would be a much easier story to follow if it had a little more exposition. If you're willing to rewatch it, it's a decent, quirky little character study/horror hybrid with a welcome dash of humor. Warning: two small animals die, a mouse and an opossum. Their deaths aren't shown, but their bodies both briefly appear on-screen.
Alien	A civilian crew of space workers find themselves being hunted down by a horrifying, unknown alien species.	High	Very high	Yes; despite imitators like Event Horizon and Pitch Black, it's still a high water mark for deep-space terror in science fiction cinema.
Aliens	Sequel to Alien. Space marines and nasty xenomorph aliens go toe-to-toe.	Medium	Very high	Yes. It's much more of an action movie than its predecessor, but still scary and exciting.
All Hallows' Eve	Z-grade children's movie about a tween witch.	None	None	No, although it's kind of charming, in the way very bad movies sometimes are.
American Psycho	Wall Street hotshot Patrick Bateman is a murderous psychopath with no sense of self, but his elite peers don't seem to notice or care.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes. This pitch-black social satire is a sharp indictment of unbridled capitalism that's as darkly funny as it is disturbing.
American Werewolf in London, An	A traveler is bitten on the Scottish moors and returns to London a changed man.	Medium-low	Medium	We're on the fence about this one. The effects and sets are good, but it drags at the end, and it's never super interesting to begin with.
Amulet	A haunted veteran living as a refugee moves into a crumbling house to help a young woman who is stuck there as a caretaker.	Medium-low	Medium	We're a soft no on this European folk horror/body horror tale of dark misdeeds and delayed vengeance, but it's not without its charms. Overall, though, the film just doesn't tell its story forcefully enough to stick the landing.
Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, The	When teenage genius Vicaria loses her mother and older brother to the gun violence that plagues her part of town, she becomes obsessed with finding a way to "cure the disease" of death itself.	Medium-low	High	Yes - this fresh take on Frankenstein lore trades the original novel's privileged young doctor from the Swiss Alps for a Black American girl living in a rough-and-tumble neighborhood, with uneven but generally exciting results.
Annabelle	In the late 1960s, a young wife and her infant child are tormented by sudden violence and other bizarre occurrences, seemingly centered around a rare doll.	High	Medium-low	Yes, this well-made spinoff/prequel to The Conjuring is dramatic, exciting, and scary in a fun way that won't cause (too much) insomnia. The filmmakers play with audience expectations to keep the thrills feeling fresh.
Annabelle: Creation	In this prequel, a small group of orphaned girls move into a remote home that hides a dark and unexpected secret.	High	Medium-low	Yes, though as with most films set in the Conjuring universe, it's not quite as much fun as the original in its series (Annabelle). The story is a little looser, the tone is perhaps a little darker, and the stakes are higher, given that most of the characters are children. That said, it's still plenty scary, and well worth a watch for fans of the franchise.
Annihilation	A team of scientists enters a bizarre “bubble” in reality where otherworldly strangeness is brewing.	Medium-high	High	Yes; it's a fine, star-studded, scary sci-fi movie with a reasonably solid plot and gorgeous (non-horror) visuals that must be seen in motion to be truly appreciated.
Apostle	A man thought killed in the Boxer Rebellion seeks his captured sister on a mysterious British islet full of cultists.	Medium	High	Yes. This high-concept allegory for industrial society's fraught relationship with nature can be tough to watch at times, but is ultimately well done and very exciting.
Arachnophobia	A particularly nasty jungle spider hitches a ride to a seaside village in the United States and begins breeding, with catastrophic results.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes. It's obviously silly, a bit gross, and plagued by shaky pacing, but it's still a fun little slice of pseudo-horror/comedy cinema.
Army of Darkness	Evil Dead hero Ash Williams finds himself transported back to medieval times, with only one chance to get home.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes. It's the funniest and least gory of the original three Evil Dead movies, with lots of great one-liners and goofy action. There's no need to have seen the first two movies before you watch it.
Arsenic and Old Lace	Frank Capra's classic screen adaptation of the beloved Halloween stage play stars Cary Grant as the hapless Mortimer Brewster, caught between love for his elderly aunts and shock at how they've been "helping" Brooklyn's lonely old men find peace. B&W.	None	None	Yes. Though it takes some time to really get going compared to the pace of a modern comedy, this well-regarded film version of the perennial high school favorite play about murder and misunderstandings is still a laugh-out-loud ride from the middle to the end (and enjoyable enough in the meantime).
Attack the Block	A group of teenage toughs living in London's rough-and-tumble south side face the fight of their young lives when vicious alien monsters fall from space and begin attacking them on Guy Fawkes Night.	Low	Medium	Yes. Though it's more sci-fi action than true horror, the creepy alien monsters, flashes of bloody violence, and great use of suspense make this film a solid Halloween choice. Warning: a dog dies in this movie, though the killing is mercifully brief and happens off-screen.
Autopsy of Jane Doe, The	Things take a turn for the macabre when a small town father-son coroner team tries to determine what killed a woman with no visible trauma on her body.	Medium	Medium	No, although it's frustrating to have to write that. The first 2/3 of this movie are quite good (despite an unnecessary cat death that will have you booing), but it goes so far off the rails of plausibility in the third act that it isn't really worth a watch.
Babadook, The	A mother and son struggling with complex emotional issues begin to fear that a dangerous supernatural entity has taken up residence in their house.	Medium-high	Medium-low	Yes; it's a masterclass in tense, claustrophobic storytelling, a smart horror film that balances unpleasant elements and copious scares with complex, interesting characters and an arresting plot. Warning: A dog is killed on-screen in this film in a very visceral and disturbing way. It's still a great film that's well worth seeing, but we really, really, really dislike that scene.
Babysitter, The	A shy boy discovers his attractive babysitter may be part of a Satanic cult.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes; it's not great cinema, and a bit icky in the margins, but it has fast dialog, a likable hero, and a good blend of lowbrow humor and occasional gruesomeness.
Babysitter, The: Killer Queen	In this sequel set two years after The Babysitter, quiet teenager Cole runs away for a weekend at the lake with his best friend, but gets more than he bargained for once they arrive.	Low	Medium	Yes, provided you liked the first film — Killer Queen trades some of the scariness of its predecessor for more laughs, but it's otherwise the same mix of low-rent fun and comically violent deaths.
Bay of Blood, A	When the local comtessa turns up dead, violent murders begin to plague a tiny bayside community. Italian.	Low	Medium-high	Yes, moderately. This (in)famous Mario Bava movie is something of a precursor to the modern slasher film, making it of historical interest – and its vibrant cinematography and gruesome practical effects still stand out today. On the other hand, it's too densely plotted, and the characters occasionally make baffling choices.
Beetlejuice	A recently deceased couple will do just about anything to scare off their home's obnoxious new owners so they can enjoy their ghostly afterlife.	Low	Low	Yes. This early Tim Burton feature is famous for a reason. It's weird, whimsical, and full of memorable performances from the likes of Geena Davis, Michael Keaton, and Winona Ryder.
Behind You	Two grieving children move into their estranged aunt’s house, where they unwittingly awaken a malicious presence.	Medium-low	Low	No. Content-wise, this movie isn’t offensive or difficult to watch, but the plot is nonsensical, and the scares feel tired and predictable.
Bird Box	Earth is overrun with horrific beings that cause most people who see them to commit suicide, but a radio message offers hope of sanctuary to tough survivor Molly and her two young wards.	Low	Medium-low	Yes. It's a bit on the slow side, and more thrilling than truly scary, but this film is worth a watch thanks to its solid acting, well-realized story, and excellent set design.
Black Sabbath	Boris Karloff hosts (and appears in) this trilogy of short horror films from director Mario Bava.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes. The first two tales are more on the slow, suspenseful side, but the third vignette is all chills, with some of the creepiest and most hair-raising visuals we've seen in a movie this old. All three segments are beautifully filmed and edited.
Black Sunday	A pair of condemned witches return to torment the unwitting descendants of the family they cursed at the stake 200 years earlier. B&W.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes. Mario Bava's directorial debut may be in black and white, but the director's signature visual flair is on full display in this sumptuously-shaded Gothic chiller, full of gruesome practical effects and ornate, dramatic sets.
Blackwell Ghost, The	An amateur paranormal investigator looks into a very haunted house.	Medium	None	No. This fictional “found footage” account of ghostly happenings inside a house with a dark history is unoriginal, badly acted, and unsatisfying.
Blacula	An African prince is cursed with vampirism by Count Dracula himself, but ends up sealed in a coffin until unwitting importers reawaken him in Los Angeles nearly 200 years later.	Low	Low	Yes, if you’re already a fan of blaxploitation cinema; otherwise you can skip it. It doesn’t begin to approach the quality of a film like Shaft, of course, but if you can overlook the incidental homophobia, gaping plot holes, and low production values, it’s a decent vampire yarn, with an interesting cast of characters and a good story arc.
Blade	A half-vampire super warrior who hunts and slays full vampires is drawn into a big adventure.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes. This pre-MCU film is one of the first Marvel comic book movies to do it right, complete with corny one-liners, vibrant characters, and some very fun action sequences.
Blade 2	The “Daywalker” returns, this time teaming up with a crew of villainous vampires to stop some even worse super-vamps.	Low	Medium-low	Yes. In some ways even better than its predecessor, this forgotten gem is a fine, action-packed showcase for Guillermo del Toro's (The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth) filmmaking talent.
Blade: Trinity	Bad guys retrieve and revive the very first vampire, and Blade soon finds himself on the ropes.	Very low	Low	No; it has some terrible acting (though Snipes, as always, is magnetic), lots of bad dialog, and an underwhelming antagonist. It's a shame the Blade trilogy ended like this.
Blithe Spirit	A remarried author is unexpectedly haunted by his first wife 7 years after her death, but his current spouse is having none of it.	None	None	Yes—this 1945 Noel Coward comedy isn't without its flaws, but it's enjoyably light, and pretty to look at. It's also a very influential film; echoes of it can be found in later dark comedies like Beetlejuice, Death Becomes Her, and The Frighteners.
Blob, The	A mysterious, unstoppable blob of goo terrorizes a small American town.	Low	Low	Yes; it's not great, but this 1958 film has a solid premise and good special effects for the time, plus a theme song that will get stuck in your head for weeks.
Bones	The vengeful spirit of a neighborhood pimp terrorizes the descendants of those who wronged him decades before.	Medium	Medium-low	No; it has a few good moments, but ultimately it’s a bleak and sour experience that you'll regret watching.
Bram Stoker's Dracula	The classic tale gets a visually sumptuous retelling in this 1992 film from director Francis Ford Coppola.	Low	Medium-low	Yes, moderately. It's colorful, pretty, and generally more faithful to Stoker's 1897 novel than most Dracula movies, but it takes extremely broad liberties interpreting some of the book's original dialog, and the Count’s increasingly surreal screen presence eventually becomes a drag on its pacing.
Bride of Frankenstein	The madman decides to make his monster a wife. B&W.	Very low	Very low	Yes, although the Bride herself only appears near the end of the film. It's arguably even better made than Frankenstein, the original Universal horror classic from which it's descended.
Brood, The	The father of a five-year-old girl tries to keep her safe while her estranged mother is cloistered away at an experimental therapy retreat.	Low	Medium	Yes, somewhat. This early David Cronenberg film hinges on ludicrously poor decision-making, which hampers its believability. That said, the characters are interesting, and the themes of the film are explored well. The body horror aspect of the movie is gross, as expected, but fairly tame by modern standards.
Bubba Ho-Tep	Elvis Presley—who didn't actually die in 1977—is living out his dotage in a rural Texas nursing home, but he’s shaken from his dull routine when a mysterious creature starts killing off the other residents.	Very low	Low	Yes. This campy 2002 cult flick is ostensibly a horror-comedy, but in many ways it's more of a dramedy about old age and nursing home life that's simply been dressed up like a horror-comedy. It's a coarse, brash, silly film that blends monster makeup and goofy one-liners with genuine sympathy and some poignant moments.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer	A ditzy cheerleader discovers she is destined to save her hometown from icky vampires.	Low	Very low	Yes, although it's not nearly as good as the TV show it inspired. In particular, Paul Reubens' turn as a noodly, peevish bloodsucker is just too fun to pass up.
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The	A mysterious sideshow at a small annual town fair seems to be connected with a sudden spate of nighttime murders. German; B&W.	Very low	None	Yes, of course. One of the earliest surviving psychological horror films, this hugely influential 1919 silent movie is tame by modern standards, but still coherent enough to enjoy. It remains a must-watch for its striking, unique German Expressionist visuals.
Candyman	A terrifying urban legend haunts an intrepid grad student in early-1990s Chicago.	Medium	Medium	Yes. It's an archetypal but surprisingly solid horror film that still holds up well 30+ years later.
Candyman (2021)	An up-and-coming Chicago artist is inspired by the legend of Cabrini-Green and the Candyman, but his efforts unintentionally reawaken the malevolent spirit.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes; though not as frightening as the original film, the latest addition to the Candyman series - and it is an addition, not a reboot - adds a lot of interesting texture and updates its social justice conversation for the 21st century, without losing sight of the horror inherent in its premise.
Cannibal Women In the Avocado Jungle of Death	The US government recruits a feminist cultural anthropologist to help clear a matriarchal tribe of cannibals out of a California jungle rich with precious avocados.	None	Low	No, it hasn’t held up very well overall - but we enjoyed this awkward 1989 satire much more than we thought we would. If you’re a dedicated fan of ‘80s cinema kitsch, you’ll probably like it too. Note: This movie features a lot of exposed breasts in its first 10 minutes. We don’t usually bother to mention nudity or sexual situations, but the sheer amount is kind of astonishing in this case, to the degree that we felt it merited some acknowledgment.
Cape Fear	A violent criminal stalks the family of the man who put him behind bars. B&W.	Medium-low	None	Yes. For its time, this thriller dealt with some very dark subject matter, testing the limits of the Hays Code; moreover, it's brilliantly written, acted, and shot.
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter	In the 17th century, dashing ex-royal guardsman Captain Kronos travels the English countryside, exterminating vampires wherever he finds them.	Very low	Medium-low	A little bit, yes. It has all the makings of a rip-roaring, swashbuckling, historical pulp-fiction mystery, but glacial pacing and a disjointed plot keep this vampiric whodunit from being nearly as fun as it sounds. It's still worth a watch, if only to imagine what could have been.
Carnival of Souls	A woman awakes after a terrible accident to find her whole life subtly changing. B&W.	Medium	Very low	Yes. It's a shoestring production from a first time director, so there are rough patches, but some genuine chills and a solid performance from lead actress Candace Hilligoss make this 1962 film a bona fide cult classic.
Casper	The eponymous friendly ghost gets a CGI-drenched '90s reboot.	None	Very low	Sort of. It's very much a children's movie, and not an especially good one, but it's kind of charming, and the story is easy enough to follow.
Changeling, The	Secrets and ghosts lurk in the upper levels of a sporadically occupied old manor.	Very high	None	Yes; it's still one of the scariest straight-up ghost stories ever put to film.
City of the Dead, The	An intrepid college student visits an isolated New England village to seek sources for her research into 17th-century witchcraft. B&W.	Medium-low	Low	Yes; this well-made 1960 chiller features an engaging cast, a fast-moving plot, oodles of spooky noir atmosphere, and unusually high stakes for such an old film.
C.H.U.D.	Horrifying humanoid creatures lurk beneath New York City's streets—but where are they coming from?	Low	Medium-high	Yes, but not strongly. It's nothing special, and the gore is played far too straight for its absurd premise, but a solid story and delightfully nasty monster design make this a cult film worth seeing at least once.
Coco	On the Day of the Dead, a boy who wants to be a singer despite his family’s hatred of the profession discovers that Mexico’s most beloved musical artist may have been his ancestor.	Very low	None	Yes; this Pixar film is full of eye-popping visuals (even by the studio’s usual high standard), and it has a bittersweet, heartwarming story that’s buoyed by arguably the most likable protagonist in this guide.
Coherence	Friends at a dinner party begin to suspect that reality is splintering as a strange comet passes overhead.	Low	Very low	Yes. It’s busy, and hard to follow in places, but good acting, interesting dialog, and an enjoyably weird premise make this mind-warping indie thriller well worth seeking out.
Color Out of Space	This 2019 reimagining of H.P. Lovecraft's classic short story follows an ordinary New England farm family that is stricken by a cosmic, reality-altering disaster.	Medium-low	High	Yes, but be warned that the second half of the film features a lot of uncomfortably icky practical effects in the vein of John Carpenter's The Thing. It's a relentless, straight-no-chaser horror film, so only watch it if you're in a compatible mood.
Conjuring, The	A husband-wife team of paranormal investigators tries to help a tormented family.	Very high	Very low	Yes – this is one of the scarier wide-release horror movies we've seen, and they're good scares that don't leave you feeling bad. The production values are excellent.
Conjuring 2, The	Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine return, this time investigating a dire haunting in Britain on behalf of the Catholic church.	Medium-high	Very low	Yes. Though not as scary as its predecessor, it's a thrilling and satisfying (and extremely Catholic) ride from start to finish.
Conjuring, The: The Devil Made Me Do It	Ed and Lorraine Warren return to defend the life of a murderer who committed his crime under demonic influence.	Medium-low	Low	Only if you’re a fan of the franchise’s central couple. Aside from their delightfully easy on-screen chemistry, there isn’t much to recommend this somewhat forgettable third Conjuring movie, full of also-ran scares and predictable plot twists.
Constantine	The iconic DC Comics magician and ne'er-do-well (of Hellblazer fame) gets embroiled in a seemingly infernal plot.	Low	Very low	No; it all sounds good on paper, but this movie was just not very well made, and none of it comes together the way it should. (Rumor has it that a sequel is nevertheless in the works.)
Coraline	A girl who moves cross-country for her parents' work is bored and lonely until she discovers a portal to a strange mirror world.	Low	Very low	Yes; this stop-motion children's tale based on (sex pest) Neil Gaiman's book is charming, exciting, and satisfying for viewers of all ages.
Craft, The	Three teenage witches add a new girl to their coven, but as the power of their magic increases, things begin to get out of hand.	Low	Low	If you liked the TV series Charmed, but wished it had come with a hearty dose of '90s teen movie angst, you'll get a kick out of this fun film. L particularly likes it.
Craft, The: Legacy	A withdrawn teenage girl is thrust into a difficult living situation, but finds comfort and companionship when she's chosen as the fourth member of a witches' coven at her new high school.	Very Low	Very low	Yes, provided you liked the original '90s cult classic. This sequel isn't as scary or graphic (or as good) as its predecessor, but it's got likable characters and a reasonably satisfying conclusion.
Creature From the Black Lagoon	An evolutionary throwback lurks in a remote Amazonian backwater. B&W.	Low	Very low	Yes—beautiful underwater cinematography and a simple, effective story help make this adventure-horror hybrid an enduring classic.
Crimson Peak	A windswept, creaky old mansion on a remote British hill hides dark secrets.	Medium	Medium-low	Sort of. It's not all that good, but it's got striking visuals and some good short scares. It's basically what would happen if the cover art from a Gothic romance paperback novel came to life.
Cronos	An old man discovers a curious object that makes him immortal... for a price. Mexican.	Low	Medium-low	Yes; there's a decent drama/crime story underneath its supernatural trappings, and it's an unusual take on vampire lore.
Crow, The	A man who was brutally murdered the night before Halloween returns from the grave a year later with mysterious powers and a mission of vengeance.	Very low	Low	Yes; it’s one of our perennial favorites. The Crow is basically a live-action Goth comic book, but its unironic atmosphere and sympathetic protagonist save it from being too silly to enjoy. The sequels, sadly, aren't worth watching.
Crybaby Lane	Two brothers decide to play a harmless graveyard prank after hearing a spooky story, but their antics accidentally awaken a malevolent spirit.	Very low	Very low	No. This is an old Nickelodeon TV movie for children, so it's harmless, but it's not up to Nick's usual standards – the plot is nonsensical, and most of the characters are unlikable and/or not very well fleshed out.
Dead of Night	Several houseguests at an English country estate trade stories about the odd and unexplainable events that have happened in their lives. B&W.	Low	Very low	Yes; it's a well-made, generally pleasant old film that neatly ties several spooky vignettes together with a clever framing story. A few of the scares are still effective, even today.
Dead Zone, The	A mild-mannered English teacher's world is turned upside-down when he falls into a long coma and awakens as a powerful clairvoyant.	Very low	Very low	Yes; this 1983 film is one of the better Stephen King movies, with a sympathetic main character and some great cinematography. It's not really scary – it's a thriller, not a horror story.
Death Becomes Her	Two women competing for the same man each separately discover a miracle treatment that makes them beautiful and irresistible, with one killer side effect.	None	Medium-low	Yes, mildly. L likes this film better than I do; it's a fun premise, but the execution is rather mean-spirited.
Dementia	A woman scraping by on Skid Row experiences a surreal, horrifying night, but can't seem to keep track of what's real and what isn't. B&W.	Low	Low	Maybe? This unusual independent movie features no dialog at all, by design. It's rather awkward as an art film, with hackneyed tropes and heavy-handed moralizing, but it nevertheless feels fresh and adventurous in other ways, even after 70+ years.
Demon House	TV host and paranormal investigator Zak Bagans helms this documentary about a supposedly demon-haunted house in Indiana.	Very low	Very low	No; it's basically a double-length episode of Bagans' (absurdly credulous) TV show Ghost Adventures with uncensored swearing. Nevertheless, we got some corny enjoyment out of it because we like the show despite (read: because of) its rank silliness.
Depraved	A medical genius animates a body stitched together from various corpses, but as his creation slowly gains physical and cognitive abilities, he begins to lose interest in it.	Low	Medium	Yes - it suffers from a too-hasty third act, but this 2019 film is otherwise a fresh and compelling reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein, well-acted and thoughtful, with fun visual callbacks to its many cinematic predecessors.
Descent, The	One year after a tragic accident, adventure-seeking friends get together to go spelunking in what they think is a popular cave in the Appalachian mountains.	Medium-high	Very high	Yes, with major reservations – it's very gory, and the plot is sometimes driven by laughably bad decision making. On the other hand, some great action movie elements help spice it up. Try to see the US ending, rather than the UK ending, unless you like your movies as bleak as a gallows.
Devil's Advocate, The	A young lawyer gets offered the chance of a lifetime at a high-powered firm, but soon begins to suspect that his boss might be the Devil himself.	Low	Low	No; it has star power and some good performances, but it tends to drag, and the tone is inconsistent from scene to scene.
Devil's Backbone, The	During the Spanish Civil War, a remote, impoverished orphanage is the site of dark misdeeds and a ghostly mystery. Spanish.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes, but as a story set at an orphanage during a truly ruthless civil war, some parts of the film are quite harrowing and bleak. If you can accept that, you'll almost certainly enjoy this macabre, moving ghost story from director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Blade 2).
Don't Look Now	A husband and wife staying in Venice are surprised by signs that their recently-deceased daughter's spirit might still be near.	Medium-low	Low	Yes, with reservations. This 1973 film was fairly avant-garde for its time, making it a challenging watch in places. That said, if you can accept its experimental aspects, you'll find it a thoughtfully constructed (and at times chilling) meditation on grief and hope. Note: There’s a fairly frank and explicit sex scene in this film. It doesn’t feel dirty or shameful, but neither is it demure.
Dracula	Bodies pile up after the powerful vampire Count Dracula sets up shop in England, but shrewd, determined scientist Abraham Van Helsing means to bring an end to his murderous ways. B&W.	Low	Very low	Yes - this 1931 classic has been hugely influential on vampire cinema, and indeed, horror cinema in general. It's a tightly told story, taut and thrilling for its time. Gorgeous, atmospheric sets and a career-defining performance from Bela Lugosi seal the deal.
Dracula: Dead and Loving It	Mel Brooks' 1990s-era catch-all parody of vampire cinema.	None	Very low	No, it's a rare misfire from the legendary director. Most of the jokes fall flat, and the pacing is bad. Not even Leslie Nielsen can save it.
Dreamscape	A young man with psychic powers is recruited to help test an experimental apparatus that allows him to enter people's dreams while they sleep, but others with more sinister motives are also after the technology.	Medium-low	Low	Yes, mildly. It's truly an odd film, a mishmash of genres including '70s-style political thrillers, supernatural horror, and science fiction–and it doesn't all work. But despite a few plot holes and bad storytelling beats, it's generally a fun and imaginative little flick.
Eclipse, The	A widower assisting with an annual literary festival is haunted by frightful visions, but tries to keep himself together as best he can.	Medium-low	Low	Yes. This 2009 Irish film is a dark but gentle tale of love, loss, and living with death. It isn't dull, but be aware that it moves at a very slow pace. It's a movie that wants you to contemplate, rather than just consume.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark	Late night horror TV hostess Elvira quits her job to pursue a career as a Vegas headliner, but isn't sure how she'll find the money she needs to get things started - until she's named in the will of a great-aunt she's never met before.	None	Low	Yes; this is the original, and better, of the two Elvira movies. It's basically a PG-13 '80s sex comedy with goth/glam trappings, full of cornball double entendre and pun-studded dialog. A reasonably competent plot and some fun characters keep the action moving along.
Elvira's Haunted Hills	In 1851, aspiring chanteuse Elvira hopes to hitch a coach ride to Paris to launch her career, but ends up having to stay the night at a mysterious castle in the Carpathian mountains, where something sinister is afoot.	None	Low	Yes, but don't expect too much. It's a gleeful music hall-esque comedic romp that feels as though it began life as a ribald dinner theater play. If you like painfully silly dad jokes and Mel Brooks-style sex humor, you'll get a kick out of it - but if you're looking for a film with emotional stakes or character growth, this isn't it.
Empty Man, The	An ex-policeman investigates the disappearance of his neighbor’s daughter and is quickly drawn into a bizarre web of cult activity and urban legends.	Medium	Medium	Yes; it’s a well-told (and often pretty) tale that blends meditations on human consciousness with supernatural cosmic horror. Warning: A dead dog is briefly shown in this movie, though the death of the dog is mercifully not shown.
Ernest Scared Stupid	Good-natured dimwit Ernest P. Worrell tries to stop an evil, child-hungry troll, with the help of some neighborhood kids and his faithful dog Rimshot.	Very low	Very low	Very mildly. It's not a good movie - it's full of continuity errors, most of the dialog is poorly written, and it's "snot and poop" gross - but it's also kind of charming in its own low-budget way. The troll designs are fun, and seeing Eartha Kitt as a half-mad artist with Doc Brown hair is a particular highlight.
Event Horizon	A salvage crew flies to the edge of the solar system to investigate a spaceship that’s recently reappeared after an unexplained 7-year absence.	Medium-low	Medium-high	Only for hardcore sci-fi horror genre fans. It has a likable cast and striking visuals, but it’s more icky than scary, and more stylish than substantive.
Extraordinary Tales	An animated anthology of 5 short horror tales from Edgar Allan Poe.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes – it's not perfect by any means, but a couple of the segments are very memorable, and the stories are all capably narrated by the likes of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, among others.
Faculty, The	A group of misfit teenagers begin to suspect that aliens are taking over their high school.	Medium-low	Medium-high	Yes; this creature feature from director Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, From Dusk Till Dawn) is a fun and exciting sci-fi horror story in the vein of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, artfully blended into an archetypal ‘90s teen movie. Be forewarned that a mouse is killed (off-screen) and briefly dissected in the name of science at one point.
Fear Street Part 1: 1994	Mysterious and brutal mass murders have plagued the town of Shadyside for centuries, but a group of teenagers are determined to break the cycle.	Medium-low	Medium-high	Not really - the story beats are too familiar, and at times the film chooses genuine unpleasantness when it would have been easy enough to keep things entertaining. It also suffers from authenticity errors (most of the ‘90s music featured in the film was actually released after 1994). Nevertheless, it’s watchable overall.
Fever Lake (RiffTrax version)	A terrible, direct-to-video Corey Haim vehicle about gruesome murders in an idyllic lakeside community.	Very low	Medium-low	Not without the RiffTrax to make it funny. With RiffTrax, it's basically a bloodier-than-normal episode of MST3K, making it worth a watch.
Final Destination	A teenage boy has a premonition and saves a handful of people from certain death, but fate, it seems, is not so easily avoided.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes; it's a decently fun horror/adventure flick aimed at a mainstream audience. There are a couple of scenes that come on a bit strong, but overall, it's solid popcorn entertainment.
Final Destination 2	Another seemingly random premonition, another disruption of the Grim Reaper’s ludicrously violent master plan.	Low	Medium-high	Not really. If you’re looking for more Final Destination after enjoying the first film, this is about the only game in town, but tight editing notwithstanding, it isn’t nearly as fun to watch as its predecessor. We can’t recommend it except to true die-hard fans of the franchise.
Fog, The	A sleepy Pacific coast town is beset by a supernatural fog that, like the village itself, harbors a dark secret.	Medium	Medium-low	Yes. This movie has influenced countless others that came after it, but remains a classic in its own right.
Frankenstein	Universal’s original adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel tells the tragic tale of Henry Frankenstein, a scientific genius who gives life to his own creation and soon discovers the perils of playing God. B&W.	Low	Low	Yes; though it deviates significantly from its source material, the cultural and cinematic influence of this 1931 horror classic can’t be overstated. It’s a bit hammy by modern standards, but still holds up remarkably well overall.
Frankenweenie	When tragedy strikes Sparky, the Frankenstein family's dog, young Victor searches for a way to revive his beloved pet. B&W.	None	Very low	Yes, mildly. It's charming and whimsical on its surface, but this short film's subject matter is a tad grim for children's fare, and the tale is told so hastily that there's not a lot of space for character development.
Friday the 13th	The first entry in the now-infamous slasher franchise sees a group of camp counselors picked off by a mysterious, remorseless assailant.	Medium-low	Medium	No, it doesn't do a good job of building tension until the very end, and it just feels leery and voyeuristic up until then.
Fright Night	A teenage boy begins to suspect that his suave new next-door neighbor is actually a bloodthirsty vampire.	Medium-low	Low	Mildly. If you like '80s cinema cheese, it's a pretty fun watch. If not, you might as well skip it; it's generally harmless, but not worth going out of your way for.
Frighteners, The	A man uses his unusual ability to see ghosts as a means to quick money, but his ramshackle existence is upended when he discovers a mysterious, murderous spirit.	Low	Low	Yes. This supernatural adventure-comedy is an entertaining (if occasionally lowbrow) spectacle, thanks to a fun story and memorable turns from the likes of Michael J. Fox, Chi McBride, and Jeffrey Combs.
From Dusk Till Dawn	Two unhinged criminals and a family heading south get more than they bargained for when they stop at a Mexican bar for the night.	Low	Medium-high	Not really. This early effort from auteur action director Robert Rodriguez (The Faculty, El Mariachi) has a very entertaining third act, but it's hardly worth the unpleasant, bigotry-filled slog it takes to get there.
Garfield's Halloween Special	Garfield and Odie don costumes and go trick-or-treating, but soon find themselves in the middle of a spooky ghost story.	Very low	None	Yes, if you're looking for something small children can safely watch. It's a cute, short romp with a few silly songs and a nod to the classic John Carpenter movie The Fog in the third act.
Get Out	A Black photographer from Brooklyn agrees to visit his White girlfriend's parents for a weekend, and quickly realizes there's something very strange going on at their secluded estate.	Medium	Medium-low	Yes; it's a very tight and well-made horror movie that's perfectly seasoned with biting social commentary and a small but vital dash of absurd gallows humor.
Ghost	A murdered man sticks around in the afterlife to try and set things right.	Very low	None	Yes; the whole is greater than the sum of this ghostly romance story's parts, thanks to good film editing and fun performances from all the principals.
Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The	Luckless newspaper typesetter Luther Heggs gets teased into spending a night in a haunted house after a short blurb he wrote about its history becomes an unexpected sensation with the locals.	Very low	None	Yes - this sweet old Universal horror-comedy features Don Knotts at his jumpy best, a colorful cast of supporting characters, detailed sets, and a plot with a few fun twists.
Ghostbusters	A rag-tag team of lovable eccentrics start a supernatural pest-control business in response to increasing reports of ghostly activity in New York City.	Very low	Very low	Yes; despite a couple of moments that haven't aged well, this is still the gold standard for pure Halloween-time popcorn entertainment.
Ghostbusters II	This direct sequel sees the team go toe-to-toe with a monstrous, power-hungry ghost connected to a cursed painting.	Very low	Low	Yes – it's not as good as the original, and arguably a bit ickier (in a “goo and slime” sense), but still solid and fun.
Ginger Snaps	A pair of morbid, withdrawn teenage sisters grows apart after one of them is bitten by a werewolf and starts to become one herself.	Medium-low	Very high	Yes, with major caveats. It is very gory, and a lot of dogs die, which we normally dislike – but it makes enough sense in the context of this otherwise-absorbing werewolf/puberty movie that we were able to give it a pass. It may not be for you, depending on your threshold of tolerance for such things.
Girl On the Third Floor	An ex-criminal tries to start over by renovating a suburban house for his wife and soon-to-be-born child, but the building is tainted with a dangerous presence.	Medium-low	Medium-high	No; it's watchable, but not well-scripted or generally well-acted, and the main character isn't very likable. It's also a remarkably gooey movie, which doesn't help.
Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, A	The hollowed-out landscape of Bad City is populated by burnouts, junkies, a young man at the end of his rope, and an unusual, conflicted creature of the night. B&W.	Low	Medium-low	Yes; the generally bleak setting of this absorbing Persian-language vampire drama is offset by a thread of wild, shared hope that carries its well-developed protagonist and deuteragonist through the many hazards of life (and death) in Bad City. It's a memorable and enjoyable watch.
Goodnight Mommy	A young boy begins to suspect that his mother has been secretly replaced with an inhuman monster. Swedish.	High	Low	Yes, but be aware that it's dark, grim, and solidly scary. It remains effective on repeat viewings, thanks to a good script and great performances.
Gothika	A no-nonsense prison psychiatrist crashes her car after trying to avoid a mysterious figure in the road, and awakens an inmate at her former workplace.	Medium-low	Low	Mildly. It’s not all that good, but this modestly chilling ghost story does have an interesting, twisty plot and some fun jump scares.
Green Room	A punk band gets a gig that pays well, but it becomes a nightmare when the members accidentally witness a brutal crime at the venue, which turns out to be a Neo-Nazi stronghold.	Medium-low	High	Not for everyone. It's well made, and we liked it better than we thought we might, but it's extremely and relentlessly violent (though, at least, not torturous) after the first act.
Halloween	Decades after a boy was declared criminally insane and locked away for life, he escapes and returns home to continue his evil work.	Very high	Medium-low	Yes. This John Carpenter classic mostly eschews cheap thrills and gallons of fake blood in favor of a tense, charged tale of suspense and murder that ramps up the fear beautifully without ever becoming hard to watch.
Halloweentown	13-year-old Marnie is delighted to discover she comes from a family of powerful witches, and decides to help out when she learns that trouble is brewing in the magical realm of her ancestors – whether or not her mom will let her.	Very low	None	Yes, if you're in the mood for a light children's movie. It doesn't have much in the way of depth or nuance, but the characters are all enjoyable enough, and the masks, makeup, and cornball sight gags help to keep it interesting. Fun fact: Parts of this film were made on location in St. Helens, Oregon, which remains very proud of that fact.
Happy Death Day	A college student is murdered by a mysterious masked figure on her birthday, and soon discovers that she's stuck in a time loop as the day keeps resetting.	Low	Very low	Yes; this hybrid black comedy/PG-13 slasher movie is light on true horror, and clever enough to be an enjoyable watch for anyone.
Haunter	As her father begins to lose his sanity, a teenager discovers that there's a secret history to her family's new house.	Medium-high	Low	Yes – it's not amazing or very original, but this twisty story of supernatural time loops and primal evil is decently well-told and has some genuinely big scares.
Haunting, The	Strangers gather under the auspices of a paranormal investigator to spend time living in, and studying, the notoriously haunted Hill House. B&W.	Medium	Low	Yes; this 1963 adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s seminal tale is tense, scary, and still fresh, thanks to its minimalist sensibilities. You won’t find rubber masks here, just a gripping, well-realized ghost story.
Hereditary	A family with a history of sudden deaths and severe mental illness is haunted by terrifying visions and ghastly violence.	Very high	Medium	Yes, but it's probably best to watch this pitch-black chiller with the lights on. If you've seen Rosemary's Baby, you'll have a good grasp of what general tone to expect. Has a few genuinely surprising twists to keep things moving along.
His House	South Sudanese refugees seeking asylum in England suspect that the run-down row house where they’ve been placed is inhabited by a malevolent entity.	Medium-high	Low	Yes. Much like its better-known cinematic sibling The Babadook, His House is more concerned with inner demons than external threats–a reliable recipe for developing well-textured, interesting characters. It can be a little hard to follow the protagonists’ motivations at times, but everything makes sense by the end.
Hocus Pocus	Three 17th-century witches are summoned back to life on Halloween night, and it’s up to the kids who unwittingly resurrected them to foil their nefarious plans before sunrise.	Very low	Low	Recommended: Yes - though not perfect, it’s a fun and flamboyant children’s movie with enough hammy theatrics to keep adult viewers entertained, too. Be forewarned that the film is weirdly obsessed with its (adolescent) main character’s virginity.
Hocus Pocus 2	Unsuspecting teenagers discover that Salem's many legends about the Sanderson sisters - an infamous trio of 17th-century witches - are more than just tall tales.	Very low	Very low	Yes, provided you keep in mind that this fun sequel is squarely targeted at, and intended for, tween girls. Don't go in expecting a film for nostalgic adults; the film's callbacks are plentiful, of course, but they aren't really the point. It stands perfectly well all on its own as an exciting, seasonally-appropriate children's movie.
Hot Fuzz	A hot-shot big city cop is transferred to a tiny British hamlet, where he and his bumbling new partner uncover a sinister conspiracy.	Low	Medium-low	Yes. This Simon Pegg/Nick Frost horror comedy/buddy cop movie has a couple of unnecessarily icky deaths, but overall it's a charming and fast-paced ride from start to finish, with a good share of genuine laughs along the way.
House ("Hausu")	An intrepid band of schoolgirls go to visit their friend at a distant relative's house far out in the countryside, but soon, reality begins to warp and the bodies start to pile up. Japanese.	Medium	Medium-high	Yes and no. It's hard to know where to begin talking about this bizarre cult horror film from 1970s Japan – it's wildly inconsistent from scene to scene, blending grim Japanese folklore with bubbly teen-girl cheeriness, acid trip visuals, and nonsensical occurrences that confuse the heroines just as much as the audience. Worth watching if you want to see one of the truly weirdest movies ever made; otherwise, it's safe to skip.
House At the End of Time, The	A movie about looping time and lost souls. Venezuelan.	Medium	Low	No – the execution doesn't rise to this film's high concept, making for a reasonably interesting, but ultimately unsatisfying experience that can be hard to follow at times.
House On Haunted Hill	Gimmick-horror maestro William Castle's iconic 1959 film about a group of strangers brought together by a mysterious millionaire to spend one night in a creepy haunted house. B&W.	Low	Low	Yes; it's one of the all-time classics, a fun and occasionally lurid romp through a carnival ride of corny scares, buoyed by an adept cast (including the great Vincent Price). The somewhat complex plot plays second fiddle to the props and special effects, but it's a reasonably interesting bonus.
Hubie Halloween	Everyone in Salem picks on mama's boy Hubie, who loves Halloween more than anything, but this year, people are disappearing without a trace, and he's the only one who can save the day.	Very low	Very low	It's an Adam Sandler movie in the vein of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. If you like those films, you'll probably like this one, but personally I didn't care for it. It's an easy watch in any case.
Hush	A deaf writer living alone in a remote rural house is terrified by a masked man who wants her dead, but tries to fight back as best she can.	Medium-high	Medium-low	Yes, it's an effective blend of the slasher horror and siege thriller genres with some fresh perspectives enabled by its deaf heroine. There is some brutal violence, but not too much; mostly, it's suspenseful rather than gory.
I Married A Witch	In 1662, a witch hexes the men of the Wooley family to be forever unlucky in love, but when she returns after nearly 300 years, she accidentally falls for the latest inheritor of the curse. B&W.	None	None	Yes. This G-rated 1942 romantic comedy starring Veronica Lake has enough special effects and Hollywood witchery to make it a good Halloween pick, but it's a charming film any time of year.
I Saw The TV Glow	A shy loner and an outcast high school girl bond over a late-night TV show that seems to have special meaning for them.	Medium-low	Very low	Yes. It has complex, likable characters, lush visuals, and a twisty, somewhat obscured central concept that can take some time to fully understand, but which makes the movie all the more frightening and compelling when grasped.
I See You	When a child suddenly disappears from a town with a traumatic past, a troubled detective takes the lead on the case despite his increasingly chaotic home life.	Medium-low	Low	Yes, though not without reservations. Plot twists are the name of the game in I See You, and while everything works itself out with clockwork precision by the finale, it sometimes trips over its own cleverness getting there.
In the Mouth of Madness	A tough-minded insurance investigator sets out to find a missing writer whose latest book is rumored to make people go insane.	Medium-high	Medium	Yes, if you like cosmic horror with a wryly humorous edge. Sam Neill is a delight in the protagonist role, and this John Carpenter film feels as scary and fresh today as it did more than 25 years ago.
Innkeepers, The	A pair of long-time coworkers try to pass the time before their workplace, an old historic hotel, closes its doors for good, but get more than they bargained for with the arrival of its last few guests.	Very high	Medium-low	Yes. It only really gets scary at the end, but it’s enjoyable throughout, and your patience will be handsomely rewarded with some serious thrills in the finale.
Insidious	Spirits and darker things haunt a family after their eldest son falls into a mysterious coma.	Medium	Very low	Yes, mildly. It's got some good chills and is reasonably well made, but the true horror of this film is the many enormous plot holes that make it impossible to take seriously by the third act.
Interview With the Vampire	A conflicted vampire recounts the sad, bloody tale of his un-life to a curious writer.	Low	Very low	Yes; the lush period sets, attractive cast (including Antonio Banderas and Brad Pitt, among others), and extravagant costumes alone make this one worth viewing. The fact that it's also a competent and very watchable movie (if a bit overlong) is just icing on the pretty, pretty cake.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers	Aliens from outer space are invading a small American town and taking the place of their victims – but will anyone believe what's happening before it's too late? B&W.	Low	None	Yes; the original, noir-influenced 1956 film version of this popular story may not be as grim or as tense as later renditions, but it's still exciting, and always fun to watch.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)	In this remake, the invaded town is San Francisco, the effects are more visceral, and the impending doom is a palpable presence.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes. This remake is widely considered the gold standard film version of the now-classic sci-fi/horror story. It's darker, grittier, and grosser than the original, but also a more believable (and thus more dread-inducing) version that's still pretty fun to watch.
Invisible Man, The	A chemist discovers the secret of invisibility, but doesn't realize a key ingredient in his formula has a terrible side effect. B&W.	Very low	Very low	Yes; while not quite as well-made a film as Dracula or The Mummy, this 1933 Universal classic is still exciting and engaging, with a bit more humor than the studio's earlier efforts.
Invisible Man, The (2020)	An abused wife escapes her tech-millionaire husband, but after his supposed death two weeks later, she begins to see increasingly disturbing signs that he's anything but deceased.	Medium	Medium-low	Yes; despite a few small plot holes, it's an enjoyable modern reinterpretation of a classic Universal horror character, with smart social commentary and some nice scary moments.
It Follows	A terrifying, murderous presence that’s invisible except to its intended victims will never stop following them until they either die or have sex, transferring the curse to their unfortunate partner.	Extreme	Low	Yes – there's a slightly dreamlike, unreal quality to this film, but the scariness of wondering which out-of-focus figure in the background is actually the horrifying thing relentlessly stalking the protagonist is quite real, and as fun as it is frightening.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown	While the rest of the Peanuts crew enjoys trick-or-treating and parties on Halloween, Linus waits patiently in a pumpkin patch for the legendary Great Pumpkin to appear.	None	None	Yes. This lightweight 25-minute TV special is beloved by fans young and old for its warm sense of humor and funny visuals.
Jennifer's Body	After a teenage girl suffers a traumatic night, her best friend is increasingly alarmed by her personality changes—and the bodies that start to pile up around her.	Low	Medium-low	Yes, mildly. This teen movie/supernatural horror hybrid isn't really a good film, but it's smarter than it seems at first glance, and the writing is clever enough to serve up some laugh-out-loud one-liners along with a reasonably entertaining story.
King Kong	A team filming their real-life adventures on the exotic Skull Island get much more than they bargained for. B&W.	Very low	Low	Yes. Despite a few tropes that haven't aged well, this nearly-antique creature feature is still surprisingly effective, with some downright nasty Jurassic Park-style deaths, great stop-motion animation, and a reasonably compelling story.
Lady In the Water	A dejected groundskeeper with a stutter discovers an otherworldly woman living in the swimming pool of his apartment complex, and decides to help her with her mystical quest.	None	Very low	No way. Despite some major star power, this is one of the worst movies M. Night Shyamalan has ever cranked out, with more holes in the plot than there are fish in the ocean, and exceptionally bad dialog, even by the director's own low standards.
Last Night In Soho	Aspiring fashion designer Eloise moves to London to attend school, but soon becomes enthralled by intense visions of a young dancer who also came to the city... in 1965.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes. The supporting cast sometimes feels a bit sketched-in, but overall, this supernatural mystery-thriller is very well-acted, well-filmed, and well-scored; even better, the anxious, hopeful Eloise is an easy heroine to root for.
Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The	Disney’s animated retelling of Washington Irving’s classic tale about a gangly Yankee schoolmaster who encounters a dreadful apparition.	None	None	Yes. Originally part of the 1949 feature film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, this beloved Halloween favorite is appropriate for all ages, with beautiful, rich colors, fun characters, and narration (plus 3 songs!) from Bing Crosby.
Lighthouse, The	A young man serving his first shift on a remote lighthouse with an aged keeper tries to cope with perils from within and without. B&W.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes; it's not exactly a horror film in the traditional sense, but it's consistently surprising, and you'll want to watch it a second time as soon as you've finished so you can try to unravel its many folkloric and psychological layers.
Lights Out	A terrifying entity that's only corporeal in near-total darkness wreaks havoc on an unassuming family.	Medium	Medium-low	Yes. This PG-13 fright fest is a good, fun kind of scary, one that starts with some serious chills and becomes more manageable as the film continues. Solid acting and a (mostly) hole-free plot seal the deal.
Little Evil	A hapless man marries a single mother and discovers that her young son may actually be the spawn of Satan.	Low	Very low	Yes – this Netflix horror-comedy isn't an instant classic, but it has a kind heart and some enjoyable surprises.
Little Shop of Horrors	Seymour, a luckless nobody, stumbles into sudden fame and fortune when he begins cultivating a mysterious plant that thrives on human blood.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes. This adaptation of the hit stage musical is delightful and creepy all at once. There are two endings in existence: the Director's Cut has a bad ending, while the theatrical release has a happy ending. Both are good.
Little Shop of Horrors, The	The original cult film-turned-musical, this 1960 Roger Corman production tells a slightly different version of the tale of Seymour and his strange new plant. B&W.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes. Compared to its better-known ‘80s musical remake, this farcical dark comedy makes up in screwball dialog what it lacks in the “catchy songs” department. It's fairly gruesome for its time, but the fact that the gore isn't in color (and is very obviously fake) makes it easy enough to deal with. Bonus: Look for a young (adult) Jack Nicholson in one scene!
Lost Boys, The	A nest of brash young vampires treat the laid-back coastal town of Santa Carla like their personal buffet, but two recent teenage transplants - and a few homegrown locals - are on to them.	Low	Medium-low	Yes; it's a silly but very entertaining film, a classic ’80s popcorn movie buoyed by solid acting and fun characters. As the progenitor of the "teen vampire" genre, it's also a major influence on later movies like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Vampires vs. The Bronx.
Love Witch, The	Pretty witch Elaine is unlucky in love. She has spells and potions that might help, but the side effects could be lethal.	Very low	Low	Yes. This surreal 2016 film is charmingly imperfect, odd and confident in equal measure. It's filmed using techniques that were last popular around 50 years before it was made, giving it the feeling of a story out of time, in a world sideways from our own.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein	Ambitious young Swiss scientist Victor Frankenstein tries to unlock the mysteries of life and death, but isn't prepared for the consequences of his hubris.	Low	Medium	Yes. This 1994 Kenneth Branagh vehicle may be a bit on the slow side–especially in the first half–but it's well-acted, delightfully staged, and generally faithful (within reason) to the tone and content of Shelley's 1818 novel. Warning: several sled dogs are killed early on in this movie, all in the same scene. Mercifully, the killings aren’t explicit and don’t look particularly realistic.
Midsommar	A grieving woman agrees to go with her boyfriend and some other graduate students to see a strange pagan midsummer festival in rural Sweden.	Low	Very high	Not really. Although it does have striking visuals, overall I found it too long, too sour, and too gory to be enjoyable. L liked it a bit better.
Mimic	Three years after scientists create a sterile chimera insect to hunt and kill plague-bearing roaches, evidence emerges that the bugs have evolved to breed in the wild... among other unexpected mutations.	Medium-low	High	Mildly. This early English-language film from creature-feature auteur Guillermo del Toro (The Devil's Backbone, Blade 2) suffers from a complicated and often nonsensical plot, some unlikable characters, and an overreliance on bug gut-based ickiness - but it's got a really fun concept for a horror movie, and it's certainly exciting to watch.
Mist, The	A small lakeside community is overtaken by a strange cloud of mist that hides an unknown but lethal threat.	Medium-low	Extreme	Moderately, because it's well-acted and has a thought-provoking ending. However, it's incredibly icky and grim, so neither of us really enjoyed it that much. It also has a fundamentally silly story—mostly driven by terrible, at times totally ridiculous decision-making—so despite an excess of horrific misery and suffering, critically-minded viewers may find it difficult to take seriously up until the final few minutes.
Monster Squad, The	All the classic Universal horror monsters return to life and try to execute a diabolical plot, but a plucky band of teenagers stand between them and success.	Very low	Very low	No; this movie is just plain bad. For a much more enjoyable Universal monster showcase, try 2004's Van Helsing.
Monsters	Stuck in a Central American forbidden zone full of hostile, mysterious behemoths, a small band of Americans try to make it back to the States in one piece.	Low	Low	No; it's a slow and meandering movie with a weak ending and not much in the way of engaging content.
Moon Garden	A little girl falls down the stairs in her home and awakens in a strange, surreal place, where she's pursued by a creature that craves her tears.	Low	Low	Yes. Though this heavily stylized indie film cribs visuals from many other sources, it stands on its own as a darkly fanciful and impressionistic exploration of fear, hope, and family, complete with one of the most adorable protagonists you'll ever see in horror cinema.
Mothra	A group of explorers and researchers visiting an uncharted island get more than they bargain for, thanks to the criminal selfishness of one member. Japanese.	Very low	None	Yes, it's one of the best post-Godzilla monster movies to come out of 20th-century Japan. The story is coherent, the characters are likable, and the titular monster is delightfully bright and colorful.
Mummy, The	A cursed Egyptian mummy is reanimated by an ancient spell, and sets about seeking the reincarnated soul of his lost love. B&W.	Very low	Very low	Yes; great makeup effects and a career-defining performance by Boris Karloff make this 1932 original more engaging and enjoyable than almost all of its many sequels, spin-offs, and remakes.
Munsters, The	An intensely colorful origin story for the beloved black-and-white 1960s TV sitcom, this film tells the tale of how Herman and Lily Munster first met.	Very low	Low	Yes, for fans of the TV show's low-rent sensibilities. It has a somewhat disjointed plot, and it doesn't elevate its source material the way a film like The Addams Family does, but it's kitschy and fun, with lots of corny jokes, silly music, and throwback camera work — very much like its source material. Personally speaking, it’s quickly become one of our favorites.
Muppets Haunted Mansion	Gonzo and Pepe decline an invitation to the Muppets’ annual Halloween party so they can attend a special challenge at an extraordinarily haunted house.	Very low	None	Yes - this 52-minute special is lighter on plot than a true Muppet movie, but the characters are as fun to watch as ever, and the spooky setting is perfect. If you’re planning to watch it with very young children, we recommend pre-watching it first, so you know when the show’s few mild jump scares are coming.
Night My Number Came Up, The	A British man in Hong Kong dreams that he will soon be in a devastating plane crash, and becomes increasingly alarmed as the details of his current trip start to match up perfectly with his dream. B&W.	Very low	None	Not really, though to this 1955 film's credit, it's well acted, well shot, and features spectacular miniature sets. The problems for modern audiences, though, are twofold: First, the casual, colonial anti-Chinese (and Japanese) racism in the dialog, though not overt, is still a lot to deal with for such a slow story. Second, a lot of the tension hinges on the airplane in question having basically no safety equipment or systems redundancy, which is hard to relate to these days.
Night of the Comet	An ancient comet passing by Earth is cause for celebration, but the next morning, two resourceful Valley girls who missed the show awaken to find that everything has changed.	Low	Low	Yes; this lightweight cult film has instantly-likable protagonists and some fun twists and turns.
Night of the Hunter	A remorseless criminal terrorizes two children in order to learn where their late father buried his ill-gotten gains. B&W.	Medium-low	None	Yes, although it is an experimental film in many ways, and not everything works. Robert Mitchum is unforgettable as the villain, and the movie's heavy themes of good versus evil and danger versus safety make for a heady and memorable experience.
Night of the Living Dead	Strangers find themselves holed up together in a remote farmhouse after an unexplained wave of grisly mass murders begins to sweep the countryside. B&W.	Medium	Medium	Yes, but George Romero's 1968 indie masterpiece, which singlehandedly created the modern zombie horror genre, is still pretty harrowing and bleak even by modern standards, so make sure you only watch it when you're in the mood for something dark.
Night Stalker, The	Carl Kolchak, a scrappy reporter working the police beat in Las Vegas, becomes convinced that a serial killer operating in the city believes he is a vampire.	Very low	Low	Yes. This detective mystery/supernatural horror feature is the 1972 ABC Movie of the Week that kick-started the beloved cult TV series, Kolchak: The Night Stalker. It's very well paced and scripted for a TV movie, and has only aged out a little.
Nightmare On Elm Street, A	A group of teens have the same terrifying nightmare and discover that the subject of their dreams – a burned man in a sweater – can hurt and kill them in their sleep.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes; it's quite bloody but not really very gory or exploitative. Although it has a weak ending, its likable protagonist–and Robert Englund's kinetic, inimitable performance as Freddy Krueger–make it worth a watch.
Nope	Bizarre weather phenomena and unexplained disappearances plague a small California horse ranch.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes, moderately. It’s more coherent than director Jordan Peele’s prior foray into horror (Us), if somewhat slower and more pensive. There are a couple of truly unpleasant scenes that made us squirm long after we left the theater, which tempers the recommendation somewhat. Overall, though, we’d say the likable characters and awesome visuals outweigh the film’s nasty edges. Warning: As you might expect from a horror film set around a horse ranch, a few horses die (badly) in this movie, though there’s only one explicit shot to that effect. A chimp is also killed, but it’s an instantaneous death.
Nosferatu	The mysterious Count Orlok leaves his home in the Carpathian mountains to dwell in Germany, and death follows in his wake. B&W.	Low	Very low	Of course! Even if you haven't seen this centenarian silent horror classic before, you've almost certainly heard of it, and with good reason: its atmospheric establishing shots, inventive special effects, and utterly intimidating villain have had an enormous influence on the genre. Modern versions that restore the film's original color tinting and (often) add music are widely available online.
Old Dark House, The	During a severe storm, various travelers get stranded together at a crumbling Welsh estate full of secrets. B&W.	Very low	Very low	Yes, moderately. This 1932 Universal flick, which seasons its horror with a touch of dry comedy, isn't quite up to the standard of the studio's best prewar work, but its dark, atmospheric sets and well-crafted, often charming dialog help to keep it reasonably fun overall. As one of the very first "haunted house" movies, its stylistic influence on later such films (from House On Haunted Hill to The Changeling) also makes it worth a watch for film history buffs.
Orphanage, The	A married couple moves with their ill, adopted son to the abandoned orphanage where the wife was happily raised, but find themselves haunted by the property’s hidden past. Spanish.	Medium-high	Low	Yes. Even if this movie wasn't scary – and it is, especially the first time through – it would stand on its own as a wonderful drama, tragic and sweet. That depth makes it my favorite ghost movie of all time.
Others, The	A war widow with two photosensitive children slowly becomes convinced that there are unseen intruders haunting the dark halls of their rambling estate.	Medium	None	Yes; this atmospheric ghost story is only really scary the first time through, but it's still spooky (and pretty) enough to be fun even on subsequent viewings.
Ouija: Origin of Evil	In 1967, an ordinary family discovers dark and deadly beings sharing their house when they bring home a new Ouija board.	Medium-high	Low	Yes, though we dearly wish the filmmakers had bothered to leave some thin ray of hope in the plot. Despite its very grim story arc (and a couple of plot holes), this movie has solid scares, beautiful set designs, and likable, well-realized characters.
Pan's Labyrinth	In 1944, a young girl escapes the daily horrors of Francisco Franco's nascent fascist regime by retreating into a mysterious and dangerous magical world. Spanish.	Medium	Medium	Yes – this dark, heavy “fairy tale for adults” boasts amazing visuals and a compelling story that juxtaposes storybook magic and mayhem with the much scarier real-world evils of mankind.
Phantasm	Murders and body snatchings plague a funeral home where a strange, tall man seems to be working towards an ulterior motive.	Medium-low	Medium	Mildly. This deeply weird 1979 cult classic isn't a great movie, but it's reasonably interesting to watch, and has some good moments.
Phenomena	An American teenager with a unique gift is sent to a private Swiss boarding school in a part of the country where girls her age have been turning up murdered.	Medium-low	High	Yes; though hardly without its flaws, this surreal, MTV-influenced 1985 romp from legendary giallo director Dario Argento (Suspiria) is visually daring, musically brash, and as exciting as it is gruesome - which is to say "very." Jennifer Connelly and Donald Pleasence both turn in top-quality performances.
Pitch Black	A spaceship carrying a motley assortment of travelers crash-lands on an alien world where the only human habitation is completely abandoned, and danger lurks in the darkness.	Medium	Low	Yes; it's a simple and effective high-end B movie thriller that seamlessly blends big sci-fi action with nerve-wracking survival horror.
Planet of the Vampires	A crew of astronauts investigates a distress call from a distant planet that seems to harbor strange and destructive secrets.	Low	Medium-low	Yes, mildly. The plot is an also-ran drag, and the acting is aggressively mediocre, but famed Italian horror master Mario Bava (Black Sunday, A Bay of Blood) elevates this 1965 film to cult classic status through dramatic lighting and ingenious cinematography. Considered a major stylistic influence on Ridley Scott's 1979 magnum opus Alien, it’s well worth seeing for fans of visually arresting sci-fi horror cinema.
Poltergeist	Increasingly violent supernatural activity plagues an ordinary family living in a new subdivision.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes - this fun and thrilling Tobe Hooper/Steven Spielberg classic features effective scares, cool (albeit occasionally icky) special effects, and sympathetic characters.
Population 436	The US Census Bureau discovers that a remote and old-fashioned town's population hasn't officially changed in more than a century, and sends a field agent to figure out what's going on.	Low	Very low	Yes. It's nothing original or unexpected, but this slice of Twilight Zone-inspired alternate reality cinema has a reasonably spooky premise and a generally interesting, engaging cast. Fred Durst (of Limp Bizkit fame) is surprisingly likable as a deputy sheriff.
Practical Magic	A pair of sisters raised by their witchy relatives find solutions to their adult problems in magic, and solace in each other.	Very low	Very low	Yes; although inconsistently paced, it's a warm autumn blanket of a movie, '90s in all the best ways.
Prey	In the early 18th century, a young Comanche woman begins to suspect that a dangerous, unknown being stalks the woods near her village, but nobody seems willing to believe her.	Low	Medium	Yes! This latest entry in the Predator franchise is fresh and exciting, with taut, explosive action sequences, a lovable heroine, and monster design that's somehow even creepier than usual. Warning: A lot of animals die in this film, but the tone is usually closer to what you'd see in a nature documentary (predators catching prey). There are, however, unpleasant shots of a skinned snake and a dead herd of skinned bison.
Prince of Darkness	Upon discovering a secret chamber hidden beneath a nearly-abandoned Catholic church, a priest enlists an interdisciplinary crew of doctors and grad students to help unravel the mystery of the object it was built to hold.	Medium-low	High	Yes, mildly. Although it's the least intense and least impressive of John Carpenter's so-called “Apocalypse Trilogy” (which also includes The Thing and In The Mouth of Madness), and although it's very slow in the first half, this unusual 1987 film is still well worth a watch for fans of the director's work.
Puppet Master	In 1939, the last keeper of a secret that grants life to inanimate objects dies, but 50 years later, the knowledge seems to have been rediscovered….	Low	Medium	No, not really. It's pretty tame by horror standards, with little in the way of real scares. Although it's not draining or offensive to watch, bad acting, bad editing, and (remarkably) bad music keep this horror-fantasy hybrid from becoming the fun, colorful B movie it wants to be.
Quiet Place, A	In the near future, alien monsters stalk anyone who makes more than the slightest sound.	Medium	Medium	Not really; it's capably filmed, but there are too many plot holes and inconsistencies for it to be absorbing, and it paints its characters with a comically broad brush.
Re-Animator	A brilliant but deranged scientist discovers a serum that can bring the dead back to life, but hasn't yet worked out the kinks by the time others find out about it.	Medium-low	Extreme	No; although considered a cult classic, and despite a very worthy performance by the wonderfully weird Jeffrey Combs, this movie is too mean-spirited and sexually violent/exploitative to be any real fun.
Ready Or Not	An unsuspecting woman marries into a rich family and is forced to play a deadly game of hide-and-seek on her wedding night.	Low	High	Not really. It's perfectly watchable, and it does have some sharp and funny moments, but overall, its plot holes and overeager depictions of blood, gore, and suffering keep it from coalescing into the clever horror-comedy it clearly believes itself to be.
Relic, The	A researcher studying indigenous Amazonian cultures sends a stone idol back to his museum, where people soon start to turn up dead.	Medium-low	Medium-high	No; this 1997 creature feature with Lovecraftian undertones suffers from dull pacing, forgettable characters, awkward dialog, and a Swiss cheese plot.
Return of the Vampire	The fiendish vampire Armand Tesla is accidentally revived after decades of sleeping with a stake through his heart, and soon renews his reign of terror. B&W.	Very low	Very low	Mildly. It’s got a more believable plot than many monster movies of the 1940s, and it boasts the great Bela Lugosi reprising his vampire act in the role of Armand Tesla. That said, it’s very much an also-ran sort of film, not particularly exciting or memorable.
Ring, The	An intrepid reporter looks into the simultaneous deaths of her niece and three other teenagers, and discovers that they all watched a sinister VHS tape of unknown origin seven days before they died.	High	Medium-low	Yes. One of the best (and best-known) modern horror films, this scary and stylish American remake of the Japanese movie Ringu catapulted J-horror cinema into the Western mainstream for the better part of a decade. Even today, it holds up better than most of the imitators that followed.
Ritual, The	A group of four long-time friends get together for a backpacking expedition in the far reaches of Finland, but when they go off the trail and into the deep, dark woods, they get more than they bargained for.	High	Medium	Yes. This Netflix original movie has some great scares in the first half, and amazing creature designs, both of which help to offset its somewhat foolish and not-always-likable cast.
Roald Dahl's The Witches	A boy discovers a coven of witches while staying at a seaside hotel, and accidentally overhears their secret plan to turn the world's children into mice.	Low	Medium-low	Maybe, if you're looking for a kid's movie; give it a pass otherwise. This somewhat treacly 2020 reimagining of Dahl's classic tale features fairly persistent—though low-grade—body horror, so much like the original 1990 adaptation (see Witches, The), it's probably best reserved for children ages 10 and up.
Rocky Horror Picture Show, The	Recently engaged couple Brad and Janet are pulled into a strange new world when their car gets a flat tire and they decide to seek help at a nearby castle.	Very low	Low	Yes. The term “cult classic” was practically coined for this movie, a lewd and funny musical homage to both '70s-style glam hedonism and '50s-style sci-fi that still gets regular midnight showings in independent theaters across the country.
Room 203	Two best friends move into a historic furnished apartment with a grim and tragic past.	Medium-low	Medium	Mildly. This J-horror-influenced American indie has generally likable protagonists and an interesting story, but the scares are too familiar to thrill veteran horror fans, and the heroes' often-nonsensical choices (especially with regards to light switch and cell phone use) undercut it a fair bit.
Rosemary's Baby	A young housewife in New York City begins to suspect that something is very wrong with the fetus growing inside her.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes, although I wasn't personally very impressed with it. It's nevertheless very well-made, and reasonably thoughtful for a horror film.
Scary Stories To Tell In the Dark	On Halloween night in 1968, a group of teenagers discover a mysterious, unfinished book of scary stories in a derelict mansion.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes. This PG-13 fright fest based on the eponymous book of urban legends and folk tales is perhaps a bit too scary for its target audience of 12-15 year olds, which makes it an ideal horror film for that adventurous cohort. (For adults, it's well-made and fun, if not very original.)
Scream	High schoolers start dropping like flies, and nobody can figure out who – or what – is behind the grisly murders.	Low	High	No, although L enjoys it. I found it shallow, mean-spirited, and unnecessarily gross.
Shadow of the Cat	A cat witnesses her rich, elderly owner's murder at the hands of greedy relatives, and soon becomes an object of fear as her appearances seem to portend their deaths. B&W.	Very low	None	Recommended: Yes. This early (1961) Hammer horror film has a memorable rogues gallery, and an enjoyably dry sense of humor in its margins. The cat, Tabitha, may be an omen of death for those who wronged her owner, but she almost ends up being the hero of the story – it's hard not to cheer for her as the baddies start succumbing to her feline wiles.
Shining, The	A struggling writer takes a job as the winter groundskeeper for a grand old ski lodge, but as the days drag on, he and his family begin to realize that there may be more working against them than simple isolation.	Very high	Low	Yes; this is one of the all-time classics, and arguably the best horror film based on a Stephen King story (although the author himself reportedly doesn't like it). Everything about it is meticulous and effective from start to finish.
Signs	A family haunted by a recent death finds strange crop circles in their fields, and discovers that they are witness to a global phenomenon that seems to be increasing in intensity.	Medium-low	Very low	No. Although it has a few great shots, this M. Night Shyamalan interpretation of a War of the Worlds-type sci-fi chiller suffers from clunky dialog and a laughably absurd resolution to its climax.
Silent Hill	A young girl keeps saying the words “Silent Hill” when she sleepwalks, so when her mother discovers that it's the name of a ghost town in West Virginia, she decides to bring her daughter there in hopes of helping her.	Medium-low	High	Yes; it's far from perfect, but a well-realized and overwhelmingly female cast sets it apart from the "2000s horror" pack, as does some truly vivid and memorable (if occasionally nasty) imagery.
Similars, The	Strange goings-on and possible alien body snatchings plague a group of people who find themselves stuck in a remote bus station one dark and stormy night. Mexican.	Low	Low	No; it's hard to get a handle on the plot, and it ends up being a little too complicated and confusing for its own good.
Smile	A trauma therapist finds herself pursued by a mysterious, powerful entity after witnessing a horrific event in the hospital where she works.	High	Medium-high	We can't decide about this bleak Paramount chiller. The jump scares are excessive (and sometimes downright corny), but they somehow work as a whole; the acting and production values are good throughout. However, it's heavily derivative, thematically ham-handed, and very poorly written, with predictable twists, and characters often acting like idiots just to drive the plot. Warning: A cat dies (offscreen), and later its body is cynically used as a prop to upset the audience. Additional note: This review was written by L!
Something Wicked This Way Comes	Two boys are fascinated by an eerie traveling circus, but soon discover that it holds a strange sway over the residents of their little town.	Very low	None	No. Although the book on which it's based is an excellent coming of age adventure/parable about resisting temptation, the film version is cramped and suffers from low production values.
Spectral	Something something soldiers versus ghosts something high tech post-apocalyptic something.	Low	Medium-low	No – this movie can't decide if it wants to be a sci-fi story, a loopy ghost story, or a war story, and it consequently fails on all three counts. It’s watchable, but unsatisfying.
Stir of Echoes	An ordinary man accidentally opens his third eye, and begins to see ghostly visions of a neighborhood girl whose murder was never solved.	Medium	Medium-low	Yes; though grim, it's a surprisingly coherent and enjoyable mystery with a tragic, ghostly twist.
Suspiria (2018)	A young woman joins a world-class dance troupe in 1977 Berlin, but the women who run the show are hiding sinister secrets. This is a remake of the 1970s Dario Argento original.	Medium-low	Extreme	No. It's well-made for what it is, but despite striking, lush visuals, it revels too much in the prolonged pain and suffering of its many victims to be an enjoyable watch.
Sweetheart	A resourceful woman washes up on a desert island and soon finds herself pitted against a mysterious, carnivorous foe.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes. This 2019 PG-13 creature feature does things more or less by the numbers, but it's well-paced, builds tension effectively, and is buoyed by a very likable protagonist.
Synchronic	A worn-out paramedic investigates connections between a string of unusual deaths and a mysterious new designer drug.	Low	Low	Yes. This sci-fi mystery thriller from directorial duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (The Endless) has moving dramatic elements, an interesting central concept, and a tense, exciting finale. Warning: A dog gets lost and is presumed dead in this film (though no violence towards it is shown). We can't say more without giving important secrets away. To the film's credit, it handles this loss in a sympathetic way.
Taking of Deborah Logan, The	A small crew filming a documentary about a woman with Alzheimer's begins to suspect that she is suffering from more than just dementia.	Medium-low	Medium	Yes, though not too strongly. It's a competent found-footage movie with plenty of well-done jump scares and a compelling plot, but the quality of the acting, and the script, varies from scene to scene.
Tale of Tales	Several strange stories from one of the oldest-known collections of European fairy tales.	Very low	Medium-low	No – though fairly faithful to their 17th-century Italian source material, or perhaps because of that, these stories are generally not very enjoyable.
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo	1970s made-for-TV stinker about deadly spiders.	Very low	Low	Not unless you love dull, dusty movies with long, sustained stretches full of industrial vehicle noises, piercing sirens, and the like.
They Live	A down-and-out construction worker stumbles onto a pair of special sunglasses that reveal sinister truths about the world around him.	Very low	Low	Yes – this underappreciated John Carpenter classic is quite possibly the best "B movie" ever made. It's a sharp social satire, a silly action film, and a love letter to 1950s sci-fi cinema, all rolled into one. Aside from minor pacing issues, it's just about ideal for an evening's entertainment.
Thing, The	A mysterious, bloodthirsty, shape-shifting alien organism invades a remote Antarctic research station.	Very high	Extreme	Yes, if you can handle the stomach-churning practical effects. Look beyond those and you'll find a delightfully tense, claustrophobic horror classic, with excellent editing, pacing, and dialog throughout. Warning: Several sled dogs die in this movie; though their deaths aren’t shown, some of the subsequent imagery is still quite disturbing.
Thing From Another World, The	Soldiers and scientists collaborate to investigate the crash of an unidentified flying object - and the nature of its pilot - near the North Pole. B&W.	Low	Low	Yes; though not nearly as scary as its loose 1982 remake (The Thing), this early-1950s sci-fi chiller gets just about everything right, with entertaining dialog, high-stakes tension, and a truly intimidating antagonist. Warning: 3 sled dogs die (and are briefly shown dead) in this film.
Tremors	Improbably gigantic earth-burrowing killer worms attack a tiny desert outpost.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes, if you're looking for some silly, action-oriented creature feature fun. This sun-drenched movie is more about jokey characters and one-liners than scares, but the stakes are still high enough to keep things lively.
Trick 'R' Treat	A town that takes Halloween especially seriously is the site of several intertwined tales of terror.	Medium	Medium	Yes, although sometimes the film is a little too grim for its own good. Not exactly a horror-comedy, it's more of a true horror anthology with a dark sense of humor around the edges. Has some memorable characters and fun twists.
Trilogy of Terror	Karen Black stars in this infamous 1975 ABC Movie of the Week that collects three original short horror stories.	Low	Low	No, but we didn’t hate it. We can’t recommend it because it's dated, culturally offensive in spots, and just not very memorable or surprising by modern standards.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil	Two bumbling rednecks are excited to finally have their very own fishing cabin near a remote lake, but they're mistaken for psycho killers by a group of college students on a camping trip.	Low	Medium	Yes. This good-hearted (if gory) horror-comedy of errors is funny, fast-paced, and engaging from start to finish.
Under the Shadow	An Iranian family lives in constant fear of bombings during wartime, but there also seems to be a dark supernatural force hunting their children. Iranian.	Medium-high	None	Yes, though the pacing is uneven. There are some good scares, and a palpable sense of dread throughout.
Underworld	Selene, a vampire “Death Dealer,” lives for fighting lycans (werewolves), but things quickly become complicated when she decides to find out why her foes are trying to capture a seemingly ordinary human.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes, assuming a gothic werewolf-versus-vampire action film that shamelessly cribs visuals from The Matrix is your cup of tea. Kate Beckinsale is perfectly cast as the tough-but-haunted Selene, and the story, though confusing in spots, is generally fun to watch.
Underworld: Awakening	The fourth Underworld movie returns to the story of the Death Dealer Selene, who awakens from a deep freeze in the near future to discover a frightening new world where creatures of the night are being systematically eradicated, and her true love is nowhere to be found.	Very low	Medium-low	Not really, though if you're invested in the series, you may as well watch it – Beckinsale acrobatically deep-sixing her many foes is as fun to watch as ever, even if most of the rest of the movie is clunky and unpleasantly grim (even by Underworld standards).
Underworld: Evolution	The second in the Underworld series of vampire vs. werewolf action movies, continuing Selene's saga.	Very low	Low	Yes and no – you'll either like these movies or you won't. They're slick, silly, and not very good, but they can be fun to watch. If you liked the first one, you’ll probably enjoy this direct sequel, too, but in any case, start there, not here.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans	The third Underworld movie, this prequel tells the tragic origin story of Lucien, the immortal leader of the lycans, hundreds of years before the other entries in the series.	Very low	Low	Yes, surprisingly. This gothic-medieval fantasy adventure is bolstered by predictably good performances from veteran series actors Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy, lush (albeit CG-laden) visuals, and a well-written story full of likable heroes and despicable villains. It may just be the best movie in the series to date.
Uninvited, The	A brother and sister visiting from London decide on a whim to buy a rambling old seaside estate, and soon become convinced that the building is haunted. B&W.	Low	None	Yes. This 1944 British film is full of likable characters and cheerful dialogue, as the heroes investigate the tragic story of the house and seek to correct old injustices. It also has good special effects and a satisfying conclusion.
Us	A family on vacation in Santa Cruz is confronted by their vicious doppelgangers.	High	Medium-low	Yes. There are some gaping holes in the eventual exposition, but this effective, sticks-with-you horror film from writer-director-producer Jordan Peele (Get Out, Nope) is an entertaining, scary, and extremely bloody (but not very gory) ride that never slows down.
Valhalla Rising	In the age of the Crusades, mute Norse slave/gladiator One-Eye is cursed to return to the hell (or is it Hel, the city?) from whence his captors say they dragged him.	Low	Medium-high	Not generally. Personally, I like this grim, bleak action-drama from Danish auteur Nicolas Winding Refn a lot, but it's hard to recommend to others. It's slow, heavy, and difficult to appreciate without an academic background in ancient Norse customs and folklore.
Vampire In Brooklyn	An ancient vampire leaves his former home in the Caribbean to seek a mate, the last living woman with vampire blood, who resides somewhere in Brooklyn.	Low	Medium-low	Yes. This 1995 Eddie Murphy/Angela Bassett film was panned on release, but has since gained a well-deserved cult following. Not completely a comedy, it's more accurate to call Vampire In Brooklyn a genuine vampire horror film, with some silliness around the edges to help lighten its darker parts.
Vampires: Los Muertos	A professional vampire hunter is anonymously hired to investigate an especially lethal nest of blood-suckers in northern Mexico.	Very low	Medium-low	Very mildly. It’s poorly acted (for the most part) and totally inconsistent in its portrayal of vampirism, but it has an ‘80s-throwback feel that we found endearing - and besides, where else are you going to see Jon Bon Jovi and Diego Luna tag-team a vampire in a church?
Vampires vs. The Bronx	When three friends discover that the real estate company buying up buildings in their neighborhood is a front for a nest of powerful vampires, they decide to fight back.	Low	Very low	Yes; though not quite a great film, this fun, lightweight vampire yarn (with a gentrification allegory thrown in for good measure) is solidly plotted, capably acted, and well worth a watch. The vampires themselves aren’t teenagers, but it’s still a film about teenage vampire hunters, and as such it owes a debt to The Lost Boys.
Vampyr	A man obsessed with the study of the occult finds himself in a remote locale that seems to be plagued by a supernatural evil. B&W.	Low	Very low	Yes, though this stylish 1932 horror talkie from famed Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer is very old, and can thus be hard to follow in parts. It's best watched for its atmospheric imagery, rather than its plot.
Van Helsing	The legendary vampire slayer is reimagined as a secret weapon of the Catholic Church, sent wherever he's needed to hunt down and exterminate unholy monsters. His next mission will take him to Transylvania....	Very low	Medium-low	Yes, despite the fact that it isn't really a “good” film. Treat it like the corny, guileless, PG-13 love letter to classic Universal horror that it is, and you won't be disappointed.
Village, The	A remote settlement is surrounded by mysterious monsters, but has maintained an uneasy peace with them for many years.	Medium-low	Very low	Not really, though L enjoyed it. It's one of M. Night Shyamalan's better post-Sixth Sense films, but the twist is both predictable and annoying. On the other hand, it has some striking visuals.
Void, The	A cop brings an injured man to the closest hospital, but finds himself trapped inside with a handful of others after mysterious figures surround the building.	Medium-high	Very high	Yes, if you have a strong stomach. This dark, grim, relentless cosmic horror film features an astonishing amount of stomach-churning gore, but it leans a little more to the side of “brutal and combative” than “torturous and agonizing.” (There’s some of both, though.) A few hard-to-believe choices undercut the story a little, but not enough to keep it from being a solid nail-biter. Warning: Contains explicit scenes relating to pregnancy trauma.
Wailing, The	Violent troubles plaguing a small mountain village may be the result of a supernatural evil. Korean.	Medium	Medium	Maybe. It has some good scares and some enjoyably weird goings-on, but it's also very grim, very difficult to follow, occasionally gory, and a bit overlong.
Waiting, The	A man working at a haunted hotel becomes intrigued by its resident ghost.	Low	None	Yes, a bit. It suffers from badly-written dialog, spotty acting, a few jarring cuts and a couple of plot holes, but if you're willing to let those things slide, The Waiting is a fun, unexpectedly sweet little indie ghost story.
Werewolves Within	The tiny hamlet of Beaverfield finds itself cut off from the outside world just as rumors begin to fly that someone among them might be a murderous werewolf.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes; a delightful cast and fun central premise make this a horror-comedy worth seeing. Despite life-and-death stakes, it manages to stay pretty light and kind-hearted throughout. Warning: a dog’s death is implied in the film, though the death is neither seen nor heard.
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?	Two once-famous sisters live together in an old Hollywood mansion, but each harbors complex feelings of resentment and guilt towards the other. B&W.	Low	Low	Yes. This somewhat grotesque 1962 psychological horror-thriller should have been mediocre at best, but the incredible, high-contrast performances of silver screen legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford elevate it to must-see status. Warning: A bird is killed (off-screen) in this film, and is later seen dead.
What Lies Beneath	A nervous housewife is haunted, both by the feeling that something isn't right with her neighbors, and (possibly) by a ghost.	Low	Very low	Mildly. It's a decent psychological thriller with some good surprises and a healthy dose of the supernatural to keep things interesting, but it sometimes feels a bit too twisty for its own good.
What We Do in the Shadows	A mockumentary about a group of immortal vampires rooming together in a drafty old house in New Zealand.	Very low	Low	Yes; it's a fresh and hilarious take on hybrid comedy/horror from New Zealand director Taika Waititi (Hunt For the Wilderpeople, Thor: Ragnarok), who also costars as a cheerful vampire with a bit of a Felix Ungar streak. If you like the film, check out the TV series, too!
Wicker Man, The	A straitlaced Scottish police sergeant flies to the remote pagan island of Summerisle to investigate reports of a missing girl.	Low	Medium	Yes, because it’s very well acted (Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee are particularly compelling) and thoughtfully scripted. With that said, and despite its quality, I personally didn’t like it because it hinges on a climax full of prolonged and pitiable suffering, which I don’t find entertaining.
Willy's Wonderland	An off-kilter drifter gets stranded in a remote town where he's forced to spend the night cleaning a defunct children's event space filled with possessed animatronics.	Low	Medium	Yes. This endearingly trope-ridden Five Nights at Freddy's-inspired horror/action indie is a lightweight, tongue-in-cheek romp, easy on true scares and heavy on “hell yeah” moments.
Winchester	Sarah Winchester, the famous widow and heiress to the eponymous arms manufacturing fortune, is the target of a scheme to call her sanity into question and revoke her stake in the company.	Medium-low	Low	Not really, but it's tolerable. The tone (triumphant drama) is very odd for an ostensible horror movie, and the scares are (1) few and (2) 100% jump scares.
Wind, The	A 19th-century pioneer woman becomes convinced that an evil force haunts the wind on the lonely prairie where she and her husband live.	Medium-low	Medium-low	Yes; though clearly influenced by superior American folk-horror movie The Witch, The Wind does good work with its own remote setting and distressed characters, telling a tale that’s as sparse and unforgiving as the prairie itself.
Witch, The	A Puritan family is forced out of their settlement and into the New England hinterlands, where evil begins to stalk them.	High	Medium-low	Yes. This backwoods chiller based on old Puritan folklore is a finely-crafted and uniquely American work of must-see horror cinema.
Witches of Eastwick, The	A trio of women consort with the Devil and soon find themselves in too deep to get back out again.	Low	Very low	No; despite some incredible star power, this movie feels bloated and directionless.
Witches, The	Bored children stuck at a convention center hotel discover that witches are real, and that they hate children more than anything else.	Low	Medium-low	Yes; it's pretty dark for a kid's movie, but that only makes this 1990 adaptation of Roald Dahl's book more fun to watch as an adult. It's not great, but it's good enough to warrant a viewing. (For the 2020 version, see Roald Dahl's The Witches.)
Wolfcop	A cop is cursed with lycanthropy in this cornball, Z-grade ode to '80s video nasties.	Very low	Very high	No – it's purposefully bad, but that doesn't excuse just how putrid it actually is. It might be worth a chortle afterward, but that's a small payoff for having to sit through the entire thing.
Woman In Black, The	A down-and-out young barrister has one last chance to prove himself to his firm, by visiting a long-abandoned seaside manse with a tragic past and getting its papers in order.	Medium-high	Very low	Yes; it's a classic, sad-and-spooky British ghost story, with lots of enjoyable chills and scares, tons of beautifully filmed late-Victorian atmosphere, and a solid performance from Daniel Radcliffe as the hapless barrister.
Wrath of Becky, The	In this sequel to Becky, jaded 16-year-old Becky squares off against a cell of violent white supremacists after they invade the house where she's been laying low for the past year.	Very low	Medium-low	Yes. There are a couple moments early on when the film falls back on disappointing tropes, but overall, this clever, topical, and bloody revenge flick will have you laughing and cheering for its plucky protagonist as she picks off a laundry list of hateful jerks one after another.
Young Frankenstein	Mel Brooks' take on Frankenstein movies, full of crude humor and high silliness alike. B&W.	None	Very low	Yes; it's racy and a bit dated, but genuinely fun, a fine showcase for Brooks' satirical talent. Many call it their favorite Frankenstein film, despite the fact that it's not even a little bit serious.