must see halloween movies
must see halloween movies
Ahead of the spookiest day of the year, here’s our top 10 Halloween movies that you must see!
I’ve avoided including movies such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street etc in this list because I feel like everyone knows to watch those movies so I wanted to get some quirkier ones on our list!
These are in no particular order because how could we possibly choose!
scream
IT
sinister
scream IT sinister
longlegs
jennifers body
beetlejuice
the shining
longlegs jennifers body beetlejuice the shining
the menu
the turning
the rocky horror picture show
the menu the turning the rocky horror picture show
SCREAM
One of the biggest horror movies of all time. The epitome of Halloween movies. The iconic masked killer, Ghostface is THE horror villain. This movie resurfaces every halloween season (for anyone like me it never leaves) trending on many social media platforms, you may recognise the iconic quote “Please don’t kill me Mr Ghostface, I wanna be in the sequel!” A classic line from Tatum Riley, a character bound to become one of your favourites.
It ranks number 44 in IMDB's top 100 horror films of all time and number 5 in Empires top 50! The world renowned classic slasher by Wes Craven changed the horror genre completely. As a self aware movie there are many references to other classics like Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween which, for any horror buff, just make it even better.
The movie takes place in the fictional town of Woodboro, California as an unknown killer begins murdering people in all sorts of gruesome ways. Ghostface calls his victims and asks them trivia questions, if they answer incorrectly they die. We follow the story of Sidney Prescott as she tries to unmask the villain and avenge her mother who was murdered the year before. Who is under that mask? You’ll have to watch and find out!
Having won 12 academy awards and being nominated for 11 others, this movie has made a huge impact on scary movies and with the 7th instalment coming out February 2026 you should definitely get this movie watched this spooky season!
IT
Next on our list we turn to the supernatural. Pennywise The Dancing Clown, a classic villain from the incredible mind of Stephen King. I’ve loved this movie for many many years and it’s perfect for a spooky night in. I wouldn’t say it’s the scariest film ever but it’s just the right amount and full of jump scares.
IT won 12 academy awards and was nominated for 49! Truly a spectacular film.
A group of teens finish the school year and are excited for their summer break, but Bill Denbrough will not rest until he finds his brother Georgie who went missing not too long ago. The group set out to search for Georgie, making new friends along the way and trying to avoid the town bullies. But what they aren’t telling each other is how they’ve been experiencing some rather terrifying encounters from some of their biggest fears.
A comfort film for many featuring cute teen romance and plenty of shocking scares.
If you liked the mini series with Tim Curry you will love this version, Bill Skarsgård is amazing as Pennywise and Sophia Lillis was up for many awards as Beverly Marsh. For those of you like myself who love secret hidden details in the background of a movie keep an eye out in this one as you may see a certain creature lurking in many shots.
Sinister
What it says on the tin. This movie is dark and eerie and just plain grim - in the best way. I watched this movie a few years ago and it still crops up in my head very often. I hope the writers are okay because I have no clue how they came up with this concept.
Crime writer, Ellison had his 15 minutes of fame many years ago and is seeking that rush again. After moving his family to a new house that was the site of a gruesome murder he chooses to not tell his wife of the grisly goings on he has been discovering. Having found a box of tapes in the attic he discovered that the footage is many horrifying murders and he soon realises they are connected. But what happens when he begins to piece this puzzle together?
It feels so real, the murder footage is horrifying to watch and I truly can’t believe how Ellison watches it over and over considering it’s real life of him. Winning 3 academy awards, 2 of which were for best score and I can see why, this is a movie full of suspense and will have you screaming at the TV for Ellison to turn on a bloody light!
The acting is superb all round and at times humorous. Very dark, very moody with an epic twist that I can almost guarantee you won’t see coming.
Longlegs
2024s best horror movie (in my opinion). Nicholas Cage is outstanding in this terrifying tale and will be cropping up in your nightmares for days after. This movie is not about spiders as many of us had expected it to be so those of you with arachnophobia are safe for this one.
When FBI Agent Lee Harker is put on an unsolved serial killer case she soon realises a connection she has to it, being able to crack secret codes and sense where the killer is, Harker becomes a key asset to solving the murders.
Intrigued? I certainly was and you wont be disappointed with where this goes. If you’re anything like me you’ll find yourself going down the rabbit hole of easter eggs and ‘what you missed’ videos after watching this one.
To read my longer, more in depth review click here!
Jennifer’s body
Grungy and gory, Jennifer’s Body is the perfect movie for anyone who loves the 2000’s and a good horror comedy. Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried are amazing in their rolls, both looking fabulous and performing so well that they both won academy awards for their work!
Jennifer and Anita, or ‘Needy’ as she is better known, have been friends since preschool and are attached at the hip. When Jen drags the pair to the bar to watch a band from out of town the whole place becomes swamped in flames and they get split up. The next day Jennifer is acting quite different and doesn’t look her usual, perfect self.
This movie is a fan favourite and for any brunettes reading this and looking for a good halloween costume this year - Jennifer is the way to go!
An easy watch that isn’t too terrifying but still very gory at times and carries that teen angst feel.
I cannot praise this movie enough, the soundtrack is superb, the outfits are to die for and the story is just so clever, you should definitely give it a watch this Halloween!
beetlejuice
Everyone’s favourite demon. Beetlejuice. Who doesn’t love this movie?! If you haven’t seen it, now is the perfect time because the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has just become available to stream now. Tim Burtons classic is a must watch every Halloween season and a personal favourite of mine. Michael Keaton is superb as the notorious ghoul, winning the NSFC award for best actor!
The story takes place in Connecticut in the home of Adam and Barbra Maitland who are staying home for the holidays. Things take a turn for the worse when they get into a car crash and end up in the afterlife, stuck in their house as the Deetz family move in. Beetlejuice is determined to help the pair remove the family but can he be trusted?
This is the perfect family film for a rainy day. A brilliant soundtrack, amazing makeup and a whole lot of humour, what’s not to love?! It’s especially fun to look at some of the background characters and you can work out how they all died, the attention to detail is impeccable.The special effects are amazing for their time and the acting Is just super! A Halloween classic!
the shining
Another amazing story from Stephen King. The Shining is so iconic if you haven’t seen it you absolutely should. You may have heard actors referring to “The Kubrick stare” and Jack Nicholson does one of the best. Tilting the head down and staring through the eyebrows. This technique tells so much about a character and really works in this movie.
Jack Torrence has taken his family to stay at the Overlook Hotel for the winter months and take care of the place while it isn’t running, a quiet secluded area is perfect for him to focus on writing his book. However, there is a weird feel to the place and slowly Torrence begins to lose his mind.
The movie is iconic with many scenes being constantly parodied in The Simpsons and other shows so you may recognise the odd line. In terms of cinematography this movie is superb featuring lots of clever shots that really aid the movies storyline. So if you’re anything like me and are a nerd for camera angles you’ll love this one! And for the ‘gore-hounds’ out there, the opening scene used 300 gallons of blood so if you’re into that this is the movie for you.
the menu
If you enjoy going to fancy restaurants and tasting menus this might put you off. You have been warned! I don’t really know where to begin with this one but I love it. The Menu takes you on quite the journey and as horrifying as it is you can’t help but want to try all the food, it really does look delicious.
The film is about a couple who go to an expensive tasting menu and things don’t go as planned. The film is a critique on people with lots of money who take everything for granted.
I find it clever how the movie is edited to hear parts of everyones dinner conversations as if you were in the restaurant as well. It also, at times, feels as though you’re watching a documentary while the food is being prepared and plated. Starring the incredible Ralph Fiennes, the acting is superb throughout and he even won the Critics Choice Super Award for Best Actor in a Horror Movie!
It’s a fascinating movie and gets the cogs whirling so if you’re looking for a film to properly think about I’d recommend The Menu this Halloween!
the turning
This is a film you may not have heard about but I think it’s awesome. Based on the book “The Turn of the Screw”, The Turning is a creepy film about a governess who goes to take care of a young girl and homeschool her, but when her older brother comes home after being expelled from school it starts to be revealed that the house and the family hold many dark secrets.
When watching this for the first time I didn’t know what to expect but I soon found it to be very chilling and eerie. I did find the end of the film to be a tad confusing so prepare to have to think about this one afterwards but for me it didn’t take anything away from the experience. Having come out during 2020 the movie didn’t do great awards wise but if you can get past it’s box office flop I think the movie would’ve done great had it of come out now. The soundtrack aids the story nicely with one of the songs actually being written by Finn Wolfhard (who plays Miles) and his band, The Aubreys.
The Turning might not be everyones “go to” for Halloween but if you’re looking to be kept on the edge of your seat I highly recommend this.
the rocky horror picture show
The best unconventional movie for halloween. I don’t think anyone can put this movie into words, it’s just so bizarre in the most perfect way. But I shall try. Young lovers, Brad and Janet, go to meet their old high school science teacher but get a flat tire on the way. They stumble upon an extravagant castle and hope to borrow a telephone but they have shown up on a very special day for the owners and get roped into their peculiar celebrations.
Tim Curry was the perfect choice to play Dr Frank-N-Furter and I simply can’t picture anyone else as the role. The singing is brilliant, it does feel like you’re watching a stage production. If you love musicals you’ll love this.
One of my favourite things about TRHPS is the fourth wall breaks. They’re obviously not something you tend to get in your average film but they are so perfect for this and are done so well. Even if nothing is said you can often catch Curry giving you a look through the screen as if you are really there.
It is so unhinged and camp. For anyone not wanting to be too frightened, nothing beats Rocky Horror on Halloween night.
