5 Movies You Should Watch This Halloween

Halloween is finally upon us, and what better way to celebrate the spookiest day of the year than by binging some of horror’s finest offerings?

Whether you’re trick-or-treating, partying, or just staying in, here are five horror movies to watch to get in the spirit this Halloween, listed in order of release date.

Psycho (1960)

When Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) checks into Bates Motel in the middle of a rainstorm with only a suitcase and a stolen $40,000, she thinks it’s only a quick pit stop before she runs away with her boyfriend.

Unfortunately, her brief acquaintanceship with the proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), results in a fatal encounter with Norman’s psychotic “mother”.

If black and white movies aren’t your thing, try Psycho’s contemporary prequel, the television show Bates Motel.

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

LA-based loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is desperate for a promotion.

When her boss tells her she needs to prove she is capable of making tough decisions, Christine denies an elderly Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) a third extension on her home loan and calls security when Mrs. Ganush falls to her knees begging for another chance.

Mrs. Ganush’s despair quickly subsides to rage as she places a curse on Christine, who learns she has three days before a demon will drag her soul to hell.

And she didn’t even get the promotion she was gunning for.

It’s a good scare, and a good reminder to generally be nice to people.

Get Out (2017)

This groundbreaking, award-winning directorial debut from actor, comedian, and writer Jordan Peele wasn’t marketed as a Halloween movie per se, but it’s a horror movie in its own right.

It’s an equally thought-provoking and chilling thriller about race relations, well-meaning white liberals, and the commodification of Black culture without regard for Black bodies.

Believe me, this deserves to be in your queue.

It (2017)

Would this really be a proper horror movie list if I didn’t include the creepiest movie of 2017?

It’s the summer of 1989 and the children of the fictional Derry, Maine are disappearing one by one at the hands of a shape-shifting evil spirit who returns every 27 years.

Based on the Stephen King novel, It tells the tale of a group of kids who band together to take down the spirit, who often presents itself as a terrifying clown, and avenge the death of the ringleader’s younger brother.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018)

While technically not a movie, this Netflix original is definitely worth your time — think Sabrina the Teenage Witch but… not. Think darker.

Based on a comic book of the same name, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina follows Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka), a half-witch/half-mortal teen who, as her 16th birthday nears, must decide between a life of witchcraft and a life of mortality.

There are ten episodes in season one, so binge your heart out.

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