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I am not a horror movie expert. I’ve seen my fair share of scary flicks, but I would never consider myself a pro. For a long time, until I was about twenty-five-ish, I avoided horror movies whenever possible. I was a little scaredy-cat and I’m not afraid to admit it. My movie-watching habits have changed in recent years, however. I’ve come to consume more and more horror fare. In fact, most of the movies I see in theaters now, especially since the end of the pandemic, have been horror or horror adjacent. So, I may still be a neophyte, but at least I’m a slightly more well-trained neophyte.
My recent horror binges, combined with the fact that it’s “spooky season,” drives me to offer a few picks of some of my recent favorite horror movies. This is not a top ten list or exhaustive of every horror genre. Far from it. Some of these aren’t even that scary! Mostly, it’s just a list of some movies that I think are fun to watch, especially in October, and I hope you will too.
Barbarian
The newest movie on this list, Barbarian is a tour de force from first-time horror director Zach Cregger. For most of these movies, my advice will be to go in without knowing anything about it, which is especially true for Barbarian. You may know Cregger better from the old sketch group The Whitest Kids U Know. Cregger handles the switch to horror quite well, mixing practical effects with propulsive storytelling in equal measure. After such an exciting first flick perhaps Cregger will follow in the footsteps of the other recent comedian turned director Jordan Peele. This is a grade-A hit.
The Shining
This is the classic’s classic. If you haven’t seen it and you think you’ll be like too afraid, don’t worry, you can handle this movie. The Shining is less about jump scares and more about building tension, and atmosphere. It will still get the adrenaline pumping, but the jump scares are few and far between. Set in a spooky hotel in remote Colorado, the staging, and set design really pull the MVP honors here. Kubrick is a master at what he does and that’s certainly on display here. The soundtrack is especially great as well. An all-around tour de force.
Scream
There is no more 90s movie than Scream. It manages to be funny, wildly self-referential, and wicked scary. The sequels ones fell too far on the side of (bad) comedy, but the first one is truly a wonder. There was a reason though Scream masks were so popular for so long. Wes Craven is a master and really shows it off here. The cast really pulls everything together with some great performances. A must-see.
X
A raunchy, funny, scary throwback to 70s horror movies from director Ti West. Starring Kid Cudi, Brittany Snow, and the great Mia Goth, X is a pleasurable romp. West is great at building tension and showing off the sets and backgrounds. While the climax is slightly held back by some limp CGI efforts, this movie still has plenty of scares. Cheeky, in more ways than one, this movie takes place in the South, the spookiest part of the United States. West is clearly having a great time, as is the cast. A secretly shot prequel, Pearl, is currently in theaters.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Accept no imitators. One of the granddaddies of American horror, Texas Chainsaw Massacre has been remade and sequeled to death. Don’t let that keep you away however. The original still manages to captivate and entrance. The movie’s obsession with blood, guts, and the macabre is ever-present and keeps the story feeling moving. Intense footage, sublime performances, and a lack of subtlety all make this film a classic. Just be sure your neighbors won’t call the cops on the account of all the screaming.
Mandy
Nic Cage is great. An American treasure. Never more so than in Mandy, a drug and blood-soaked revenge flick. Cage’s bravura performance as a man trying to take down a devil-worshipping cult makes the movie worth watching. The trippy visuals, demonic themes, and kitchen-sink approach to plotting make this an intense viewing experience. Some very wild stuff going on here. Trust me.
Funny Games
Okay, maybe I lied when I said Scream was the most 90s horror movie. Funny Games also has a shot at that title. A very German movie, Funny Games constantly breaks the fourth wall, in increasingly self-aware and genre-breaking ways. Through and because of this, it also manages to be an effective satire and horror movie. A chilling look at a vacation gone wrong. A fantastic piece of filmmaking, this is an all-around must-see. Especially for those who like their horror movies a little artier.
Army of Darkness
Technically this is the third movie in a trilogy, but you do not need to have seen the other two to watch this one. Though I do highly recommend the previous movies, Evil Dead and Evil Dead II as well. This is a thoroughly campy movie, full of puppets, practical effects magic, and skeletons. More importantly, there are buckets and buckets of fake blood. Bruce Campbell is a genius who should be a Brad Pitt-level star, and he’s fantastic in this movie. Go watch! Bonus, it’s short.
The Purge: Election Year
Another movie that is the third in a series!?!??! What am I thinking? Trust me, you don’t need to know what’s going on here either. The Purge movies are not that tightly plotted. The director and set designers are clearly having just a lot of fun designing set pieces and messed-up traps to put in the movie. It’s certainly not the scariest thing put to film, but it looks really cool and spooky, and the lead actors are competent enough to keep everything going. The best of the Purge series.
The Wicker Man
I know I’ve already said that Nic Cage is a national hero, but do not watch the Nic Cage one. Even heroes mess up. Watch the original one only. A spooky moody, atmospheric movie. This movie is not afraid to be experimental, going places modern movies just won’t. Weird unexplained things, song interludes, endings that sort of just happen. In other words, it’s perfect. Folk horror at its absolute best, basically every other folk horror movie steals from this movie. A banger