It’s been a while y’all. I had to go on a bit of a hiatus due to a big move that has occupied all my non-work time. We’ve got a ton of horror to catch up on. But HEY! I’m back just in time for the best time of the year. October is here, and that means it’s time to embrace the spooky season with all the creepy, messed-up movies that’ll make you sleep with the lights on. Why settle for one scare when you can cram 31 days of horror into your life and slowly lose your mind by Halloween? Whether you’re a die-hard horror freak or just looking to dip your toes in the blood-soaked pool, this list has you covered. We’ve got everything from chainsaw-wielding maniacs and haunted Zoom calls to nightmare-inducing kids and clowns from outer space. So grab your damn popcorn, lock the doors, and settle in for 31 days of movies that’ll make you question why you ever thought this was a good idea. Welcome to spooky season—good luck making it to Halloween without losing your shit!

October 1, 2024
Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
Director: Michael Dougherty
Writer:

The ultimate Halloween anthology, where all the things you tell your kids not to do on Halloween come back to bite you—literally. It’s spooky, interconnected chaos with candy carnage and a pumpkin-headed kid you definitely don’t want to cross. If you don’t follow the rules, Sam will make sure your Halloween ends badly.

October 2, 2024
The Wicker Man (1973)
Director: Robin Hardy
Writer: Anthony Shaffer, David Pinner

A police officer heads to an island of hippie pagans in search of a missing girl and gets a lot more than a beach vacation. The final bonfire is one of the hottest messes in horror history. Nothing says “you’re invited to the party” quite like a giant flaming man.

October 3, 2024
Freaks (1932)
Director: Tod Browning
Writer: Willis Goldbeck, Leon Gordon

This classic is about circus “freaks” who band together to protect one of their own, and it has a final scene that’s more unsettling than a bad Tinder date. It’s a love story, a revenge tale, and a reminder not to mess with people who can crawl faster than you can run. One of us! One of us!

October 4, 2024
V/H/S/Beyond (2024)
Director:
Writer:

The latest in the V/H/S franchise turns its signature found footage style up a notch with mind-bending terror. These short stories weave between reality and horror so seamlessly, you’ll be second-guessing everything by the end. It’s a blood-soaked anthology that leaves you craving more nightmares.

October 5, 2024
The Exorcist III (1990)
Director: William Peter Blatty
Writer: William Peter Blatty

Less pea soup and more nightmare-inducing monologues, this sequel is the scariest of the Exorcist franchise. George C. Scott’s detective is hunting a serial killer who may or may not be a demon, and things get weird fast. The jump scare in the hospital will haunt your dreams.

October 6, 2024
Phantasm (1979)
Director: Don Coscarelli
Writer: Don Coscarelli

A young boy, a flying death sphere, and a creepy tall man with even creepier minions—this movie is what happens when you combine nightmares with sci-fi horror. Phantasm is equal parts weird, wacky, and WTF. By the end, you’ll question reality—and your next trip to the cemetery.

October 7, 2024
Ghostwatch (1992)
Director: Lesley Manning
Writer: Stephen Volk

This mockumentary fooled the UK into thinking a live broadcast had unleashed a real ghost into their homes. It’s “The Blair Witch Project” before Blair was even a glimmer in the woods. Fake news never felt so terrifying.

October 8, 2024
Village of the Damned (1960)
Director: Wolf Rilla
Writer: Stirling Silliphant, Wolf Rilla, Ronald Kinnoch

Imagine waking up and finding out your whole town had a blackout baby boom, and now the kids have creepy glowing eyes. These psychic little rugrats are way too powerful to be hanging out at recess. The only thing scarier than their collective mind control? Their perfect school uniforms.

October 9, 2024
Host (2020)
Director: Rob Savage
Writer: Gemma Hurley, Rob Savage, Jed Shepherd

A group of friends holds a seance over Zoom (because 2020), and things go about as well as your average work meeting—if your boss was a demon. At just under an hour, it’s the perfect horror snack for the socially-distanced generation. Technology can be hell.

October 10, 2024
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
Director: Tom McLoughlin
Writer: Tom McLoughlin, Victor Miller, Sean S. Cunningham

They brought Jason back to life, and he’s never looked more alive (or dead?). In this meta-horror installment, Jason’s slashing his way through Camp Crystal Lake with a body count that could fill a football stadium. It’s Jason with a side of humor, because apparently, the undead can have fun too.

October 11, 2024
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Director: Tim Burton
Writer: Kevin Yagher, Andrew Kevin Walker

Tim Burton brings the Headless Horseman to life with Johnny Depp as the most awkward detective in history. There are enough decapitations to rival a Game of Thrones episode, but with more gothic flair. You’ll never look at pumpkins—or Christopher Walken—the same way again.

October 12, 2024
Kill List (2022)
Director: Ben Wheatley
Writer: Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump

A hitman’s “one last job” turns into a descent into paranoia. It’s gritty British crime drama meets… well just watch to find out. The ending will punch you in the face. It’s the worst work trip ever, but for you, it’s terrifying fun.

October 13, 2024
Noroi: The Curse (2005)
Director: Kôji Shiraishi
Writer: Kôji Shiraishi, Naoyuki Yokota

This Japanese found-footage horror will make you regret your fascination with paranormal documentaries. It’s a slow-burn build-up of supernatural dread, and by the end, you’ll feel like you’re the one cursed. Think Blair Witch, but even more unsettling.

October 14, 2024
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Director: Roman Polanski
Writer: Roman Polanski, Ira Levin

Lesson learned: Never trust your overly friendly neighbors or eat their weird desserts, especially if you’re pregnant with the Antichrist. Rosemary’s slow realization that she’s part of a satanic baby shower is horror in its most unsettling form. It’s like a bad acid trip, but worse, because it’s actually happening.

October 15, 2024
The Blob (1988)
Director: Chuck Russell
Writer: Chuck Russell, Frank Darabont

A gooey, jello-like alien crashes on Earth, and it’s hungry for the worst special effects 1980s budgets can buy. People melt into slime faster than you can say “B-movie.” It’s a horror show that’s as sticky as the floor of a movie theater after a midnight showing.

October 16, 2024
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)
Director: Jung Bum-shik
Writer: Jung Bum-shik, Sang-min Park

Another found-footage winner, but this time the Korean version of a haunted asylum is even scarier because the ghosts don’t care about your screen time. It’s a slow build of dread that escalates into pure chaos. Forget ghosts, these spirits are influencers of terror.

October 17, 2024
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
Director: Stephen Chiodo
Writer: Charles Chiodo, Stephen Chiodo, Edward Chiodo

What’s scarier than clowns? Alien clowns with popcorn guns and cotton candy cocoons! This cult classic is as cheesy as it is terrifying, proving that clowns don’t need a circus tent to haunt your dreams.

October 18, 2024
Terrifier 2 (2022)
Director: Damien Leone
Writer: Damien Leone

Art the Clown is back, bloodier and more brutal than ever in this splatterfest that will make you feel a little gross. It’s two and a half hours of gory madness with kills that make even the Saw franchise look tame. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

October 19, 2024
The Ring (2002)
Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: Ehren Kruger, Kôji Suzuki, Hiroshi Takahashi

Seven days after you watch a cursed videotape, your life goes from mildly annoying to “there’s a girl climbing out of your TV to kill you.” The Ring made everyone terrified of VHS tapes and random phone calls in the early 2000s. Good thing we stream everything now, right?

October 20, 2024
Alice Sweet Alice (1976)
Director: Alfred Sole
Writer: Rosemary Ritvo, Alfred Sole

Sisters are doing it for themselves—and for the killer, because one of them is dead and the other might be a murderer. There’s a creepy doll mask, Catholic guilt, and enough family dysfunction to fuel a reality show. If you thought church was a safe space, think again.

October 21, 2024
Let the Right One In (2008)
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Writer: John Ajvide Lindqvist

A bullied boy finds solace in his friendship with a vampire girl, but it’s not exactly the coming-of-age story you’d expect. This Swedish masterpiece is as beautiful as it is bloody. Who knew vampirism could be so emotionally complex?

October 22, 2024
Grave Encounters (2011)
Director: Colin Minihan, Stuart Ortiz, The Vicious Brothers
Writer: Colin Minihan, Stuart Ortiz, The Vicious Brothers

A ghost-hunting reality TV crew gets stuck in a haunted asylum, and their ratings plummet faster than their chance of survival. What starts as a cheesy parody turns into a genuinely terrifying trip into the afterlife. Warning: You may want to call your therapist after watching this.

October 23, 2024
Chopping Mall (1987)
Director: Jim Wynorski
Writer: Jim Wynorski, Steve Mitchell

When mall security robots malfunction and go on a killing spree, it’s up to a bunch of teens to survive the 80s version of “Black Mirror.” There’s plenty of neon, explosions, and hilariously bad dialogue. Robocop meets a shopping spree, but with way more blood.

October 24, 2024
The Descent (2005)
Director: Neil Marshall
Writer: Neil Marshall

Six women go spelunking, and it turns out the cave has more monsters than a family reunion. The claustrophobia alone will have you gasping for air, but add in some creepy cave dwellers, and it’s a full-on nightmare. Warning: This movie will make you rethink outdoor adventures forever.

October 25, 2024
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Director: James Whale
Writer: William Hurlbut, John L. Balderston

A monster romance with more electricity than a rave, where the OG mad scientist and his less-than-happy creation try their hands at match-making. Turns out, being a bride in the afterlife is just as complicated as in the real world. Bonus points for an iconic hairdo that’s the scariest thing of all.

October 26, 2024
Haunt (2019)
Director: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Writer: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods

A group of teens enter a haunted house attraction that takes its “no escape” promise way too seriously. This Halloween nightmare will have you side-eyeing every person in a creepy mask. It is surprisingly effective!

October 27, 2024
Cube (1997)
Director: Vincenzo Natali
Writer: André Bijelic, Vincenzo Natali, Graeme Manson

Six strangers wake up in a cube-shaped death trap that’s one-part Rubik’s cube, one-part sadistic escape room. As they try to find a way out, you’ll find yourself thinking twice about your next puzzle challenge. It’s like Saw, but with more math and less cringe.

October 28, 2024
Deadstream (2022)
Director: Joseph and Vanessa Winter
Writer: Joseph and Vanessa Winter

A disgraced YouTuber tries to regain his followers by livestreaming himself spending the night in a haunted house. What starts as a hilarious takedown of influencer culture turns into a genuinely terrifying experience. Ghosts and social media don’t mix, but they sure make for a fun ride.

October 29, 2024
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Director: George A. Romero
Writer: George A. Romero

When the zombie apocalypse hits, head to the mall, where you can stock up on polyester suits and shotgun shells. George A. Romero’s classic social commentary disguised as a flesh-eating party is more relevant now than ever. Consumerism, but make it undead.

October 30, 2024
Fright Night (1985)
Director: Tom Holland
Writer: Tom Holland

When your new neighbor is a vampire, and no one believes you, it’s time to grab a crucifix and call in a washed-up TV star. Fright Night is a perfect mix of 80s charm, vampire coolness, and the eternal problem of bad neighbors. Keep your blinds closed, just in case.

October 31, 2024
Halloween (1978)
Director: John Carpenter
Writer: John Carpenter, Debra Hill

It’s Michael Myers vs. Laurie Strode in the ultimate Halloween showdown. This is the slasher that started them all, with Carpenter’s iconic score and the white mask that launched a thousand scares. There’s no better way to end the month than with the King of Halloween himself.