Spooky season is just around the corner or for some of us, it has started already, so here are just some recommendations of what to watch in the lead up to Halloween.
The Wicker Man (1973)
First you’re drawn in by the music and before you know it, you can’t leave.
The Wicker Man has that sort of hypnotic feeling, rendering you unable to look away from the screen, and why would you want to?
It has been proven time and time again that explorations of religion in horror can go awry but Robin Hardy thrusts you into the heart of a cult and doesn’t mismanage his themes whatsoever.
The Lost Boys (1987)
For those who are perturbed by bloody gore and terrifying jump scares, perhaps Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys offers a campy and wildly entertaining alternative.
These vampires bring with them phenomenal outfits and the loudest of hairstyles, really tapping into the goofy aspect and then being supported by a killer soundtrack.
The first of several films to star Corey Feldman and Corey Haim opposite each other, the former also reunites with Stand By Me castmate Kiefer Sutherland.
The Strangers (2008)
By concept alone, The Strangers has to be one of the most spine-tingling films and franchises to exist in the world of horror.
Home invasions with no motive other than pure happenstance, Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman are forced to live many people’s worst nightmare.
For me personally, the 2018 sequel subtitled Prey at Night is the superior film but the significance of the original can’t be understated.
Hush (2016)
Hush is ridiculously simple in terms of the premise, the execution and everything in between truth be told.
Mike Flanagan has such a sharp eye for making the most in the genre though and he does just that alongside wife Kate Siegel.
This is THE film I cite as opening my eyes to what horror can be and I have an equally visceral reaction with every rewatch.
The Wailing (2016)
The Wailing is a unique inclusion on this list in that I haven’t seen it either but it’s been on my list for a good while and I’m finally going to tick it off.
Na Hong-jin’s Hope (2026), which looks great, faced a very varied reception out of the festivals but the same can’t be said for the film he released a decade ago, boasting a 4.0 average rating on Letterboxd.
Twisted, intense and suspenseful are just a few of the words used to describe this film about the arrival of a mysterious stranger to a village, bringing with him an illness and subsequent chaos.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Horror and comedy can be perfectly interchangeable if done well but if not, it could be a car crash.
Bodies Bodies Bodies fits firmly into that first category with the razor-sharp, modern humour radiating between the likes of Myha’la and Rachel Sennott.
It’s certainly not going to be everyone’s cup of tea but there’s a good chance that you will have a blast with Halina Reijn’s breakout film.
The Menu (2022)
Also releasing in 2022 and also dividing opinion somewhat was The Menu, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult and Ralph Fiennes.
The subversions of expectations on first viewing are quite something and you can’t deny the shock factor of this film.
Taylor-Joy delivers a great final-girl performance as she runs rings around her male counterparts and the audience are also treated to a visual feast.
Weapons (2025)
Behind Ryan Coogler’s Sinners (which I highly recommend too of course), Weapons was one of the most talked about horror films of 2025 to the point that Amy Madigan took home the Oscar for best supporting actress earlier this year.
Julia Garner, Benedict Wong and Josh Brolin play particularly memorable parts as well and this is another movie that walks the tightrope between freaky and funny with elite precision.
Zach Cregger creates a truly eerie atmosphere with some ease and whilst Weapons is by no means a perfect film, it actually does get better on every viewing and it uses chapters well, which is easier said than done!
