If you’re a fan of horror films, there’s no better time to hunker down with a scary movie. As the nights draw in and the witching hour creeps closer, curling up with a Halloween-themed film, a bowl of popcorn, and perhaps a pillow to hide behind is one of the season’s unique joys. But what films should you watch this year?
While the 20th century produced its fair share of classics, the new millennium has been churning out decent horror films at an incredible rate. From spine-tingling chillers and arthouse horrors to intense, gore-filled monster movies, there’s something for every taste preference – and if you’re looking for new scary movies to watch this October, we’ve got you covered.
Here are 10 modern horror films to watch this Halloween.
1. Hereditary (2018)
Billed as “the scariest film since The Exorcist”, director Ari Aster’s feature film debut received universal acclaim on its release – and not just for Toni Collete’s harrowing performance. At its core, Hereditary is a story about a family struggling with tragedy and grief…but it contains more than its fair share of terrifying imagery, including a man set alight, a now-almost-iconic severed head, and a blood-curdling self-decapitation.
The film begins with Annie (Collette) burying her mother, and the slow reveal of family dysfunction creates a creeping sense of dread. As the film progresses, despair and darkness grow, and sinister powers come into play. If horror films were recognised at awards as much as other genres, there’s little doubt that Collete would’ve swept the board. Her portrayal of a grief-stricken mother slowly losing her mind will stay with you long after the credits finish rolling.
2. The Babadook (2014)
The theme of grief also runs through The Babadook, a psychological horror story from Australia directed by Jennifer Kent. The story follows Amelia (Essie Davis), a weary, worn out widow struggling to raise her troubled young son Samuel (Noah Wiseman). When Samuel discovers a strange pop-up book featuring a creepy top-hat-wearing ghoul (the titular Babadook), strange things start to happen, and the tale becomes increasingly unsettling.
As Samuel’s tearaway behaviour escalates, so does the horror, and the exploration of grief shifts into an examination of how parental love can quickly turn into hate. As Amelia’s sanity spirals out of control, the tale becomes truly terrifying. The climax, however, is surprisingly cathartic, and we’re left wondering if there are some horrors we must all learn to live with.
3. It Follows (2014)
If you’re a fan of slasher films with a difference, David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows is definitely worth a watch. This slow-burning modern classic doesn’t feature masked men or killer groups as the perpetrator. Instead, the monster is a supernatural force that can take the shape of anyone – including people you know. When high school student Jay (Maika Monroe) has sex with a boy, she unwittingly discovers the act has passed on a curse, and wherever she goes, this inhuman force will follow.
The unrelenting force won’t stop until it reaches (and kills) Jay, and what’s even more terrifying is that there’s no telling what shape it will take. Is that a harmless old woman walking towards us, or an evil wraith? As you second-guess each ominous figure coming towards the camera, It Follows expertly builds a sense of dread. But this is also a beautifully shot film (the 360-degree pan is especially impressive) with a unique retro feel and strangely dreamy ambience.
4. Midsommar (2019)
Another film by Hereditary director Ari Aster now – but while both films share similarities, they’re also very different. Midsommar, like Hereditary, is also a depiction of grief; when Dani (Florence Pugh) loses her family in terrible circumstances, she accompanies her checked-out boyfriend to a festival in Sweden. But while Hereditary’s nightmare visions are cloaked in darkness, in Midsommar they unfold in broad daylight. The sun doesn’t set on this folk festival, and the horror is dragged right into the light.
Midsommar is a slow movie – so slow you’re not even sure it’s a horror at first. But as the truth about this unknowable Scandi cult emerges, Wickerman-style, the rug is ripped from under you. Florence Pugh is exceptional, and as her devastation and anxiety increase, the tension builds towards a fiery, flower-wreathed conclusion that will have you holding your breath. Although never really scary (unlike Hereditary), Midsommar is deeply unsettling, and will likely stay with you for a while.
5. The Descent (2005)
As we’ve seen, some horror films take place in beautiful, light-filled environments, and some monsters look like normal, unthreatening people. But others go down a very different route. The Descent is the latter. The story takes place in a dark, cramped, claustrophobic cave system far beneath the Earth’s surface, and the monsters, when they appear, are grotesquely terrifying. This is the story about a group of women who decide to explore a remote Appalachian cave…with horrendous consequences.
The start of the film depicts a tragic accident which leaves our protagonist bereaved (there’s definitely a grief theme in many modern horrors!) and, from then on, British filmmaker Neil Marshall sets the pace; the women descend into the caves, become lost, get caved in, and then, horrifyingly, discover they’re not alone. This near panic-attack-inducing survival horror is a claustrophobe’s worst nightmare, and the women begin to descend not just into the Earth, but perhaps into madness too.
6. 28 Days Later (2002)
Though it came out 22 years ago, Danny Boyle’s terrifying zombie film holds up just as well today, so even if you’ve already seen it, it’s worth a rewatch. 28 Days Later is the film that turned the traditional undead formula on its head. Instead of slow-moving, mindless zombies, the monsters here are still alive – but they’re fast-moving, flesh-eating, and infected. And, they’re not just driven by an unquenchable bloodlust…they’re filled with a ferocious rage.
This fast-paced film amps up the terror in blood-chilling, adrenaline-pumping ways; infection is quick, the infected are quicker, and some survivors are more of a threat than the ‘zombies’. During lockdown, shots of the film’s eerie opening – the deserted streets of London – flooded social media, and Boyle’s then-pioneering use of digital cameras gives everything a grainy, post-apocalyptic feel. The jittery editing will have you on edge just as much as the infected!
7. Get Out (2017)
When it was released, Get Out quickly became far more than a mere horror film. It was a movie that tapped into the vein of political consciousness and became part of the wider cultural fabric, yet at no point stopped being fun. The thematic preoccupations are clear, but the film is threaded with dark wit, compelling setpieces, lingering images, and crowd-pleasing moments. No wonder it won Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars (as well as nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor).
British actor Daniel Kaluaya plays Chris, a black American man who’s meeting his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time. While seemingly liberal (“I would’ve voted for Obama for a third time if I could,” the father tells Chris), all is not what it seems, and a festering racism lurks beneath the surface. Get Out expertly subverts the ideas that all racists are neo Nazi thugs, and suggests that perhaps the scariest form of prejudice is a type of racism that doesn’t believe its racist at all.
8. The Invitation (2015)
The Invitation went largely under the radar in the UK…which is all the more reason to check it out nearly a decade after its release. The premise of Karyn Kusama’s film is simple: a group of friends meet for a dinner party, awkwardness ensues, and the hosts’ real intentions turn out to be most surprising…and sinister. Logan Marshall-Green plays Will, a man whose marriage broke down after the loss of their child, and when he and his new partner join his ex-wife’s dinner party, the past begins to rear its painful head.
The discomfort deepens as the evening progresses, but at first you can’t decide whether Will’s unease is valid or a result of his trauma. This is a slow simmer of a film, and the build is, at times, almost unbearable. But while it takes a while for the real nightmare to become apparent, when it does, the shock and violence will leave you reeling. A film you’ll be encouraging all your friends to watch after…although perhaps not at a dinner party.
9. The Witch (2015)
If you’re really looking to scare people – to create a sense of dread and terror that gets under the skin and stays there – you need both realism and atmosphere…and The Witch has both in spades. Set in 17th-century New England, Robert Eggers’ folk horror is eerily believable, from the period-accurate language spoken to the antique cloth used to make costumes. Even the score uses musical instruments from that era, and the resulting authenticity puts you right into the story.
What’s also very believable is the puritanical fear of witches that was then so pervasive – because The Witch is a story about how fear can consume us. Anya Taylor-Joy, in her breakout role, plays Thomasin, the eldest daughter of a pious family whose religious beliefs are as oppressive as the bleak landscape surrounding them. As their misfortunes mount, the family blame Thomasin, not realising that a diabolical – and very real – force is lurking in the words. A slow burn leads to a truly shocking finale.
10. A Quiet Place (2018)
Fans of traditional monster movies shouldn’t miss A Quiet Place – if they haven’t caught it already. On its release, actor-director John Krasinki’s post-apocalyptic film was a box office smash, and a sequel quickly followed in 2020. The concept is uncomplicated: flesh-eating aliens with super-sensitive hearing land on Earth and begin to hunt down the human race via sound. If you can stay quiet, you might just stay alive.
The story follows a family with young children, and the addition of a heavily pregnant mother and a deaf daughter is enormously impactful; how can you stay silent when you can’t hear what makes a noise – or when you’re going into labour? Usually, sound is key in horror films, from blood-curdling screams to grating scores, but the lack of it sets A Quiet Place apart from other films. You might be able to hear your own heart pound!
Final thoughts…
If you’re a fan of horror films, you probably know there can be a strange comfort in scaring yourself while knowing you’re safe the whole time. Getting your heart racing and palms sweating while curled up at home can be exhilarating…even if you have to remind yourself “It’s only a film” afterwards.
Even if you don’t usually watch scary movies, Halloween is the perfect time to get out of your comfort zone – and the 10 films above all offer an excellent viewing experience. Whether you’re into psychological slow-burners or white-knuckle monster films, there’s something for everyone. Just remember to turn the lights down before watching!
For more inspiration, check out our articles; 16 of the best horror films and 13 true crime series to add to your watchlist.
Have you seen any of these films – and if so, what did you think? Do you have your own suggestions for modern horror films to watch this Halloween? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.