If you'd rather stay in the warmth this year instead of dressing up and braving the cold for the second year dressed up as a cat (aka, me)...because let's face it, you always leave it last minute and panic.
And you don't even need to panic about what movies to watch either, because I've been organised and picked some out for you yay!
These are my own personal favourites amongst those that I have seen - I'm aware there's a load of other fantastic horror movies out there and I've merely scratched the surface of this genre...but these are my favourites!
🎃 Enjoy and happy Halloween! 🎃
Donnie Darko
A teenager named Donnie Darko played by the b-e-a-utiful Jake Gyllenhaal, sleepwalks out of his house one night and sees a huge freaky demon rabbit called Frank. Frank then tells him the world is going to end in 28 days. Donnie then returns home to find a massive jet engine has crashed into his bedroom...y'know, as you do. Things get freakier and weirder and the audience is left to wonder - is he maybe living in a parallel universe...or is it just his mind playing tricks on him...or is the world really going to end? I've seen this movie several times, even read a book about it, and don't feel much closer to what it's all really about, or what the ending of the movie entails. However, no matter how many times I see it, it still leaves me pondering and is still one of the best (probably underrated) screenplays out there. It's not a jump-scare type movie but it will freak with your brain.
The Silence Of The Lambs
A cult classic but I couldn't leave it out. A smart-cookie student at the FBI's training academy, Clarice, played by Jodie Foster is asked to interview a certain Dr. Hannibal Lecter - a genius psychiatrist. But, Hannibal is also a violent psychopath - of course, it wouldn't be a Halloween movie without one of those! He's been put behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Lecter is believed to have an insight into a case therefore Clarice is selected as 'bait' to get him to spill the beans. It's a creepy movie, it's gross, disturbing and unpleasant and jumps up on you when you least expect it to...but it is Halloween after all.
Black Mirror
Maybe not your typical thing to watch on Halloween, and it's tv not a movie, but what's scarier than a dystopian future? I've mentioned my love for BM on here before so it's clear to say I'm a fan! Each episode features a new story centered around an aspect of modern technology and our unease with the modern world, one scarier than the next - all depicting scary truths about an alternative present or the near future which will be sure to be leave you feeling spooked and questioning the world around you...
The Exorcist
I only saw The Exorcist for the first time this year and it was probably the most visually disturbing horror movie I've seen. Let's not talk about the make up or distorted voices of protagonist Regan - it literally made me sick to my stomach! Naturally, her mother is a bit worried, as any mum would be if their child begins levitating! A local priest believes the girl may be seized by the devil and therefore wants to perform an exorcism on her. If this movie doesn't freak you out, you're probably possessed too!
Get Out
Main characters, Chris and his girlfriend, Rose have reached the point of dating when she's ready to introduce him to her parents. As if this isn't scary enough in itself, let's throw a horror genre into the mix! Rose invites Chris for a weekend away to finally meet mum n dad, who are a little bit too accommodating, which Chris tries to brush off as their anxious attempts to deal with the fact he's, well, black. However, as the weekend unfolds, he realises their initial behaviour was just the tip of iceberg and something real funny is going on in their household...
The Shining
Jack (played brilliantly by Jack Nicholson) decides to take up the position as winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel along with his wife, Wendy and son, Danny. Jack, a recovering alcoholic, seems to think embarking on this adventure will cure him of his writer's block when really it just drives him crazy! Danny also possesses psychic abilities which exposes him to the hotel's horrific past. So as you can imagine, it's a cocktail for disaster waiting to happen, and so entertaining and great and a visual masterpiece by Stanley Kubrick. If you have seen The Shining, or plan to, another great follow-up is watching the documentary Room 237 which delves into the many possible meanings behind the film.
Rosemary's Baby
Rosemary and Guy, her husband, move to their new apartment in New York which has an odd reputation and even weirder neighbours. In short, Rosemary finds out she is pregnant then becomes paranoid and increasingly suspicious that both her husband and her neighbours are hatching a plan against her baby. The audience is never quite sure whether Rosemary's experiences are truly supernatural or made up, imaginative hallucinations...leaving the viewer unsettled and uncomfortable and questioning reality.
Psycho
I saw Pyscho for the first time in my first year of university and remember analyzing the iconic shower scene for a whole lecture - that's where my tuition fees went! Regardless, this film is iconic for a reason, being one of the most violent and horrific films of it's time. Marion is a secretary in Phoenix who's just stole 40,000 dollars from her employer to spontaneously run away with her boyfriend - silly move, Marion! On her escapade she becomes exhausted whilst driving and decides to stop for the night at the infamous Bates Motel. She meets the extremely polite and formal but very awkward proprietor Norman Bates who lives with his possessive mother, or does he? Dun dun dun!
mother!
Lastly I'm choosing the most recent movie of the bunch. Darren Aronofsky's widely controversial mother! is about a couple's relationship which is tested when many uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. Her, played by Jennifer Lawrence and Him, played by Javier Bardem begin to find their quiet, peaceful home descending into chaos though it's only really Her that seems to care...whilst Him is more concerned about his next creative masterpiece. It's a powerful, anxiety-inducing, psychological thriller crossing themes of love, passion and religion all wrapped up in one claustrophobic home bound to have you reaching for an escape!
What are your favourite movies to watch on Halloween?
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