My favorite way to make my skin crawl is with a good horror movie. With so many horror movies out there, it can be hard to pick which one to watch during this festive season. To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite movies that make me sleep with the lights on.

“Halloween” (1978)

“Halloween” (1978) is as good of a place to start as any. This movie created many of the tropes that have become synonymous with the horror genre since the release. Jamie Lee Curtis stars as a high schooler who is hunted for unknown reasons by the now iconic serial killer Micheal Myers. The story is very simple, so if you’re watching with friends who like to riff on the movies, you should not have any problems following along. Director John Carpenter, also composed the hypnotic theme which plays in my head on loop.

“Hereditary” (2018)

A more recent addition to my list is Ari Aster’s “Hereditary.” Out of all my suggestions, this one probably freaks me out the most, despite having seen it about five times. This movie follows a family dealing with the loss of their grandmother and they start to experience supernatural events. Toni Collette gives a performance for the ages as a mother who digs just a little too deep into her family history. This movie is all kinds of freaky and makes for a great watch if you can stomach it.

“Funny Games” (1997)

My next pick is something very different from the rest of the movies on this list. “Funny Games” is an Austrian horror movie from 1997 directed by Michael Haneke which follows a family vacation that takes a turn for the worst. Soon after they arrive, two strange men come knocking and force the family into playing sadistic versions of European children’s games. While it might sound like a standard home invasion movie, trust me when I say this is anything but. Without giving it away, this movie functions as a subversion of the horror genre while also being one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. 

“The Evil Dead” (1981)

“The Evil Dead” (1981) is a crowd pleaser. Director Sam Raimi created a horror movie that is equal parts scary and goofy. Raimi later became known for his campy style and “The Evil Dead” is an excellent example of his juggling act between laughs and scares. The movie follows some friends staying the night at a cabin in the woods where horrors are set loose, and it becomes a fight to survive the night. “The Evil Dead” is most definitely a product of its time. The effects are over the top and ridiculous; however that is part of the charm. This is not a movie that wants to be taken dead serious, which the dated and gratuitous gore help exemplify. This is a very fun movie that will have you screaming one minute and laughing at the sheer ridiculousness the next.

“The Shining” (1980)

My final suggestion for something to screen this spooky season is Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” This is a movie I saw at my local movie theater when I was 14 and it scared me so bad that I avoided it until recently. The story centers around a man who takes a job as a caretaker of a hotel during the off season. Sinister forces and cabin fever take hold of Jack and he begins to terrorize his family. This movie achieves what modern horror wants to be. There are few jumpscares, instead using atmosphere and tension to build the scare and suspense. Nicholson gives a wonderfully wicked performance and Duvall is convincingly terrified. This will be one I probably skip on Halloween night, but maybe you are braver than that.

I hope everyone has a great Halloween and watches some scary movies!