Victoria Heath
Halloween is fast approaching, which means it is officially the perfect time to indulge in horror films! As a self-proclaimed horror fanatic, I totally get the struggle of trying to find a genuinely good horror film that is both scary and captivating in its plot.
Forget the hours of searching on Netflix only to end up with a half-decent film, because I’ve wrapped up five brilliant horror films that you need to watch this Halloween. From paranormal films to social thrillers with truly brilliant societal commentaries intertwined within their plot, you’ll be sure to find a great film that leaves you feeling scared.
1. Hereditary (2018, available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV)
Directed and written by Ari Aster, Hereditary is a nail-bitingly tense film that centres around the aftermath of the death of the Graham family’s matriarch and a mysterious apparition that haunts the family. Aster is one of my favourite horror movie writer-directors because of his incredible ability to create slow-burning tension in his films.
“Let me warn you, Hereditary is one of the only horror films that made me stay up at night, so it truly is scary!”
Whilst many horror movies rely on jumpscares to provide momentary tension, Aster is capable of leaving you on the edge of your seat through very subtle and nuanced screenwriting.
I watched Hereditary with my housemates in my second year of university, and it always brings back such scary but funny memories of simultaneously screaming at the TV screen and laughing at each other’s terrified reactions. This is definitely a film to watch with friends, because there are some genuinely scary bits that you’ll probably be glad you didn’t watch alone. Let me warn you, Hereditary is one of the only horror films that made me stay up at night, so it truly is scary!
2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974, available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV)
A classic horror favourite, Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a bloody, gory tale following a group of young friends as they encounter Leatherface, a terrifying serial killer in a barren Texas town. Whilst the film certainly reckons with many of the typical conventions of horror, its societal commentary on the consequence of economic divide and class is a fantastic addition to the plot and contributes to its timeless appeal.
You can watch the film and enjoy it from purely a horror point of view, but there is so much extra analysis and interpretation to unpack from Hooper’s 90-minute film too. It’s certainly a movie that you can watch over and over again!
3. Get Out (2017, available on Amazon Prime)
Jordan Peele’s psychological societal thriller, Get Out, is a masterful film which pivotally focuses upon the horrific consequences of racism in the modern-day United States. The narrative centers around an interracial couple, Chris and Rose, and their trip to Rose’s parents’ house where Chris uncovers a sinister and disturbing secret that threatens his life.
This film is one of my all-time favourite horror movies because it deconstructs and rewrites the convention of where horror can be found: whilst clowns and paranormal ghouls can incite fear, the disturbing reality of society itself being the harbinger of threat and horror is a notion that Peele expertly conveys through Get Out. The cinematography and soundtrack in the film are also brilliant, perfectly adding more intensity to moments of tension.
4. The Platform (2019, available on Netflix)
Originally titled El Hoyo, The Platform is a Spanish social science horror film that conceptualises a macabre and disturbing reinvention of prisoners.
“There are moments in the film that are truly stomach-churning”
Set in the future, The Platform reimagines prisons as cells which are vertically stacked on top of one another, where food and water is given to the prisoners at the higher level whilst those in lower levels are left to starve.
Gaztelu-Urrutia’s film is incredibly disturbing, and has many layers to unpack as a commentary on social status, wealth and class. The concept of the “Vertical Self-Management Center” in the film is refreshingly original and makes for a terrifying setting that pits every inmate against one another. There are moments in the film that are truly stomach-churning, so be warned if you aren’t a fan of gore and bodily fluids.
5. The Escape Room (2019, available on Netflix and Amazon Prime)
Taking inspiration from the acclaimed horror film series, Saw, The Escape Room is a brilliant film that follows a group of people who learn that they are taking part in deadly escape room games and must escape, to the detriment of the other players.
Personally, I loved how inventive the escape rooms in the film were, with various ‘traps’ that did not feel at all predictable. The immersive nature of the plot makes you envision what you would do as an audience member if you were to be in the same situation. I love horror films that really implicate you into the plot, and I felt gripped by The Escape Room right up until the end credits!
Victoria Heath
Victoria Heath is an English Literature and Creative Writing undergraduate student at the University of Warwick, with a keen interest in opinion and current affairs journalism. When she's not writing, you'll find her planning her next travel destination or listening to Phoebe Bridgers.