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Spooky Season Movies
90
items Movies my fiance (Steven) and I have been watching for Halloween celebrations! For us, Spooky Season starts Aug 1 and ends Oct 31!
Sections
2
2025
2026
2025
The Evil Dead (1981)
Steven: I am very excited to show Taylor the Evil Dead films. The original used to scare the shit out of me. I love Sam Raimi's work and his low-budget beginnings. I am really excited for Taylor to see the wide range this franch...
Evil Dead (1981)
Weapons (2025)
Steven: Also great but I liked Zach Cregger's Barbarian more. That said, there are a couple of amazingly good sequences I think horror fans will be talking about for years to come.
Taylor: Really cool seeing all the different perspec...
Weapons (2025)
The Invisible Man (1931)
Steven: One of James Whale's three incredible horror movies, the top three of the entire Universal Monsters era. The special effects achievements seem hard to believe they could be done in the 30s. Claude Rains as the mad In...
The Invisible Man (1931)
The Invisible Man (2020)
Steven: A great re-imagining of the concept. The movie zeroes in on the the "Man" part of the title as well as the "Invisible" part and has a lot to say about gender and relationship trauma.
Taylor: Unfortunately, this is a...
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Void (2016)
Steven: I don't really like this movie but I really like parts of it. Fun cosmic horror imagery and ideas I wish we got more of in horror movies.
Taylor: Yuck. I could’ve lived without seeing half the visuals lol but enjoyed the sus...
The Void (2016)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Steven: There is something timeless about the paranoid third act and those shots of Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter fleeing from the entire town.
Taylor: Pretty good story telling for the time. I liked the use o...
The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Steven: A classic that everyone should see at least once and a great one to re-watch to try to figure out who all got replicated and when they did.
Taylor: I really liked this one. Incredibly pretentious and ar...
The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Attack the Block (2011)
Steven: I had only seen this once before and I am glad I watched it again. A super fun movie in the vain of Gremlins starring London teenage street hoodlums who do some insanely entertaining things with the English language w...
Attack the Block (2011)
Event Horizon (1997)
Steven: I think this is the third time I have seen this and the most I have ever liked it. While it has some rough spots, I do really enjoy this fusion of hard sci-fi horror with more fantastical fare.
Taylor: Really enjoyed th...
Event Horizon (1997)
Frankenstein (1931)
Steven: James Whale's first of his three Universal Monster works of arts. Those classic visuals hold up almost 100 years later and Boris Karloff's creature performance is legendary.
Taylor: Man is jealous of woman being able to ...
Frankenstein (1931)
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Steven: James Whale's Bride is arguably better than his original Frankenstein. I had not seen this one in a very long time but I was impressed with how it more closely aligns with the themes of Shelley's novel and ev...
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Carrie (1976)
Steven: I was not sure how this one was going to age and if Taylor would like it or not. It turned out it was really fun watching her watch it for the first time.
Taylor: Holy heck this movie exceeded all my expectations. I was invest...
Carrie (1976)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Steven: I don't like zombies as much as some other classic horror movie nasties. I tend to lean more towards vampires, ghosts, witches, and demons. But I do consider Romero zombie movies the true way to do zombie movi...
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Steven: When I was younger I probably would have said this was my favorite Romero Zombie movie. If I am not mistaken, this is the movie that put Tom Savini on the map as the best creature and effects makeup artist in the biz....
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Barbarian (2022)
Steven: Masterpiece, does a lot with very little.
Taylor: Love the bait and switch and reveal of who the danger actually is
Barbarian (2022)
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Steven: The remake of the Romero classic we just watched! So I had never actually sat down and watched this thing from beginning to end before. It was one of those movies I had seen a lot of pieces of over the years, I caught...
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Steven: My first time re-watching since I first caught it on DVD in 2005. It holds up quite well and I was long overdue for a rewatch! The second British comedy we have watched this spooky season
Taylor: I had seen this one...
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Creepshow (1982)
Steven: Stephen King plus George Romero! I love this nutty and over-the-top 80s horror anthology that pays tribute to the old EC-style horror comic books. If you grew up enjoying getting frights from Tales from the Crypt then you sh...
Creepshow (1982)
Friday the 13th (1980)
Steven: A couple years ago I rediscovered my love of my favorite slasher from childhood, Jason Vorhees. I am not saying that Friday the 13th is the best horror franchise, or even a very good one, but it is very fun for me to r...
Friday the 13th (1980)
Friday the 13th Part II (1981)
Steven: As a rushed cash-grab made quickly after the first movie's success, I actually think it is quite better than the original. Watching today it is nice to see the cast is much more diverse, even a disabled kid in ...
Friday the 13th Part II (1981)
Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
Steven: My third least favorite Friday the 13th movie and the second worst one we have watched so far. This is the one that got a 3D theatrical release and watching now it is almost "so bad it it's good" level bad giv...
Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Steven: 1984 is the best year ever for movies. No surprise that my favorite F13 movie came out that year. If you want to watch just one movie that best sums up a Friday the 13th film then just watch this one...
Friday the 13th Part IV (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Steven: The original Freddy movie and, in my opinion, still the best! I'm really excited to rewatch all the Nightmare on Elm Street movies this year!
Taylor: I saw this once when I was maybe 16. I liked it then and ...
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)
Steven: The second worst film in the franchise! This is the lame one Jason is not even in, instead there is a copycat killer. I do enjoy some of the characters like the over the top hillbilly mother and...
Friday the 13th Part V (1985)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) Steven: This is the Nightmare movie everyone used to complain about but it plays out very differently now if watching through a queer film theory lens. Easily one of the queerest slasher films ever...
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 - Freddy's Revenge (1985)
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) Steven: My second favorite Friday the 13th film and it is a really close race with Friday IV. This is the one that opens with dead Jason being revived by a bolt of lightning! The intentional comedy might ru...
Friday the 13th Part VI Jason Lives (1986)
Evil Dead 2 (1985) Steven: The most Evil Dead-ish movie of all Evil Dead movies. Groovy. Taylor: This is just not where I was expecting the franchise to go. I don’t know if I liked this movie very much, it felt a little like whiplash. I was irritated...
Evil Dead 2 (1987)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) Steven: One of the top three Nightmare on Elm Street films in my and most fan’s opinions. It’s the one that showed the franchise really had legs and that the dream demon Freddy had a lot of creative ...
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 (1987) and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 (1988)
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) Me: The MPAA really went overboard cutting out all the gore in this one resulting in fairly dull first and second acts but the big showdown at the end between Jason and a Carrie-style telekinetic teen gi...
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) Steven: A downgrade from Nightmare 4, which itself was a significant downgrade from Nightmare 3, but I think there are some pretty good kills and Freddy moments in here. The last standalone Freddy m...
A Nightmare On Elm Street 5 (1989) and A Nightmare on Elm Street 6 (1991)
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Take Manhattan (1989) Steven: The infamous final nail in the coffin of the original Paramount run of F13 flicks. I actually really like the first half of the movie when it is Jason on a cruise ship. The batshit depict...
Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Army of Darkness (1993) Steven: Evil Dead goes to Ren Fair! The movie that really solidified Ash as the ass-kicking dufus we love to both roll our eyes at as well as root for. So many of the fun Ash lines fans love to quote came from this one. Also f...
Army Of Darkness (1993)
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) Steven: Jason blows up in the first 5 minutes and spends the rest of the movie as a body hopping worm monster that can possess people. My least favorite Jason movie. As a kid, I did think the ending setting...
Jason Goes to Hell (1993)
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) Steven: Arguably the best movie in the series, although I still claim the first as my favorite. That said, I do think New Nightmare is very underappreciated. This movie is set in the “real world,” separate from the o...
Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)
Jason X (2002) Steven: Jason goes to space! If you like B movie slasher trash that is so bad its good then this is up your alley. As entertaining as it is stupid. If you aren’t going to watch the whole thing (and I wouldn’t blame you for skipping it)...
Jason X (2002)
Freddy vs. Jason (2003) Steven: A movie I spent a large chunk of my childhood and teen years looking forward to. It is incredibly dated with it’s early 00s craptrack soundtrack, Final Destination style blue filter look, and some stylized shutter spee...
Freddy vs Jason (2003)
Evil Dead Rise (2023) Steven: This is the movie that I think really shows Evil Dead can be more than just goofy Ash kicking ass and quipping one-liners. I like this noticeably more than Evil Dead 2013, the other attempt to make Ash-less Evil Dead. Th...
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Scream (2022) Steven: Scream number 5 that is self-aware and annoyingly just titled “Scream,” same as the first movie. Last year we watched Scream 4 for the first time and had a blast working out the whodunnit mystery. I really liked the new characte...
Scream (2022)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968) Steven: It’s hard to talk about this one given how terrible Roman Polaski is but it does hold up. Mia Farrow’s performance is just as impressive as ever. Taylor: This movie pissed me off so much. The abuse, the manipulation, th...
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
The Fog (1980) Steven: A John Carpenter horror-classic. One of my favorite ghost movies ever! I love how the ghosts look and the spooky atmosphere in the unique coastal small town setting. Taylor: The Fog is freaking cool, visually stunning, beautifu...
The Fog (1980)
Poltergeist (1982) Steven: A childhood favorite that I never get tired of revisiting. This is one of the best examples of both a haunted house movie and a suburban horror movie. Also, impressive just how scarey it is and still largely safe for kids t...
Poltergeist (1982)
Fright Night (1985) Steven: Another 80s classic I am always happy to rewatch. I love what the movie is trying to say though, in the height of the 80s slasher era, a classic vampire can still be just as scarey and just as much of a fun modern movie fo...
Fright Night (1985)
The Babadook (2014) Steven: The movie left a big mark on me the first time I saw it. It is a story largely about grief and I saw it shortly after losing my mom in 2015. Not only did it really connect with me at a time when it would have hit the harde...
The Babadook (2014)
The Mummy (1932) Steven: The OG mummy movie. A Universal monster movie that is more of a gothic romance than a creature feature. The way Boris Karloff plays the mummy, who only appears in classic bandages once, seems more like he is playing Dracula. ...
The Mummy (1932)
The Wolf Man (1941) Steven: Lon Chaney Jr.’s debut as the Wolf Man. A great example of classic Universal gothic atmosphere and imagery. There aren’t many great werewolf movies but there’s a lot of pretty good ones and this is one of them. Taylor: I t...
The Wolf Man (1941)
Young Frankenstien (1974) Steven: Possibly my favorite thing from either Mel Brooks or Gene Wilder. It was a great year to show this comedy classic to Taylor after watching both the OG Frankenstien film and its sequel, Bride of Frankenstien, both of ...
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Final Destination (2000) Steven: This was one Taylor had seen but was new to me! I can’t remember why I avoided this franchise so hard, I just had no interest when these were coming out. It was a really fun watch though! I think I like this first FD ...
Final Destination (2000)
It Follows (2015) Steven: One of three horror films from the 2010s that got me reinvested in the genre. I think it is pretty scary. Better to watch the less you know about it. Taylor: Oooof this one was creepy. There’s a lot of uncomfortable and un-e...
It Follows (2015)
Sinners (2025) Steven: I am so happy to finally have gotten to see this after hearing all the positive buzz. I loved it from start to finish! Really great performances from Michael B. Jordan, impressive creativity from diretor Ryan Coogler, and a fun...
Sinners (2025)
Evil Dead (2013) Steven: I guess the jury is currently out on if this is a sequel, remake, or what but this was my second time watching. I am having a lot of fun with the Evil Dead franchise this year and I ended up liking this a lot more on rewatch ...
Evil Dead (2013)
Dracula (1931) Steven: Bella Lugosi’s first cinematic outing as Count Dracula. Dracula is kind of like Shakespear, it’s always fun to see how a new production will handle the classic story that has been told and retold countless times in countless wa...
Dracula (1931)
Jennifer’s Body (2009) Steven: I am a big fan of this teen horror comedy. If you like the comedic horror of Sam Raimi or Peter Jackson and want a girlier version of that then this is your jam. Very much the supernatural horror Mean Girls movie that I...
Jennifer's Body (2009)
The Lost Boys (1987) Steven: Maybe my favorite vampire movie and certainly the coolest. I watch this classic every two years. It was fun to see Corey Feldman again after watching him in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter recently. This is the definit...
The Lost Boys (1987)
Carnival of Souls (1962) Steven: A quick watch if you want to catch some classic haunting imagery and sounds. The ghosts in this movie are such a simple look but they really freak me out. I always say this is my favorite look for movie ghosts. Taylor...
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Steven: I hadn’t seen this one since I was a kid and I am so glad I finally went back to it. I appreciate it much more now watching as an adult who knows more about what it was like for Tobe Hooper to shoot this low-bud...
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Hereditary (2018) Steven: Of the three horror movies in the 2010s that really got me back onboard modern horror after checking out of the genre in the 2000s, It Follows, The Babadook, and Hereditary, I like Hereditary the most. I eat up the Satanic, ...
Hereditary (2018)
House of 1000 Corpses (2003) Steven: A guilty pleasure of mine that I love to rewatch this time of year. Back in my high school days, this was an incredibly anticipated movie that Rob Zombie famously had hell getting distributed because it was suppos...
House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Bring Her Back (2025) Steven: I’m glad this hit streaming in time for us to watch during Spooky Season. I would say I like it, don’t love it, but I do love a lot of the moments, themes, and ideas in it. I like having a vision-impaired character as on...
Bring Her Back (2025)
Prince of Darkness (1987) Steven: Another John Carpenter classic! I don’t always like stories that try to cross streams and combine the supernatural world with scientific reality but sometimes it is done very well and this is a good example. I had wa...
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Malignant (2021) Steven: James Wan’s wackiest project I have ever seen. This seems to be a really divisive movie that people either love or hate and I am on team love. I liked it a lot more the first time I saw it when the reveals were surprising but...
Malignant (2021)
House on Haunted Hill (1959) Steven: I really like the 1999 remake and this was my first time cheking out the original. A gorgeous movie with classic haunted house sights and sounds and Vincent Price having so much wicked fun on screen. I am looking ...
The House On Haunted Hill (1959)
I Saw the TV Glow (2024) Steven: Not as much of a true horror movie as most of our Spooky Season watch list but some impressively unnerving film-making and story-telling. I prefer movies that are less surreal and more narrative driven but I am glad I...
I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
Insidious (2011) Steven: One that Taylor had seen and I had not. I had been meaning to get around to this for years. People had recommended this one to me a lot. I ended up having a good enough time. I hope to try the sequels in the future. I had no ...
Insidious (20100
It (1990) Steven: This is for sure my preferred It movie. I have never read the book so this is what I always think of when people start mentioning King’s It or Pennywise himself. I find myself overall not super in love with It, unlike most other Kin...
It (1990)
Teen Wolf (1985) Steven: Our first of two Michael J. Fox movies on our list! The movie that inspired the recent CW show. This was almost certainly the first werewolf movie I ever saw as a kid. A solid enough 80s teen comedy that happened to be one of...
Teen Wolf (1985)
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) Steven: Universal monsters go “modern” in the 1950s and move away from vampires and werewolf curses for a more science fiction-y outing. The underwater sequences are beautiful and the Gill-man design and suit are...
Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)
The Monster Squad (1987) Steven: Possibly my favorite 80s kids on bikes thing. I had a lot of fun revisiting the classic Universal Monsters this year and showing those old black and white movies to Taylor. This mashup of the classic creatures seemed ...
The Monster Squad (1987)
X (2022) Steven: The X trilogy was new to both of us. I am glad we watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre before watching both this and House of 1000 Corpses. This first chapter of the X trilogy has a great retro 70s feel to it and a fun premise. Lot’s of t...
X (2022)
Pearl (2022) Steven: Pearl was very impressive. I don’t think I liked it more than X but I almost do. It was fun to see Mia Goth also play Pearl for a whole movie. Taylor: I wanted this to be a little more “Well, good for her” kind of scary movie, bu...
Pearl (2022)
MaXXXine (2024) Steven: I was warned this one is not as liked as X and Pearl and I can see why. I do think it caps off the trilogy nicely adding some closure to Maxine and concluding the comparison to Pearl set up in the first film. I love how each o...
MaXXXine (2024)
As Above, So Below (2014) Steven: A movie our friend Dave showed us this year. Found footage supernatural horror exploring the Paris catacombs. It was a tense watch that really stressed me out with some claustrophobic sequences and overall generally ...
As Above, So Below (2014)
The Frighteners (1996) Steven: Before Lord of the Rings but after Dead Alive, Peter Jackson gave us his ghost movie, The Frighteners starring Michael J. Fox. It actually has a pretty fun cast including Star Trek and horror genre superstar, Jeffry Com...
The Frighteners (1996)
Trick r Treat (2007) Steven: This Halloween themed anthology movie always looked pretty cool to me, but when I finally saw it a couple years ago I found it a little disappointing for some reason. I can't remember exactly what I didn't like, maybe it ...
Trick 'r Treat (2007)
Tales of Halloween (2015) Steven: I just found out about this horror anthology after seeing a few recommendations online and folks comparing it to Trick r Treat. I am very happy we were able to sneak it in to our Spooky Season viewing! I actually end...
Tales Of Halloween (2015)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Steven: A great movie to watch at midnight on Halloween to cap off the end of Spooky Season and start the countdown to Xmas. This was a major childhood favorite and I had a great theatrical experience when my mom...
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
2026
This movie kick started spooky season 2026 for us! First off, I dislike Tarantino (as a person, I stand with Uma Thurman), and I DO NOT need to know this much about his kink life by watching his movies okay… it's uncomfortable. I ALMOST DNF'd this mo...
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
As a major shark lover, I have issues with how the Jaws franchise has increased shark fishing and finning. Spielberg has also expressed this concern, so I decided to give the movie a shot. It was much better than I expected! The shark is BAD ASS and ...
Jaws (1997)
This movie surprised me! It definitely has some CW/late 90's vibes. Overall though the twist was GOOOOOD. I'd watch it again, but definitely think the first watch will forever be the best watch.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Pretty good. It holds up way better than I expected, especially with the reveal at the end. I don't want to say much without spoiling, [stop reading now if you don't want spoilers] but I love the queer representation in this. I'd classify it as a “Go...
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
This one scared Steven more than me. I'm an open water scuba certified, and I've had some training to help prevent situations like this. However, I must say this movie is low budget, but does not feel like it. The beginning is a little rough, forced ...
Open Water (2003)
Pretty good. Kinda early slasher movie. Had some creepy moments, very realistic depictions of cops being bad at their jobs. Based on a true story. Bummed that it's still unsolved, kinda felt like a weird conclusion, but loved the ending shot of the k...
The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976)
Pretty fun alien invasion movie! Loved the high school kids working together against their teachers. It has some pretty funny moments and some pretty gritty/gorey/scary moments too.
The Faculty (1998)
I saw the 2009 remake before seeing this one, so had a pretty good idea what I was getting into. Definitely would not recommend strongly due to the blatant assault, it's hard to watch, in the original and the remake. I think the most interesting part...
The Last House on the Left (1972)
Pretty standard slasher. I'm not a big fan of the leatherface mask… it really gives me the ick. I think the kids in this movie are well written and the pacing of the movie is very good. It's definitely unnerving, creepy, and gory.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
This one was a little bit worse for me? The mask really really just makes me weasey, I think the skin edges are the culprit. In some ways I liked the sequel more than the first: the cinematography, the colors, music, the crazy filming location with c...
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 (1986)
This one surprised me too, I really liked it! It is funny, great dialogue and character interaction. Great suspense of slowly picking off the Population of 14 of this small dessert town. Honestly, really well done. Recommend!
Tremors (1990)
Pretty fun, the family is SO likeable and the critters are basically Trek Tribbles with TEETH. It's a good watch, fun for the family, good entry level horror if you're showing your kids!
Critters (1986)
Fun movie. A little tooooo realistic honestly, I wish I could hand some of those honesty glasses to some people in real life… Best part for me is the score, John Carpenter's music is up there for favorite horror composers.
They Live (1988)
Fantastic movie. Exceptional sound editing. Love ASL representation. The family is so likeable, lots of drama, big trauma. I mean, edge of my SEAT for some of the big scares. The nail in the stair had me on EDGE. Overall, 10/10. Amazing performances....
A Quiet Place (2018)
Saw the original last year, and watched the remake this year. Some things are more fun in this, really love that they leaned in on the supernatural themes. Pretty fun cast! Honestly though, just get a divorce, no need to drag complete strangers into ...
House on Haunted Hill (1999)