Netflix Halloween: 13 Movies to Watch This Weekend If You Love Horror

The Ritual

A group of friends coming together after a tragedy takes a trip into the Swedish wilderness, only to end up at the mercy of a Jotunn spirit in the woods and a cult that needs some sacrifice. Plenty of blood, a great beast and the British charm of star Rafe Spall.

Apostle

Gareth Evans has gifted the world a trio of action classics that includes The Raid and its sequel. But he also crafted one of the scariest and memorable shorts from the V/H/S series, delivering the "Safe Haven" segment of V/H/S/2. Apostle isn't top notch great cinema, but it is the best mix of both types of films Evans is known for in his career. But the plot is simple, Dan Stevens is out to rescue his sister from Michael Sheen's evil island cult commune. It's The Wicker Man with blood and intrigue, plus demonic savagery by the end. Worth a watch.

The Perfection

Is it good? That is subjective in terms of the type of film you're expecting. But it is twisted, scary, gory, surprising and everything else you'd expect from a fun horror experience. Logan Browning is the young apple of her teacher's eye. Allison Williams is the former star pupil who fell from grace. It plays like one movie at first, quickly changing into another movie, finally transforming into its true form by its startling ending. You'll at least have fun watching.

Velvet Buzzsaw

Dan Gilroy and Jake Gyllenhaal reteam after Nightcrawler, another movie that could easily pass as horror. This time they enter the art world and deep into a supernatural world of one man's tortured art that leads to torture and brutality in real life. John Malkovich is an aloof artist, Toni Collette is the horror vet that won't make it the entire film, and Rene Russo is fantastic as the troubled gallery owner with a poorly placed tattoo. It also has some laughs tossed in, which as Evil Dead 2 proves, is always welcome in a horror film.

Cam

A slice of modern horror follows an erotic performer and her cam show that ends up hijacked by a woman who looks just like her, but is prepared to cross every line imaginable. Madeline Brewer plays both roles and knocks it out of the park.

#Alive

Korean horror is great! Parasite winning the Oscar for Best Picture gave audiences a taste of what they could expect from the peninsula, but there is far more road to travel. #Alive gives us an isolated zombie experience with a focus on survival and what people will do when cut off from the world. After this, watch Train to Busan.

The Babysitter (and its sequel)

Witty, gory, dumb and sexy. The perfect mixture for a b-level horror romp. If you could take something directly from the '80s and coat it in modern sheen, this would be the film you'd get. McG's take on the evil group of Satanic teens and the young boy who turns into a hero by foiling their evil plans is fun. And it got a sequel!

Hubie Halloween

Adam Sandler's latest has been called fun, silly, dumb Halloween hijinks. It's not a bad description and worth your time in between some of the more brutal offerings above and below. Give it a chance.

The Invitation

Karyn Kusama's tension-filled terror about an ex invited to a dinner party that turns into a deadly case of cat, mouse, and the creepy large cult member who just happens to be friends with your ex's fiance. Fantastic and entertaining, with one of the best modern endings you'll find.

Vampire Vs. The Bronx

Great reviews for this throwback to films like The Monster Squad, the premise is simple. A group of friends need to work together to defeat a group of vampires terrorizing their Bronx neighborhood. It's a mix of fun and horror that highlights the season. It's also fairly new, so the premiere could be you!

The Endless

This film is not an easy watch, it's a bit trippy at times and could lose you. But if you stick with it and the journey it sends its main characters on, you'll see a film that pays off. Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead also star in the film that acts as an open door to their other work, including Spring which takes romance and Lovecraft to different levels.

Hush

Yes, it is a similar journey to The Strangers or You're Next. Home invasion in horror is not new territory. What is new is having your victim/heroine be deaf and transplant the audience into her position. It's kinda stressful just thinking about it.

Creep 1 & 2

Another cheat here by including the sequel, Creep is like a found footage horror that takes a twist by allowing the killer to be the focus. It would be a spoiler to say more, but the comparison of this film to My Dinner with Andre, Misery and Fatal Attraction is a combustible mixture you never knew you needed.

Honorable Mentions:

Unfriended - The sequel is better but this FaceTime horror film in the age of Zoom calls and never leaving the house is pretty great.

Gerald's Game - One of the many Stephen King adaptations to come out in recent years, it debuted on Netflix but holds recognition along with the theatrical releases.

Session 9 - Great twist. Great cast. Spooky setting. Watch.

It Comes At Night - Another modern horror that hits harder in the time of COVID-19. A horror film about being quarantined due to a deadly virus with questions about the reality of that virus? It's scary.

Shutter (2004) - Thai horror that was remade in the US in 2008 under the same title, the original is far better and torturous. It is also the film that put Thai horror on the map. Star here, check out the Phobia films and never stop.