If the concept of Halloween-themed films leaves you paralyzed with terror, you'll be pleased to learn there's something for everyone to enjoy on Netflix right now, from classic horrors to kid-friendly favorites. For those in the mood for a good scare, some of the scariest movies of all time are also currently available for streaming. Pick your poison and get ready for the holiday below.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Who knew an innocuous concept like "I see dead people" could birth one of the greatest plot twists of all time?
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Train to Busan (2016)
The gist of this high-octane, South Korean horror flick is simple: There are zombies on a train; don’t get dead. Horror maestro James Wan has an American remake in the works, which is exciting. But not nearly as heart-pumping as the thrills from Seoul to Busan in Yeon Sang-ho’s original
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
An atmospheric morgue thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end, this two-handed autopsy stars Brian Cox (Succession) and Emile Hirsch (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as the father-and-son dissecting team who work through the night to figure out what happened to the perfectly preserved cadaver retrieved from the basement of a murdered family’s home.
Emelie (2016)
Who doesn’t love a good babysitter thriller? Rather than play into the traditional gender tropes of “sexy sitter and her psycho stalker,” writer Rich Herbeck puts all of the sadism squarely on the shoulders of his titular leading lady (Sarah Bolger, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Emelie spends the half the movie getting her brood to trust her, and the other half wishing they never did.
Under the Shadow (2016)
In a brilliant debut from British-Iranian director Babak Anvari, a woman and her daughter try to survive not only the effects of war-torn Tehran in the 1980s, but they’re also dodging the uninvited malevolent force that has taken up residence in their home. They can’t go out; they can’t stay in; it’s an escalating nightmare that culminates in quite the twist.
American Psycho (2000)
From the peak of Mary Herron’s directorial resume, we have American Psycho, a bonkers slasher flick with a ‘90s yuppie wielding chainsaws, nail guns, and any other effective weaponry he can find at its core. It’s based on the best-seller by Bret Easton Ellis and remains one of the most debated narratives in the genre. The trick is: Did it all actually happen? The treat is: Watching it all actually happen.
The Perfection (2019)
In another viral sensation from the streaming platform, Allison Williams (Girls) and Logan Browning (Powers) join forces for an elevated horror with enough twists and turns to keep your head on a swivel. It begins as your typical body horror, albeit with incredibly effective gore, and then morphs into an instant gritty revenge classic.
Carrie (1976)
There is plenty of Steven King to go around. But as for the nominal character at the center of his supernatural coming-of-ager, there is only one. Often imitated but never duplicated, Brian de Palma’s 1976 adaptation of King’s paradigm of fictional revenge owes its achievement to the actress bearing the bulk of the tragic story about a humiliated prom queen: Miss Sissy Spacek.
Bird Box (2018)
Keep the popcorn bowl full as you plow through the post-apocalyptic countryside with a veiled Sandra Bullock and her two little ones in Susanne Bier’s viral monster hit that sent pop culture zeitgeist into a meme and challenge frenzy.
Scream (1996)
Classic Wes Craven is always what the witch doctor ordered. Neve Campbell and Rose McGowan lead this slasher gem about a masked serial stabber loose on high school grounds. And though it’s nowhere near the brutality on offer in today’s contemporary horror genre, this blast from the 1990s still delivers the chills. See: that Drew Barrymore opening scene.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Torture-maim-kill all too much? Maybe try torture-maim-laugh on for size. Eli Craig’s sublimely gory, yet completely sweet-natured comedy sees its dense hillbilly protagonists unknowingly battle evil preppies, as they are mistakenly assumed to be inbred killers akin to the chainsaw-happy beast from that slaughterhouse in Texas.
The Endless (2017)
If you prefer your seasonal chills with a side of cryptic narrative, you want something out of directing duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s playbook. Luckily, The Endless, their sophomore feature, is available on the streaming giant. A head-scratching puzzler that involves UFOs, a cult, and a videotape, this one is shoestring horror and suspense that has a mega payoff.
The Gift (2015)
Jason Bateman trades his trademark deadpan for a killer mystery about a married couple whose serenity is squandered upon the perplexing visit of a man from the husband’s past. An on-edge thinker that wraps up with a gloriously wicked bow, it’s directed by its aforementioned mysterious stranger, Joel Edgerton, and costars Rebecca Hall in one of her most solid performances.
Apostle (2018)
A post-Downton Abbey Dan Stevens stars in this sinful period thriller that has zero manners. He plays Thomas Richardson, a man sent to retrieve his kidnapped sister from a cult of religious zealots. It’s directed by Gareth Evans, and if you’re familiar with the brutal diamonds in the rough he’s behind (like The Raid and V/H/S/2), then you have an inkling of the dazzling carnage you’re in for.
Personal Shopper (2016)
Whether you’re a fan of the indie Kristen Stewart that is the muse of French auteur Olivier Assayas or a fiend for the K.Stew that was everyone favorite vampire, you will enjoy the slow-burn ghost story that is Personal Shopper. Essentially, it’s a movie about a grieving twin waiting for her dead brother to send her a sign from the afterlife. But effectively, it’s the very thing that will haunt your dreams.
Super Dark Times (2017)
Though it’s set during Christmas, there’s nothing holly and jolly in this thriller about—well—super dark times. In what feels like the director took the best from bits from Stand by Me, Elephant, and Stranger Things and mixed them in a cauldron to bewitching effect, this film festival gem follows a group of friends into a web of paranoia after they cover up a murder.
Cabin Fever (2002)
Things get gloriously gross in Eli Roth’s stomach-churning body horror. Like, blood, bones, and guts gross. When a group of friends head to a remote cabin for a getaway, they find themselves fighting off not hangovers but a flesh-eating disease.
Coraline (2009)
Technically this film is for children, but if you're freaked out by the concept of a young girl entering an alternate dimension where her "Other" parents have black buttons for eyes and want her to stay forever, you're not alone. It's based on a book by Neil Gaiman, which tells you everything you need to know.
The Conjuring (2013)
Who needs special effects and CGI when you have the creativity of James Wan behind the lens? Equipped with nothing but a few costumes, some really loud noises, and a pair of paranormal legends, the director extraordinaire crafts a seriously spooky tale of a family and the house that wants them out.
Backcountry (2014)
A creature feature that does for a camping trip what Spielberg’s great white did for beach weekends, Backcountry is a survival tale loosely based on a true story about a couple who battle a hungry bear in the wilds of Canada. The great outdoors? More like we’re never camping again.
Creep (2014)
Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice wrote and star in this two-hander that ventures into the dark corners of Craigslist. It’s about a videographer, Aaron, who answers an ad looking for someone to record a dying man’s last words. Sounds innocent enough. That is, until the job is done and Aaron can’t leave.
The Invitation (2015)
A man's paranoia plays out at a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife and her new husband.
The Nightmare (2015)
This horror documentary explores the unique experiences of eight different people who suffer from sleep paralysis.
The Witch (2015)
Set during a time when people spoke in thou’s and thee’s, Robert Eggers’ Puritan nightmare explores the coming-of-age of a might-be witch (Anya Taylor-Joy). Even if you can’t understand a word of the film’s archaic dialogue, the possessed farm animals get the message across.
13 Cameras (2016)
A newlywed couple expecting their first child move into a home where their landlord has installed cameras and watches their every move.
The Eyes of My Mother (2016)
A girl, a hostage, and an urge to poke and prod human flesh. This one comes from The Sinner’s Antonio Campos (he co-produces) and stars a newcomer named Kika Magalhaes. As Francisca, a young woman who’s lost both her parents and keeps her mother’s murderer locked up in the barn, she’s stellar.
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)
In this atmospheric Netflix Original, a live-in nurse (Ruth Wilson) begins working for a retired horror writer living in her own haunted house.
Hush (2016)
A masked intruder terrorizes a deaf author who lives in a secluded cottage in the woods.
Berlin Syndrome (2017)
Another best of '17 follows a young woman kidnapped by her lover while traveling abroad.
XX (2017)
This anthology of four grisly horror shorts are all directed by women.
Little Evil (2017)
This clever take on The Omen stars Adam Scott as a newlywed who discovers his new stepson might be the antichrist.
Gerald's Game (2017)
This Netflix Original based on a Stephen King book follows a long-married couple whose weekend trip to reignite their sex life spirals into horror when Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) dies atop Jessie (Carla Gugino), handcuffed to a bed in a remote cabin.
Julie Kosin is the senior culture editor of ELLE.com, where she oversees all things movies, TV, books, music, and art, from trawling Netflix for a worthy binge to endorsing your next book club pick. She's the former director of audience strategy and entertainment at HarpersBAZAAR.com. When not glued to her laptop, she can be found taking pictures of her dog or haunting used bookstores.
DeAnna Janes is a freelance writer and editor for a number of sites, including Harper’s BAZAAR, Tasting Table, Fast Company and Brit + Co, and is a passionate supporter of animal causes, copy savant, movie dork and reckless connoisseur of all holidays. A native Texan living in NYC since 2005, Janes has a degree in journalism from Texas A&M and got her start in media at US Weekly before moving on to O Magazine, and eventually becoming the entertainment editor of the once-loved, now-shuttered DailyCandy. She’s based on the Upper West Side.
