It’s that time of year again girls and ghouls; spooky season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with some appropriately creepy media this October? Whether you’re in the mood for some horror classics or some new haunts, Prime Video has a good selection of films to get you in the Halloween mood (and if you come across this article post-October, remember that Halloween isn’t just a holiday; it’s a state of mind).
Here’s some of my personal Prime picks to help haunt your Halloween festivities this year and beyond.
M3GAN (2023)
Some of my favorite horror films combine horror and comedy, and newcomer M3GAN continues that tradition. A dancing, hair-flipping, living doll is arguably more funny than it is scary but that’s exactly why it’s is so good. For extra fun this spooky season, watch this and recreate the viral dance with your friends.
Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele is another filmmaker adept at horror and comedy, and his best films are the ones combining the two genres. Since Get Out premiered in 2017, Peele has gone on to become a big name in horror with successors Us and Nope. Both of those are incredible in their own right, but Get Out remains his best work to date. You’ll find yourself bursting out laughing one moment, and terrified into a sober silence the next.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
A not-so-scary film you can watch with the whole family, Hocus Pocus is a classic for a reason. The Salem, Massachusetts setting gives it a pleasant autumnal feel, which is then juxtaposed with the threat of the three witches — played by the lovely Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy — returning to wreak havoc on the innocent townspeople, making for a wholesome Halloween watch. And if you really want to horrify yourself, just watch the sequel.
The Neon Demon (2016)
If you want something decidedly less wholesome, look no further than The Neon Demon. This film is both a masterclass in cinematography and a disturbing spin on a classic Hollywood trope. A young and naive starlet (Elle Fanning) moves into town hoping to make it big but ends up biting off more than she can chew when she befriends the wrong crowd. You’ve seen would-be starlets wash up in Hollywood, but likely not like this.
Raw (2016)
Speaking of 2016 titles that deal with cannibalism, Raw is a coming-of-age horror about a young woman who develops a taste for flesh when she attends university for the first time. The film explores what it means to be hungry in more ways than one and is not for the weak of stomach. Underneath the gore and shock value of the cannibalistic scenes is a tale about family, sisterhood, and what it means to give into societal norms despite yourself.
Train to Busan (2016)
Zombie horror as a genre has been overwrought in recent years, but when it’s good, it’s really good, and Train to Busan is really good. Trains are a great setting for horror (nothing’s scarier than staring death in the face and not having the means to escape) and the well-written characters add a sense of urgency to the plot. We want these characters to survive, because we’ve genuinely grown to care for them throughout. It’s not every horror film that makes you root for the protagonists, even when you know they’re likely doomed.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Beetlejuice isn’t exactly a scary film, but the setting is perfect for Halloween. This is peak Tim Burton — complete with zany characters, a stylized spooky setting, and goth Winona Ryder. The cast is a large part of what makes this great, with Geena David and Michael Keaton especially shining in their roles. While some of the special effects haven’t aged very well, the scariest thing about it is just how boring the afterlife is portrayed. If you thought dying was enough to escape the mundanity of life, you would be wrong.
Smile (2022)
If your Halloween season isn’t complete without a terrifying treat of a film, try Smile on for size. Similar to It Follows, there’s a metaphor for trauma somewhere; if only Smile could stop queuing up jump scares to explore it. Out of all of the titles on this list, Smile is most likely to give you a scare this spooky season.