#i would have put hereditary on here but the ending was just too laughable im sorry

[battlestar-royco]

some of my favorite spooky season movies!

I thought I might share some of my favorite scary/thriller/spookytime movies, in no particular order, for people who want to stay in this Halloween. This doesn’t encompass my entire favorites list, but I figured I’d throw them out there. Note: the scare factor is based on my tolerance level for gore and thrills. If the horror genre in general freaks you out I definitely wouldn’t watch any of these except maybe #5 or #7. Please proceed with caution. :)

Get Out. scare/gore factor: 6/10 for some blood and tense scenes. Just the right amount of scary, funny, and thought provoking. High-concept in some places, grounded in others, hits hard in discussion of being a POC (especially a black person) in a white space!

The Others. scare/gore factor: 5/10. No blood in this one, but a lot of mysterious noises, furniture moving, misty surroundings, and spiritual themes.

The Thing. scare/gore factor: 6/10. Perfect throwback for cold weather, and it takes place in a mysterious and isolated setting. The effects have aged, but the concept and atmosphere still have the potential to scare.

Alien. scare/gore factor: 8/10. I looooove this movie, one of my absolute all time favorites. I view it more as sci fi than horror, but the tension builds in every scene and the alien is one of the creepiest I’ve ever seen.

The Chamber of Secrets. scare/gore factor: 5/10. I’m gonna bet 99% of my followers have watched this one already, but Chamber of Secrets has always felt like the goriest Harry Potter to me. You’ve got writing on the wall, people turning to stone, murderous creatures running around the castle, all mixed in with typical Harry Potter whimsy. it’s a fun time!

Paranormal Activity. scare/gore factor: 5/10. It’s mostly jump scares and bad acting, so I personally find it easy to just put this one on in the background and be on my phone or have a conversation with a fellow movie-watcher. Like #2, a lot of noises, furniture moving, spiritual themes, and one scary image at the end.

Hocus Pocus. scare/gore factor: 3/10. This one might scare kiddos---it definitely used to scare my sister when we were little---but it’s got silly family appeal. I love the witches, the cat, and the 90s of it all!

A Quiet Place. scare/gore factor: 7/10 for child death and some blood. It’s definitely got thrills and heartbreak and creepy monsters, but it’s more a family drama than a horror imo. Love this movie.

The Evil Dead. scare/gore factor: 9/10, lots of gore, a gratuitous scene of sexual violence. This movie is so dumb but it’s a classic. The effects and acting are so bad that I personally find it hard to take seriously, but I know people who are terrified of this movie.

Cabin in the Woods. scare/gore factor: 10/10, sooooo much gore and blood. I love the horror/comedy crossover genre and I think this one is pretty well-known? It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but I definitely would stay far far far away if you are easily put off by horror visuals!