Turn off the lights. Turn up the terror.

As the leaves turn crimson and the nights grow longer, Halloween approaches with its promise of spine-tingling thrills and heart-pounding scares. Whether you’re a seasoned horror aficionado or a casual fan looking for a good fright, we’ve curated a guide on some of the best horror movies to watch this Halloween. From psychological terror to supernatural nightmares, these movies represent the best that modern horror cinema has to offer.

Here are the best horror movies to watch this Halloween:

Hereditary

Ari Aster’s directorial debut redefined what horror could be in the 21st century. This devastating family tragedy spirals into a nightmare of grief, guilt and occult terror that will leave you emotionally shattered. What starts as a meditation on inherited trauma becomes something far more sinister, with imagery that will haunt your dreams long after the credits roll.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Blending courtroom drama with supernatural horror, this underrated gem takes a unique approach to demonic possession. Based on the true story of Anneliese Michel, the film follows a lawyer defending a priest accused of negligent homicide after an exorcism goes wrong.

The Conjuring

James Wan’s masterclass in old-school horror filmmaking proves that sometimes the classics never go out of style. Following paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren as they help a family terrorised by a dark presence in their farmhouse, the film is a perfectly crafted haunted house story.

The Shining

The Shining is Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 psychological horror masterpiece about Jack Torrance, a writer who becomes the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel with his wife Wendy and psychic son Danny. As snowfall traps them in the mountains, Jack’s sanity unravels under the hotel’s malevolent influence, transforming him from protective father to axe-wielding maniac.

It

Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of Stephen King’s epic novel brought Pennywise the Dancing Clown back to terrify a new generation. Bill Skarsgård’s performance as the shapeshifting demon is both playful and genuinely menacing, creating a villain that’s impossible to forget. But what elevates the film beyond its scares is its heart—the story of the Losers’ Club, a group of outcast kids facing their fears together, resonates deeply.

Insidious

Before The Conjuring, James Wan and Leigh Whannell teamed up for this inventive haunted house film that subverts expectations. When a family’s son falls into a mysterious coma and supernatural events begin occurring, they discover the house isn’t haunted—their son is. T

Until Dawn

While technically a video game rather than a film, Until Dawn deserves a spot on any horror watchlist for its cinematic approach to interactive storytelling. Eight friends return to a remote mountain lodge one year after a tragic accident, only to find themselves hunted by something sinister.

Sinister

Scott Derrickson’s film about a true-crime writer who discovers a box of disturbing home movies is brutally effective horror. Ethan Hawke plays Ellison Oswalt, whose ambition leads him down a dark path as he investigates the snuff films’ connection to a series of family murders.