I love horror movies. I really do.

I have a tradition every Halloween (whether I’m invited to parties or not) to watch the same horror movies.

I intersperse new horror movies every year, but there are always a few that I HAVE to watch every year.

So here are my TOP 10 Horror Movies I have to watch EVERY YEAR!!!
(In no particular order)

10. Children of the Corn
Consider this the necessary Stephen King entry. It could be ANY Stephen King film, but Children of the Corn has a special place in my heart. It’s the one I love watching over and over. I love the cheese, I love the effects, and I LOVE when Malachi yells “OUTLANDER! WE HAVE YOUR WOMAN!” Don’t go into this necessarily expecting scares, but it’s definitely a fun watch.

9. A Tale of Two Sisters
This film still terrifies me. It’s a Korean film from 2003 and it still holds up to horror films coming out now. There is an American remake of it….but we’re going to pretend that doesn’t exist. If you aren’t used to Asian films this may not be the one for you. There are terrifying images, frightening twists, and an ending that if you aren’t prepared for literally BLOWS your mind!

8. Delicatessen
French films in horror are masterclasses. They basically invented the torture porn genre…this film isn’t that. But it IS a fun blend of Sci-fi, horror, and comedy. It takes place in an apocalyptic future where meat is rare and a former clown takes a job in an apartment complex above a Delicatessen (a butcher shop). I mean that description alone should be enough. I love this film, but be prepared for subtitles and a bit of violence.

7. Rec
ANOTHER movie from outside of America?! You bet your ass! This time we’re heading to Spain (Barcelona in fact) for a found footage style film that also had an American remake…..and again we’re going to pretend it doesn’t exist. This one offers an English dub over the original Spanish actors so if subtitles scare you away, now there’s no excuse. The premise is a news team is following a group of fire men on night calls when they get trapped inside a building with a rare disease that turns people into zombies. Highly recommended.

6. Evil Dead
All right, I’m cheating a little bit. This entry is for all of the Evil Dead movies (not including the 2013 remake though that IS a good movie, too). I can’t get through Halloween without some Ash Williams. It’s campy, it’s gory, it’s all around FUN!! I love these movies!!

5. The Thing
This movie terrified me as a child. But now it holds a special place in my heart since I got to see John Carpenter talk about the making of this film at my college. The practical effects are still some of the best ever put to film and still hold up against modern day CGI…BETTER even! I love this film and it’s always a must-watch every season.

4. Friday the 13th
The first one. I love the fun kills from the entire series, but the original Friday the 13th still, in my opinion, is the best one. See where it all began with a series that will NEVER die.

3. Splinter
This film is definitely one of those, ‘you either love it or hate it’, deals. I love it. The “creature” is never explained, but it is VERY cool, in my opinion. The effects are gross and the story is meh, but it grows on you and it’s become a definite must watch for me.

2. Halloween
What’s a Halloween horror movie list without Halloween, eh? Like Friday the 13th, I’m sticking with the original all the way. Others in the series and a number of remakes have added a lot to this story, but the simplicity of the original is close to perfection.

1. Hellraiser
Another master of horror graces this list. Clive Barker is another filmmaker who knows what he’s doing. Hellraiser is another classic with amazing effects. Who else would think of rebuilding a human body one meaty, boney bit at a time? Seriously the scene where a man starts as a little bloody splotch and regrows into a skinless body is so gruesomely beautiful.

This is the part of the list where I mention some Honorable Mentions. These films are modern classics that have been added to my must-watch list. I have five for you:

1. Cabin in the Woods
I mean it’s like Scream. It takes all the cliches and tropes of horror films and puts them all through a comedic, yet still terrifying, lens.

2. Paranormal Activity
Okay, hear me out. Sometimes you just want to watch ghosts messing around with people. Did it go a little crazy as more came out in the series? Yes, but I still think the ghost in the sheet in the second film was the scariest part of the entire franchise.

3. The Ritual
A British film that I understand can drag a little. But I love the idea of it and the monster at the center of the terror is so cool!!

4. The Autopsy of Jane Doe
It all takes place in a coroner’s office. And there’s a mystery to be solved!! Such a fantastic film that will definitely be a classic.

5. Shudder & Crypt TV
All right, all right, this is 100% a cheat and a little bit of a, not paid, promotion. Shudder is a streaming service that is ALL about horror. From the classics (Cannibal Holocaust, Fall of the House of Usher, etc.) to original movies and TV shows (Cursed Films, Host, etc.), Shudder has a large collection of horror to get anyone through Halloween. Crypt TV is free and you can check out their stuff on YouTube as well as their website. They are masters of creating new monsters and horrors including The Birch and The Look-See. Definitely one to check out!!

Again, not paid to promote, I just really enjoy Shudder and Crypt TV.

There it is. My Must Watch Horror Movies for Halloween. If there were movies missing that are must-watches for you every year make sure to comment!!!

The title of this list is a tad misleading. These aren’t going to be the classics you should watch if you want to call yourself a true horror fan…I’m not the one to tell you that.

This list is all about movies that maybe didn’t get as much love as they should have, I haven’t heard enough people talk about, or personal favorites that don’t fit on any other list.

And to start off with a pun: Let’s DIVE into the list!!

10. Underwater (hence the pun line)
This movie was released at a very poor time…the ads didn’t do it as much justice…and quite frankly I think people give Kristen Stewart a hard time for a role she played 8-12 years ago…really people, she’s actually made great movies since Twilight (and I’m not even a fan of hers or of sparkling vampires and stalker werewolves). NOW ONTO THIS FILM!! It’s really good! The atmosphere, the story, the characters, and the brutal kills are a thrill ride. Also if you’re a Lovecraft fan…you missed out.

9. The Faculty
This isn’t even going to be the oldest film on this list…but GOD I love this movie!! I remember watching the commercials for this movie and wanting to see it in theaters….I didn’t get to because my parents didn’t like taking us to R movie in theaters…but they didn’t mind letting us watch them at home. When I finally got to see this movie it was everything I wanted! The Breakfast Club meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers…with Frodo and the T-1000 in the same movie!! (the actors not the characters….though actually…kind of, yeah)

8. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
I like the idea of this movie. I wish they’d gone further with the debate/argument that everything that happened to Emily could be explained away…they just gave it away too early. There are still some interesting ideas and frightening scares that make this a good film from the possession genre of horror.

7. VHS
Anthologies for the WIN!! I don’t think enough horror fans have seen this anthology (or the sequels for that matter) and that’s a shame! There are some fantastic stories in this collection and each one is better than the last. If you love Tales from the Crypt or Creepshow, this is a series you NEED to check out.

6. Jennifer’s Body
Megan Fox has been given the same treatment as Kristen Stewart. Listen y’all…sometimes actors are given shit scripts. That’s not their fault. >getting off tiny soapbox< But really, this movie isn’t that bad. The most unbelievable part isn’t the acting, it’s that Amanda Seyfried is a nerd…but that’s neither here nor there. The story is fun and the gore is deliciously disgusting. This is a good time film that you’re supposed to just have fun while watching.

5. House
This is the oldest film on this list. This is my guilty pleasure. It’s campy, it’s a product of its time and I love it all the more for that. If you’re a fan of the novel House of Leaves…you CANNOT tell me this film didn’t influence it in some way.

4. Train to Busan
Zombies may be on the downturn…but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch this movie! I think that was actually a major reason a lot of people I know didn’t check this one out. And SHAME on them!! The characters are brilliantly written, the underlying themes don’t punch you in the face, and quite frankly……it’s what I wanted World War Z to be…

3. Would You Rather
Look…it’s not the best…but unlike a lot of torture porn horror films…this one at least doesn’t go completely overboard. It keeps the main character’s goal front and center. Plus…that ending hit me harder than I thought it would.

2. Delicatessen
I WILL RECOMMEND THIS FILM EVERY YEAR!! Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell. But where is the lie? This is a French film. It’s a post-apocalyptic, dark comedy, horror romance. Yes, all of those things. True, the B-plot of the revolutionary group is a little…meh, but the rest of the story is fantastic! Plus, I’ll never look at a squeaky bed the same again…

1. The Void
Another one for the Lovecraft fans. This film may sometimes feel like it doesn’t know where it wants to go…I think that’s the point. Though to be honest…I love any horror film where people turn into disgusting twisted gross monsters on a rampage.

Time for some honorable mentions that I won’t be discussing at any length…maybe to add to the mystery of them…or because I don’t want to go on tangents…yeah…that’s the one.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

5. The Host

4. Possum

3. Bug

2. The Babysitter

1. ABCs of Death

Any other horror films you think doesn’t get the love it deserves? Leave a comment! Make new friends! Or just say hi!

I know that’s a long title for a list…but this is MY blog and I like the title…I really like the word meh…

ANYBUT! Here is the actual intro for this list.

There are so many horror films. Obviously not ALL of them are going to knock it out of the park. Some are SO close though but maybe one thing prevents it from being the truly terrifying film it could be…and I’m going to do my best to present 10 of those now. And because I didn’t learn my lesson last time, I’ll try to give an idea of how it COULD have happened.

10 Meh Horror Films That COULD Have Been Terrifying

10. The Village
I think the twist at the end could’ve worked…HEAR ME OUT!! It could’ve worked…if the creatures had ACTUALLY been real. Imagine: the village was a tasty trap to keep the real creatures away from the rest of the world. When whatever her name was (the blind girl) had to venture into the woods, her father sacrifices himself in order to keep her daughter safe. And when she reaches the wall and tries to stop the ranger for help, it’s revealed his orders are to shoot any who cross the wall…tragic ending, but I mean is it worse than what we got?

9. Splice
Go…full…horror. It took SOOOO long for anything to happen in this movie. I understand the whole questioning what’s human/playing god with DNA blah blah blah, but this movie should’ve just been a full on horror film. Also rewrite the characters to ACTUALLY be interesting and not…whatever they were and this film could’ve been truly impact fully horrifying.

8. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Okay, this movie was actually pretty good…except for the flashes to the present. They gave it away too fast that they were going the “it’s all real” route. Keep that shit until the last ten minutes of the film! You went through all the trouble of explaining everything, but you gave away the twist in the first half of the film.

7. Winchester
Why do we have to have a random character to follow? Helen Mirren was enough. But if I have to have whatshisname in the film…like the previous entry, don’t give it away the ghosts are real. I think this film could’ve been fantastic if it went sort of the Haunting of Hill House route. Have the audience question if Mirren’s character is crazy or not…while having hidden ghosts all throughout the house. Make the audience question their own eyes as they question the old woman building rooms for ghosts.

6. The Nun
ACTUALLY MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT THE NUN!!! I mean, we didn’t truly learn anything new. I wanted to see how the damn demon decided to dress as a goddamn NUN! I don’t want to be TOLD, I want to SEE it!!! That’s it…that’s the entry.

5. Dead Silence
There were so many elements that were brilliant…they just weren’t well-executed. It makes it very hard to identify what exactly was THE thing that bothered me about this film…I think I wanted to see this film occur closer to the time period the puppet lady died. I think keeping it closer to the woman’s death would’ve added a horror element…maybe?

4. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
The monsters were fine…perfect even….but they should’ve just gone full R. I know TECHNICALLY the books are kids books…but I mean…sorry, kids imagine far more terrifying things and truthfully, adults wanted to see this movie just as much as kids. I wanted to see this movie be just horrifying. Show the kids get killed, or better yet…make a version of the movie that’s about adults finding the book and releasing their childhood fears unto the world.

3. Rings
Look…the first Ring was a good horror movie. The idea of making the killer video tape digital? It should’ve worked. Why didn’t it work? Retconning Samara’s story…Why can’t we just get a movie where a creepy girl just kills people without trying to tell her life’s story? I don’t care how she became a media demon! I just want her to kill people!!

2. The Happening
Have someone else write it…next.

1. House of Wax
Make the House of Wax a traveling exhibit. I want it to be successful, not a rundown side of the road show that rarely gets visitors. Also, make the owner personable, likable. I don’t want another mutant or something that makes it unbelievable. You can keep the wound and wax used to cover it (especially for a reveal later), but I want the owner to be, on the surface, a well-liked, charming guy.

There are a lot of films I could’ve included on this list…A LOT. But here are 5 more.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

5. Slender Man
Cut the Ring copycat video…it should’ve been like the Bye Bye Man (another awful film). If you think about him…he’s drawn to you.

4. Last Shift
The only thing I’d change…maybe shorten it…it dragged a little bit in the beginning.

3. Dark Water
It could’ve been good. It was almost there. It nailed the atmosphere, but lost it on the scares. I think this could actually be made better now…

2. Silent Hill
I love the video games…LOVE them. I think they got pretty close on the first movie…I just wished there had been less CGI! Could you imagine some of those scenes done with traditional effects? IT COULD HAVE BEEN AMAZING!!

1. One Missed Call
The premise of this movie is fantastic…which is why you should just watch the original. That’s my fix…watch the original Japanese film.

Do you have ideas how some bad horror films could’ve reached pinnacle terror? Leave a comment!

Horror films generally get people in the mood for Halloween. Though horror films can come out ANY time of the year.

This got me to thinking…why should horror films be relegated to October. Here are some films that you can watch ANY Season of the year:

10. Alien
Sci-fi horror allows scares to happen any time and any where. You think you’re safe in a spaceship floating through the nothingness of space? THINK AGAIN!! As the famous tag line says: In space, no one can hear you scream.

9.Krampus
Christmas is surprisingly a popular time of the year for horror. Krampus goes full tilt Christmas Crazy with killer toys and gingerbread men. This’ll teach all the naughty children to mind their manners or else Krampus will pay them a visit.

8. My Bloody Valentine
I mean…it’s in the name. This horror slasher (whether you watch the 1981 classic or the 2009 remake) takes place during Valentine’s day. What girl wouldn’t love to see a horror film on Valentine’s day? I know I wouldn’t.

7. Apollo 18
Another one taking place in space. This film is in the found footage style. Astronauts start hearing bumps and seeing strange shadows out their windows. But how? They’re on the moon.

6. Black Christmas
Like I said, there are a lot of horror movies that occur during Christmas. I recommend the original 1974 version (also known as Silent Night, Deadly Night). A group of sorority girls are stalked and murdered by a serial killer who’s closer than they think.

5. Thankskilling
Don’t think Halloween is the only fall holiday to get its horror due. Thankskilling is, quite honestly, just a stupid film. In a good way. It’s about a killer turkey. That’s it. That’s all you really need. Enjoy.

4. New Year’s Evil
I’m going to be honest. I’d never heard of this movie until last year, but now I can’t believe it took me that long to watch it. A TV show host works New Years, counting down to the midnight hour. But a killer calls in and announces he’s going to kill someone every time it strikes midnight in each time zone. It’s a mystery and slasher film from 1980 and is definitely one I recommend.

3. Leprechaun
Who’s in the mood for some green beer and pots of gold? Well, you’re only going to get one of those in this fun, schlocky classic from 1993. A murderous leprechaun is after his gold and a young Jennifer Aniston is in his path. There are other people too, but this was Jennifer Aniston’s film debut…so there’s that.

2. Jaws
Summer blockbuster. This film…invented it. And you could argue watching it really reminds you of summer and going to the beach (whether it was an ocean, lake, or river). A classic and all time master class of suspense.

1. The Faculty
I’m not going to lie……I put this film here because I don’t think enough people appreciate it. Is going back to school a holiday? Not really, but thinking your teachers are aliens? Possibly. There’s high school cliches, young actors who either went on to bigger and better things or haven’t been heard from in many years. Truly a primo 90s film that more people need to be reminded existed.

No honorable mentions for this list…otherwise I’ll inundate you with a lot of Christmas horror movies and who wants that?

Movie remakes are not my favorite thing in the world. There is a more likely chance they’ll end up worse than the original and OF COURSE there are some films that shouldn’t be touched in ANY capacity.

Horror films…even the classics…have the potential to be remade well. Humans will always have fear, but as the world evolves some of the things that terrorized film goers in the past may not be as effective.

THEREFORE, here is a list of films I believe could be remade…if done well. I’ll also include some ideas…not good ideas per se, but ideas.

10. House of Wax
Yes, I know there was a remake in 2005 (with the…”talents” of Miss Paris Hilton), but I think where they went wrong with it was the antagonist. They created this strange amalgamation of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and House of 1000 Corpses.
IF I MADE IT: I would keep the disfigured sculptor, but have him more like the Vincent Price character from the 1953 film (which also was a remake btw). He was personable (still disfigured, but more tragic than evil) and the wax museum was popular. Anybut, the other major change I would make is have the House of Wax be a traveling show. Wherever the wax museum goes, death follows. Of course, there would be a young cast who go to the museum and mock it, possibly destroying the owner’s most prized sculpture and setting his sights on them. One by one they’re picked off until the final boy or girl discover the truth of the wax museum…and (another change) end with all the kids being turned into wax figures and the museum moving on to the next town…opening it up to sequels.

9. The Thing
NOW HEAR ME OUT!!! MOVE THOSE HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR KEYBOARDS!!!! I LOVE The Thing. It is one of my all time favorite horror films of ALL TIME! However…there is too much potential in a remake…if done well. (And we won’t even mention the prequel…>shudder<)
The actual horror of The Thing isn’t necessarily the alien symbiote…it’s the doubt and suspicion that grows between the characters…yes, the beautiful practical effects really set this film on another level, but I think there is potential to creating an even more tense and skeptic outlook on the story.
IF I MADE IT: Obviously the draw of the film is the alien creature and the visual effects of its morphing and deforming appearance. However, I would love to see a version where we don’t even know it’s a remake or relation to the thing. Yes, there would be an initial interaction that starts off the whole thing. Maybe a body turns up, but the character is alive. Maybe still an animal appearing that doesn’t belong. Something to begin building on the feeling that something…isn’t…right. And then we witness a character attacked by another character out of the blue and the assimilation begins. To add even more to the story…bring politics into it…I don’t know.

8. Children of the Corn
Because I MUST have a Stephen King reference on every list…if I can…I offer you the possibility of remaking a film that many find laughable already. But here I go:
IF I MADE IT: I would really go for the downer of the original short story. The couple who arrive both die and the children continue living their strange cultish ways. (I know this was already remade in 2009 to be this way, but I still think they added too much to try to fill it out) If I had to add filler of any kind, I’d add a scene of a child discussing dreaming of burning the corn fields and having the other children sacrifice them. That would really make the ending scene of Malachi’s pregnant “girlfriend” hit a little harder. Also, it’s a short story. Keep it short. No longer than an hour. Come on.

7. Don’t Look Now
First off, if you’ve never seen this movie…watch it. Second, this is ALMOST too classic to remake…but I think it could use an update.
IF I MADE IT: I would go a little more into the supernatural…sort of. What I mean is, really delve into the possibility of supernatural occurrences with just the most coincidental shit. At the same time, delve into the mental toll the death of a child has on not only the parent’s mental health, but also the relationship. Strain it harder and adjust who the mysterious figure in the red coat is…you know, update it. Venice is a beautiful locale that could be really used to its full potential.

6. The Phantom of the Opera
Full disclosure…I am absolutely a fan of the original novel. The musical, sort of. But when I talk about remaking this story, I 100% intend the book. NOT the musical.
IF I MADE IT: I would make it a full-blown mystery. Yes, we all already know who the phantom is, but I would dive full-tilt into the characters and events as they are written in the book. We never see anything from the Phantom’s POV, until the final scene. If anything, most of the story should be told from the POV of “The Persian”. This is NOT a love story. It’s a mystery and horror. And that’s how it should be made.

5. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Okay, I know there are versions of this story. But it doesn’t seem to be a story that does well in theaters. Let’s see if I can fix that (spoilers, probably not)
IF I MADE IT: As with Phantom, I would turn this into a full mystery, horror situation. I would argue tell the entire story from the perspective of Gabriel John Utterson (the POV from the novella). I would say have victims approach him and give him accounts. Then we see the transformation and see from Jekyll’s POV towards the end. I just feel like some of these classic stories are so much more interesting due to how they tell the story. I wish more films honored that.

4. Eyes Without a Face
There is possibility to really create a magical horror film here. The original is a classic and deserves all the praise, but there is still something here.
IF I MADE IT: Obviously, full gore. But STORY-WISE, move this to California where plastic surgery is King. Her father, a well-known plastic surgeon goes mad trying to find the perfect face. I would change his assistant in the film to be his wife and have her blame him for their daughter’s accident, even though it would be revealed later that SHE was the one who actually caused the accident. The two constantly battle over blame and guilt, driving their daughter further and further away from them. Change the fiance into an assistant who got along with the daughter and discovers her. They fall in love and she escapes with him as her parents implode over the guilt and blame…or something.

3. Duel
Okay, you could argue that movie with Russell Crowe (Unhinged) may in some capacity be a more down-to-earth remake….sort of. However, I see this going balls to the walls CRAZY!!
IF I MADE IT: Just road rage the damn movie. Have things being thrown out windows, liquid thrown on windshields to blind drivers, attempts to actually kill each other. I want there to be a moment both are pulled over by a police officer. When the officer approaches the protagonist, he’s suspicious of him, but when he approaches the truck driver…they’re friendly?! What?! Add more to this dynamic of dueling vehicles and add paranoia up the wazoo!! GO MAD!!

2. Isle of the Dead
Okay, true talk….this one really works nowadays with the whole Covid scruff going on. Though I would keep this 100% period.
IF I MADE IT: Keep it in 1912. Keep it on an island. What would I change? Take the supernatural aspect and make it all in their heads. Have the possibility of a supernatural reason for the plague seeds doubt through the group. The doctor struggles to convince them it is simply science and when he dies the groups divide into those who believe the plague is a punishment by God and those who believe it is nothing more than a passing disease. A struggle for humanity and sanity ensues, ending the same as the classic. In a sense, a Lord of the Flies sort of devolving of humanity.

1. Gaslight
This is the film that actually gave me the idea for this list. One of the namesakes for the psychological term gaslighting, it’s about time this film was made for the modern world. (You could argue a lot of films implement similar plots, but let me have mY MOMENT!)
IF I MADE IT: Obviously, we would modernize this bitch. So truthfully, not a remake. But a retelling for the modern woman. It needs to be properly defined and shown for modern audiences. Of course it would be a little bit over exaggerated to give the horror aspect a chance to shine, but so many men and women experience this psychological manipulation it’s time to make a movie exclusively about its dangers.

And now it’s time for some honorable mentions. I won’t go into details on these since you’re probably sick of reading my stupid ideas (and because my fingers hurt from typing SO many words).

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

5. Rosemary’s Baby
I know there already was a miniseries remake with Zoe Saldana, but I still think there’s more that can be done.

4. It’s Alive
Killer baby? Sure. Possibly change mutant to…demon? WHY NOT!

3. The Innocents
Ultimately, this is an adaptation of Turn of the Screw…Can we just have Turn of the Screw the movie! Please?

2. The Changeling
I just can’t get enough haunted house stories…and this one could do with an update…but please no needless jump scares. More like Haunting of Hill House, please. Ghosts existing in the background.

1. The Evil Eye
This could be a modern Hitchcock-like mystery horror. The original is Italian and I’m sure some American filmmaker has wanted to adapt it…well, get to adapting!