Horror is a genre of abundance. There are so many low budget, high budget, weird, and conventional horror movies floating in the ether of your streaming services that it has gotten increasingly hard to settle on one. Are you up for a slasher? Dying for a twisted romance? Or are you a haunted house and ghosts kind of guy? No matter what, this list has something that’ll keep you up at night and bring a little of that October chill right into your living room. So take my hand and let me guide you through the creepiest month of the year. You won’t be the same when it’s over (and neither will your Letterboxd).

(Note: The things that scare you might not scare me and vice versa. So if you want to make sure you’re not about to watch something that’s going to ruin your year, I highly recommend checking Does the Dog Die? Before watching any of these movies. And if you don’t like these movies, check out last year’s horror calendar)

October 1: In the Mouth of Madness (Amazon, you have to pay for this one sorry)

Kick off your month with a less celebrated John Carpenter classic, In The Mouth of Madness, a deeply weird and sprawling tale of the power of the publishing industry (kidding! Kind of). Stephen King fans will enjoy the references, Carpenter fans will enjoy everything, and no one will enjoy the very dated special effects that jump scare you at the end of the movie. 

October 2: Speak No Evil (Shudder)

Before (or after, it’s your life) you check out the english remake, spend some quality time with the original danish film. It’s going to haunt your dreams! No joke, this is one of the bleakest mysteries / family dramas of the last few years, so if you’re in the mood for a bummer, you’ve come to the right place.

October 3: Late Night with the Devil (Shudder)

If you were ever traumatized by the british sensation Ghost Watch, then get ready for round two! Late Night with the Devil is a possession, haunting, and late night talk show delight. The atmosphere in this film is clutch for an autumn movie night.

October 4: V/H/S/BEYOND (Shudder)

Our good friends (aspirationally) at Shudder have blessed us with an October miracle, a new installment of the found footage hellscape that is V/H/S. I have been watching these anthologies since the first one crawled into theaters and if you’re looking for one chaotic movie to watch with a group of friends, V/H/S is the move.

October 5: Satan’s Slaves (Shudder)

This Indonesian horror pairs perfectly well with a dark and rainy night and some unearthed family secrets. This haunted house flick will have you sleeping with the lights on and calling your mom, just to make sure she’s still… your mom. Extra points for its great creepy soundtrack and very effective jump scares.

October 6: The Devil’s Bath (Shudder)

The nephew / aunt directing duo Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz are back with another beautifully gross banger. You’ve probably heard of their earlier films Goodnight Mommy and The Lodge, and if you enjoy their unique combination of lushly filmed claustrophobia and truly disgusting body horror, you’re in good hands. Come on in, the water’s fine.

October 7: In a Violent Nature (Shudder)

It wouldn’t be October without a slasher film, and this 2024 indie darling has turned the subgenre on its head. Filmed from the POV of the slasher, In a Violent Nature pulls no punches. If you pine for movies like Friday the 13th or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, you can’t miss this flick.

October 8: Anything for Jackson (Hoopla)

The less you know about this movie the better, because it is balls to the wall weird. I don’t want to say too much.. But if you like your movies jam packed with creepy old people, you’re gonna love this one.

October 9: Jacob’s Ladder (Amazon Prime)

Another classic, Jacob’s Ladder is a hallucinatory experience that follows a Vietnam war vet as he lives a supposedly normal life in new York. If you’re a horror fan and you still haven’t pulled the trigger on Jacob’s Ladder, this is the excuse you were waiting for. Trust me, you’ll be mad that you waited for so long.

Jacob’s Ladder? Or just a really bad trip?

October 10: Death of a Vlogger (Amazon Prime)

And we’re back on our found footage bullshit! Death of a Vlogger was a recommendation from the r/foundfootage subreddit and while not all of the films that sub has recommended are hits, this one is worth your time, especially if you enjoyed Deadstream. You know the drill here, an annoying YouTube personality gets more than he bargained for in this paranormal film that has some legit scares.

October 11: Stopmotion (Shudder)

Another movie that reminds us there’s nothing scarier than our parents expectations! This moody, dark fairytale-esque british thriller about a woman making a stop motion film is definitely on the slower side, but the atmosphere is incredibly unnerving and the end is freaky as hell.

October 12: Terrifier 2 (Amazon Prime)

You either love it or you hate it, but you cannot deny the power of these clown led gore-a-thons. If you’re not into mime work and gallons upon gallons of blood (and some poop!) Terrifier 2 isn’t for you, but if you’re willing to lean into your baser instincts, it’s quite the romp. Also, even though it’s technically a sequel, you do not have to see the first Terrifier to get what’s going on in this film. Honestly, since this is the best film in the franchise (so far), it’s probably better if you didn’t.

October 13: I Saw the TV Glow (Max)

Switching gears entirely, I Saw the TV Glow is a melancholy, heartfelt, and surprisingly funny fandom-drenched queer horror flick from director Jane Schoenbrun, who also brought us the experimental We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. This coming of age tale draws heavily on the darker side of nostalgia and the power of friendship. But it’s also weird and spooky and has a great color palette. A perfect combination.

October 14: Resurrection (Hulu)

The most sexy least sexy movie on this list, Resurrection is really just an excuse to be wowed by Rebecca Hall and her acting prowess. It’s a weird, gruesome, and sleek little horror film that has one of the best monologues I’ve seen in years.

October 15: The Lure (Max)

Four words: Sexy killer mermaid musical. Do you really need to know more?

October 16: The Unbinding (you’re gonna have to pay for this one)

Greg and Dana Nuekirk are my favorite paranormal people and if you are also the kind of person who spends too much time talking about ghost hunting at a party, they might be your favorite too. In between shooting seasons of their goblin-filled TV show Hellier, they dropped The Unbinding, a documentary exploring rituals, curses and how to break them.

October 17: Malum (Starz)

You might be more familiar with the previous cut of this cult cop film, which was called Last Shift, and while you might be pushing back against watching a newer and longer cut of a totally fine horror movie that came out 10 years ago… I would ask you to strongly reconsider. The new cut has jammed in some fun new jump scares, but the effects in the final scenes really make this new version shine and have you asking, “what the hell did I just watch?”

October 18: Landlocked (Shudder)

And when you’ve had enough of body horror, sink your teeth into this VHS throwback laced with nostalgia and family drama (because there’s nothing scarier than wondering if your parents ever loved you). This indie baby follows a man who goes back to his childhood home before it’s demolished forever and discovers a video camera that allows him to look into his past. It’s not super scary, but it is unnerving.

October 19: Wolf Creek (Tubi)

Let’s head to the land down under for a gory slasher centered around a crew of friends road tripping through the outback. One thing this movie really excels at is setting up our intrepid travelers and their social dynamics before the kills start coming, so order up an uber eats Bloomin’ Onion, and get ready for surprisingly well aged gore.

October 20: Masking Threshold (Tubi)

The amount of completely out of pocket total weirdo horror movies you can find on Tubi make it one of my personal streaming service heroes, and Masking Threshold is the perfect example. Set up like a YouTube video essay, this film follows one man’s increasingly strange journey as he tries to cure his tinnitus. There’s nothing spookier than an eternal ringing in your ears.

October 21: The Medium (Hoopla)

This found footage possession film from Thailand is guaranteed to give you a whole host of nightmares. If you’re a fan of the slow build demon movies like The Wailing or Noroi: The Curse (okay it’s not as weird as Noroi but still), do not miss out on The Medium. Heads up here, there is at least one upsetting animal scene.

October 22: Give Me Pity! (Shudder)

This short little weirdo (only 79 minutes long) would be a great pairing with Late Night with the Devil as they’re both alternate takes on the late night talk show from hell. Whereas Late Night is a total nightmare, Give Me Pity! Is more like a fever dream. There’s thrills, there’s chills, and the unmistakable sensation that something is deeply wrong… even though it looks incredibly good. Also there are some straight up jams in this movie.

October 23: I Saw the Devil (Hulu)

And we’re back with the high octane kills! This movie feels more like a pitch dark thriller than a straight up slasher, but if you have a craving for blood, it’ll satiate you. This Korean film follows a detective as he hunts the serial killer who murdered his girlfriend and, trust me, things only get worse from there.

October 24: Perpetrator (Shudder)

I love a movie that has too much going on and that fits Perpetrator to a tee. A gorier and weirder Heathers, this movie combines weird vampire lore, high school antics, a serial killer, and Alicia Silverstone in a way that always keeps you wondering what’s going to happen next. Find a teenager you like and watch it with them.

October 25: Splice (Max)

Sci-fi horror is a little under recognized in my list this year, and while you could watch the ever sprawling alien movies, why not treat yourself to this truly sick and twisted genetic horror. You’ve probably heard about the ending of this movie in which two geneticists make their own little creepy frankenstein, but if you haven’t, I can guarantee your jaw will be on the floor.

October 26: A Ghost Waits (Plex)

The cutest film on this list by far! If you’re down for a sweet and funny little ditty about the afterlife and finding love in unexpected places, you’re going to adore A Ghost Waits. This is a great flick to watch with your scaredy cat friends (or romantic partners). It also works as a great palate cleanser if you’ve been going hard on the extreme horror. Just very sweet all around.

October 27: Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (Tubi)

You legally and medically have to watch at least one giallo film in the month of October. For those of you who have already sampled Dario Argento’s greatest hits, check out this wild and deeply weird twisted soap opera of a film with an incredible title (classic giallo, they all have the best titles). This could be a fun group watch because it’s truly insane and nonsensical from start to finish.

October 28: Evil Dead Rise (Max)

Evil Dead forever. Come for the high octane scares and stay for the excellent gore. I know you’re probably wondering if you need to know anything about the franchise before you watch this film and I promise, you absolutely do not. Will it make the movie more fun, yes? Will you still be jumping 3 feet into the air and peeking around corners even if you’re not invested in the lore? Absolutely. Bonus points if you live in an apartment complex/condo. Get ready for the most fun nightmares.

October 29: Sator (you’re gonna have to pay for this one)

This one is for my slow burn babies who are okay with sacrificing the plot for the vibes. If you need to know all of the answers, Sator might not be for you, but if you want to feel like you’ve spent all night in a haunted cabin in the woods with the local family demon, you’ve come to the right place. Knock three times.

October 30: Longlegs (you’re gonna have to pay for this one)

Even if you’re not a horror movie person, you want to be able to understand all of the Nicholas Cage memes right? This film about a young FBI agent and a twisted murderer might be too much for your non-horror movie friends… and it might not be enough for the horror movie lunatics in your life, but for those of us who can enjoy a deeply weird thriller, there’s a little sliver of messed up magic here. Let me in now and it can be nice.

October 31: The Exorcist (Max)

I don’t know where you’re reading this, but I’m writing it from Washington D.C. So I only have one thing to say to justify this incredible pick: your mother sucks cocks in hell 🙂

Recommend If You Like is not owned or funded by a billionaire or even a millionaire. We do have a Patreon. If you can’t afford to become a patron, please sign up to our mailing list. It’s free and we’re asking here instead of a pop-up. Pop-ups are annoying.