And we’re back! The leaves are falling, the liquor store is filled with pumpkin flavored booze, and your romantic partner/children/friends all keep trying to lure you into a corn maze. It’s really, officially, October and that means you have 31 cursed nights to fill with spooks, scares, and spine chilling tales! Every year I challenge myself to watch 31 horror movies throughout the month of October, and while that might not be your jam (can you tell I live a charmed life with minimal responsibilities or dependents?), I highly recommend you use this calendar as a personal recommendation list. 

From the campier end of the horror spectrum, to straight up stone cold chillers, every movie on this list (outside of a few brand new releases) has been personally vetted for quality control. Don’t like the movies you see here? Check out last year’s evergreen horror movie calendar (guaranteed no repeats!), and as always, I highly recommend using DoesTheDogDie.com if there are any subjects you’d like to avoid. Without further ado, let’s dig through the ditches and burn through some witches:

October 1: Saw, streaming on Prime

You come to me on the day of Saw X’s release and expect me to recommend anything other than this 2004 modern classic? Not on your life (or your leg). Look, I know Saw had a bad reputation back in the day as the movie that ushered in the torture porn era, but we can 1. actually blame the French for that and 2. recognize that it doesn’t really matter what’s happening in horror, because people are going to find a way to malign the genre no matter what. Good horror movies are actually thrillers! Or sci-fi flicks! Or mysteries! Or dramas! Or comedies! But never horror movies. Unless they pass a special test and are considered elevated 🙂 You can’t win and there’s no use trying. Also, I can guarantee this movie is better and less gory than you remember. James Wan and Leigh Whannel do an incredible job of making the blood stretch and keeping the tension high. Trust me, you want to play this game.

October 2: Pearl, streaming on Paramount+

One part Turner Classic Movies, one part original formula 4Loko, watching Pearl is like finding out your sweet old grandma has a man chained to the radiator in the basement. It’s absolutely unhinged and such a fun romp for writing partners/creative partners/lead actress and director Mia Goth and Ti West. This is technically the second film in a trilogy (with the third film Maxxxine coming soon), but don’t let that stop you.

October 3: The Dark and the Wicked, streaming on Shudder

Speaking of old ladies and farmhouses, things aren’t going well in The Dark and the Wicked and that’s good news for you. And by good news, I mean you’re going to be overanalyzing every bump you hear in the night until you drift off into a shadowy nightmare about life and death. Legit scary!

October 4: The Autopsy of Jane Doe, streaming on Hulu

A father and son coroner team (what a family business) find themselves in the midst of some supernatural mayhem while in the middle of autopsying an unknown murder victim (the Jane Doe in question). There’s a fun spooky song that will be stuck in your head for days. I think fans of The Conjuring would be into this, although it’s far more stripped down in its supernatural scope.

October 5: Upgrade, streaming on Max

We all know what James Wan has been doing since the release of Saw (mainly Marvel movies and horror franchises), but his creative partner in crime Leigh Whannel has gotten up to some spooky mischief as well. If you’re looking for a weird and gritty sci-fi horror with an action bend, look no further. This is a perfect cross genre movie for your friend who wants to watch something spooky and also can’t stop talking about Dune: Part Two.

October 6: V/H/S/85, streaming on Shudder

We have a new release alert! If you’re not familiar with the V/H/S franchise, they’re standalone anthology found footage films that vary greatly in quality, but not in fun! Look, even a bad V/H/S film is still a fun excuse to gather your friends, make an autumnal cocktail and fight about which segment you like the best. Also, this time around all of the shorts will be 80s-themed (hence the “85” tacked onto the end of the name), so that’ll be fun and weird!

October 7: Possession, streaming on Shudder

If you watch one classic horror movie this year, it should be Possession (well, and The Exorcist, but we’ll get to that later). Featuring possibly the most famous subway scene of all time, this move is an exploration of the dark horror surrounding a crumbling marriage. It’s weird, it’s sexy and you won’t be able to stop thinking about it.

October 8: The Wailing, streaming on Tubi

It took me way too long to press play on The Wailing, but I’m so glad I did. This Korean film starts off as a bumbling police drama and then descends into a dark world of demons, magic, and zombies that will make you feel like you’re losing your mind as you try to figure out where it’s taking you next.

October 9: Infinity Pool, streaming on Hulu

If you’re looking for a sexy and upsetting mind bender, you’ve come to the right place. Brandon David Cronenberg is (son of David Cronenberg) is shaping up to be just as much of a delightful weirdo as his father, but with less of an obsession with flesh guns. Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth (the official queen of Halloween and my heart) have the weirdest will they won’t they ever. Make a piña colada and dive right into the deep edge of the pool.

October 10: Excision, streaming on Tubi

John Waters plays a high school principal in this bloody and teenage hormone filled black comedy, and that’s really all you need to know. Well, that and you’re gonna be thinking about blood play more than you usually do.

October 11: Stoker, streaming on Hulu

I know, we’re 11 movies in, more than a third of the way to Halloween and you’re wondering, “Kaylee! Where are the beautifully shot incest films?” Don’t worry, I’ve read your Yelp reviews and Stoker is here to deliver on that extremely unique sub-genre. I’m realizing now that I’ve created a hornier Halloween list than usual this year. I don’t know what to do with this information, but we all have to live with it now.

October 12: Ma, streaming on Tubi 

I saw this movie in theaters when it came out and while it was not scary, it is funny and wild and so tonally weird. Octavia Spencer is a creepy alcoholic who loves age-gap friendships and you don’t really need to know anything else. Invite your friends over and try to figure out who would make it out of Ma’s basement alive.

October 13: Bodies Bodies Bodies, streaming on Paramount+

A whodunit for the kids, Bodies Bodies Bodies will take you back to every awkward party you stumbled into between the ages of 21 and 25, but with substantially more hot people and murder. It’s stylish, it’s funny, and it features a banger of a Charli XCX song.

October 14: Butterfly Kisses, streaming on Tubi

This found footage weirdo is set in my hometown, Ellicott City, MD, which is a quick jaunt away from D.C. Before you dive into the lore and the madness behind Butterfly Kisses why not make a whole day out of it? Grab a lunch at Little Market, browse around the Forget Me Not Factory and cap things off with a beer at The Judge’s Bench (the most haunted spot in town) before settling in at home and watching some real spooky shit go down right on the streets you just walked! Now that’s some Halloween fun for the whole family (please do not show this movie to your kids).

October 15: Lords of Salem, streaming on Shudder

Rob Zombie is a prolific musician, director, and general mad man, but this weirdo exploration of witchcraft and religion is one of my favorite things he’s ever made (besides Hellbilly Deluxe of course). Strap in for something experimental, unnerving, and deeply sacrilegious.

October 16: The Oregonian, streaming on Kanopy

Was Skinamarink not weird enough for you? Did The Outwaters feel bland? Was Enys Men too normal? Well, I don’t know if The Oregonian is going to out-weird any of those films per se, but if you’re someone who gravitates to the weirder side of horror, where style trumps narrative and the journey kills the destination, you’re going to like The Oregonian.

October 17: Incantation, streaming on Netflix

Watching this Taiwanese movie reminded me of the NoSleep subreddit when it was at its best. When you’d read a story and for a second think, “Could this be real?” The answer is, of course, no, but that doesn’t make the story any less fun, and by fun I mean unnerving. Let’s get cursed tonight.

October 18: In Fabric, streaming on Kanopy

A collection of weird stories about a haunted dress, this movie feels like watching an even weirder version of The Twilight Zone. It’s languid and surreal, spiked with bright colors and over the top performances. The kind of movie that feels like a dream about a movie.

October 19: Huesera: The Bone Woman, streaming on Shudder

You will be screaming at the screen! You will jump with the click of each bone! You will wish you knew a local witch woman you could go to for spiritual assistance! (And if you already know a witch woman, hell yeah that’s awesome). Huesera tackles all of the curses and evil demons that come along with becoming a mother, and it does it in a way that’s going to give you nightmares.

October 20: Grave Encounters, streaming on Tubi

Look, this movie is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like douchebag ghost hunting shows and you’ve already seen Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (which was one of my recommendations last year), why not pop on Grave Encounters? This movie might have come out in 2011, but everything about it feels very 2006. Take that however you want to take that. Also, controversial opinion, but I loved Grave Encounters 2, if you’d like to bully me, follow me on Instagram.

October 21: Crawl, streaming on Paramount+

Everyone loves a good creature feature, and while Cocaine Bear swept (sniffed?) the nation, it’s hard to beat this alligator flick with a heart of gold. A daughter who has a tumultuous relationship with her father/former swim coach has to put her swimming skills to the test when he’s trapped under their Florida house and surrounded by gators. Homeownership!

October 22: Lake Mungo, streaming on Shudder

Another found footage rec (can you tell it’s my favorite sub-genre?), but this one’s sad! Lake Mungo follows a grieving family dipping their toes into the supernatural after the mysterious death of their daughter. Don’t expect any big jumpscares or creepy monsters, but steel your heart for an emotional rollercoaster.

October 23: The Stepfather (1987), streaming on Kanopy

Lost fans unite, baby! Terry O’Quinn kills this weirdo roll as a father who has killed before and will kill again. This is a campy classic is best viewed with someone who’s going to laugh at all of the weirdness along with you… or your dad? Maybe call your dad? This could be a fun experience for him.

October 24: November, streaming on Kanopy

A darkly funny grim fairy tale that looks as beautiful as it is unnerving, November is an aesthetic treat. Light a candle, turn off all of the lights, and start thinking about collecting bones and sticks. I mean, you can make so many crafts with bones and sticks! 

October 25: The Taking of Deborah Logan, streaming on Tubi

Another found footage horror gem, this film has a spooky scene that will live rent free in your brain. There are a lot of horror films that grapple with the concept of grief or losing a loved one, but I like that Deborah Logan has a different approach and goes all in on the horrors of dementia. It will creep you out and make you sad! Call your grandma.

October 26: Fear Street: 1978, streaming on Netflix

I am again recommending that you watch the second movie in a trilogy, what can I say, I love to break the rules. If you didn’t tune into Netflix’s deep dive into the Fear Street series, you kind of missed out. Yes, these are definitely teen centric horror films, there’s not a ton of visible gore or complex emotions, but they are a damn good time. Especially the second film, which packs in all of the spooky summer camp cliches you could ever want.

October 27: When Evil Lurks, streaming on Shudder

New release time! When Evil Lurks comes straight from the minds of Terrified (not Terrifier, the killer clown movie, but Terrified, the paranormal researcher movie), and that alone makes me excited to check out this new flick. Terrified was a truly frightening film with some incredibly tense moments, so if you’re down to test your own horror endurance, you can watch both movies back to back for a fucked up double feature.

October 28: The Ritual, streaming on Netflix

Gather all your best buddies while you watch a group of friends on screen make increasingly bad decisions that will forever alter their lives! Seriously though, this is a cold and creepy movie with an excellent monster that will have you rethinking your next group trip.

October 29: The House that Jack Built, streaming on Hulu

Not for the faint of heart, The House that Jack Built is a Lars von Trier film through and through. Mentally prepare yourself for a bleak and surreal-ish trip through the mind of a serial killer that does not pull a single punch. I wouldn’t pick this as someone’s first horror movie.

October 30: Host, streaming on Shudder

I know a pandemic themed film is a hard sell, but Host is the only movie to do it right. A screen life flick that takes place entirely during a Zoom call between friends, this vicious little film will run you a scant 60 minutes and is packed with scares (and some heartfelt moments too). 

October 31: The Exorcist, streaming on Max

Maybe you don’t live in D.C., so you don’t have a local affection for the movie, but if you’re in the District, this is the only movie you should be watching on Halloween. The ultimate, the eternal, The Exorcist.

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