5 Horror Films to Stream & 5 to find for essential Halloween viewing

It is Halloween season and we need to get a few scares in. Well, that’s my opinion anyway, you might be perfectly happy being scare-free for the rest of your life. But I much prefer to be a little scared every now and then, which is why I probably love the horror genre. I could go on for a few thousand words as to why I love horror films and write endless lists, but for today I want to just pick 5 horror films I have spotted on Streaming services recently and 5 other films that I just love that I think you should watch if you are fed up with the usual jump scare nonsense we now see in the theatres.

The last 5 are hand picks and will probably involve a little more digging to find, but they are worth it! To help show you whether the films are critically acclaimed I have snuck in their Rotten Tomatoes rating to prove others like it too! So enjoy these ten (or so) films that I think you should put on in the coming days of Old Hallows Eve… Enjoy!

Creep/Creep 2 (Netflix)

I know, I know I am already cheating and picking two films, but this little duo needs to be watched together as they connect so well. These two films are found footage based, which I have a love/hate relationship if I am honest. But these films use the medium very well as they bring a little twist to it.

Creep and Creep 2 for that matter follow filmmakers hired to make a film from a strange man who does not seem to be all he appears… Two great performances by Mark Duplass, these are ones to watch if you want a good time!

Rotten Tomatoes rating  Creep 96%, Creep 2 100%

Hellraiser (Amazon Prime)

A horror classic that as a series never really kicked off as much as I think it should have. After finding a puzzle box in Africa a man encounters a new portal to a sadistic world releasing gruesome monsters into our world. Frank’s family come to move into his home and unwittingly get caught in the world of the Cenobites. I feel Pinhead should be a more iconic character than he currently is as there were so many levels to him and possibilities that he and the other Cenobites have. Unlike Jason or Michael Myers who are just zombie-like killing machines, the Cenobites can be something different. Anyway, Hellraiser is an 80’s classic and has all of those 80 tropes that the genre becomes known for. Check it out, but do not play with an intricate puzzle box if you come upon one…

Rotten Tomatoes rating 71%

Jaws (Amazon Prime)

Jaws probably aren’t viewed as a horror film by some, but it does have the honour of being the only PG-rated film on the list! I still love the fact that the BBFC thought it was okay to give this such a love cert, anyway! If you do not know about Jaws let me help you out! Based on a summer island in the East Coast of America, Amity’s new chief of police must work out how to deal with a great white shark that is swimming around his coastline.

Although this film is around 40 years old, It is still a great watch and one you won’t forget in a while. There is a reason why there are shark horror films out so much…

Rotten Tomatoes rating 97%

Train to Busan (Netflix)

Let’s get away from the classics and the English Language films for a second and head to Korea. If you are fine with subtitles then the rest of the list is going to be a treat for you! Asia really picked up the torch for horror films in the late 90’s and early 2000’s when the West kind of lapsed into lazy works. I am glad to report that their skills for scaring the bejeezus out of you are still there with Train to Busan.

A commuter train in South Korea is hit by a zombie outbreak and a father must protect his daughter from them until their train reaches its destination. If you want a sneaky double bill, check out Seoul Station which is an animated sequel to Train to Busan.

Rotten Tomatoes rating 96%

Eden Lake

I sometimes enjoy the tough watches and Eden Lake firmly places itself within that department. Following a young couple who camp in the woods in England, they come a foul of some local village youths and things do not get better for all involved from there. Kelly Reilly and  Michael Fassbender are terrific in this film and you really do feel every bit of pain that their characters go through throughout. A dark film, so prepare yourself sufficiently!

Rotten Tomatoes rating 81%

Not on streaming

Lake Mungo

For something just that bit creepy and to make you shift a little in your chair as you watch, I highly suggest you find the Australian film, Lake Mungo. Set up as a documentary about a family who believes their dead daughter is haunting/wanting to get in contact with them. This film has a few twists and turns that will keep you invested right up until the credits. I personally love the film for how it felt a little different from the usual fare we were seeing around 5 years ago. If you have the time I would say to watch this as a double feature with The Tunnel as it is another Australian film that uses found footage and a documentary style very, very well.

Rotten Tomatoes rating 93%

The Descent

Featuring an all-female cast, The Descent is set in the USA, but actually filmed very cheaply in the UK and is a story about 6 adrenaline junkies who go caving to help get over an accident that affected one of their crew. Upon getting further into the caves they realise they are not alone, but who or what is actually down there with them and will they get out alive?

I really love The Descent for the fact that all of the characters are given time to be fleshed out and you actually cared about them, instead of getting literally a minute with each character and having to fast track you like towards them. The fact the film is a slow burner is even better as much like a film further down the list, some films really reap the rewards of allowing the audience to attach themselves to the characters. A great movie and if you have time check out the making of doc to see how it was made!

Rotten Tomatoes rating 85%

REC

Back to the foreign language films and this time we are in Spain for a found footage style film where a late night news crew follow some firemen on a routine nighttime job in an apartment block. But this time things go very wrong for the crew and the residents, but do the film crew keep filming or just focus on surviving?

A great film that was so good it was made almost shot for shot by the American remake Quarantine which was horrible for losing all of the suspense the original had. Within the film, you never really know which type of horror film you are watching which shows the flexibility the film itself has. It is a fun watch and again if you are fancying a wee double bill check out REC2 which follows up right after the first film.

Rotten Tomatoes rating 88%

I Saw The Devil

For those who enjoy watching the odd hard to watch flicks then get comfy as I Saw The Devil is about as hard to watch as it comes. When a serial killer strikes down the family of a police agent, he soon finds out that there are some people you should not kill. This film drags you down to see what people will do to get revenge and it really is a difficult brilliant watch. For Asian horror fans, the director of I Saw The Devil is also the director of Tale of Two Sisters, which is another must watch!

Rotten Tomatoes rating 84%

Alien

If you are about to tell me that Alien isn’t a horror film then I am ready and willing to fight you. Yes, it is a science fiction film as it is space and involves Aliens, but without a shadow of a doubt, this is a horror film and one of the best ones ever made. This ultra slow-burner allows you to care for everyone, know their traits and then wreck havoc upon them all. For those who do not know Alien is the story of a deep space mining crew who are returning home to Earth but are awakened by a distress signal when they investigate to answer they are not prepared for what awaits them…

One of my favourite films of all time and one that looks beautiful through the cinematography and set design throughout. There is a reason this film has the RT rating it has. Everything is great, the acting, directing and score are brilliant.

Rotten Tomatoes rating 97%

There we go that is 10 (or so) films that I think you should choose from this Halloween. Lots of great picks and many opportunities to scare yourself silly and watch a few double features. Or in some cases if you like REC you have the possibility to watch a little franchise! If you want more suggestions then feel free to let me know below! Soon there will be a post about a few films not to watch on Netflix!

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