Fright Night Film Favourites
Halloween was three days ago, but for many of us knee-deep in exams and assignments, we missed our chance to celebrate. Personally, I was swamped with work and hardly got a chance to enjoy Halloween. If you missed out, don’t worry. The spooky season isn’t over just yet. Because of this, I made a list of some slightly scary to truly horrifying movies to honor the spirit of this year’s Halloweekend and to alleviate some mid-term stress.
Fear Street Part One: 1994
A Halloween horror movie list wouldn’t be complete without a slasher film.
After a series of murders, the poor town of Shadyside chalks it up to the urban legend of their town being cursed. Deena, more focused on her recent break-up, chooses to ignore the talks of the curse until it comes for her.
Fear Street Part One: 1994 strikes a good balance of humor and classic slasher tropes, making it a casual watch. If you’re a fan, it also has two other movies and a spin-off film that are perfect for binge-watching for those with no plans this weekend.
Available on Netflix
Creep
Found footage films can often be hit or miss, but Creep definitely hits the target.
Creep follows the story of Aaron, a videographer who takes up a job filming a client with brain cancer who wants to document his life for his kids when he passes.
However, as Aaron continues to film, his client’s story begins to fall apart.
With very little violence, Creep is all about the psychological. The movie is unsettling and disturbing, making it a perfect watch for Halloweekend. After watching, you may even want to buy a wolf mask for next year’s costume.
Available on Netflix
LONGLEGS
If The Silence of the Lambs scared you, be prepared for its modern counterpart - Longlegs.
Following a series of murder-suicides all marked by the letters of “Longlegs”, FBI agent Lee Hawker is tasked with finding the cause of the otherwise unrelated killings. Throughout her investigation, she uncovers her own connection to the mystery.
Few movies achieve the true eeriness of Longlegs. The sense of lingering dread produced by the cinematography, set design, and costuming is perfectly suited for this chilly season.
Available on Prime Video
Weapons
Overhyped movies can often fall flat when watching. However, Weapons has just the right amount of excitement around it.
After the disappearance of all but one child in a class, the town of Maybrook blames teacher Justine Gandy. Now suspended from her job, she makes it her mission to uncover the mystery of the missing kids.
If the description sounds more like a mystery than a horror, you aren’t completely wrong. But the true horror of Weapons is in its slow unraveling of this sinister and unsettling mystery. It’s gory, it’s violent, and it’s suspenseful, but in the best ways possible.
Available on Prime Video
Hereditary
Families being possessed and haunted is nothing new, but Hereditary takes it to the next level.
Following the death of her mother, Annie Graham copes with her loss through a grief support group. Managing her grief, she tries to focus on family and parent her children, making her teenage son, Peter, take his tween sister to a party. However, this party ends up leading to the demise of their once-happy family.
While Hereditary doesn’t sound scary, I promise you, it is. It does a fantastic job at making a long-term buildup pay off while keeping you scared the entire time. This movie is not for the faint of heart, as its story is dark at best and downright gruesome at the worst.
Available on Criterion Online and Netflix
