The best scary movies and TV series to watch this Halloween season
Halloween is around the corner and we know you're looking for some spooky content to prepare yourself for the big night. Don’t worry, Darling! We’re here to help.
Horror movies aren’t always for the faint of heart, but whether you’re a diehard horror fanatic or a scaredy cat who’d rather have a laugh than a scream, there’s a spooky movie out there for you.
In our Halloween Watch List we’ve organized things simply for any level of scream queen. Much like Chipotle, our horror menu is organized by, MILD, MEDIUM, and SPICY!
🌶️ MILD: Will get your heart rate up, but don’t expect nightmares!
🌶️🌶️ MEDIUM: You might need a blanket to hide under.
🌶️🌶️🌶️ SPICY: You’re going to be up all night...
So whether you’re looking for a movie to watch at home, a creepy series to binge, or a freaky night out at the theatre, we have what you're looking for!
MILD 🌶️
Last Night In Soho
Type: Movie
How To Watch: At home with Crave
About: Last Night In Soho is for you if you want a stylish twist on a run-of-the-mill period piece. In Soho, an aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, but a sinister mystery spanning generations starts to unfold before her eyes. Is this real life, or is it just fantasy?
Scare Level: Soho’s breakneck pace will keep you on the edge of your seat as you unravel the mystery along with the protagonist. There’s a spattering of jump scares but you shouldn’t lose any sleep.
The Winchesters
Type: Series
How To Watch: At home on CTV Sci-Fi
About: If you’re a fan of the series Supernatural, this is a must-watch! The Winchesters is the untold love story of how John Winchester met Mary Campbell and put it all on the line to not only save their love, but the entire world!
Scare Level: You won’t be breaking a sweat, but you will be able to keep the supernatural scares going all year long as The Winchesters has only just begun its first season. Keep up with The Winchesters all season long on CTV Sci-Fi Tuesdays at 8pm ET.
Don’t Worry Darling
How To Watch: In theatres or rent at home
About: If you haven’t heard of this movie (and the neverending on-set drama surrounding the film) we’d like to formally congratulate you on your successful social media cleanse. Without spoiling the many twists of the film, Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (THE Harry Styles) live in the idealized community of Victory, but when sinister cracks begin to appear, Alice can't help but question exactly what she's doing in Victory.
Scare Level: Thrilling but not scary! DWD will have you guessing what is around every corner and invested in the fate of Pugh’s Alice.
MEDIUM 🌶️🌶️
Candyman
Type: Movie
How To Watch: At home on Crave
About: In a modern new chapter in the iconic Candyman story, an artist begins to explore the macabre history of Candyman, not knowing it would unravel his sanity and unleash a terrifying wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny.
Scare Level: Not gonna lie, this one is pretty scary. The supernatural element at play here really has the potential to sneak up on you and there are ample jump scares that will keep your heart rate up.
Halloween Kills/Halloween Ends - Double Feature
Type: Movie
How To Watch: Kills at home on Crave, Ends in theatres
About: Halloween Kills/Ends are two direct sequels in the original Halloween timelines. These films follow Jamie Lee Curtis’s Laurie Strode as she faces both Michael Myers, and the trauma he has inflicted throughout her life, head on.
Scare Level: We’re in slasher territory, and with over 40 years of Halloween/Michael Myers on screen you should know what to expect. While these movies may not have you screaming in terror, the gory kills and the haunting presence of Michael Myers is enough to make you sweat.
Let The Right One In
Type: Series
How To Watch: At home with Crave/Showtime
About: There’s still time to hop on the Let The Right One In wagon! The series, based on the acclaimed 2004 novel (which also inspired the acclaimed 2008 Swedish film which in turn inspired a 2010 remake) follows a father’s journey to control his 12-year-old vampire daughter, Eleanor.
Scare Level: Vampires gotta hunt! Though the series may not be nightmare-inducing, you can expect Eleanor’s vampiric urges to jolt you when you least expect it. On the bright side, there’s a heartwarming element in this story, as Eleanor strikes up a sweet playground friendship (cute!) that eventually forces her to reveal her true nature (less cute...).
SPICY 🌶️🌶️🌶️
The Conjuring
Type: Movie
How To Watch: At home with Crave
About: The Conjuring tells the true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, married paranormal investigators who accept a case about the haunting of a farmhouse in the 1970s. That house? Ya, it’s REALLY haunted. It’s haunted BAD!
Scare Level: Widely known as one of the most terrifying modern-day horror films, The Conjuring is guaranteed to have you screaming out loud, covering your eyes, and wishing it was over. Even though you may have already seen this 2013 classic, we guarantee it’s worth the nightmares it will still give you after a rewatch.
The Blair Witch Project /Blair Witch - Double Feature
Type: Movie
How To Watch: At home with Crave
About: The Blair Witch Project is known as one of the most iconic horror films EVER. The “home video” style of the film took everyone by surprise when it was released in 1999 - with millions of people thinking the film was real! The sequel, Blair Witch, was also filmed in secret and premiered at TIFF in 2016. Both films follow a group of young filmmakers venturing into the woods to uncover the legend of the Blair Witch.
Scare Level: While this film is a slow burn, the creepiness levels throughout are unbearably HIGH. When a tree branch snaps or when a voice is heard screaming from the middle of the forest, the faint of heart may choose to just opt out of movie night and go to bed.
The Outsider
Type: Series
How To Watch: At home with Crave/HBO
About: The show, based on Stephen King's bestselling novel, starts with the gruesome murder of an 11-year-old boy in the Georgia woods which leads a local detective into a disturbing (and possibly supernatural) search for the truth.
Scare Level: The tension in this mini-series is ample, with the investigation of a dead child bumping up against a twisted and supernatural mystery. This quick mini-series would make a perfectly creepy Halloween binge.
Smile
Type: Movie
How To Watch: In theatres
About: Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, she must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.
Scare Level: Not only is Smile a clever and insightful commentary on mental health in 2022, but it is also TERRIFYING. Many have been heralding Smile as one of the scariest films this decade, and we have to say we agree. Smile might have you hiding in your hoodie and begging for the ride to be over just as it’s getting started.
For more Halloween movie picks, check out Crave’s Creepy Cravings, and CTV’s Halloween Hub.
