Top Ten Scary Movies to Watch This Year

Spooky Season Movie Must-Haves!

Whether you like horror films or don’t, everybody knows that Halloween is the perfect time for a ghost story. Since it’s officially October and Halloween is right around the corner, here is a list of my personal favorite scary movies and where you can find them!

10. The Shining

This is the first of many classics that will be on this list… and I am not ashamed. I have a preference for psychological horror, and this movie really plays on that aspect. Receiving an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, this thriller meets every expectation for a Stanley Kubrick film. I will be the first to admit that I know this movie isn’t perfect (nor are others on this list), but it is still incredible. It deviates from Stephen King’s novel as much is to be expected in any movie adaptation. 

Quick Synopsis:

Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, is a writer who is struggling with writer’s block. He decides to take his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd) to the Overlook Hotel in Colorado as a part of his job as a winter caretaker. Danny has suffered from horrifying premonitions, and his condition only worsens after arriving at the isolated hotel. Jack still suffers from writer’s block, and he develops into a maniac whose only goal is now to terrorize his family.

Scare Rating: 2.5/5

This film isn’t scary in a jumpscare kind of way, but more so horrifying in how real it feels. The movie progresses very slowly, but the truly haunting part is how you are able to see a man’s mind fall apart right before your eyes. The scare factor comes from the uncomfortable feeling you’re left with. 

My personal favorite part of “The Shining” is how it combines a man’s psychosis with supernatural and classic horror effects. Definitely a classic scary movie that I watch every Halloween season to get myself in the spirit. You can watch this film on Prime Video, Max, or Apple TV!

9. Saw X

I’m not going to lie to you guys, I think this is one of the grossest movies I’ve ever watched. With an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, Saw X is the highest rated of all movies in the franchise. Even though it was just released in 2023, this movie takes place in the timeline between “Saw I” and “Saw II.” 

Quick Synopsis:

John Kramer, played by Tobin Bell, returns to the scene after traveling to Mexico in hopes to find a cure for his cancer. John learns that the operation he was promised was a scam, leading him to return to his line of “work” with a new reason to kill.

Scare Rating: 3/5

This kind of horror is the kind that makes you sick to your stomach. The gore level is off the charts and could make even the strongest of people squirm in their chairs. It isn’t necessarily realistic, however, so that makes it a bit less terrifying. “Saw X” can be streamed on Prime Video or Apple TV!

8. The Ring

This movie is the first on the list to be rated PG-13! Released in 2002, “The Ring” got a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes but still made $15,015,393 in its first weekend. This movie focuses on an urban legend type of scare, almost like something a kid you’re at summer camp with would tell you while holding a flashlight under their chin. 

Quick Synopsis:

Word is going around that there is a videotape showing horrifying images followed by a phone call telling whoever watched the tape that they are going to die in just seven days – and how. That has to be fake, right? That’s what reporter Rachel Keller, played by Naomi Watts, thought, too, until four teenagers died one week after allegedly watching the tape. Letting her journalistic mind get the best of her, she decides to watch the tape. Now, she is left with seven days to save herself. 

Scare Rating: 3/5

“The Ring” is another psychological horror film that is just incredibly unsettling. There is very little gore, but the visuals are some of the most disturbing I have ever seen. Genuinely. You can stream this one on Prime Video, Paramount+ and Apple TV!

7. Jennifer’s Body

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, it is ridiculous for this movie to be on this list, BUT have you ever seen it?! This movie is incredible and I’ll stand by that, even if Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 46%.

Quick Synopsis:

The queen of high school, Jennifer (Megan Fox), has been taken over by a demon at the hands of a band that visited town. Jennifer now is blood-hungry for boys, especially ones that she had never looked at before. While she begins feasting on the male population of the school, her nerd of a best friend, Needy (Amanda Seyfried), figures out what is happening and vows to put a stop to it. 

Scare Rating: 2/5

Alright, I’ll be honest. This movie isn’t all that scary until the end. It’s just so good. And I love Amanda Seyfried. 

Just trust me, guys, and find this movie on Peacock, Prime Video, Hulu, Paramount+ or Apple TV!

6. Paranormal Activity

No matter how hard I try, I will never be able to forget the fear that ran through me the first time I saw this movie. “Paranormal Activity” was the first horror film I had ever watched and I had never been more terrified than in that moment. In my personal opinion, the 83% given by Rotten Tomatoes does not do it justice. 

Quick Synopsis:

Soon after moving into a new home, Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat) sense a supernatural presence that leaves them uneasy. In hopes of gathering proof, the two set up security cameras inside their home that show a series of terrifying events neither of them were prepared for.

Scare Rating: 5/5

Argue with the wall. This movie is so scary. 

I am a sucker for movies that are filmed from a non-traditional perspective, so “Paranormal Activity” is perfect in that way. I think the most interesting part is that the budget was only $15,000. The movie was also filmed in its entirety in the house the director, Oren Peli, lived in. That would force me to move out. If you can bring yourself to do it, you can stream this movie on Prime Video or Max!

5. The Blair Witch Project

So remember how I just said “I am a sucker for movies that are filmed from a non-traditional perspective?” I meant it. “The Blair Witch Project” is a “found footage” style film, which is one of my favorites, and it makes it much more terrifying.

Quick Synopsis:

Three film students (Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams) head to a small town to gather footage about The Blair Witch, a local murderer. The students start by exploring and interviewing locals to get the facts straight, but the project goes south when the group gets lost in the woods. All that is left to tell the tale is the camera footage. 

Scare Rating: 4.5/5

What makes this one so terrifying is that the audience never sees the killer. We only hear what the students hear and see what the camera is pointed at. This film almost puts you in the place of the students.

The real twisted part, though, is that the actors portraying the students had no idea what events were going to take place. In order to get genuine reactions and have an authentic feel, the staff of the film kept the actors mostly in the dark. The actors were actually thought to be the three missing students, generating missing persons flyers and online forums. A crazy ride for everyone involved, even for years after. This film can be streamed on Peacock, Prime Video and Apple TV!

4. The Conjuring

Based on two real “paranormal investigators,” The Conjuring is an incredibly unsettling film that depicts the hauntings of a real family. This film is a thriller horror, so it moves fairly quickly and I personally was never prepared for what would happen next.

Quick Synopsis:

Lorraine, played by Vera Farmiga, and Ed Warren, played by Patrick Wilson, are two ghost hunters who are called to a family home in 1970 to settle the supernatural that are wreaking havoc. The family, Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger (Ron Livingston) Perron and their five daughters, are being haunted by spirits in the farmhouse they just moved into. The scares start off tame, but escalate quickly after the Warrens discover the secrets of the house. 

Scare Rating: 5/5

Nothing to argue about this time. Each jumpscare is truly bone-chilling and I was hiding under a blanket the first time I watched the film. 

“The Conjuring” received an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, which I think is fair. The overall tone of the movie adds to the horror, and even the dull colors of each scene make it much more terrifying. If you want to watch this movie, turn the lights on first, and then pull up Prime Video, Max, Netflix or Apple TV!

3. It

If you’re afraid of clowns, this may be higher on the list for you. If you’re not, you will be soon! This review is on the 2017 film, not the 1990 miniseries. 

Quick Synopsis:

Every 27 years, Derry, Maine, is plagued by fear due to a shape-shifting evil that targets children. Over one summer, a group of seven young friends have to fight through their personal battles in order to tackle the biggest one together – a sewer-living clown named Pennywise.

Scare Rating: 4/5

I personally am not afraid of clowns, so I think that plays into my rating, but overall I do think this movie is horrifying. Any Stephen King book made into a movie is going to be scary, and this film does just the trick. 

“It” was given an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film manages to be scary, funny, gorey and cover major themes all at the same time. This one is a definite watch and can be streamed on Prime Video, Max and Apple TV!

2. A nightmare on elm street

Another classic, but making the list for all the right reasons. This movie, given a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes (the highest so far), is a slasher film that sometimes still makes me too scared to sleep.

Quick Synopsis:

Freddy Kreuger (Robert Englund) is a disfigured nightmare who attacks teenagers in their dreams, leading to their deaths in real life. Nancy, played by Heather Langenkamp, begins to investigate, and ultimately suspects her parents and their friends are hiding a secret that could explain everything. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen, played by Johnny Depp, are now racing with their dreams to figure this out before it turns into a nightmare.  

Scare Rating: 5/5

Like I said, this movie still has me scared to see Freddy in my dreams. Wes Craven’s directing led to a truly terrifying film that has lasted the test of time. Check this one out on Prime Video, Max or Apple TV!

1. Scream

If you know me, you know I love this movie. I never shut up about “Scream.” I watch it constantly, even when it isn’t Halloween, and I have no shame. “Scream” is a cult-classic horror film that got an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and was the start of one of the best scary movie franchises.

Quick Synopsis:

Woodsboro is being taunted by a trivia-loving, horror movie fanatic of a murderer, and anyone could be next. The psycho-killer stalks, taunts and brutally murders their victims all while wearing a mask – and it could be anybody. 

Scare Rating: 3.5/5

This 1996 film has just the right amount of scare. It’s not too much gore, but it’s enough to get the point across. This is another one that is creepy in the way that it could actually happen. 

This movie is my all time favorite in this genre (clearly), and if you haven’t seen it and want the experience, you can get it on Prime Video, Max or Apple TV!

Honorable Mentions

Scary movies aren’t for everyone, and I know that, so I wanted to add some more kid-friendly, less scary films that get you in the perfect mood for Spooky Season. 

• “Hocus Pocus” (40%)
• “Halloweentown” (80%)
• “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (95%)
• “Coraline” (91%)

So there we have it! Those are my Top 10 Scary Movies to Watch This Year! I love each and every one of these films, no matter how unsettling, and I hope I’ve given some inspo for Spooktober! Happy Halloween!

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