Giselle BoehmWelcome to The Gateway‘s version of a cable T.V. Halloween movie marathon. It’s more terrifying than SU Election voter turnout, more twisted than your calculus prof’s idea of a “simple concept,” and more inconsistently pleasing than your last drunken Dewey’s hookup. From the depths of Netflix, to the nostalgia of our childhoods, we bring you our picks for what to watch this Halloween season.
Hush (2016)
Directed by Mike Flanagan
Available on Netflix
Hush is that obscure gem chanced upon while hunting for mind-numbing Netflix escapism. The film’s centrepiece is a cottage in the woods, where one evening, deaf author Maggie is visited by a masked figure — a feral predator hell-bent on terrorizing his prey. Surprisingly well-directed by Mike Flanagan (known for 2013’s Oculus), this psychological thriller uses elegant cinematography to evoke a style reminiscent of David Fincher’s home invasion thriller Panic Room. It’s an enjoyable ride for the reptilian brain and a film capable of rendering silent even the most talkative film-goers — at least, for an hour or so. – Jonah Angeles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UUMsInka2s
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Directed by Kenny Ortega
“Oh look, another glorious morning. Makes me sick.” Not overtly scary and full of ridiculous quotes, Hocus Pocus is a wonderful excuse to pound beers whilst reminiscing about a more innocent time in your life. Between over-delivered lines, Sarah Jessica Parker in that dress, and McGee from NCIS, the storyline flirts with enough sexual tension and obvious jokes to make ensure even the Lister kids pay attention. Mandatory Halloween watching. Solid 6 out of 10. – Gordy Brown
The Guest (2014)
Directed by Adam Wingard
When a friend of their late son shows up on their doorstep, a grieving and dysfunctional family decides to take him in. He’s polite, charming, and his picture is already on the mantle: what could possibly go wrong? Predictably: a lot. Jarringly starring Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens, The Guest is a perfect hybrid of Halloween psychological thriller and 80s throwback action. Throw in a banger soundtrack and you have an instant October classic. – Parker Ali
The Conjuring (2013)
Directed by James Wan
Naming the best haunted house movie that’s come out in the past decade is an easy task when The Conjuring is thrust before you (save, maybe, The Conjuring 2). Director James Wan uses old school horror movie techniques to bring a refreshing and very needed take to a modern genre fuelled with jump scares and constant sameness. One of the scariest parts? A clap. Yeah, sounds stupid, but you’ll see. It’s a tense and frightening mastermind of a film that explanation can’t really do justice. It’s a marvel to witness with own eyes (even if they mostly remain shut). – Zac McEachern
Teen Mom (TV show)
Kids are by far the most terrifying creatures. Babies freak me out with their menacing cries and screams of bloody murder. Naturally then, Teen Mom popped into my head as one of the most terrifying shows to watch during October. I’m in my 20s now, so luckily I beat teen pregnancy. But you first and second years are still susceptible. So, watch this show in preparation for Halloween because you may just end up parading around Edmonton in a walk of shame the morning after someone’s Halloween rager as a hungover Harley Quinn. Here’s hoping if that happens, you were scared enough to at least be safe about it. – Ashton Mucha
American Horror Story: Murder House (TV Show)
For someone who typically doesn’t willingly indulge in horror flicks or haunted houses, I actually quite like FX’s first season of American Horror Story. It’s your conventional haunted house — with a twist. There’s ghosts, of course, and Rubber Man, who parades around voicelessly in a gimp suit. But there’s also other sources of fear that aren’t immediately obvious: depression, S&M, rape, pregnancy, abortion, infidelity, sexual temptations and desires, school shootings, bullying, suicide, and death in general. It’s actually kind of brilliant, so I recommend binge-watching the first season. Oh, and there’s no clowns in this one. – Ashton Mucha
Resident Evil 4 (Video Game)
Okay, I know this is a game, but it still scares me. It’s almost 11 years old and still when I think about it I remember the sheer terror I had while playing it. While its plot is gleefully akin to a B-movie, it’s the atmosphere and the creatures that you face that put the horror into this survival horror. You’ll find yourself constantly having to pause the game just so you can have a momentary break from the tension only to unpause and fall right back into the well-crafted masterpiece that it is. The fantastic part is that since its release on the Gamecube it has been ported to every game system imaginable from the PS2 to the most recent PS4 and Xbox One, so no excuses not to pick this one up for Halloween. – Nick Neitling
The Exorcist (1973)
Directed by William Friedkin
The Exorcist scares the hell out of me every time I watch it. I first encountered the movie on cable T.V. in my grandparents basement when I was a child — one who still believed eating snacks before bedtime caused nightmares. I watched the supernatural thriller again recently in my adult life, and if my memory serves me correctly, someone told me that the film accurately displays some of the latest and greatest 1970s neuroscience and psychiatry. As far as we have come with our understanding of the brain and all religious mythology aside, I still found myself nestled under a blanket in safety ‘till the credits starting rolling. – Jonah Kondro
