Autumn is easily my favorite time of the year, with the darker evenings, the crisp weather and cosy knitwear it’s the ideal environment for my introverted self to thrive. But for me, the best part of it all is that ‘Spooky Season’ officially begins.
If you are unfamiliar with the term ‘spooky season’ a quick search on urban dictionary describes it as the fall time of year when everyone gets ‘spooky vibes’. Ground-breaking. This may be meaningless and mundane to most, but not for me. As a fan of horror and all things twisted, I completely take advantage of the festivities that indulge my fascination of the darker things in life. I know I’m not alone in this, and after making a trip to the cinema to see Joaquinn Phoenix’s performance as ‘Joker’ it got me into the Halloween spirit, with it’s jump scare tactics and graphic scenes.
I think it can be agreed that every day experiences in real life can be grim enough without voluntarily sitting through hours’ worth of uncomfortable and intense remakes, whether it be a horror movie or a true crime show, yet there are many likeminded individuals who love to do it.
So in order to kick off the spooky season and celebrate the festivities, I have contrived a list of my favorite spooks for those cosy Halloween nights in; to spare you the hours of painful Netflix scrolling. Whether it be a gory slasher film or a psychological thriller, these are some of my top picks:
Psychological Thrillers
- Get out / A quiet place
Both movies are directed by Jordan Peele, both movies equally as entertaining and clever in their own rights. Not the typical horror with demons and ghosts, but with the twisted warp on reality it makes for uncomfortable viewing. (I mean this in the best way).
- Midsommar
Described as a ‘folk horror film’, this movie is not for the squeamish. The movie focuses on a young couple who travel to their friend’s hometown in Sweden; which just so happens to be celebrating their mid-summer festival during the time of their visit. At first the stay seems like a tranquil retreat but progresses into a series of disturbing events at the hands of a cult. A seriously bizarre watch, and some things I just won’t un-see. (I actually want to apologise to whoever watches this in advance.)
TV Series
- The Haunting of Hill House
If you like a truly good ghost story this is the show for you. A gripping story line follows the adult lives of the Crain siblings, who are trying to deal with the ghosts from their past from their paranormal experiences in their childhood home. An ideal watch for the month of October to ease you into the Spooky Season.
- Hannibal
Although it was cancelled after 3 seasons, it is still one of the best watches. Perfect for a rainy afternoon as it’s not overly intense but still fascinating and eery. 10/10 would recommend to a friend.
Slasher Movies
Slasher movies may not be my go-to, but I think it is only appropriate to include these two titles. Ideal movies to watch with a group of pals, I don’t know anyone who enjoys watching slashers on their own? And if you do you shouldn’t admit to it. Maybe throw in a bottle of Pinot and some pizza, an ideal setup to help with the scares.
- Scream
This movie is a classic for Halloween time, it’s entertaining and witty but still will have you guessing ‘who did it’ and wincing at the blood and violence. However it can make for a frustrating viewing; apparently common sense completely goes out the window when being chased by a masked serial killer.
- Halloween
The ‘Halloween’ film series with the infamous crazed killer Michael Myers is full of suspense, the newest addition to the franchise is my favorite so far. Halloween 2018, the ultimate showdown between Mike and Laurie Strode, a survivor of the crazed killer. A satisfying watch.
True Crime
- Abducted in Plain Sight
Last but not least, ‘Abducted in Plain Sight’. This is a crime documentary on Netflix, probably one of the most bizarre true crime shows I’ve watched, its hard to believe that it is completely factual when watching some of the events unfold. You genuinely have to see it to believe it.
Bronagh Carey is a final year student Bsc in Communication Management and Public Relations at Ulster University. She can be found at: Instagram bronaghcarey_ and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronagh-carey-702626173/