Horror Recommendations for Halloween!
Enjoy your Halloween weekend with horrors from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Webtoon, Anime
With winter’s cold creeping in as we near the Halloween weekend, there’s no better time to dive into horror. Here are some horror recommendations to put you in a cozy, creepy, celebratory mood for the spooky season.
To check out last year’s Halloween recommendations, click here.
Series
1. Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix)
Cabinet of Curiosities is a horror anthology curated by the master storyteller Guillermo del Toro.
It is an 8 part series released right in time for Halloween. Each story takes you on a fascinating and haunting journey you cannot look away from. If you’re looking to indulge in binge-watching a show that isn’t too scary, but is still a thrill to watch, then this is the one for you.
2. Girl From Nowhere (Netflix)
Girl from Nowhere is a Thai drama that takes its inspiration from Junji Ito’s classic horror manga, Tomie.
But the protagonist (Nanno) and the storylines are nothing like the manga. The creators have taken a complex approach to Nanno’s character. Unlike in Tomie, the people in this show aren’t blindly possessed by the protagonist’s beauty. Instead, Nanno uses her sly tactics and manipulative ways to help people dig their own graves a little deeper. Unlike in Tomie, nobody in the show blames Nanno’s beauty for their own wrongdoings.
Despite the fascinating nature of this show, it is still highly triggering with a lot of s*exual assault, violence, and negativity. So if you’re not in the right headspace, I’d advice you to steer clear of this one.
Movies
1. Nope (Amazon Prime)
Two siblings running a horse ranch in the remote midwestern parts of California discover something sinister in the skies above. What is its motive? Is it trying to abduct them? Where would they go when the ranch is their only family legacy and source of livelihood?
At its core, Nope is a spectacle. Its theme revolves around the concept of spectacle and its role in the human society. Nope contains all of Jordan Peele's classic filmmaking elements--comedy, horror, social commentary, Black-ness, animal allegory, all elevated to new heights in the genre of sci-fi alien horror cinema.
Make sure to watch this one on the biggest screen you've got. It was a cinematic experience tilting my head up and down the IMAX screen as if I was right there with the characters looking up at the UFO.
2. Event Horizon (Amazon Prime)
If you’re a sucker for Lovecraft, this one’s for you.
When a spaceship sent to voyage the depths of universe is assumed to be lost, it sends its first signal in years. What secrets, mysteries and horrors did it bring aboard it? A team of astronauts is sent to investigate the matter.
Event Horizon is filled with haunting visuals and outlandish sets that'll immerse you into its world of cosmic horror.
3. The Mist (Netflix)
Adapted from Stephen King’s novella of the same name, The Mist is set in a town where after a night of violent storm, everything is engulfed in an unnatural mist. David and his son are trapped in a supermarket along with some other townsfolk, where they witness bloodthirsty creatures emerging from the mist to devour anyone daring to cross its path.
This one is not a great cosmic horror film, but it's still something you can absolutely enjoy for some spook. More than cosmic horror, the movie delves into the dynamics of mob mentality and what havoc religion and its fanatics can wreak when left unchecked.
4. Mama (Netflix)
When a father abandons his two girls in a cabin, a ghost residing there raises the kids as her own. When the twin brother and his girlfriend find out about their abandoned neices and adopt them, the ghost's maternal spirit cannot let go of her children.
Imagine if a kid was raised by a ghost. How would it act? Would it hide behind dark spaces and constantly try to scare you? Will the way it dresses itself differ from how humans do? How will it walk when it sees its mother floating and going through walls? Mama is an intriguing concept that is brought to life in an equally brilliant way. The story remains as a unique take on motherhood horror.
5. Prey (Disney+ Hotstar)
Alright, this one’s technically not horror, but it’s still set in a dark atmosphere with just enough thrill and adrenaline rush to make it on this list.
Naru, a woman of the Comanche Nation, goes on a hunt for something that fell from the sky. To protect her tribe and prove her worth as a warrior, she must use her primitive tools and wit to hunt down a highly-evolved predator with lethal alien technology.
Rarely are prequels/sequels this good. If you’re a fan of the original Predator movie, you’ll love this unique take on the franchise.
Comic
Distant Sky (Webtoon)
A boy wakes up in a post-apocalyptic world shrouded in darkness. The sun and the moon refuse to show up in the sky that is now one big mass of darkness that spits out trains and buildings. What is happening to the world?
Drawn in intricately detailed long form panels, Distant Sky is an experience you cannot miss. Artist Sunhee Kim has put in painstaking efforts to transport the reader into a world of darkness and destruction.
Anime
Detective Conan (Season 2 Episodes 6, 7)
The Mountain Villa Bandaged Man Murder Case: Part 1 and 2
Sometimes, a scene is enough to terrify you. And these 2 part episodes of Detective Conan are one such example.
Conan, Ran and Sonoko go to a snowy mountain villa for a reunion with their friends when a bandaged killer shows up and starts murdering people. Who is the bandaged man and how do they escape the villa when the only bridge that connects to the exit down the mountain is broken?
The whole atmosphere of these episodes, the terror of being trapped in a place with a killer on the loose, and the horrifying truth behind the mystery has kept me up at nights whenever I’ve rewatched these episodes.
Hope you have a fun Halloween weekend. Load up on sugar and cozy up with horror! Happy Halloween!