Halloween Movie Discussion/Recommendations

[Dave-O2]

Hey everyone,

I'm starting some early Halloween movie discussion, as once October hits, nobody needs an excuse to light some candles, grab some popcorn, and settle down and watch some horror flicks 

Watching movies is one of my favourite things to do in my spare time, so below are some horrors that I recommend watching this Halloween, some of which I've watched in the past couple of weeks ↘️

The Conjuring (2013)

Kicking off with my personal #1 horror film, scoring 7.5/10 on IMDb, this film is based on a true story! In 1970, paranormal investigators and demonologists Lorraine and Ed Warren are summoned to the home of Carolyn and Roger Perron. The Perrons and their five daughters have recently moved into a secluded farmhouse, where a supernatural presence has made itself known. Though the manifestations are relatively benign at first, events soon escalate in horrifying fashion, especially after the Warrens discover the house's macabre history.

The story behind the film is even more frightening and more details on this can be seen here 

REC (2007)

Next up is a film, I've not watched for a few years, however, is still fresh in my memory and is due a re-watch this Halloween. Scoring 7.4/10 on IMDb and placing at number 60 on Time Out's list of the Top 100 Best Horror Films, this movie description is as follows, late-night TV host Angela and her cinematographer are following the fire service on a call to an apartment building, but the Spanish police seal off the building after an old woman is infected by a virus that gives her inhuman strength. This film is in Spanish, so subtitles will be needed.

Talk to Me (2022)

The latest movie released on my list scores 7.2/10 on IMDb and is an Australian supernatural horror film. When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits with an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill and high-stakes party game, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces. I watched this a couple of weeks ago and if this tickles your fancy, you're in luck as this comes to UK Netflix on 26 October.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

As you may have now noticed, The Conjuring Franchise is one of my favourites, and the third installment released in 2021, is my next recommendation. This is again based on a true story when paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on one of the most sensational cases of their careers after a cop stumbles upon a dazed and bloodied young man walking down the road. Accused of murder, the suspect claims demonic possession as his defense, forcing the Warrens into a supernatural inquiry unlike anything they've ever seen before. Even though this has the lowest IMDb score on the list at 6.3/10, it's still worth a watch!

More details on the true story can be seen here, and there is also a documentary on Netflix covering the story named: The Devil On Trial.

Halloween (1978)

I couldn't finish my recommendations without including a classic in the list, and it's the perfect watch if you want to scare off those trick-or-treaters on Halloween evening. The movie synopsis reads, fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again. If you still haven't had a chance to watch the original Halloween, make 2023 the year, you won't be disappointed with a 7.7/10 score on IMDb.

Thanks for listening and please comment below if you get a chance to watch any of my recommendations with your thoughts 😊

Please also provide your own recommendations below and we can all add them to our must watch lists ✏️

[Enlli]

Not a film, and true to life. Worth watching Uncanny on iPlayer. Poltergeist activity or not, you decide on the evidence

[gmarkj]

I do like a good horror film. Arachnophobia scared the bejesus out of me when I was younger, as did Invaders from Mars (1953) . 

Some that I would recommend (links are to Wikipedia pages for the films):

Oculus (2013) - great film, starring the excellent Karen Gillan (aka Amy Pond or Nebula)

It Follows (2014) - very different from the usual style

The Evil Dead (1981) - the original, but would also recommend the "remake" Evil Dead II (1987) which tells the same story but in a much more exaggerated way

The Fly (1986) - enjoyed this, even if a little gruesome and the special effects were pretty good for the time!

Life (2017) - really scary as it is a bit of a "what if" film, relevant today with the recent sample taken of the comet Bennu

The Relic (1997) - again some good creature effects in this

The Sand (2015) - interesting concept this one

Tremors (1990_film) - a classic that spawned a series and a TV show

The Thing(1982) and the "prequel/sequel" The Thing (2011) - the first a classic and the second also very good

Splinter (2008) - not for the faint hearted, and not the biggest budget but a good horror film anyway

The Thaw (2009) - also not pleasant viewing, but a semi-warning about global warming and what might happen

These two are very similar - The Descent (2005) and The Cave (2005) - both about a group of cave divers

Special mention to the classic Dog Soldiers (2002) , another low budget but very entertaining film!

[Dave-O2]

Thanks @Cleoriff 

The Lost Boys funnily enough is a film I'm well aware of, however have never watched.

So I think this should be screening on my TV soon, it has a score of 7.2/10 on IMDb and the film follows two brothers after moving to a new town, discover that the area is a haven for vampires.

 

[Dave-O2]

Thanks for this recommendation @Enlli 

Just checked and is only three episodes long, so should be able to watch it in one sitting 🎞

The description is ➡️ Are you team believer or team sceptic? Danny Robins brings his hit podcast to the screen, investigating stories of the paranormal. It's about to get weird.

[Dave-O2]

Thanks for taking the time to drop us such an extensive list @gmarkj 

Some of the movies I've seen include It Follows (2014), The Descent (2005), Dog Soldiers (2002)

I had a little chuckle after being reminded about Dog Soldiers, I watched this years ago with my sister and she was TERRIFIED 😂

For others who haven't watched, this film has a 6.8/10 on IMDb in the film during a routine nighttime training mission in the Scottish Highlands, a small squad of British soldiers expected to rendezvous with a special ops unit instead find a bloody massacre with a sole survivor and face a nightmare in the Scottish wilderness.

[gmarkj]

Coincidentally, It Follows was on TV the other night - and apparently they are making a sequel next year called They Follow...

[Enlli]

Remember.....Don't blink! 

I escaped this one. Will you?

 

[Dave-O2]

Nice @gmarkj 

Can't spot a trailer on YouTube yet, so will be keeping an eye out for that dropping....

[Dave-O2]

@Enlli 👼👼

[Pipstop78]

Don't like watching horror films nightmare on elm street watched that and to this day I will never watch a horror again. Carrie was a good film liked that felt sorry for her. Like bettle juice and Edward scissor hand I no that wasn't a horror