This year, the haunting Hallows Eve falls on a Monday—so unless you have the rallying capabilities of a frat star on the morning of an 8am tailgate (or myself for that matter), you’re going to be staying in that night. And what better way to spend Halloween than watching a scary movie—one that brings to life the chilling, goose-bump inducing feeling that is supposed to come with Halloween.
1. Paranormal Activity
This mock-umentary style movie is one that will send shivers down your spine for a solid 90 minutes. The story tracks a couple that believe their house is haunted by a paranormal being. They decide to leave a portable camera on overnight. This leads to an array of random slamming doors, weird behavior and ghostly sightings. This is one of those movies that will leave you traumatized for days (I kept thinking something was pulling the sheet off my bed for weeks).
Watch the trailer here: Paranormal Activity
2. Scream
Okay, so probably not the scariest movie in the history books: this is a movie for all of you that don’t necessarily want to be spooked for days. One of the benefits of this movie is that it’s part of a franchise: so put those Public Policy articles aside, and pop in Scream 1, 2, 3 OR 4, for a long night of screaming (obviously), crying on the phone, and dark twists. But keep in mind, this isn’t your typical scary movie—you’re guaranteed some laughs, for sure.
Watch the trailer here: Scream Trailer
3. The Craft
Magic, check. Witches, check. Spooky goth covenant, check. It seems like Neve Campbell is just racking up these Halloween movies. Watch as the new girl in a Catholic High School falls into the wrong crowd—a group of outcasts who cast curses and spells on the people they don’t like (can’t they just spread rumors about them, or something, like normal high school teenagers?). Definitely not a movie to spook you, this one falls under the teen angst genre—which is always fun to indulge in every now and then. My favorite line:
Bus Driver: You girls watch out for those for those weirdos.
Teenage Witch (for once not named Sabrina): We are the weirdos, mister.
Priceless teen angst—scary enough, if you ask me.
Watch trailer: The Craft Trailer
4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
You know it’s going to be a bad night when the movie starts out with, “Inspired by a True Story,” and this one is perfect for Halloween. Bloody limbs, gruesome chainsaws and creepy Hillbillys—what more could you ask of a horror movie? Add in the visually appealing Mike Vogel, and it’s not a bad way to spend Halloween night—provided you’re not squeamish, that is.
Watch the trailer here: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Trailer
5. The Silence of the Lambs
Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of the infamous cannibal, Hannibal Lector, has spooked teenagers for years. Lector’s slow and melodic voice echoes through your dark, all-of-a-sudden creepy dorm room as he describes his dinner of human liver and fava beans (followed by his iconic slither: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVlkZVAw8Gc&feature=related). Watch a young Jodi Foster enlist Lector’s help in the case of a loose serial killer—leading to multiple spine-chilling interactions in Lector’s cell.
For more, watch the trailer here: Silence of the Lambs Trailer
Photo sources:
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm530094336/tt0115963
http://www.wildsoundmovies.com/images/scream_poster.jpg
http://shocktillyoudrop.com/nextraimages/PARASMALL2.jpg
http://www.impawards.com/1991/posters/silence_of_the_lambs_ver2.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4070481664/tt0324216