With Halloween right around the corner and spooky season in full swing, it’s time for everyone’s favorite fall activity: a scary movie marathon. This year, you don’t have to stress and spend hours searching for the next perfect scary movie to watch, because I have compiled a list of the perfect mix of scary movies. From paranormal frights to slasher scares, this list has everything you could ask for and will be my go-to for the spooky movie season. The list contains 12 movies that add up to around 23 hours and 15 minutes, leaving just enough time for some bathroom and snack breaks. You’re welcome to watch the movies in whatever order you like, but I have listed them in my recommended order. Grab your girls, snacks, and stuffed animals because it’s time to get spooky.
1. american psycho
To start the night, we’re watching American Psycho starring Christian Bale with a run time of 1 hour and 41 minutes. This film will start your night by blurring the lines of “normal” and psychotic. This one definitely brings a bang and will start spirits off high. This film, having come out in 2000, is known as one of the classic slasher films.
2. fresh
Next, we’ll move on to the movie Fresh which premiered on Hulu last fall. This movie stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan and was an unexpected star for me last Halloween season. This film is an excellent bridge from American Psycho to the scarier films on this list while still bringing discomfort. With a run-time of 1 hour and 57 minutes, this film definitely causes a slow-burn feeling.
3. us
After Fresh, the next scare will be Us which became an instant fan favorite when it came out in 2019. The absolute icon Lupita Nyong’o kills this lead role in more ways than one. This film brings a dark twist to the marathon, reminding us that not all killers must be human. With a run-time of two hours, this film is one of the longest in the marathon, but it’s worth every minute.
4. Cam
Now, with a similar plotline to Us and combining it with Spring Breakers, we have the movie Cam. This film on Netflix has a storyline that could be compared to Us in many ways but brings in new twists and turns, creating a similar yet entirely new storyline. Being one of the shorter films and a less-known film, it stands at roughly an hour and a half.
5. Trick ‘R Treat
The next film may not be the scariest, but it’s definitely a Halloween classic. Many feel compelled to watch Halloween during the Halloween season, but I feel compelled to watch this. Trick ‘R Treat is a classic Halloween film that ties multiple storylines into one film to create the ultimate Halloween movie. This movie may not be the most terrifying, but it brings so many horror film tropes into one movie that it makes for an epic Halloween film. With a runtime of 1 hour and 22 minutes, this film could be considered short, but not so sweet.
6. Pearl
As we’re about halfway through the scares, it’s essential to decompress a bit and have a more chill moment on this suspenseful day. I’ve chosen the movie Pearl starring Mia Goth by A24 Films with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. This film has a perfect tie-in of comedy into a classic slasher film. If the hilarious main character doesn’t reel you in, her increasingly strange family will. With various scenes mirroring The Wizard of Oz, this movie brings a bit of spice to a classic tale that is almost guaranteed to leave you shocked.
7. Barbarian
Now that we’ve had a slight comedy break, it’s back to straight scares, and up next is a wild one. Barbarian lasted 1 hour and 43 minutes and had me saying “WTF” the entire time. What starts as a casual film turns into a wild rollercoaster that you don’t want to get off of for some weird reason.
8. Insidious
Give yourself a pat on the back because you’ve made it to the eighth movie, and as a reward, this movie is also a bit tamer compared to other films on this list. Insidious is a movie that most of us know, but if you don’t… look somewhere else for spoilers because that’s not what this list is for. Insidious also has a run time of 1 hour and 43 minutes and will satisfy all your paranormal needs. This film is for jumpscare lovers and is best watched in a dark room. While Insidious has become a series consisting of several movies, I’d like to clarify for the sake of this list, I am recommending the first one for new viewers. But if you’re knowledgeable of the series, feel free to choose your favorite.
9. Talk to me
Number nine on this list is a new horror film that has definitely made its mark. Talk to Me, with a run time of 1 hour and 35 minutes, is hard to describe without giving away too much so the only thing I feel safe to say is: ghost hand. Take that as you will and watch with caution because this movie will cross boundaries you didn’t even know you had.
10. goodnight mommy
As we count down to the last three movies on the list it’s coming down to the wire. Coming up is Goodnight Mommy with a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes. This film starring Naomi Watts has so many twists and turns that it is sure to stun. This film has a very unexpected ending almost making you want to watch the film for a second time right away. The high stakes and stunning ending brings this film into our marathon for an exciting, suspenseful moment.
11. the ring
The next movie is the movie that originally got me into the horror genre and it obviously needed its place of honor on this list. The Ring is a classically scary and sad movie. This wild paranormal tale features a single mother who spins her family into chaos for our own enjoyment for 1 hour and 55 minutes. While a real family wasn’t feeling the stress of the movie, the audience definitely does in this spine-chilling film where children in horror get a new perspective.
12. saw x
The last movie on this list is also the newest. Saw X is the most recent film in the Saw series and this chapter in the series sits earlier in the timeline than most, following a more personal journey for Jigsaw. This film just recently was released and is still being shown in theaters. With a runtime of 1 hour and 58 minutes, this is definitely one to include on your own list this spooky season.
While some of these movies may be over-watched or considered overdone, when compiled all together they make for a horrifying list filled with frights and ghouls that are sure to knock your socks off.
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