October is here and with it comes the season of watching Halloween and fall-themed movies and shows. When looking at the popular October watchlists, sometimes they are not quite the movies you were looking for, or you feel as if you have seen them all before. The following five lists have been created with a specific viewer in mind and, hopefully, you can find the perfect movie/show recommendations here!
- The Tired Horror Fan
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Are you a fan of thriller and horror movies but feel like you have seen all of the classic Halloween horrors? Would you roll your eyes if you had to endure another lame jump scare? This list is perfect for you! To start, Suspiria (1977), The Sixth Sense and Let the Right One In are horror classics that you may have missed. The original Suspiria and the 2018 remake both follow an American dancer who joins a prestigious German ballet academy with sinister secrets. Let the Right One In tells the haunting tale of a young boy who meets his neighbor with a taste for blood. Some hidden gems in this category include The Lodge, It Comes At Night, The Witch, Coherence, The Killing of a Sacred Deer and As Above, So Below. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a peculiar thriller about a surgeon who takes a sinister teenage boy under his wing. As Above, So Below is far from a perfect film, but the exploration of the horrors of the Parisian catacombs is a fun ride. The Lodge is a newer horror movie that follows two siblings as they spend a vacation in a remote lodge with their soon-to-be stepmom who was raised in a religious cult.
- The Childhood Throwback Lover
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If you are in this category, you probably scrolled right past the horror section because that is not your kind of watchlist. If you feel more at home with a Disney throwback and apple cider in hand, this list is for you! For a fun night in, I suggest watching some of the Halloween episodes from your favorite Disney Channel shows. Here are some of my favorite shows and what episodes to watch: The Suite Life of Zack and Cody (01×19), Hannah Montana (01×17), A.N.T. Farm (01×14-Includes the hit single, “Calling All The Monsters”), Good Luck Charlie (04×14), The Suite Life on Deck (03×11), Wizards of Waverly Place (03×02) and That’s So Raven (02×02). Some classic movie favorites include the four Halloweentown movies, Twitches (and Twitches Too) and Hocus Pocus.
- The Horror Comedy Enthusiast
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Do you enjoy horror movies but are looking for a bit of a feel-good twist? Horror comedies and satires are perfect for a fun night in with friends, whether they make you laugh because they make fun of classic tropes or because the concepts are really over-the-top. The Cabin in the Woods stars Chris Hemsworth in this satirical horror movie with a bit of a supernatural twist as a group of friends travel to a remote cabin for a vacation. Ready or Not follows a new bride who enters a family with an absurd tradition of playing a terrifying game the night of their wedding. Happy Death Day and The Babysitter would also fall well into this category and are currently on my watchlist. More classics in this genre include American Psycho and Zombieland. Christian Bale’s haunting portrayal of the despicable Patrick Bateman in American Psycho is full of over-the-top moments that make you constantly wonder why you are laughing along.
- The Crime Drama Detective
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Lovers of crime drama-related content will watch these movies and shows regardless of the season or holiday. However, here are some recommendations that fit the genre but have a bit of an autumnal flair or color palette so you have an excuse to keep watching them this month. In my recent article, I reviewed The Devil All the Time, which is a crime drama with a lot of violence and gore with the landscape of trees to fit the fall theme…right? The Clovehitch Killer follows a teenager who begins to investigate the story of the serial killer that plagued their small town decades before, revealing it could hit close to home. Although I have recommended it before, Prisoners is a riveting story of two children who go missing. I will take any excuse to watch Zodiac, and it’s autumnal color palette is enough! Follow the retelling of the search for the infamous Zodiac Killer with Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo. A series that will satisfy lovers of crime dramas is Hannibal, which I covered in another recent article.
- The Fall Aesthetic Curator
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If you are looking for some movies that just have those cozy, autumnal feelings, this is the list for you! I think the feeling of fall is a bit subjective, but I classify anything with a story that makes you feel warm inside, an earth-tone color palette or the aspect of togetherness to be major fall themes. For example, Brokeback Mountain spans many seasons and years, but the themes make it a perfect fall movie for me. If you haven’t seen this tale of the secret relationship between two cowboys starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, here is my strong recommendation. If Beale Street Could Talk is another film that feels warm and shows the importance of family as a pregnant woman sets out to prove her childhood best friend and lover did not commit the crime he has been accused of. Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda and The Nightmare Before Christmas are other classic fall-feeling movies. If you are on the opposite end and want to watch something colder, Netflix’s recent release I’m Thinking of Ending Things captures the overwhelming emptiness of fall and winter.
I hope that you found the perfect list for you and have some new movies and shows to get excited about. Happy October and happy viewing!