Horror movies are the perfect way to bring both joy and fear to your indoor Halloween. They bring you jump-scares that will leave you in tears, cliffhangers that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and of course gore–who doesn’t love buckets and buckets of blood? Over the years, there have been many original movies, franchises, and even remakes in the horror genre, but the question still remains: what should you watch this Halloween? These are the Top Ten horror movies to watch for this spooky season, where you can get all your laughs, scares, and, most importantly, gore. 

10. The “Final Destination” series

The “Destination” series consists of 5 movies, “Final Destination 1-3″, “The Final Destination,” and “Final Destination 5.” The movies are about people who all escape near-death experiences and are then tracked by Death itself. Depending on which movie you watch, the CGI will vary since the producers change between them. That’s what draws you deep into the movies because there is a different view on the lore with each producer. The gore is roughly about 8 / 10 depending on the movie. You can stream all the movies on Amazon Prime Video and AMC. 

9. “The Babysitter” Movies

“The Babysitter” and “Babysitter Killer Queen” are two parts of a horror-comedy franchise following a boy named Cole who finds out more than he should about his babysitter. It turns out she belongs to a satanic cult that will stop at nothing to keep the boy from revealing their secret. The acting and CGI in these films makes them very interesting to watch, with everyone’s death ending in its own unique way. There are some jump scares, but nothing like ¨Scream¨ or ¨The Messengers,” and it will also make you laugh. Although the gore is at an 8  / 10 the comedy makes up for it and fits well with the scare to balance out this horror-comedy. You can stream these two movies on Netflix.

8. “Happy Death Day” One and Two

The “Death Day” movies are about reliving the same day on a loop, like the 1993 film “Groundhogs Day.” The story follows the main character Theresa, aka Tree. She repeats the same day, her birthday when she is murdered, over and over again. Each “day” starts to get more nerve-racking because the number of times she had been killed starts to leave cumulative damage to the next cycle, causing her severe medical issues. Although the movie has about a 6.5 / 10 when it comes to gore, the comedy makes up for it and almost distracts you from the psychological trauma the main character experiences. You can watch it on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

7. “Carrie” 1978

The 1978 film “Carrie” is a story about a girl whose life changes drastically as she grows up. She struggles to put up with her terrible mother and rude peers. The film reveals so many beautiful scenes and daunting imagery and lives up to Stephen King’s novel exquisitely. The gore is about a 5 / 10 due to poor graphics, but the plot and character development truly make up for it. A reminder that this is an older film, so there may be nudity shown. You can find “Carrie” on Hulu. 

6. “Us”

“Us” is a movie that falls under a few absurd categories that can go from home invasion to twisted clones. The movie’s gore factor is about 7.5 / 10, but if you have Aichmophobia (fear of sharp objects) or leporiphobia (fear of rabbits),  this may not be the movie for you… or maybe it’s exactly for you. The movie contains several twists that make you overthink the plot; it’s one of those movies that you will probably want to watch again to catch all the subtle hints you missed the first time. This film is on Amazon Prime, Vudu, and iTunes. 

5. “Poltergeist” 1982

The original “Poltergeist” didn’t have the best graphics, but the story is conveyed very well. The film follows a story of a family experiencing unexplainable events in their house, which turns out to be the works of ghosts. If you enjoy the paranormal genre, this movie will get you roped in. It can be a bit confusing at times, but that just makes it even more intriguing. There is hardly any gore, so it’s a 1 / 10, but the scares come from the suspense of what’s going to happen next. You can watch this movie on Netflix. 

4. “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” 2006

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” has had many reboots, but we’re going to talk specifically about the 2006 film. The things the crew had done to get certain shots and props, like the masks made from the faces of his victims, made the movie feel scary realistic. All of the versions are based on a true story, but they are all also heavily exaggerated. The gore for this one strikes a hard 9 / 10 for the grotesque imagery, so I wouldn’t watch if you have a weak stomach. You can stream this one on YouTube.

3. The “IT” Franchise

From the original 1990 film to the two-part recent remake, the “IT” universe has attracted a large fanbase. The movie was based on the novel written by Stephen King and portrayed beautifully in all of the films. The movies are about kids in a small town called Derry where they have to face a shapeshifting clown entity after kids in town start going missing. Most of the time, the movie is serious,  but the comedic relief, mostly brought by Richie Tozier, makes the movie even better. The gore varies between a 7 and a 9, depending on which movie you watch due to CGI and specific scenes. Overall, they are both great movies that you can stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime.

2. “The Shining”

“The Shining” is probably one of the most well-known horror movies of all time. Based on another novel written by Stephen King, the movie has a strong storyline. The film has iconic moments such as Danny riding his tricycle around only to find the creepy twins in the hallway, and of course, the unforgettable quote, “Here’s Johnny.” With its twisted imagery and haunting theories, this movie is more disturbing than scary. The gore scale is about a 5 / 10  for this film. You can find this movie on iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, or wherever you purchase digital content.

1. “Hereditary”

The movie “Hereditary” strikes a strong bargain when it comes to jumpscares and head turners. The movie consists of many plot twists that make it so intriguing. Although, if you’re not into gore, this isn’t the movie for you, with a rating of 9.5 / 10. There isn’t much to say without spoiling the entirety of this film, so just try and watch it with a clear head. You can stream this movie on Amazon Prime.

Have a fun, but safe Halloween, whether you’re going trick-or-treating or not. I hope you enjoy watching these movies as much as I did. Leave your favorites in the comments!  Happy haunting!