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Top 12 Horror Movies to Watch This Halloween to Take You on a Thrilling Ride

TV & Film

October 26, 2025

The scariest time of the year is approaching! Halloween's gothic spirit has inspired me to share with you all an amazing list of some of the best (and most disturbing) horror films produced by Hollywood. Beware of the top 5, they are not for the faint of heart.

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12. The Purge (2013)

James Sandin lives with his family of four in a gated home in California. An intruder causes trouble and lands the family in the Purge, a 12-hour period where all crime, including murder, is legal.

Image credit: Austin Lowman from Unsplash

The Purge (2013) is one of Ethan Hawke's best masterpieces. While not necessarily horror, it is a suspense and thriller film with horror elements in it. This film can be classified as human horror. It is perfect for those who want to explore horror without going in too deep.

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11. Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (2021)

The summer of '78 is ruined for a group of teen campers when a gruesome killer begins his killing spree in Camp Nightwing in the cursed town of Shadyside.

This film is the second part of the Fear Street franchise, starring Sadie Sink in the lead role. This film is an amazing slasher horror film with lots of gore and murder involved. I would recommend it to those who want to see the gore and blood horror involves without getting too psychological.

10. A Quiet Place (2018)

A family lives in a world inhabited by blind but audio sensitive violent creatures. To survive, they must communicate without speaking, using sign language and other physical forms of communication.

A Quiet Place (2018) is a more tension filled horror movie. It is perfect for those who are into sci-fi and want to explore the world of horror. There are many tense scenes, which makes it perfect to get your adrenaline high. One of the best horror films there is.

9. Annabelle (2014)

The Forms are haunted by a satanic cult which uses an old doll as a way to make their lives miserable. This leads to a series of supernatural events in the Forms' residence.

Image Credit: Nong from Unsplash

This film is the first in the Annabelle trilogy. It is a respected film in the horror community and one of the scariest films in the Conjuring universe. Highly recommended to those who can handle proper horror content.

8. The Nun (2018)

A priest arrives to Romania with a novice to investigate the death of a young nun. However, the tables soon turn as a supernatural force starts haunting them.

Image credit: Mateus Campos Felipe from Unsplash

The Nun (2018) is the origin of the Conjuring universe. It is highly recommended to watch this film if you want to start exploring the Conjuring universe, as this movie sets the tone for the whole franchise. Perfect for those who don't get fazed by suspense and thrillers and want to explore horror further.

7. The Ring (2002)

Many mysterious deaths have happened with no apparent cause. An investigative journalist must get ahead of this horror before it comes knocking at her door.

The Ring (2002) is a proper horror film, the kind we imagine in our head when we think about horror. Those who like to watch light horror films like the ones I mentioned above should definitely watch this film, even if they do not want to dive deep into the horror world.

6. Nosferatu (2024)

The wife of an estate agent who travels to Transylvania for a meeting with a count is haunted by an unexplainable evil force which is beyond her control.

Image credit: Vitaliy Shevchenko from Unsplash

Inspired by Bram Stoker's famous novel Dracula, Nosferatu (2024) is the perfect movie to be called purely gothic. With its classical story and historical roots, Nosferatu is recommended to those who are more into the goth aesthetic or want to explore Hollywood's classics through modern movies.

5. Insidious (2011)

The Lamberts' son falls into a coma after moving to their new house. Soon, paranormal activities start happening, haunting the Lamberts.

Insidious (2011) is the kind of horror which will not let you sit down peacefully while watching it. It scared me, which means it will definitely scare 90% of those who are reading this article. Watch this movie if you have watched horror movies before, as this is not for beginners.

4. It (2017)

An evil clown starts terrorizing seven children of Derry, Maine, by torturing them then feeding on them. These children face their worst nightmares when this clown appears.

Image credit: Nong from Unsplash

It (2017) is a very gory movie, with lots of stabbing, biting, and blood involved. I would recommend it to those who have a high tolerance to gore. This is a fantastic movie, but unfortunately, its not for everyone.

3. The Conjuring 2 (2016)

A mysterious force starts moving around furniture in Peggy's house in Enfield, London. Peggy invites paranormal detectives Ed and Lorraine Warner to investigate the situation.

The Enfield Poltergeist is a real life case based on the paranormal activities which took place between 1977-1979 in Enfield, London. This case inspired The Conjuring 2. Regarded as the scariest movie in the Conjuring universe, it is a perfect film for those who have seen enough horror movies to not be jump scared easily.

2. Hereditary (2018)

The terrifying truth about Annie's ancestry is soon revealed when strange paranormal occurrences start taking place in the Grahams' residence after the death of her mother.

Hereditary (2018) is deeply unsettling, and it makes viewers creeped out long after finishing the movie. It's a brilliantly made psychological horror film, and I would recommend it to those who can differentiate between fiction and reality easily. It can be psychologically scarring to the sensitive audience, so proceed with caution.

1. The Exorcist (1973)

The behavior of a 12 year old girl suddenly changes, making her mother worried. A local priest thinks that the devil has possessed the girl, and he wants to perform an exorcism on the girl to remove the devil. To help with this job, the church sends in an expert.

The Exorcist (1973) is regarded as the scariest movie of all time by many, as this movie involves religious conflicts, lots of graphic content, and shock. This movie is only for the most seasoned audience who can handle intensity to a completely new level. I would not recommend watching it alone, it can cause medical issues.

I would only recommend it to those who can handle this and planning to watch in a group with lights on in broad daylight. This film is not for even some of the bravest.

Image credit: Stefano Pollio from Unsplash

I hope this list of movies gets you into the Halloween spirit and heightens your horror tolerance. These movies are extremely scary, especially the top 3. So I would advice not watching them at night all alone.

This is my pick of the scariest of Hollywood, and I hope you will like it too. Wishing you a happy and safe Halloween in advance!

Aamanya Vakharia
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Writer since Apr, 2025 · 11 published articles

Aamanya is an aspiring multi-instrumentalist, with knowledge in different instruments. She loves to sing and draw as well. In her free time, you can see her drawing or learning a new song. She is also a big fan of action, thriller, and heist movies.

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