Halloween is a sacred time for every horror movie lover. Being the opposite of Christmas, this holiday has always brought forward a spooky and often paranormal world. Cinema and even television obviously follow this trend: these days there is never a shortage of horror movies or audiovisual products that have mystery thriller vibes. Our recommended movies – even though they are very different from each other – are significantly differenct in writing and execution, making them the perfect choice for this year’s Halloween.
Halloween Ends (Available in cinemas)
The third installment in the trilogy directed by David Gordon Green, “Halloween Ends” is the closing movie in this project that brought Michael Myers and his strongest enemy, Laurie back to the movies. Along with the wave of revivals without much passion, the franchise always sought to delve into that universe and the predator-prey relationship. Although this project lacks the true power of the first chapter directed by John Carpenter, we still recommend seeing it at the movies, as this is the time for all Halloween to re-enter the cinematic universe of Halloween.
Nope (VOD)
The second movie on our list is an incredible piece of work. I was already clear to everyone, that Jordan Peele was one of the most interesting filmmakers of his generation, yet “Nope” is even more surprising piece of art than “Get Out” and “Us”. Its best asset is its ability to mix so many subgenres and create something never seen before. Inside “Nope” is Spielberg‘s “Jaws”, a western adventure, a social redemption movie, and of course a mystery thriller. This strange “UFO film” is full of mystery and a compelling story, that will surely leave an impact on every viewer.
Scream (Paramount+)
The first “Scream”, released in 1996, was an almost revolutionary movie in the way it mixed political satire about the American middle class suffering from toxic competitiveness, reflection on slasher cinema, and the teen movie. Inserting all the clichés of the genre, mocking them and using them for something very polished really seemed like a stroke of genius. Surprisingly, the last entry of the franchise turned out to be an entertaining piece, something that really gave back Ghost Face its true meaning. Despite the number missing from the title, we are not talking about an actual remake, because the murders of the first Scream are contextualized and date back 25 years before this new chapter. However, many elements of the movie indicate a semi-remake, with plenty of meta-references.
Smile (Available in cinemas)
A more recent movie on our list is “Smile”, which has established itself as the most talked-about horror movie in the season. “Smile”, despite its not at all original idea, has the right amount of trashiness of a B-movie, that will never be scary, but is able to reflect on the genre it represents. Rose witnesses an apparent very violent suicide that culminates with a smile from the victim. After this incident, people occasionally begin to smile in a disturbing and unwarranted way.
Hellraiser (Hulu)
It was 1987 when “Hellraiser” was released. Although that movie introduced a charismatic villain and one of the most imaginatively interesting horror stories in the horror scene, many have forgotten about it. It was a movie about pleasure-pain and American hedonism. It was not just a gory horror movie, but a truly memorable film. After so many mediocre attempts, “Hellraiser” finally returns with a low, but not too low budget, a good director like David Bruckner, and the approval of Clive Barker as producer. The result is very different from the first chapter, with some concepts remaining the same. Although it might make some fans of the saga nervous, the new “Hellraiser” is a brave movie with remarkable directing and thought-provoking thematic implications.
