Must-Watch Modern Horror Movies & Shows for October
By RJ Edrolin
As someone who can be a bit of a weenie when it comes to watching horror, yet still loves the stories, it can be hard finding the perfect horror movie/show to watch that balances good storytelling yet is scary. Lots of people have seen/heard of the classics like Scream, and The Exorcist, but there’s numerous modern horror projects that are equally as scary/fun that you might’ve not heard of.
With spooky season commencing, I've assembled some of my top picks from the horror genre that’ve come out recently. With each recommendation, I’ve included some spoiler-free information on the plot, how scary they actually are, and if you should watch it or not.
1. It Follows (2014)
Premise: “When carefree teenager Jay sleeps with her older boyfriend for the first time, she learns that she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse.”
With the concept of a sexually transmitted demon, it’s no surprise why It Follows was praised for its originality when it first came out. Since its release, It Follows has developed a cult following, with a sequel currently in development. Additionally, It Follows helped to launch the career of its main lead, Maika Monroe, who you may now recognize from her recent work in Longlegs (2024).
If you’re looking to watch a creepy, metaphorical, and intriguing horror film, It Follows is the right one to watch. However, if you don’t find chase-centered plots that exciting, you may want to pass on this one.
Scare Factor: 😨😨/5
2. Talk to Me (2022)
Premise: “When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.”
Similar to It Follows, Talk to Me is a multi-layered horror film, covering numerous themes like grief with a touch of a supernatural element. Additionally, for a supernatural horror, I found Talk to Me a breath of fresh air as it perfectly balanced the supernatural world with the real world, but didn't stay stuck in the supernatural logistics.
If you’re looking to watch a chilling, melancholic, and (at times) hilarious horror film, Talk to Me is the one to watch. However, if supernatural horror with a bit of gore sounds like a turn off for you, I would look elsewhere.
Scare Factor: 😨😨/5
3. Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Premise: “Flashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it.”
Haunting of Hill House was a smash hit when it first came out on Netflix, and it’s not surprising why. Haunting of Hill House takes a classic horror trope (haunted house, and even more haunted family) but is compacted with layer upon layer of impactful themes, amazing performances, horrifying scares, and cliffhangers. One thing I really appreciated about the Haunting of Hill House is how they dealt with the trauma the characters went through after experiencing living in a haunted house. There’s not a lot of visual horror media that actually goes deep into the aftermath of the horror event and I found Haunting of Hill House to be unique in this aspect.
You should watch this if you’re looking for an intricate, detailed, and horrifying story with an amazing ensemble cast. However you may want to look for something else if you get scared easily. I am not someone who gets scared that easily, but the scares from this one made me feel like a kid again, i.e. these scares are the reasons you would want to keep the light on at night or you may think something is in the corner of your room.
Scare Factor: 😨😨😨😨/5
4. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Premise: “When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game turns deadly.”
I tuned into Bodies Bodies Bodies with mixed feelings. Although I’m a huge fan of Rachel Sennot, I was skeptical of what a horror film with Pete Davidson would look like. Additionally, in my opinion, any film that markets itself as ‘Gen Z focused’ should automatically be met with skepticism. But this movie ended up being one of my favorite horror films of all time. This movie perfectly balances comedy, suspense, mystery, and (surprisingly) accurately satirically portrays Gen Z.
You should 100% watch this with friends (if you have the chance) and are looking for a lighter slasher. But if you’re looking for more traditional horror or aren’t a fan of the comedy-horror subgenre, I would keep shopping around.
Scare Factor: 😨/5
5. Fall of the House of Usher (2023)
Premise: “Siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built a pharmaceutical company into an empire of wealth, privilege and power; however, secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying.”
This 8-episode mini-series is adapted from an Edgar Allen Poe short story of the same name, and executed by Mike Flanagan, the same showrunner as the Haunting of Hill House. Similar to the show Succession, each of the heirs claw for their strict patriarch/matriarch’s approval. In each episode, one of the Usher kids mysteriously dies, whose deaths are also inspired from other Poe poems. As the siblings race to discover why the heirs are dying, the deaths of the heirs themselves are extremely layered, hitting on themes like greed, capitalism, and 7 deadly sins.
The Fall of the House of Usher is one of those shows you can’t turn off once you start watching it, and are itching to find out what happens next. However, if you’re not a fan of body horror or gore, I would turn this one off. Compared to Haunting of Hill House, I would say this one was a little bit less scary for me, but the stories were a lot creepier.
Scare Factor: 😨😨😨/5
As you can probably tell, a lot of the modern horror movies I’ve picked have a lot more complex storylines rather than a straightforward horror film/show, so if you’re looking for something that primarily is looking to just scare you, these pieces of media probably won’t suit what you’re looking for. But if you’re looking for a lasting-impactful film/show, these can definitely be the films/shows to begin the spooky season.
