Written by Olivia Aiere
October is primetime for horror movie marathons, but not everyone wants to be jumpscared to get into the Halloween mood. I’ve branched out into the scarier side of horror, but I like to fall back on the movies that don’t make me sleep with my lights on. If you’re looking for movies that won’t freak you out too much this fall, here are some to check out. The recommendations near the end tend to have more jumps and employ more of the classic horror techniques, so watch those if you want to take the first steps into the scarier side of horror like I have.
Lisa Frankenstein (2024)
Starring: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano
Director: Zelda Williams
Plot: Lisa Frankenstein follows a young girl who stopped speaking after the loss of her mother. When a monster appears at her doorstep, she thinks outside of the coffin to make him into the perfect man. Lisa discovers her personal style and gains confidence with the help of the creature.
With Kathryn Newton nailing comedic timing and Cole Sprouse’s silent charm, this is a perfect mix of rom-com and creature-feature. I find this movie great year-round with its twist on a high school coming-of-age story, but its spooky ‘80s ambience makes it a great addition to any horror movie marathon. This is available to rent or buy on most streaming services.
Death Becomes Her (1992)
Starring: Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Plot: Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) and Goldie Hawn (The First Wives Club) face off in this comedic competition for Ernest (Bruce Willis, Die Hard) and his skills as a plastic surgeon. They discover a magic potion that makes them beautiful and young forever, but aren’t prepared for the toll their feud takes on their immortality.
If you loved Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” music video, or if you’ve been keeping up with the adaptation of this movie on Broadway, you might want to check out Death Becomes Her while it’s on Netflix. It spins the concept of immortality into a dark comedy about the price of vanity.
Zombieland (2009)
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Plot: Survivors of the zombie apocalypse band together to find a safe haven in what remains of America. They avoid revealing their names to prevent getting attached to one another but end up bonding on their deadly road trip regardless.
If you have an itch for tales of the undead, this is the pick for you. The wasteland is far from barren with this cast of characters. With the great chemistry these comedy legends exude, this adventure is worth catching on Peacock.
Your Monster (2024)
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Tommey Dewey
Director: Caroline Lindy
Plot: Laura (Barrera) discovers the monster in her closet when she holes up in her home after being dumped. The monster (Dewey) is determined to make her regain her confidence and the two end up forming a close bond as Laura works on her own musical.
Similar to Lisa Frankenstein, this is a rom-com in disguise as a horror-comedy. Your Monster showcases Barrera’s exceptional skills as an actor in this emotional exploration of self-confidence and empowerment. Despite Barrera’s scream queen status, this movie seems to have flown under the radar even where it currently resides on HBO Max.
Totally Killer (2023)
Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson
Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Plot: Jamie (Shipka) finds herself stuck in the ‘80s when running from a resurfaced serial killer. Now in the past, she teams up with her best friend’s mother to stop the killer and to return to the present. Jamie deals with the culture shock of the decade and meets her mom’s younger self, who is less than thrilled that Jamie’s plans keep interfering with hers.
This tale explores the mix of the modern mindset with neon nostalgia in this Prime Video original. The time travelling aspect is refreshing amongst the standard slasher conventions, taking advantage of past and present interaction to create comedic moments beside the tension.
The Menu (2022)
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Ralph Fiennes
Director: Mark Mylod
Plot: Margot (Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Hoult) attend an exclusive dinner prepared by renowned chef Julian Slowik (Fiennes) on a private island. Margot is reluctant to indulge in the feast, catching Slowik’s attention and angering her date Tyler. As the night goes on, Slowik’s courses adopt an unusual creativity and we learn more about each of the characters gathered for this private affair.
This delectable thriller that examines class and food can be found on Hulu. It builds tension to pique curiosity, but the overall vibe is more creepy and unsettling than in-your-face scary as it follows the mystery built around all the attendees.
Ma (2019)
Starring: Octavia Spencer, Diana Silvers, Juliette Lewis
Director: Tate Taylor
Plot: A group of teens find Sue Ann (Spencer) to be the perfect accomplice for their underage drinking. Not only does she buy them alcohol, she hosts parties for them and other students so they don’t get caught by their parents. Sue Ann insists the kids call her “Ma” since she chaperones their charades. Her eagerness to help quickly overwhelms Maggie (Silvers), who becomes suspicious of Ma’s true intentions.
Ma gained popularity for its goofy approach to a horror movie. Octavia Spencer, who plays the titular character, has leaned into the reception for this movie and the campiness it has become known for. This movie is a cult classic that will at least make you laugh even if it doesn’t make you scream, and is available on Prime Video.
Scream (1996)
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Drew Barrymore
Director: Wes Craven
Plot: A mysterious masked killer plucks off Woodsboro residents who are all close to Sidney Prescott (Campbell). Sidney juggles the anniversary of her mothers death with an invasive news reporter and the killer’s menacing phone calls.
Possibly one of the most iconic slasher franchises, this satirical collection of movies loves to subvert the expectations set by previous movies. Watching the first one is fun on its own, but watching all the sequels allows for the discovery of fun easter eggs and references to other installments in the series–all of which are available on Paramount Plus. If you haven’t checked out Scream yet, a marathon might be the move this October.
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons
Director: Karyn Kusama
Plot: When Jennifer (Fox) starts acting differently after a local bar burns down, Needy (Seyfried) sets out to find what changed her best friend. This demonic thriller explores Needy and Jennifer’s relationship amidst a string of murders in their small town.
Written by Diablo Cody, the same writer as Lisa Frankenstein and Juno, this film screams early 2000s and has gained cult classic status after its marketing in 2009 caused mixed reactions from audiences. With a few jumps and a vicious man-eating demon, it might not be for everyone. It is insanely quotable as it comments on girlhood and gender in society, making this one of my favorites.
Ready or Not (2019)
Starring: Samara Weaving, Mark O’Brien, Adam Brody
Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Plot: Grace (Weaving) is a runaway bride…of sorts. She marries into a family of board game fame, and must play a game with them at midnight after her wedding. She pulls the card for hide-and-seek, and must submit to the tradition of being hunted by her in-laws so that their business can continue to prosper.
This is a bit of a gory take on the children’s game, but following our heroine is ultimately a fun ride. To me, the scariest part of this movie is the creepy butler whose loyalty to the family is unnerving. The setting is a dark manor but the dysfunctional family dynamic lightens the mood as they struggle to work together to chase Grace throughout their home. With a sequel confirmed to be on the way, now is the perfect time to watch Ready or Not on Hulu.
Sinners (2025)
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Wunmi Mosaku
Director: Ryan Coogler
Plot: Michael B. Jordan plays a pair of twins, Smoke and Stack, returning from Chicago to open a juke joint in their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Miles Caton debuts as Sammie, the twins’ cousin with a passion for singing. They recruit their cousin and friends to help them with their grand opening, but the night takes a turn when Remmick (Jack O’Connell) shows up asking to play some tunes. With Annie (Mosaku) providing spiritual guidance, the film uses vampire mythology to connect cultures and serve as an allegory for colonization as the vampires set out to create a new society where they all live in peace.
Ryan Coogler uses vampires and blues music to explore race and religion in Sinners. Caton’s voice is resonant and clear, topping off the already addicting soundtrack. The vampires in the film are pretty classic in their powers, so it gets a bit bloody when someone gets bitten. Besides only a handful of jumps in the very beginning, this one shouldn’t freak out anyone too bad. It has been confirmed to be returning to IMAX screens this Halloween, so if you missed this release the first time you should definitely catch this contender for best movie of the year if you can.
