10 Freaky Halloween Movies Guaranteed to Make Your Heart Palpitate

It’s that time of year again, and all the streaming services have their Halloween sections ready for your viewing. I love a good scare, so I compiled this quick list of spine-tingling favorites to set your mood for October. Have you seen them?

1. The Conjuring (2013)

The Conjuring 2013 scary movies
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

The Conjuring is a supernatural film based on prominent cases of haunting investigated by paranormal trailblazers and authors Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga).

Set in 1971, it explores a haunted farmhouse in Rhode Island occupied by the Perron family, and it is terrifying. There are several literal jump scares and a story that grips you from beginning to end. The sequel is equally scary and entertaining.

2. What Lies Beneath (2000)

What Lies Beneath 2000
Image Credit: DreamWorks Pictures.

What Lies Beneath is a psychological supernatural horror movie that will palpitate your heart. It follows former cellist Claire Spencer (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her husband Norman (Harrison Ford), an accomplished scientist and professor.

When Claire begins seeing a ghost, it leads her down a path of a shocking revelation that will forever change her life. This one is creeping me out just writing about it! You won’t see it coming.

3. Talk To Me (2022)

Talk to Me 2022
Image Credit: A24.

I recently watched Talk To Me, and holy cow, it is horrifying. The story was so engaging that I rewatched it the following day. Mia (Sophie Wilde) and her friends have a party where they are introduced to a mysterious embalmed hand with frightening powers.

Holding it and saying, “Talk to me,” allows a person to commune with a spirit, followed by saying, “I let you in,” which enables the spirit to possess them. If the connection isn’t severed before 90 seconds, the spirit binds itself forever to the person. CREEPY!

4. Sinister (2012)

Sinister 2012 scariest movies ever
Image Credit: Summit Entertainment.

Sinister is one of the only horror films I’ve watched as an adult that lingered and made me uncomfortable. It follows a struggling true-crime writer (Ethan Hawke) moving his family into a home where a family was murdered. He finds a projector and several reels of Super 8 film labeled as home movies.

Each film shows a family being murdered, but the cameraman is not seen. As he dives deeper into the mystery, strange occurrences begin. The ending is an out-of-nowhere conclusion that will leave you silent for minutes after the credits roll.

5. A Quiet Place (2018)

A Quiet Place 2018 John Krasinski
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.

A Quiet Place is an original concept with minimal conversation but plenty of heart palpitations. It follows a dad (John Krasinski) and a mom (Emily Blunt) struggling to survive and raise their children in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by terrifying blind extraterrestrial creatures with an acute sense of hearing. 

6. The Ring (2002)

The Ring 2002 Naomi Watts
Image Credit: DreamWorks LLC.

The Ring is the stuff nightmares are made of. It tells the story of Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts), a journalist determined to find a way to escape death after watching a cursed videotape that kills the viewer seven days after watching it. The closet and crawling out of the TV scenes are permanently engrained in my brain. 

7. Creep (2014)

Creep 2014
Image Credit: The Duplass Brothers/Blumhouse Productions.

Creep is a found-footage psychological horror movie with no visible gore, and it is chilling. It follows a struggling videographer named Aaron (Patrick Brice), taking a job at a remote cabin. His client, Josef (Mark Duplass), explains that he has an inoperable brain tumor and will likely die before his pregnant wife gives birth.

So, he hires Aaron to record a video diary for his unborn child. However, it’s not long before Josef’s eccentric behaviors giveaway that something is off. The ending is a shock and completely unexpected.

8. The Skeleton Key (2005)

The Skeleton Key 2005
Image Credit: Universal Pictures.

The Skeleton Key has one of the most unsettling endings in cinematic history. It tells the story of a New Orleans hospice nurse (Kate Hudson) who takes a job at a Terrebonne Parish plantation home caring for Ben (John Hurt), a man who suffered a debilitating stroke.

She discovers a room in the attic where the old homeowners perform Hoodoo rituals and spells, and things get very creepy quickly. Gena Rowlands delivers a heart-pounding performance as Ben’s wife.

9. Gothika (2003)

Gothika 2003
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Ent.

Gothika is an underrated horror film that follows Dr. Miranda Grey (Halle Berry), a psychiatrist who finds herself incarcerated in the prison in which she works, accused of brutally murdering her own husband (Charles S. Dutton). Her colleague, Dr. Pete Graham (Robert Downey Jr.), provides treatment as she works hard to uncover the truth of what happened that night. 

10. The Strangers (2008)

The Strangers 2008
Image Credit: Universal Pictures.

The Strangers is a psychological horror film inspired by actual events. It tells the story of Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman), whose stay at a vacation home is disrupted by three masked criminals who infiltrate the home. This may be one of the more unsettling horror flicks of our time.

22 Films Guaranteed to Make the Hair on the Back of Your Neck Stand Up

Prom Night 1980
Image Credit: AVCO Embassy Pictures.

It’s that time of year again. Fall decorations are coming out. Pumpkin spice is taking over, and scary movies are begging your attention. As a connoisseur of horror films, these are the ones that have stood out over the decades as having major creepy vibes and hair-raising experiences. Have you seen them?

15 Forgotten Movies From the 90s to Tickle Your Nostalgia Bone

Only You
Image Credit: TriStar Pictures.

Are you searching for a little 90s nostalgia that is not on every list? Then, we’ve got you covered. These are several of my favorite forgotten films from the 90s. Do you remember?

12 Worst Movies From the 70s According To IMDb — Do You Agree?

Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.

Return to the revolutionary cinema of the 1970s, where risk-taking experimenI’llon and bold concepts frequently produced unforgettable and forgettable moments. Here is a look at the not-so-great 70s films that didn’t garner high ratings on IMDb.

22 Popular Films That Completely Traumatized 80s Children, What About You?

Jaws Steven Spielberg
Image Credit: Universal Pictures.

Was there a film(s) that completely traumatized you as a child? I’ll go first, Cujo. I have no idea what my mother was thinking, allowing that film to play in the background of her chores, but I watched it and had nightmares for months. After someone polled an entertainment forum for other traumatic experiences, here is what scared the youth.

12 Most Racist Movies of All Time According to IMDb

Gone with the Wind 1939
Image Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Both entertaining and thought-provoking, cinema frequently reflects the ideals and ideologies of its day. The representation of racism and stereotypes in some films, however, has sparked debate in the past. These movies have drawn criticism for their problematic representations and cultural sensitivity — igniting crucial conversations about racial representation.

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Elizabeth Ervin is the owner of Sober Healing. She is a freelance writer passionate about opioid recovery and has celebrated breaking free since 09-27-2013. She advocates for mental health awareness and encourages others to embrace healing, recovery, and Jesus.