It’s spooky season and that means it’s time to once again go on a horror watching binge. Nothing beats the mood and thrill of watching a good scary movie during this time and, thankfully, Netflix is here to offer you a slew of thrilling films that won’t disappoint. With so many options, you may find yourself wondering what to watch. Here’s a list of movies you’ll want to watch this Halloween.
Incantation (2022) – Chinese Found-Footage Style Folk Horror
The “found footage” subgenre excels in providing an immersive horror experience to viewers through the use of creative camera placements and by giving them the view from a character’s perspective. “Incantation” takes the same experience and cranks it up to 11 by making the viewer part of the experience.
Inspired by a real life event, “Incantation” is the story of Li Ruo-Nan, a woman who serves as the main narrator of this film. Ruo-Nan then starts talking to you, the viewer, asking you to help her lift the curse on her daughter named Dodo by finding a certain insignia in the film and chanting a particular incantation. What follows is a non-linear style of story-telling, depicting her struggles with a ritual gone wrong with you—the viewer—being directly addressed as somewhat of an active participant in this tale.
“Incantation” really gets the horror vibe going with its excellent sound effects and effective narration and storytelling. This film was nominated for 14 categories in the 59th Golden Horse Awards and won both Best Film Editing and Best Sound Effects. If you want to watch something that does a great job at keeping you invested and will leave you scared even after the credits have rolled, this movie is definitely for you.
Us (2019) – Doppelganger Psychological Mystery
“Us” was created by Jordan Peele who is famous for his various comedic Hollywood roles and his YouTube channel, Key & Peele. The film is centered around doppelgangers and what would happen if you and your family stood face-to-face with them.
The film is able to fully capitalize on the doppelganger theme by providing a consistent sense of fear, self-doubt, and paranoia. There’s only so much that can be said about “Us” without spoiling its story, but with the film garnering a 93% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, this is one that you just have to check out.
#Alive (2020) – Korean Zombie Drama
The zombie apocalypse has always been a famous microgenre of horror, maybe even more so now. However, Korean zombie film “#Alive” offers a rather unusual twist. While most zombie films that you probably know of focus on the high-adrenaline terror of trying to escape hordes of zombies and fighting your way out of an infested city, “#Alive” focuses on the mind-crushing horror of having to deal with it alone.
In “#Alive”, we join Oh Joon-woo at the onset of a zombie outbreak. He initially tries to escape but events force him to stay inside his own apartment. It’s now a slow but steady battle to stay sane and stay alive. Hope slowly drains as his home loses power, internet, and water.
If you want to experience a different take on the zombie apocalypse microgenre that combines both horror and drama, “#Alive” is worth the watch.
The Mist (2007) – Stephen King’s Sci-fi Thriller
“The Mist” is all about fear of the unknown. Based on Stephen King’s 1980 novella of the same name, the science fiction horror movie shows us what happens when people are forced to face dangers that are beyond their understanding.
“The Mist” starts off with the family of David seeking shelter in a supermarket. This is due to the very thick mist that envelops their surroundings after a massive storm.
Now stuck in the store with other people, the family—along with everyone inside the supermarket—realizes that there is way more to the Mist than meets the eye. Fear, panic, and discord set in as they begin to slowly discover what abominations lie in wait for them.
So if you are curious to see how people may behave when faced with the unknown—and are a fan of Stephen King’s work—then “The Mist” is definitely a must-watch this spooky season.
Feng Shui (2004) – Fil-Chi Supernatural Horror Classic
Horror always hits harder when it hits close to home, and in “Feng Shui”, everything that makes the film’s setting familiar to you makes the movie even more horrifying. This film is deeply rooted in the Filipino-Chinese practices that people observe to this very day. In this particular story, Joy Ramirez happens upon a bagua mirror which she displays in her home, as they are told to bring good luck. She then realizes that the luck the bagua brings comes at a steep cost.
“Feng Shui” focuses on supernatural scares while keeping audiences guessing how a character will die and how they can avoid it, as well as how their death relates to their zodiac sign. An oldie but a goodie, “Feng Shui” made over PHP 114 million, making it the highest grossing film of 2004. Just a warning to Filipinos watching this one: you may not be able to see Chinese Feng Shui the same way again.
A Quiet Place (2018) – Sci-Fi Movie About a Post Apocalyptic World
Rounding out this list is the film that really made quite an impact when it came out. “A Quiet Place” will have you stifling your own screams as you experience a film that seems to choke you with an oppressive level of silence.
“A Quiet Place” is a sci-fi post apocalyptic horror film where the world has been decimated by mysterious aliens who are not able to see. To make up for their lack of sight, these beings are very sensitive to noise and hunt their prey by sound. It is in this environment that the Abbott family is trying to survive. They manage to stay alive by keeping as silent as possible and even taking measures to ensure that they live their daily lives without making any noise. However, they are met with challenge after challenge, and it becomes increasingly hard to maintain this kind of life.
Watching this movie during Halloween is actually perfect timing as “A Quiet Place” leaves the Netflix library on November 7. Be sure to catch it before it’s gone.
Watch them all and more at your convenience with Smart’s Netflix On Us through Smart Signature Plans+. Activate your Netflix bundle by following the instructions and clicking the link in your Signature welcome email. You may also visit the Smart Netflix Activation Portal directly.
