We all want to take advantage of the nicer weather, but who doesn’t love a night in now and then? With spooky season in full swing, there’s no better time to gather your courage, some snacks, and maybe someone to hold on to, and put on a scary movie. We’ve put together a list of our favourite ones available on Netflix Australia this Halloween season.
SEE MORE: 15 Wickedly Wonderful Halloween Activities In Brisbane
Fun for the whole family:
1. The Addams Family (1991)
Run time: 99 minutes
When a man claiming to be Uncle Fester, shows up at the Addams’ doorstep, everyone’s favourite eccentric family is overjoyed. However, they soon start suspecting the man may not be who he says he is, and must find a way to stop the con man and his accomplice from stealing the family estate and fortune. With plenty of gags and the Addams’ signature macabre aesthetic, this is the perfect family film for Halloween.
2. The Harry Potter Saga (2001-2011)
Run time: around 150-160 minutes
A film series so classic it needs no introduction, the Harry Potter saga, although not strictly Halloween-themed has plenty of spooky and straight-up scary elements in it to merit a spot on this list. Even if you could do without the live bats, who hasn’t dreamed of the lavish Halloween feasts at Hogwarts? Get your magical fix with any of the 8 movies in the series.
3. Monster House (2006)
Run time: 91 minutes
This family-friendly animation balances spookiness and a surprisingly sweet love story well, as it follows three teens on their mission to destroy an evil sentient house in their neighbourhood. The film delves into owner Horace Nebbercracker’s tragic past, providing an original background to the haunted house trope, and blends comedy, coming-of-age elements and a few jump scares for a satisfying Halloween watch.
Must-see classics:
4. Halloween (1978)
Run time: 91 minutes
There’s a reason — beyond its fitting title — that this genre-defining slasher belongs on this list: its timelessness. Between the iconic minimalist electronic score, the introduction to all-time villain Michael Myers and Jamie Lee Curtis’ masterful performance, we can think of any number of reasons why Halloween has long been considered one of the very best of its kind
5. Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Run time: 122 minutes
Before the well-received 2022 show, now entering its third season, came the equally successful film adaptation of Anne Rice’s hugely influential gothic vampire novel. Put yourself in writer Daniel Molloy (Christian Slater)’s shoes as he listens to Louis (Brad Pitt) narrate his immortal life and that of his maker, amoral vampire prince Lestat (Tom Cruise).
6. The Witch (2015)
Run time: 92 minutes
In this folk horror classic, which doubles as Robert Eggers’ debut feature and Anya Taylor-Joy’s breakout role, a Puritan family’s loyalty and love for each other is put to the test when their youngest child disappears. In their grief and paranoia, their eldest daughter is blamed and suspected of witchcraft. An uncanny atmosphere permeates the film and leaves a lingering feeling of unease even after the credits have rolled.
7. Get Out (2017)
Run time: 104 minutes
Jordan Peele’s acclaimed directorial debut has a well-earned spot on this list, thanks to its slow build and satisfying reveals. It’s centred around a young black man (Daniel Kaluuya) who travels to meet his white girlfriend’s family for the first time. Their bizarre behaviour, at first seeming to stem from uncertainty on how to handle their daughter’s interracial relationship, conceals something far more sinister.
8. Hereditary (2018)
Run time: 127 minutes
Recognized as one of the most terrifying horror movies in recent years, Hereditary centres around a dysfunctional family dealing with the death of Annie (Toni Collette)’s secretive mother. Her passing triggers the unravelling of cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about the family, and the horrifying truths behind their heritage.
9. Midsommar (2019)
Run time: 148 minutes
A couple’s holiday gone truly, dreadfully wrong, Midsommar takes you on a trip — in more ways than one — to a rural town in Sweden. Florence Pugh is phenomenal as Dani, a young woman dealing with the traumatic loss of her family, travelling with her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) to a cult’s summer solstice celebration, which turns out to be much bloodier and more disturbing than they bargained for.
Under the radar:
9. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Run time: 95 minutes
Part comedy, part horror, part satire and entirely worth watching, this film follows a group of friends on a weekend getaway at the titular cabin, only to find themselves getting killed off. They soon discover that there is more to the cabin than meets the eye and become caught up in all the classic horror movie tropes you might expect. Don’t worry though, the movie still manages to be anything but predictable.
10. 1922 (2017)
Run time: 101 minutes
It wouldn’t be a horror movie list without a Stephen King mention, and this Telltale Heart-esque story of a farmer, his wife and their son will have you biting your nails as much as any of his better-known classics. A grotesque and chilling exploration of guilt, this film is not for weak stomachs and might unsettle even more seasoned thriller fans.
11. Apostle (2018)
Run time: 129 minutes
Gothic horror gets its moment to shine in this film about a 20th century ex-missionary who travels to a remote Welsh island in order to save his sister from a cult, which turns out to be more than the usual religious fanaticism. With Dan Stevens as the leading man and Michael Sheen as the main antagonist, this film has both gore and charisma in spades.
12. Barbarian (2022)
Run time: 102 minutes
After a booking mix-up at an Airbnb forces a young woman (Georgina Campbell) to uneasily spend the night at the same house as a stranger (Bill Skarsgård), she soon finds out she has more to fear than an uncomfortable situation. The movie delves into some heavier issues such as class and gender, without ever losing sight of what matters: keeping you on the edge of your seat.
Aussie horror:
13. The Babadook (2014)
Run time: 94 minutes
Another entry whose plot involves dealing with grief, this 2014 Australian psychological horror film tells the story of Amelia and Sam, mother and child, following the death of Sam’s father. Between the boy’s erratic behaviour and the sudden appearance of a seemingly innocent — yet decidedly creepy — pop-up book titled Mister Babadook, Amelia starts a harrowing descent into insanity.
14. Cargo (2017)
Run time: 105 minutes
Ironically breathing new life into the well-trod zombie genre, Cargo’s plot revolves around Andy (Martin Freeman)’s struggle to get his infant daughter to safety before his time in the world of the living runs out. This post-apocalyptic thriller brings freshness to familiar territory and, as a bonus, is set in rural Australia.
15. Talk to Me (2023)
Run time: 95 minutes
A stunning directorial debut from Aussie YouTube stars Danny and Michael Philippou, this thriller follows a group of friends who discover a mysterious embalmed hand that allows them to contact spirits. The adrenaline of it all, plus the personal losses some in the group have suffered soon unleash terrible consequences and the situation gets rapidly and gruesomely worse.