Here Are 10 Recent Horror Movies You Shouldn't Sleep On This Halloween Season

Some of these are massively underrated.

1. The Night House (2021)

Searchlight Pictures

This is a psychological thriller about a woman mourning the loss of her husband while living alone in a secluded lake house...when suddenly she starts experiencing strange things. The movie keeps viewers guessing about whether these new and strange occurrences are happening in reality or if they are a figment of her own mind.

It's a great movie for people who enjoy scary movies but don’t like blood and gore or the torture films that have become quite popular. The film does a great job of incorporating a few jump scares that will keep viewers alert while trying to anticipate the next one and piece all the information together. While the end isn’t quite ambiguous, it leaves certain things for interpretation.

This would be a fantastic film to watch with several others, then discuss your thoughts and feelings on the overall movie and what the film is trying to convey.

Where to Watch: On HBO with a subscription and available to rent on Amazon Prime

2. Malignant (2021)

Warner Bros. Pictures

If you are looking for a horror movie that's out-of-the-box and at times wacky, this would be a great movie to watch. The film follows a woman who suddenly starts having disturbing visions. At first, she thinks they are dreams or hallucinations but soon discovers they are actually happening, and she has a front-row seat to these atrocious events. 

This off-the-wall film takes the viewer on a roller coaster ride of what you think you may know and the shocking answer you wouldn't expect. Although it is not the scariest or even haunting, the film makes up for those by adding in an ounce of hilarity that viewers can appreciate. Although it can be ridiculous at times, the film takes on an exciting story and develops it supernaturally. Above all else, it is a film that people can laugh about while discussing the plot. 

Where to Watch: On HBO with a subscription and available to rent on Amazon Prime.

3. Scream (2022)

Paramount Picutres

If you haven’t already seen the original, you can’t call yourself a horror movie fanatic. The original Scream by Wes Craven is an iconic film that follows Sydney Prescott as she is terrorized by a masked murderer for reasons unknown to her. This is the newest film in the franchise, bringing Scream's total film count to five movies, and has recently been greenlit to make a sixth. 

This latest installment once again follows Sydney as she is brought back to her hometown of Woodsboro to take down the newest masked killer once and for all. The film does a great job of paying homage to the original, especially since this was made after the death of Wes Craven. 

But the film offers new twists and turns that shocked audiences and left them reeling from start to finish. This fifth installment is definitely as good as the first and won’t disappoint viewers. 

Where to Watch: Available to rent on Amazon Prime and Paramount+

4. The Deep House (2021)

Blumhouse Productions

This is a fantastic and innovative idea on the typical haunted house storyline. It follows a young couple in France who travel and record their excursions to post on their social media channel.

What starts as a run-of-the-mill couple hearing about a local diving spot turns creepy when they encounter a local who tells them of a secret place to go diving. Once the unsuspecting couple goes with the mysterious older local to the diving spot, they record their diving activity, and find an abandoned underground house. What they encounter is unexpected and has viewers holding their breath right along with the couple underwater.

The film does a great job of adding a new horrifying element to the already traditional haunted house by making this underwater, making viewers claustrophobic and terrified with what they discover. It is a great scary movie to watch when it is dark and raining, because you will feel as though you are right along with the couple underwater.

Where to Watch: On Paramount+ with a subscription or available to rent on Amazon Prime.

5. Fresh (2022)

Searchlight Pictures

We have all been through the dreaded dating life. Some of us have even experienced online dating and lived to tell the tale, while the woman in this film may not live to tell about her bad dating experience.

The film follows a young woman looking for love and stumbling on a seemly sweet man at the local grocery store. What starts as a relatable film for many of us veers drastically off course and leaves viewers speechless one scene after another. It is definitely not for the faint of heart or those grossed out easily. But it will keep viewers on the edge of their seats and hoping for the main character to put up a great fight.

If you decide to watch this, make sure it is not during any meal — something I wish I had known when I watched.

Where to Watch: Only on Hulu

6. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Warning This image is graphic Tap to reveal Click to reveal

Netflix

Although many of us had high hopes for this new installment in the franchise, it left many of us unsatisfied. Was it because it was made for Netflix and not theaters? Or simply because there are too many films in this franchise for it to be fresh and watchable? 

This installment follows a group of young adults heading to an abandoned town to auction off old properties. Like the original, viewers already know where this storyline will go and why those young adults should know better than going to an abandoned town. Although the film tries to keep viewers engaged by adding a character from the previous installment, not much can save this failed attempt, similar to the fate of some characters in the film. 

But if you're looking for a scary movie to have on in the background or just want to watch a bunch of people running for their lives, you can add this to your list. Worst case, you turn it off halfway, like many viewers may have. 

Where to Watch: Only on Netflix.

7. Old (2021)

Universal Pictures

The newest film from M. Night Shyamalan had some viewers anxious because if you are familiar with his movies, you may have a love-hate relationship with the work he creates. He has made some great films with unexpected endings that surprised audiences worldwide. Some films were considered a flop and disappointed many after the high expectations were not up to par with his other films.

Old follows a family on a much-needed exotic vacation, hoping to fix their family bond when they unexpectedly start aging rapidly. It is a unique story that may have some viewers guessing the ending within the film's first half-hour. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer the same surprise twist many have come to associate with M. Night Shyamalan. However, it is an interesting storyline that will make viewers rethink their choices on where to go for a relaxing and fun, exotic vacation. 

Where to Watch: Available to rent on Amazon Prime.

8. The Requin (2022)

Saban Films

If you are looking for a horror movie where the villain is a creature, this would be good to watch. While the storyline is questionable at best and has viewers screaming at the TV for the horrible decisions the main characters make, it features a great white shark as the villain.

The film is about a couple who go on a romantic retreat after experiencing a devastating loss. They are now forced to band together to survive the after-effects of a sweeping storm while fighting off hungry sharks. If you hope this is a movie similar to Jaws, you will be sadly mistaken. Still, it does offer a couple of great scenes with the viewer finally rooting for the main character. It is also ironic that there have been two horror movies about vacations taking a turn for the worse. However, after the last two years everyone has had with quarantining, these two videos won’t sway people to stay home even longer. They are just lessons of expecting the unexpected.

Where to Watch: Available to rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime

9. X (2022)

A24

This film goes back to the origin of slasher roots with a group of unsuspecting adults traveling to Texas to shoot an adult film but end up in the fight of their lives. If you're a fan of the slashers, this one will not disappoint. It gives off the vibes of Texas Chainsaw Massacre while paying homage to several different types of slasher films. 

The film is a thrill ride from start to finish, but viewers question if the characters have learned nothing from previous slasher films. Although the characters won’t hear your condemning advice about their terrible decisions, it's still a heart-pumping slasher film with an enormous amount of blood and gore. 

Writer, director, and producer Ti West went above and beyond and wrote the prequel, Pearl, which is currently in theaters.

Where to Watch: For rent on Amazon Prime

10. And Halloween Kills (2021)

Universal Pictures

It wouldn’t be Halloween Halloween Kills. The latest installment goes back to its roots and has brought many characters, and even the actors who played them, back to reprise their roles. 

The film picks up right after the last installment with Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode after fighting Myers and thinking she has killed him once and for all. But everyone knows Michael Myers cannot be killed, because how can you kill the devil? It brings a feeling of nostalgia with all the returning characters and actors and provided an action-packed cinematic experience. 

Many don’t want to see Michael Myers's reign come to an end, and the franchise has announced another sequel, but with the name Halloween Ends. Hopefully, that's the name of the film and not the reality of the franchise, because how will horror movie fanatics live in a world without a new Halloween movie every few years? Halloween Ends hits theaters and Peacock on October 14, 2022.

Where to Watch Halloween Kills: On HBO with a subscription and Hulu

What are some recent Halloween/scary movies that you think people shouldn't sleep on? Let me know in the comments below!