In My Opinion, These Are The 10 Scary Movies From The Past 10 Years That You Absolutely Need To Watch This Halloween

No matter what you're looking for, I've got you covered.

I love scary movies, and I love Halloween, so here I am to save you the grueling work of actually finding a good movie. I've narrowed down 10 perfect scary films from the past decade, so if you're looking to set that spooky vibe and need something to watch, check these out!

1. Midsommar (2019), dir. Ari Aster

A24

SYNOPSIS: A young woman travels with her boyfriend and his friends to visit a friend's rural Swedish town for the annual midsummer festival, only to discover that the town is actually a cult.

Julia's take: My dear readers, I feel morally obligated to note that I personally did not like this movie; and it might objectively be a good film, it's just not for me! (If you liked it, you are in the majority.) 

But since you all ripped me to shreds in my previous horror movie recommendation list for not being a fan, I feel equally obligated to include Midsommar in this list. 

IF YOU LIKE: Beautiful Scandinavian summers, cults, florals for spring, and watching horrible boyfriends get what they deserve, you should watch this movie.

Watch it on: Paramount+ or Showtime.

2. Don't Breathe (2016), dir. Fede Álvarez

Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Releasing

SYNOPSIS: Three teenagers decide it would be a good idea to rob the home of a wealthy, blind veteran, but instead of the easy cash grab they thought it would be, they find themselves trapped inside the house, fighting for their lives. 

Julia's take: I always love a movie that can flip the narrative around, and this movie does exactly that. There are so many twists that it's almost impossible to guess at what happens next; a thriller to its core! 

IF YOU LIKE: A classic kind of premise that's still totally fresh, intense thrillers, and being terrified, watch this movie! 

Watch it on: AMC+, or rent it on Prime Video. 

3. Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), dir. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Paramount Pictures

SYNOPSES: The fifth and sixth installments of the Scream franchise follow sisters Tara (Jenna Ortega) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) after the infamous Ghostface returns to their hometown of Woodsboro. Scream VI levels the franchise up, taking place in New York City where Tara is going to college. 

Julia's take: You guys, I love Scream. I love Scream so much. And IMO, these are great additions to the franchise! And while it's definitely fun to be able to follow all the callbacks to the first couple movies, you definitely don't have to be a Scream super fan to follow the plot of these movies. Just like the originals, they're fun and scary all in one! 

IF YOU LIKE: Having taste, self-aware horror comedies, Jenna Ortega, plots that keep you guessing, or sequels where we are lost in New York, then these movies are for you! 

Where to watch: Both films are available on Paramount+. 

4. Oculus (2014), dir. Mike Flanagan

Relativity Media, Entertainment One

SYNOPSIS: A decade after their parents' deaths, a young woman believes that her brother was actually framed for their murder. She grows suspicious of the antique mirror in their house, which invades the mind of anyone who looks into it... 

Julia's take: Anything supernatural and anything that messes with your psyche makes for a great move, in my opinion. I'm a fan of basically anything Mike Flanagan touches, so I'm biased...but this is a seriously creative movie. 

IF YOU LIKE: Psychological thrillers, fraught family relationships, the exploration of past sins... 😈 then watch this movie. 

Watch it on: Amazon, YouTube, Tubi, or Pluto TV, all for free!

5. Barbarian (2022), dir. Zach Cregger

20th Century Studios

SYNOPSIS: A young woman books an Airbnb in Detroit only to find that it's already occupied by another guest. While uneasy, she nevertheless makes the decision to spend the night in the same house as the stranger, but — obviously — the stay takes an unexpected turn. 

Julia's take: This was such a creative, fun, scary movie — and I do mean scary. When I saw it in the theater, there was one moment in particular where the entire theater groaned and said "oh, NO!" out loud. If you watch it, you'll probably know what I'm talking about — it's a total NFW moment. I was totally glued to the screen the entire time, and I recommend this movie to everyyyybody who asks me for scary movie recs — it stressed the hell out of me! 

IF YOU LIKE: Old houses with terrible secrets, actual good use of modern technology, bad men getting what they deserve, or Bill Skarsgård, this movie is for you! 

Watch it on: Hulu!

6. The Witch (2015), dir. Robert Eggers

A24

SYNOPSIS: New England, 17th century. When the youngest son of a farming family disappears, their eldest daughter Thomasin comes under suspicion. The family, already in bad graces with the church, turns on one another, and Thomasin is accused of witchcraft, a claim she vehemently denies. 

Julia's take: This movie is moody, dark, and very real. 1600s New England is already a mood-setter, and there's nothing like contending with religion and the fear that The Supernatural™ strikes into one's heart that puts you in the mood for Halloween. Plus, it has Anya Taylor-Joy. Also, Robert Eggers is amazing. Also, watch The Northman. 

IF YOU LIKE: Impeccable vibe curation, Puritans vs. Witches, intense autumn spookiness, being really f—ing afraid, and movies that literally set the standard for their genre, then you should watch this! 

Where to watch it: Stream it on Max.

Special mention: This is not related to The Witch at all except for its time period, BUT if you want a little more of a whimsical old-timey spooky New England movie, try Sleepy Hollow (1999). 

7. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), dir. Halina Reijn

A24

Just doing a complete 180º from Puritan New England...

SYNOPSIS: A group of wealthy 20-somethings get together at their friend's parents' upstate mansion to have a hurricane party. They decide to play a game, a crowd favorite where one person "kills" other members of the party as everyone else hides. But when one of the group actually ends up dead, they're hard pressed to find who the killer is among them — or else get picked off one by one.

Julia's take: This movie was so much fun. Just watch it, I don't want to spoil too much. Just know that it's funny as hell, terrifying, and (as one Letterboxd review put it) at its heart a cautionary tale about falling asleep first at the sleepover. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll thank me for recommending this movie.

IF YOU LIKE: Horror comedies, actually good satire, Rachel Sennott, and slashers with a twist, this movie is totally for you!!!

Where to watch it: Watch it on Showtime, YouTube, or Hulu with subscription.

8. Ready or Not (2019), dir. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Searchlight Pictures

SYNOPSIS: A young woman, happy to be marrying the love of her life (who just so happens to be extremely wealthy), finds after the wedding that being a member of this family is far more deadly than it seems. 

Julia's take: Fun and classic horror is BACK. Grace (pictured above) is the epitome of "and she did it all in heels!" except it's even better, because she did it all in a wedding dress. This is the rare horror-comedy that really did make me laugh out loud in some parts and also had me terrified in others. Also, the ending is to die for. Wink.

IF YOU LIKE: The huge, yawning houses of exorbitantly wealthy people; creepy, multi-generational families; horror-comedies; a healthy dose of satanism!; and women getting revenge and looking hot; then absolutely watch this movie. 

Where to watch it: Stream it on Hulu. 

9. It (2017), dir. Andrés Muschietti

Warner Bros.

SYNOPSIS: After one of their little brothers disappears, a group of kids in small town '80s Maine band together to defeat a horrifying, shape-shifting, evil entity that returns to their town every 27 years to prey on children. 

Julia's take: It's been a few years, and I didn't even like scary movies at the time, but for me, this is one of the first horror movies I saw that made me realize "wait...horror is good, actually." This is an actually-good Stephen King adaptation that captures the vibe of the book, and adapted it well for what 2010s audiences wanted. It's a little long, but I would still put it on, especially if you just want a classic scary-movie-night movie. 

IF YOU LIKE: Stories about kids in the '80s, villains that are actually f—ing terrifying (an actually scary clown always gets me), horror-comedies (again), Stephen King, movies that just look really good, and scares that will make you jump so hard you spill your popcorn, watch this movie! Also, if you like it, watch the sequel.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Max. 

10. Nope (2022), dir. Jordan Peele

Universal Pictures

SYNOPSIS: A man and his sister, ranchers who supply horses for motion pictures, discover something horrible haunting their skies. 

Julia's take: Nope is a classic monster movie with amazing creature design and wonderful performances from the entire cast. It fuses together three of my favorite genres (horror, sci-fi, and my beloved westerns) to create a thrilling, armrest-clenching blockbuster. 

IF YOU LIKE: Cowboys, Keke Palmer, strong and silent protagonists, horsies, themes about entertainment and surveillance, and alien movies that are actually good, then watch this movie! 

Where to watch it: Stream it on Amazon Prime.

If you have any other recs, pleeease list them below; I'm always looking for another scary movie. 😈