Underseen Halloween

Listen, I would never try and tell you what to watch, but don’t you sometimes feel stuck in a rut, watching the same old spooky movies every Halloween, year after year? I get it, I really do; we’re wired to take comfort in repetition. It’s the exact same reason some of us are currently on our 10th rewatch of “The Office,” dipping into that sweet nostalgia to relieve some existential stress, or whatever else ails us. It’s why cozy, comfort TV is a thing.

Did “Something Wicked This Way Comes” destroy you as a child also?

I would never begrudge you another viewing of “Hocus Pocus,” “The Shining” or “Halloween” on Halloween. But if you prefer to dance macabre a little outside your comfort zone this year, here are 10 movies most of you haven’t seen before, to enjoy on Devil’s Night and beyond.

Mild spoilers follow.

“The Cycle” (2026) — If you’ve ever felt that the only thing that could have made the serial-killer classic “Seven” any better was an inhuman creature lurking in its Neo-noir margins, then this was made for you (and also me). This wildly original, hyper-creepy thriller is a deliriously insane hybrid of a police procedural, an old-school Universal Monster movie and a Cronenbergian body horror nightmare. “The Cycle” hits beautifully late at night with a tub of popcorn and some mood lighting.

“A Tale of Two Sisters” (2003) — South Korea makes my favorite horror movies…and revenge movies…and action movies…actually, South Korea just makes my favorite movies, period. Kim Jee-woon’s “A Tale of Two Sisters” is easily one of the most beautifully constructed ghost stories of the 21st Century. This is the perfect film for someone looking for a classy, sophisticated tale that manages to be just as terrifying as it is emotionally devastating.

“The Cremator” (1969) — A comedy so pitch-black you’ll feel guilty for laughing until the final, bone-chilling 30 minutes forces you to realize that sometimes all you can do is crack wise into the void. This Czech masterpiece completely takes the piss out of fascism while offering a profoundly disturbing view of the danger inherent in stupid people gathering in large groups. A great choice for those looking for some Criterion in their collection.

“Ravenous” (1999) — A bloody cannibal comic-Western freak show starring Guy Pearce and Robert Carlyle as adversaries facing off against the desolate backdrop of the Sierra Nevadas during the Mexican-American War. Tonally jumping between slapstick black comedy and ultra-violent absurdism, “Ravenous” was a massive flop on release, but with an insane score from The Gorillaz’ Damon Albarn and endlessly inventive filmmaking from Antonia Bird, this is a cult classic destined for eventual re-evaluation.

“Overlord” (2018) — Not perfect by any means, “Overlord” is still one of the best revisionist war movies that also revels in killing legions of Nazi zombies and giant mutants. Watching this with a group of friends late at night can feel like discovering a classic midnight movie that the rest of the world hasn’t acknowledged yet. Big, dumb, gory and fun in equal measure.

“Castle Freak” (1995) — I mean, if you haven’t seen this, don’t you wanna watch a movie called “Castle Freak?” Is there anything more that you need than that deliciously evocative title? Fine…it also features all-time great horror direction by the GOAT Stuart (“Re-Animator”) Gordon and more iconic performances from the equally GOAT-ed Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton. It’s about a castle with a freak in it. It’s bonkers. Watch it immediately.

“The Eyes of My Mother” (2016) — A black-and-white bad dream that uses hypnotic editing and stark performances to build an all-encompassing sense of creeping dread that becomes almost overwhelming by the third act. “The Eyes of My Mother’s” brief 76-minute runtime doesn’t waste a single second, building into one of those movies that sticks to you like a miasmatic film. Literally unforgettable. I don’t really know if that’s a good thing, but I have to recommend it anyway.

“Session 9” (2001) — To this day, “Session 9” remains one of my favorite horror movies of all time. It’s focused on a small crew of asbestos removal workers slowly losing all sense of reality inside the walls of an abandoned mental institution. Something deep in the DNA of this film is so unhinged that you might find yourself dissociating before the credits. Perfect for fans of that slow-burn horror that moves into your ribcage and squats for a few decades.

“Something Wicked This Way Comes” (1983) — Not necessarily a “horror” movie, but if you’re looking to share something gently spooky with some kiddos, this one creeped me to my soul when I was around eight. Along with “Return to Oz,” some of my first childhood fears came from some of the imagery here, like the creepy carnival and Pam Grier’s Dust Witch. If you wanna get your kids or your friends’ kids into horror, this is a good place to start.

“Ghostwatch” (1992) — If you’re looking for something actually set on Halloween, this one is still an all-time classic. Broadcast on Halloween night on the BBC, this legendary mockumentary scared the hell out of (and then subsequently pissed off) British viewers in the ‘90s when it was presented as live evidence of the paranormal. While it can feel somewhat dated in 2026, it’s still a brilliant example of how to play a fun trick on your audience that feels less manipulative and more groundbreaking and ultimately hilarious in retrospect. A fun time capsule of a simpler time.

No matter what you choose to do on Halloween, just keep it spooky.