Take a book from Stephen King, and movie genius Stanley Kubrick and you get this absolute cracker for Halloween. Hide behind the cushions as you watch an unsuspecting family stay at an isolated hotel for the winter. The father of the family soon succumbs to an evil spirit, and turns to sheer, brutal violence. Things get even spookier as the psychic son sees horrific scenes from the past and, more disturbingly, the future.
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
Family friendly? No, I am not even sure it's adult friendly.
Friday the 13th (1980)
This slasher classic is a favourite to this day for it's gore and scare value. Forget fancy modern day plot twists, and graphics. This movie was released in 1980 and boasts true bloody, good old fashioned murderous terror. Be prepared to scream...
IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
Family friendly? No, most definitely not.
I Spit On Your Grave (2010)
This remake of the 1978 cult film, also named I Spit On Your Grave, is the ultimate revenge plot movie. After a young woman is brutally raped and assaulted by four men, she makes it her sole mission to torture and destroy their lives, in the most gruesome ways. As the titles suggests, there's nothing soft and fluffy about this hard-hitting movie.
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Family friendly? Not on your life!
Twilight (2008)
Twilight is the ideal Halloween film to watch with older kids/teens. With it's coming-of-age plot line, a blood-thirsty, yet romantic theme, the movie was a massive hit. A gentler film to sit back to this Halloween, if slasher horrors aren't your bag. You'll view vampires differently after watching this.
IMDB Rating: 5.2/10
Family friendly? Yes, but age 12 and over, due to the vampire element.
Hostel (2005)
Sadistic, barbaric and based on true life events, Hostel will creep you out this Halloween. Three American Backpackers find themselves in a place where the most horrible of horrors occur. This film is full of mutilation and thrills, so if you like your movies super gruesome, then select this one on the 31st October.
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
Family Friendly? Nope, you'll probably be traumatised yourself.
Scary Movie (2000)
Horrors a bit too cliche for you? Scary Movie mocks those popular horror films from the late 90's/00's and the result is a hilarious, dark comedy. This will have you giggling instead of quivering. It may have came out eighteen years ago, but you'll still enjoy the utter nonsense the Wayans brothers bring to the film.
IDMB Rating: 6.2/10
Family Friendly? Whilst it's not a horror, it's rated 18 for a reason. Not one for the kids.
Labyrinth (1986)
Labyrinth is far from scary, but it'll make you think twice about wishing your kids to shut the hell up. Watch this David Bowie classic, for a trip down memory lane, with your own offspring. A young Jennifer Connelly is given 13 hours to battle her way through the Labyrinth to retrieve her baby brother from the creepy Goblin King.
IDMB Rating: 7.4/10
Family Friendly? Absolutely one for the whole family.
Ghostbusters II
When a film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver, you know you're on to a winner. This sequel starts with a disheartened Ghostbusters team, who come back in business following the discovery of a massive river of ectoplasm. Expect a big culmination of drama and goo at the end.
IDMB Rating: 6.5/10
Family Friendly? Yes, it's a PG, but a great Halloween movie for the whole clan.
Blair Witch Project (1999)
There's nothing more frightening than real life. The Blair Witch Project is filmed in such a way, that the whole story line is believable. Try taking the dog out for a walk after watching this. A very clever movie, that leaves the scary stuff to your imagination.
IDMB Rating: 6.4/10
Family Friendly? Never show this to your kids, if you ever want your bed to yourself again.
The Purge (2013)
Getting away with murder... The Purge is warped to the max, with it's story of an annual 12 hour period in which murder and other criminal activity is legal. When a stranger breaks into Ethan Hawke's domain - during 'the purge' - his family are put to the test. Will they become cold-blooded killers like those outwith their gated community?
IDMB Rating: 5.7/10
Family Friendly? No, there's way too much suspense and violence for anyone under 15 years old.
Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
This isn't scary, but certainly an eerie movie that's ideal for watching on Halloween. You and the kids will be hooked watching the three Baudelaire children, as they struggle with being orphaned and the series of unfortunate events that follow. It's dark theme, and is child-friendly, with Jim Carrey playing bad guy, Count Olaf.
IDMB Rating: 6.8/10
Family Friendly? Yes!
Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield is the film for those of you that enjoy genuine fear and suspense. Five New Yorkers with video cameras capture the horror of when a monster destroys everything in it's path. Watch it on Halloween and you'll be jumping at every single noise you hear outside. Have someone with you when you view this.
IDMB Rating: 7/10
Family Friendly? No, it'll give the kids the fear.
The Conjuring (2013)
The Conjuring is a good old horror that will have you too scared to go to the toilet. Doesn't matter how safe you felt in your own home before watching it, you won't afterwards. A family move into a farmhouse, which turns out to be very haunted. This is based on true events, which quite frankly scares the bejesus out of me. You'll want to "leave your lights on at night".
IDMB Rating: 7.5/10
Family Friendly? No!
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
When scary meets sexy... Bram Stoker's Dracula is based on the classic novel. The story follows that of undead vampire, Dracula, a young lawyer and his fiancée Mina Murray. It's gory, with a dark, tale of seduction too. This is a highly rated classic, and one well worth watching on Halloween.
IDMB Rating: 7.5/10
Family Friendly? No, too saucy and scary for little eyes.
From Dust Till Dawn (1996)
George Clooney and Salma Hayek are at their prime in this, so there's plenty of eye candy, that's for sure. Just when you think this is one sexy film, it gets dark, bloody and well, it has vampires, and is written by Quentin Tarantino. So weird, but definitely one to see this Halloween.
IDMB Rating: 7.3/10
Family Friendly? No, one to watch with your other half though.
The Omen (1976)
We all think we have little horrors, but watch The Omen this Halloween, and you'll soon see what a real 'devil child' is like. A wealthy couple take on a newborn baby whose mother died at the birth, following the stillbirth of their own child. From the age of 5, Damien starts displaying evil behaviour, and events that surround him are even more demonic.
IDMB Rating: 7.6/10
Family Friendly? No! You won't even want kids after watching this!
The Mummy (1999)
The Mummy is a 15 rated film, which makes it ideal for watching with your teens this Halloween. Set in Hamunaptra, a (fictional) Egyptian city, the historical themed movie gets a bit tense when a mummy is accidentally awakened, causing a serious threat to Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and the rest of the archaeological team.
IDMB Rating: 7/10
Family Friendly? One for watching with older children (teenagers).
Wallace and Gromit: Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005)
When you want a Halloween film that's a bit of good fun, look no further than Wallace and Gromit. The Plasticine duo get up to more hilarious antics as they deal with the curse of the 'were-rabbit'. Halloween fun for the whole family.
IDMB Rating: 7.5/10
Family Friendly? Yes, it's perfect for everyone, from toddlers to granny - heck, the dog will probably enjoy it too.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
Not just another disturbing tale of when religion meets horror. This movie will not just chill your spine, but your whole freakin' body. When a 19 year old becomes possessed, evil, unexplained behaviour starts happening, and a priest is called in to exorcise the demons away. Knowing that this movie is based on a true story is enough to scare the hell out of you this Halloween.
IDMB Rating: 6.7/10
Family Friendly? No!! No!! NO!
The Amityville Horror (2005)
A house that stands where a gruesome mass murder took place, is the scene for The Amityville Horror. What follows is 28 days of absolute hell for the Lutz couple and their three children, as demonic events unfold. The horrible truth is that this movie is based on true life events.
IDMB Rating: 6/10
Family Friendly? It's not friendly for anyone, and will probably make you feel unsafe in your own home.
Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009)
Children love this film, and whilst it has monsters and aliens in it, there's nothing to be scared of. The kids will adore the hilarious plot line, whilst parents can snigger at the witty jokes, that the film is peppered with. If you think you'll only have to watch this once at Halloween, then you are wrong - they will want to watch it again and again and again...
IDMB Rating: 6.5/10
Family Friendly? 100% yes!
The Collector (2009)
If you are scared when on your own in your home, you might want to swerve this movie. The Collector is a film that'll make you jump at each twist and turn. Basically, a desperate man breaks into a house, only to find there's already an evil criminal inside. The mask alone is enough to spook you to high heaven.
IDMB Rating: 6.4/10
Family Friendly? No - and I'd watch it with the light on.
The Return Of The Living Dead (1985)
The Return of the Living Dead is horrifically hilarious. When the dead come alive, and take over town, there's lots of hysteria. Don't mistake this for a true horror though, it's seriously funny. The zombie make-up alone will have you in a fit of giggles. A great movie for those of you that want to watch a Halloween flick without the scares.
IDMB Rating: 7.4/10
Family Friendly? As comical as it is, it's really not suitable for kids.
Cropsey (2009)
Want something really creepy for Halloween? Watch Cropsey which explores what happens when an urban legend comes true. Five missing children and a real-life boogeyman equals an absolute scream fest. It'll bring back memories of all the folklore from your childhood. *shudder*
IDMB Rating: 6.3/10
Family Friendly? Hell no!
Stigmata (1999)
When a woman starts showing the wounds of Christ, a Priest from the Vatican goes to her side to care for her. As events unfold, the Priest starts to question everything about his religion. This is spooky in a mind-twisting way, which makes this movie a Halloween classic.
IDMB Rating: 6.2/10
Family Friendly? No, this is one for you and the other half.
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