31 Nights of Horror: Halloween Staff Picks from Full Circle Cinema

For horror movie fans, October is the most wonderful time of the year. As we head into a month-long celebration of all things spooky, here are 31 movies hand-picked by the Full Circle Cinema staff to put you in the Halloween mood. Among the horror classics and the newer additions to the genre, you’ll find some nostalgic gems as well. Enjoy the first of many treats from the Full Circle team this Halloween season!

      1. A Quiet Place (2018)

AQP was one of the best movies of 2018. The suspense aspect was amazing, and the unique plot device of having to be silent was even better. I enjoyed getting to “hear” things from the perspective of the actor at hand was a great editing choice. —Katie Gilstrap, Critic/News Writer

      2. Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter’s original Halloween carries a sense of dread with it throughout the entire film. I love it because it values lingering tension over unnecessary gore. Not only is it a well-made horror film, but it also gave us one of the most iconic and terrifying antagonists of all time, Michael Myers. —Danny O’Brien, News/Feature Writer

      3. Paranormal Activity (2007)

This was the film that made me realize that anyone can make a good movie with an old camera and good scare tactics. Paranormal Activity created a fear of ghosts that I didn’t know I could have. Have you ever asked someone to go to the bathroom with you because of how scared you were? Yeah….me neither… —JB Baker, News Writer 

      4. The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

Not overly complicated yet deeply disturbing; “The Haunting in Connecticut” has been a cult classic of mine since I was twelve. It’s just one of those “true story” movies that you can’t stop thinking about after you watch it. —Ileana Meléndez, Head of Marketing

      5. Burnt Offerings (1976)

Very few horror movies have stuck with me for as long as this one has. Dan Curtis ruined my life, but for absolutely all the right reasons. I still think that this is THE scariest movie that I have ever seen. PERIOD. —Daniel Hrncir, Critic 

      6. Monster House (2006)

There has never been a movie that has scared me more in my life. Maybe it was my impressionable age or the fact I avoid horror movies like the plague. Watching a lady get buried in cement will scar me for life. —Kellen Murack, Features/News Writer

      7. Cabin in the Woods (2011)

More of a thriller, but it has some horror elements that are pretty good. Also, Chris Hemsworth is in the movie. —Lucas Talbot, News Writer

      8. It (2017)

It blends heart, humor, and horror into a unique experience that never feels dull. The performances all around are exceptional, and Pennywise is reinvented for a new generation that will terrify film lovers for many years to come. —Danny O’Brien, News/Feature Writer

      9. You’re Next (2011)

Yes, yes, yes! Comedy and horror have never been so perfectly fused in this machine of a movie. A colorful cast of characters, creative kills, a rocking score, and defiance for the rules of horror, this is the true successor to “Scream”. —James Preston Poole, Critic

      10. The Conjuring (2013)

The Catholic in me loves this film. —Rascal F. Kennedy, Critic

      11. The Shining (1980)

It already qualifies as one of the most terrifying things committed to celluloid thanks to that shot of a man in a bear suit performing oral. But Kubrick and company just had to make this story about a man losing his sanity into the most slow-burn and unsettling experience possible, didn’t they? —Mark Tan, Managing Critic

      12. Trick R Treat (2007)

There are many horror films that come to mind when the fall winds set in. Few are as much fun and offer as much blood as Trick R Treat, and none capture spirit of Halloween so successfully. This homage to the great holiday became an instant cult classic for a reason. I watch it every year to remind myself of the many traditions of Halloween… and the consequences of forgetting to pay tribute. —Kevin Bond, Features Writer

      13. Little Shop of Horrors

Every Halloween, I dust off the old DVD and sing along with the murderous Venus Flytrap. This musical is everything I needed it to be: fun, ambitious, a little scary, and the right amount of character depth that kept me guessing. I feel lucky enough to have been a part of a few stage renditions of this show. If you haven’t seen this musical, go out of your way to! — Christian Hubbard, Co-Lead News Writer

      14. Thankskilling (2008)

I had to include an absolutely terrible movie in case you’re in the mood to laugh. ‘Thankskilling’ more than deserves this spot. The film follows a possessed turkey as he kills a group of college students on Thanksgiving break. I know what you’re thinking, “it’s a Thanksgiving movie” a little I guess but it’s still a horror movie and if you’re looking for the dumbest movie to watch this Halloween season I beg you to experience this movie! —Collin Stetzner, News Writer

      15. House (1977)

Wild, wacky, and vibrant are three words I would use to describe this Obayashi classic. House is a surreal and wonderful take on the haunted house trope. Just remember: any cat can open a door, but a cat who can close one is a witch! —Audrey Griffin, Features Writer

      16. Halloweentown (1998)

The right amount of spooky and fun. I watch this movie nearly every Halloween. —Jackson Hayes, Editor in Chief

      17. Halloweentown High (2004)

While the first Halloweentown explores what it is like for a human to enter the world of Halloweentown this film switches it around. How will monsters interact with the human world? The film dives deep into its story but also explores topics such as racism and classism. —Jacob Campbell, Lead News Writer

      18. Psycho (1960)

“I saw the shower scene, I don’t need to see the film” WELL YOU’RE WRONG, OKAY? This film is a Hitchcock masterpiece and non-traditional horror. As Norman Bates says, we all go a little crazy sometimes… WELL, I DO WHEN PEOPLE SAY THEY HAVEN’T SEEN THIS FILM. —Kenneth Colon, Head of PR

      19. Green Room (2015)

One of the tensest and realistic portrayals of violence on film, this horror thriller is a work of art. —Ernesto Valenzuela, Critic

      20. The Devil’s Rejects (2005)

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, but from the perspective of the killers. Sound a little icky? It is, but that moral confusion is where TDR becomes a cult classic of hillbilly horror. —James Preston Poole, Critic

      21. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

This is a classic Halloween movie that I used to watch all the time when I was younger. —Kayne Bryant

      22. The Thing (1982)

An absolute classic horror movie. The practical effects artists went above and beyond, and it’s their work on this film that really makes it terrifying. It’s impossible to watch this movie and not think “My God, how did they make that?”. —Audrey Griffin, Features Writer

      23. Night of the Creeps (1986)

Make sure to bring a tent to this campy trip of a movie. You will find aliens, slugs, zombies, killer boyfriends, a sequence entirely photographed in black and white, and Jill Whitlow all in the span of 90 minutes. What more could you ask for? —Daniel Hrncir, Critic

      24. It Follows (2014)

One of the more underrated flicks. The idea of some entity trying to get to you, but it can only walk, adds such a thrill that sucks you into the situation. The synthy soundtrack is a masterpiece too. —JB Baker, News Writer

      25. HellFest (2018)

In the new era of horror films, this is definitely one of the best I’ve seen. —Rascal F. Kennedy, Critic

      26. Jaws (1975)

Jaws is the first movie I think of whenever someone wants to talk about movies that depict a large group of people in a panic, and I am eternally grateful that its technical limitations resulted in the most ingenious horror filmmaking in history. —Mark Tan, Managing Critic

      27. Scream (1996)

This movie is awesome. Ghostface is awesome. Sidney, Gale, and Dewey are awesome. You’re awesome if you’ve seen it too. —Kenneth Colon, Head of PR

      28. Suspiria (2018)

A volatile and beautifully crafted work of horror. Suspiria will send chills down your spine every time. —Ernesto Valenzuela, Critic

      29. Insidious: Chapter II (2013)

‘Insidious Chapter 2’ is great for fans of demons and scares. The sequel to an amazing first film this movie was the first in a long time I actually felt terrified watching in the theater! —Collin Stetzner, News Writer

      30. Evil Dead (1981)

The first and only movie to ever give me nightmares. I still don’t go into the woods alone. The project that set Sam Raimi up to helm Spider-Man proved that fear has nothing to do with huge special effects budgets or A-list actors. What ensues is not only visually unique but emotionally draining to watch. —Kevin Bond

      31. The Grudge (2002)

Traumatizing horror at its finest. Japanese urban legends make the most creative and disturbing source material for a film. —Ileana Meléndez, Head of Marketing

Still need more horror movies in your life? Hey, I get it. Keep an eye out for Daniel Hrncir’s series on slasher films, featuring 13 spine-tingling articles by the Full Circle team guaranteed to slake your thirst for blood. Plus, as always, we’ll be rolling out reviews for October’s new releases. From everyone at Full Circle Cinema, happy Halloween! –Audrey Griffin