Scary and spooky movies are undoubtedly one of the best parts of the Halloween season. You know what's even better? Watching those scary and spooky movies with your partner, or dare I say your boo. There's almost nothing better than hiding under the covers, shielding your eyes from the scariness, snuggled up next to your significant other. As the spooky season begins, here are 20 of the best scary movies for you and your pumpkin to snuggle up and watch.
1. "The Shining" (1980)
"The Shining" is about a man who takes on the role of winter caretaker with his family at a hotel resort, The Overlook. As you can assume, wintertime doesn't go too well at The Overlook. In fact, The Overlook isn't the biggest fan of people.
This movie is scary in a way that it just feels so evil. It's not really full of any jump or boo scares, but the lurking terror of it all will keep you on your toes and jumping into your boo's arms. You never quite know what's coming next. Elevators flooded with blood? Murderous insanity? Two little girls all chopped up? Redrum, redrum?
2. "The Conjuring" (2013)
"The Conjuring" tells the story of the Perron family who moves into a creepy farmhouse that — you guessed it — is all sorts of haunted. Supernatural investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren step in to get rid of the hauntings and demonic presences that reside in the house. From there, it just gets creepier and spookier.
Oh, the worst part about "The Conjuring?" Ah, yes... IT'S TRUE. Set in 1971, this film depicts real stories that happened to real people. Truly terrifying. This movie is full of jump scares and spooky hauntings that'll have you staying up all night with your boo because you'll be too terrified to fall asleep.
3. "IT" (2017)
"IT" takes place in the summer of 1989 in a small town in Maine. A group of bullied kids come together to destroy a shape-shifting monster that oh-so-pleasantly disguises itself as a clown that loves to prey on unsuspecting children.
If you have even the tiniest bit of fear of clowns, "IT" is perfect for satisfying your horror-needs. Pennywise the clown is absolutely terrifying and manages to prey on everyone's greatest fears. His constant jump scares will leave you and your boo hiding in each other's arms.
4. "The Blair Witch Project" (1999)
"The Blair Witch Project" is a movie made up of footage filmed by three students. The students travel to Maryland to make a film about a local urban legend, The Blair Witch. The three set out on what was to be a two-day hike to find the Blair Witch, but they never returned and their footage was found one year later.
The woods have always been known as a pretty spooky place and this movie definitely proves that idea to be 100% true. Every scream and creepy figure makes you want to jump into your boo's lap and hide under a blanket. The film follows the students throughout the woods, so you feel like you are just as lost and scared as they are. After watching "The Blair Witch Project," you pretty much feel like you walked into the woods and you never came back. There is one positive thing about this movie: You now know to NEVER go on a hiking date in the woods with your boo.
5. "Get Out" (2017)
"Get Out" is about a young man driving out to rural New York to meet his girlfriend's parents for the first time, despite his obvious nerve. What he doesn't expect is that his girlfriend's parents and their guests seem to have some pretty sinister motives.
This movie certainly has its fair share of jump scares and goosebump-provoking scenes. However, the real scare of "Get Out" is how life can be for a black man in modern America. Director Jordan Peele certainly knows how to spook an audience. "Get Out" is a must-see for you and your boo to truly understand the spookiness of our world.
6. "Insidious" (2010)
"Insidious" shares the gripping story of a family who is searching for help for their son who fell into a coma after a suspicious incident in their attic. The family ends up exploring paranormal life as they discover that there is much more to their son's endless sleep than they thought.
Anything about paranormal life is pretty creepy and "Insidious" definitely takes the creepy-cake. There's a terrifying tension throughout the entirety of the film filled with ghostly jump scares and spooky paranormal life. "Insidious" will leave you and your boo all snuggled up on the couch for good - because you're too scared to move.
7. "Friday the 13th" (1980)
There have been plenty of remakes of "Friday the 13th" but nothing can compare to this creepy original. Many years after a child drowned at a summer camp, Camp Crystal is being reopened. Unfortunately, the camp counselors just can't seem to avoid being stalked and murdered by an unknown killer.
This movie can be a bit cringe-worthy as it's acting and effects just can't compare to those of today's film world. BUT, the poorly-made killings can actually really freak you out. It's bloody and gory and just utterly creepy. "Friday the 13th" is a classic horror movie that you and your boo MUST see - just make sure the two of you avoid summer camps where children have drowned.
8. "Scream" (1996)
"Scream" was actually inspired by a real-life string of murders by a masked man in the college town of Gainsville, Florida in 1990. It's honestly a pretty terrifying movie, despite the fact that the characters in the film make fun of horror movies the whole entire time. The movie takes place a year after the murder of a teenage girl's mother, who is now being terrorized by a masked killer. The killer targets the girl and her friends by using horror films and ideas, turning it into a deadly game.
This movie is FILLED with jumpscares that will make you bury your face into your boo's chest. It's unsetting, twisted, and thrilling. As predictable as scary movies can be, this one certainly keeps you on your toes. Oh, it's also pretty gruesome and gory.
9. "Halloween" (1978)
"Halloween" was actually just remade in 2018, but this 1978 classic is just that - a classic. Michael Myers escapes a mental hospital fifteen years after he murdered his sister... on Halloween night. Creepy, right? Well, to make things even better, Michael has returned to his small town in Ilinois to kill yet again.
This movie is essentially the original stalk-and-slash movie, which no other horror movie can really compare to. "Halloween" makes you feel like you never know what is going to happen (because you don't), as well as some added claustrophobia and extreme fear. Plus, you get that great uneasy feeling of vulnerability wherever you go. This movie will have you curling up next to your boo and praying they don't show up at your door with a creepy white mask on Halloween night.
10. "Hocus Pocus" (1993)
Okay, "Hocus Pocus" may not be the scariest Halloween movie ever, but it is AMAZING. The story of three witches who were executed in Salem, Massachusetts over 300 years ago is brought back to life as a young boy literally brings the witches back to life by accident.
This movie is one of my all-time favorite movies, even outside of the Halloween genre. It's exciting, humorous, and even a little creepy. "Hocus Pocus" is one of the best - you and your boo NEED to watch it this Halloween season, or the Sanderson sisters just might put a spell on you two.
11. "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991)
"The Silence of the Lambs" tells the story of a young, female FBI cadet who has to get help from an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer in order to catch another serial killer, one who skins his victims - and then wears their skin. Yikes.
This movie is incredibly creepy and sinister. It's gruesome and terrifying, but somehow SO intriguing. The FBI agent's brilliance and the cannibal killer's manipulative insight makes you hooked into this creepy movie. "The Silence of the Lambs" will leave you and your boo feeling unsure about everything, but in the best of ways.
12. "Psycho" (1960)
"Psycho" pretty much invented the idea of slasher horror movies. A woman is on the run and ends up being way too accepting of a creepy stranger's "niceness." This terrifying film inspired the television show "Bates Motel" (2013-2017), so if you've seen the show, you can imagine the spookiness of the movie.
This movie defined creepiness. It's dark and sinister with plenty of spooky scenes that will have you and your boo jumping and cringing. You'll be scared to shower for months after watching - trust me.
13. "Annabelle" (2014)
"Annabelle" tells the story of an expecting couple. One night, the husband arrives home with a present for his pregnant wife, a doll named Annabelle. Turns out, Annabelle is possessed (yippee), leaving a sinister presence loitering around their home.
If you've seen "The Conjuring," you're familiar with Annabelle and her utter creepiness. This film just blows up her creepiness level by one thousand, at least. The vintage vibes of "Annabelle" just make it that much creepier. This movie is great for you and your boo to get into the spooky season mood - as long as the two of you promise to NEVER gift each other a vintage doll.
14. "The Exorcist" (1973)
This movie served as one of the first "possession" horror film. "The Exorcist" tells the story of a possessed girl and her distraught mother, along with two priests who work to save the young girl's life.
"The Exorcist" showcases excellent acting that makes us feel like we just might end up possessed, too. Anything with demons is pretty terrifying and this movie really lives up to the spooky-hype around exorcisms. This is easily one of the scariest movies ever, you'll be checking up on your boo every day to make sure they're still sane after watching.
15. "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984)
"A Nightmare on Elm Street" presents the story of a teen and her friends who are having nightmares about a terrifying, scarred man who wears a glove with sharp knives for fingers. When the friends realize they are all having the same dream and people begin to die, the girls realize that they must stay awake to survive the terror. The girls must discover who the dream killer is to draw him out into the real world.
This film is so scary that it makes you worry that the knives-for-fingers man will visit you in your dreams. A classic, original slasher flick like this is a must-watch. But be careful, you and your boo might be having nightmares for a while - let's just hope the terror doesn't escape your dreams.
16. "Paranormal Activity" (2007)
"Paranormal Activity" is about a young couple who move into a new, suburban house. Unfortunately, the couple begins to get more and more disturbed as they realize there is a presence with them in the house that is incredibly active, especially at night.
This film leaves a lot up to your imagination, which makes it even more scarier than other paranormal movies. There's an insane amount of suspense and tension that will leave you and your boo shaking on the edge of your seats, or couch.
17. "Split" (2016)
"Split" is about three girls who are kidnapped by a man who has many, many different personalities. The girls try to get out of his capture before the man's 24th personality comes out. You know the "That wasn't me, that was Patricia" meme? Yeah, Patricia is one of the man's multiple personalities.
This movie is great, in the most terrifying way. It's a great horror and action film that is truly creepy. It's a definite psychological thriller that'll have you jumping to your boo's side while also hoping they don't have another, psychopathic personality.
18. "Us" (2019)
"Us" features a family on a beach vacation who suddenly realize their serene getaway is quite the opposite as their grotesque doppelgängers appear and begin to terrorize the family.
This movie is definitely one of a kind. The cinematography and aesthetic of it all are pretty creepy, plus there's a lot of dark humor. It's a different sort of horror movie that'll leave you and your boo up all night discussing different theories and wondering if you have doppelgängers.
19. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974)
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" begins with an absolutely gory sight, then builds up some more creepiness as five clueless teenagers are dumbed into an absolute nightmare. Two siblings and their three friends travel to Texas to visit their grandfather's grave and end up in the path of a cannibalistic family of psychopaths.
This movie is just WEIRD but in a terrifyingly scary way. From the beginning scene to the final credits, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is just utterly creepy and will leave you squeezing your boo tighter than you thought was possible.
20. "Jaws" (1975)
A killer shark unleashes a string of chaotic events on a beach town, leaving a local sheriff, marine biologist, and old seafarer to hunt the shark down and end it's destruction for good. If you're afraid of sharks and haven't seen "Jaws" yet, your fear is about to multiply - big time.
"Jaws" may not seem like your typical horror movie, but it's certainly made millions of people terrified to swim in the ocean for decades - so I'd say it's a horror movie. The iconic unsettling music can make just about anything scary. The score gives you a heads-up that something scary is about to happen, but somehow, you'll still find yourself jumping into your boo's arms. The goriness of this movie is something that'll haunt you for life.
Follow Swoon on Instagram.
