October is the month of fear, and one of the best ways to get a scare is by watching horror films. From monsters, to demons, and even sharks, there are hundreds of movies that will give you the thrill. If you don’t know where to start, here is my list of the best horrors to watch this October.

10-  “The Invitation”

Even though this film falls into the mystery category, the creepy vibe and unexpected plot twists classify this as a horror in my opinion. The slow start may bore some, but an unexplainably uncomfortable atmosphere causes the viewer to shift back and forth in their seat. When the movie reaches its climax, disturbing thoughts and confusion race through the viewer’s mind. The closing scene has us realizing we only fit together a small piece in the much larger puzzle. “The Invitation” is guaranteed to rattle you for the rest of the day.

9- “Jaws”

This movie is constantly debated whether to be a horror or thriller. The fact that after watching it you will be scared to take a bath classifies it as a horror. The original story of a giant great white shark terrorizing a Massachusetts beach has been the mother of all other shark related films. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the 1975 horror will have you thinking twice about stepping into the ocean for the rest of your life.

8- “VHS”

If you can’t sit through a two hour-long horror and just want a montage of short films, VHS will capture your attention. This film is a first-person experience, full of unsteady filming whose unsettling plot line puts the viewer in the shoes of the victims. Capturing a Blair Witch type vibe, VHS cooks up a horrifying stew leaving the viewer petrified.

7- “Insidious”

While “Insidious” does follow the average “child possessed by demon” plot, it puts a new, unique spin on the portrayal of the common story. This film slowly develops from a cliche paranormal movie into something not even your nightmares can live up to. From subtle scares, to full on viewings of the horrifying demon, “Insidious” does a brilliant job of scaring the skin off of the viewer.

6- “Halloween” (1978)

Fear will immediately run through your blood the moment you start watching this movie. Being the mother of all slasher films, “Halloween” is a classic terror that will wedge a knife deep in the viewer’s stomach. White masked Michael Myers is one of the most iconic horror characters who beats out Freddy Krueger to take over your nightmares.

5- “The Blair Witch Project”

We watch horror movies to give us a thrill, but when the viewing ends we go to sleep, happily knowing that the movie wasn’t real. “The Blair Witch Project” will have the viewer believing they just witnessed a documentary instead of a movie. “Blair Witch” also revolutionized the horror industry by being the first high quality, low budget, first-person film that truly leaves the viewer pondering what they just watched.

4- “The Shining”

Stephen King has made a plethora of iconic horror novels and films but “The Shining” is his most outstanding horror piece. Throughout the film, viewers will go on a visual and mental roller-coaster making them question what their eyes are watching. Taking place in a Colorado hotel miles away from civilization, this film will have you breaking down your door wanting to get out of Colorado.

3- “Sinister”

“Sinister” has taken the throne for the king of jump scares. This motion picture is one of the most disturbing movies ever made, and the premise of the flick will have you wide awake at the latest hours in the night. The bothersome plotline mixed with pop-scares will have viewers hiding under their blankets for the next several nights.

2- “The Conjuring” 1 & 2

Wherever Ed and Lorraine Warren go, suspense and terror follow. “The Conjuring” movies are the best modern-day horror films. Not only are the pop-scares and suspenseful moments hair-raising, the style of the film and unique camera shots makes this movie a masterpiece. The modern creative style of invoking fear in us is perfectly captured in “The Conjuring.”

1- “The Exorcist”

This movie is full of disturbing images and iconic scenes that changed the way horror films were viewed. The gruesome actions Regan experiences will have your head spinning for days. Made in 1973, “The Exorcist” tops my list because it’s a timeless horror that changed scary movies forever.

Don’t have time to watch these 1 ½ hour long movies, here is my recommended list of short horrors.

“Bedfellows”– A call in the middle of the night is never a good thing. Especially when it’s coming from your husband who is suppose to be laying next to you. A little over two minutes long, this short horror’s creative twist is enough to scare the viewer for a week.

“Vicious”- While this is one of the longer short films, it makes watching the movie more difficult. Slamming doors, creaking floorboards, and lights going on and off are always scary; but mixed with visual scares Vicious blends up a nice little shock to the system.

“Welcome to the Circus”- Yes, clowns are running around the south right now scaring everyone, and yes, this short involves clowns. Capturing a freaky realistic vibe, viewers will be trembling after coming to the actualization that this short film could actually come true.   

“Lights Out”- A small spin off of the major motion picture, this short sums up all the scary moments of the actual film. Being able to compress an 1.5 hour long movie into 2:42 seconds of equivalent horrors is what places this short film on the list.