Five movies that terrify, bring out nostalgia and wake you up!

I have always loved horror, and as a young child, I had practically begged for my parents to rent(Blockbuster, circa early 1900’s, haha) from the horror section for me since I realized it’s ultimate potential.

Horror was made to wake you up.

It was created to get your heart pumping, your skin tingling, your vocal cords aching from too much screaming and all of those repressed emotions worked up from so much terror and fear. It’s made to get us closer together, dare I exclaim, yet I believe it. It draws you closer to the person next to you, even if it’s only out of fear!

It entertained me, and I appreciated this lovely genre of film quite early on.

Here’s my top five horror/Halloween films, but trust me darlings, there’s many more to sort through. It’s a blood bath of choices, so to speak.

Number Five: Infection

R 2004 ‧ Horror/World cinema ‧ 1h 38m; Director: Masayuki Ochiai

The premise is simple.

A cover-up.

A patient death.

Suddenly, an inexplicable illness starts covering the expanse of the hospital staff and throughout patients, setting off a chain of events that start to uncover the dirty details of the core of the cover up.

But the way this is directed, filmed and photographed is anything but simple or boring.

A review by The Japan Times, states it beatifically:

"stresses Grand Guignol atmospherics more, rational-sounding explanations less. His hospital breathes with a menace, madness and despair so pervasive that only a huge, obliterating explosion could bring escape -- in this life, at least."

This movie breathes life into its setting, giving the hospital life and it’s own persona. The characters roam around and scramble and dash, trying to solve a problem without a solution, and it’s mysterious and melancholic vibe is haunting and visceral. This film is an excellent addition for your Halloween film repartee, and to showcase your exquisite taste in horror.

The real point of the film(in my opinion): don’t try to hide your true self. Your dark secrets will be uncovered, sooner than you think, closer to home than you can ever imagine, and by the monsters of your own creation.

Number Four: Donnie Darko

R 2001 ‧ Sci-fi/Fantasy ‧ 1h 53m; Director: Richard Kelly

Created to look like it was straight out of the 1980’s history pages(and sounding like the quintessential 80’s soundtrack as well), Donnie presents to us a rip in the space time continuum—-and divergence in timelines and realities. All in all, it presents a disturbed and possibly mentally-ill teenaged boy who wants to take on the authority figures of the world, and question them mercilessly of their ill-intent.

Jump scares that are built up in strange and disorienting cut ups and scenes that mystify and make you question reality, and a little, weird book full of equations and scientific work ups on time travel—are just the odd ingredients in a mixture that is, in this writer’s opinion, the perfect Halloween story.

Check it out today!

Number three: Rose Red

2002 ‧ Miniseries ‧ 1 season; Music by: Gary Chang & Written by: Stephen King, Directed by: Craig R. Baxley

This mini-series is my favorite ghost story—-with in-depth, three-dimensional and interesting characters I come to care about, a mystery surrounding a house and a little girl with a strange attachment to the history of the house, and overall, a creepy and almost romantic ambience that lends to the houses crawling and haunted atmosphere.

And as a bonus, the wonderfully scary Stephen King is the writer and has a little cameo in it! Come with me to Rose Red, dear ones, and enjoy your stay, it’s warm inside.

Number Two: Nightmare On Elm St 3: Dream Warriors

R 1987 ‧ Horror/Slasher ‧ 1h 36m; Director: Chuck Russell

If you all haven’t realized it yet, I really enjoy the original Freddy Krueger series.

This movie will wake you up—-wake up you up so well, in fact, you’ll never sleep again.

This film takes the fun and almost ludicrous deaths that encapsulate the whole of this horror movie series, and amps it up a few hundred degrees!(FYI Freddy died by fire…. And an angry mob!)

Each murder has a very personalized ending, suitable to each person and their desires and personality. How thoughtful of Freddy!! And best of all, lovely and dreamy Nancy comes back to help the poor teenagers in the asylum. ❤️Be still my dark little heart!

Number 1: The Babadook

Not Rated 2014 ‧ Horror/Thriller ‧ 1h 33m; Director: Jennifer Kent

This movie is an excellent representation of human based horror, trauma and forgiveness—-pain that is deeply hidden beneath the surface.

It doesn’t have cheap thrills and the real scares come from the powerful and dynamic acting of Essie Davis, who portrays the subtle madness and horror of a mother’s and widow’s dilemma of losing her husband in a highly traumatic accident.

I highly recommend this for your Halloween playlist, or just in general, since the acting, directing and writing for this film is perfectly balanced in drama, horror and psychological terror.

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I hope you all enjoyed my top five horror and Halloween movie playlist! Have a safe and scary Halloween folks!!

If you’d like an accompanying encore to this list, check out my horror movie music playlist!!!

Thank you, Melissa, your lovely horror and romance writer!