‘Tis the season to watch something spooky.
The Halloween List 2024: 31 days’ worth of spooky movies and TV shows for the season
A different scary movie or show for every day in October.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 1, 2024 at 9:54PM
For the last decade, I’ve spent the month of October ping-ponging between my couch and the cinema, marathoning horror movies in the run-up to my favorite holiday. We call it “The Halloween List” and on occasion I’ve shared my autumnal advent calendar with readers of the publications where I work, most recently in 2018.
That was also around the time we reached peak TV. And in the years since, I’ve added shows like “Stranger Things” and “The Haunting of Hill House” to the list.
Of course, there are a few rules to composing these lists. Here they are:
- Every day features a different horror, thriller or mystery movie or TV show.
- Sundays are for themed double features. This year, the wife and I are watching a pair of Spanish zombie movies, two ‘50s B-horror classics, exploring Ridley Scott’s “Alien” universe and embarking on what we’ve decided is a dimension-hopping adventure through the cinematic universe spawned by George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead.”
- We always end the month with a movie from the “Halloween” franchise.
- Finally: the calendar is more of a guideline than a rule. Sometimes life happens and we don’t get to the movie of the day. We either drop it from the list or move it to next year.
Without further ado, here’s this year’s Halloween List:
Oct. 1: ‘The Substance’
At least once a year, I choose one horror movie to go into fully blind, and this year it’s “The Substance.” Don’t tell me anything about it.
In theaters.
Oct. 2: ‘Agatha All Along’
We’ve already gotten three episodes of the “Wandavision” sequel series, and so far Aubrey Plaza is definitely holding it down alongside Kathryn Hahn. I’m just not looking forward to the inevitable pivot toward the typical MCU tomfoolery that’s hampered practically every Marvel project since “Avengers: Endgame.”
Streaming on Disney+ with a subscription.
Oct. 3: ‘The First Omen’
The original “The Omen” is an all-time classic. The sequels are incredibly uneven, but it would be an affront to the memory of Gregory Peck if we didn’t at least give it the ol’ college try.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies and Apple TV: $5.99.
Oct. 4: ‘The Black Phone’
Ethan Hawke’s versatility was on full display in the 2010s as he anchored two of the decade’s most memorable horror flicks: “Sinister” and “The Purge.” In “The Black Phone,” he capably plays a smooth-talking villain in a role that adds to his spooky bona fides.
Streaming on Starz with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies and Apple TV: $3.99.
Oct. 5: ‘MaXXXine’
Ti West’s “X” trilogy is nothing if not an interesting exercise in straightforward vibe-setting. Both “X” and “Pearl” are capable slasher flicks that do well with their respective settings. Let’s see how the final entry in the Mia Goth-led franchise wraps things up.
Streaming on Amazon, Google Play Movies, YouTube: $4.99
Oct. 6: ‘Rec 2′ and ‘Rec 3′
“Rec” is a Spanish horror classic you might remember from its American adaptation: 2008′s “Quarantine.” While the English-language remake hit with a thud, “Rec 2″ and “Rec 3″ are the rare sequels that go toe-to-toe with the original.
Both films are streaming free with ads on Tubi. “Rec 2″ is also available for purchase through Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies and Apple TV: $12.99.
Oct. 7: ‘Bride of Chucky’
The original “Child’s Play” will forever be one of my favorite horror flicks. And even though the fourth entry in the “Chucky” series veers wildly from the mood and tone set by its predecessors, it’s just campy enough that it works. Jennifer Tilly is particularly delightful as the titular bride, Tiffany.
Streaming on Netflix with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV: $3.99.
Oct. 8: ‘Abigail’
There’s something about monster children that makes any movie revolving around supernatural scamps an instant watch for me.
Streaming on Peacock with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV: $5.99.
Oct. 9: ‘Agatha All Along’
It remains wild to me that this earworm of a villainous anthem basically led Disney to greenlight a whole series.
Streaming on Disney+.
Oct. 10: ‘I Saw the TV Glow’
There are few production companies that can rival A24′s consistency when it comes to horror movies, so it is to my eternal shame that I must admit I didn’t catch this flick in the theater.
Streaming on Max and YouTube TV with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV: $5.99.
Oct. 11: ‘Basket Case’
Earlier this year, I was talking with a fellow horror aficionado about the good old days of Blockbuster Video and the VHS boxes that scared us silly — at least enough to swear off renting whatever movie they belonged to. “Basket Case” was one such flick for me. Not for long, though.
Streaming free with ads on Tubi, AMC+ with a subscription. Google Play Movies: $1.99. Apple TV: $3.99.
Oct. 12: ‘Rawhead Rex’
This adaptation of a Clive Barker short story inspired some of the first nightmares I can ever recall having. Somehow, my cousin and I managed to convince our parents to rent “Rawhead Rex” for us at the tender age of 8. And even though the titular beast haunted my dreams for days, it’s a strangely comforting watch these days.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video with a KINO subscription. YouTube, Google Play Movies: $2.99.
Oct. 13: ‘The Blob’ and ‘The Thing From Another World’
The 1988 remake of “The Blob” was the breakout hit of last week’s scary movie marathon and John Carpenter’s take on “The Thing” is among my all-time favorites. So it only makes sense that we take it back to the ‘50s for a double feature that hits on the origins of the two.
“The Blob” is streaming free with ads on Tubi and Max with a subscription. Apple TV: $3.99
“The Thing From Another World” is streaming free with ads on Tubi and the Roku Channel. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV: $2.99.
Oct. 14: ‘Immaculate’
There aren’t enough horror movies set in nunneries. Good thing Sydney Sweeney saw fit to get this one across the finish line.
Streaming on Hulu with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV: $3.99.
Oct. 15: ‘Lisa Frankenstein’
Kathryn Newton absolutely slayed in 2020′s “Freaky,” the serial killer-infused take on “Freaky Friday.” That means any horror-adjacent project she takes on is an immediate “yes” from here on out.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video with a subscription. YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV: $5.99.
Oct. 16: ‘Agatha All Along’
Just a couple more weeks before the season finale.
Streaming on Disney+.
Oct. 17: ‘Don’t Breathe’
Fede Álvarez threaded the needle quite capably when he took on the interquel to “Alien” and “Aliens” earlier this year, which made me want to revisit his first original feature. (He helmed the 2013 “Evil Dead” remake before writing, directing and producing “Don’t Breathe.”)
Streaming on Starz with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Apple TV: $3.99.
Oct. 18: ‘Smile 2′
It feels like eons since the original “Smile” was released way back in ... 2022. That film felt like less than the sum of its parts, but I’m also a sucker for second chances.
In theaters.
Oct. 19: ‘Night of the Living Dead’
Our grand zombie-themed experiment begins today as we revisit George A. Romero’s 1968 classic and follow the dueling visions he and co-writer John Russo had for the movie’s sequels. The upshot is that Romero preferred to maintain a sense of mystery over the source of the reanimated corpses, while Russo took an approach that veered more into science fiction.
Streaming on Pluto TV, Tubi and the Roku Channel free with ads and Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, MGM+, Max and AMC+ with a subscription. Amazon Prime and Apple TV rental: $3.99.
Oct. 20: ‘Dawn of the Dead’ and ‘Return of the Living Dead’
“Dawn of the Dead” is Romero’s fully realized vision for the zombie apocalypse that began in “Night of the Living Dead.” “Return of the Living Dead,” meanwhile, is Russo’s take on the events that take place after the original film. Both are responsible for many of the tropes we now associate with the zombie genre, and I can’t wait to study them side-by-side.
“Dawn of the Dead” is streaming on Peacock with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, Apple TV rental: $3.99.
“Return of the Living Dead” is streaming free with ads on Pluto TV and The Roku Channel and on Amazon Prime Video with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV rental: $3.99.
Oct. 21: ‘Day of the Dead’
Romero’s apocalyptic vision continues in this 1985 sequel.
Streaming free with ads on Pluto TV, Sling TV, Crackle and Tubi and on AMC+ with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Apple TV rental: $3.99.
Oct. 22: ‘Return of the Living Dead Part II’
The box art for this flick always reminded me of the graphic covers for the “Goosebumps” series.
Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV rental: $2.99.
Oct. 23: ‘Agatha All Along’
We interrupt our zombie marathon to check in on Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza.
Streaming on Disney+ with a subscription.
Oct. 24: ‘Land of the Dead’
I’ve never made it past “Day of the Dead” in the Romero saga, so I’m interested to see how this one plays out.
Streaming on Peacock with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV rental: $3.99.
Oct. 25: ‘Return of the Living Dead 3′
This is another one of those VHS boxes that spooked me so badly that I pledged never to rent the movie within. But a pandemic-fueled marathon of “The O.C.” put this Melinda Clarke vehicle at the top of my watch list before I promptly forgot about it. Good thing we’re doing our split zombie timeline, otherwise I might never have remembered.
Streaming free with ads on Tubi and Freevee through Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV rental: $3.99.
Oct. 26: ‘Alien’
This summer’s “Alien: Romulus” inspired this rewatch of the 1979 Ridley Scott classic. The October marathon also provided the perfect excuse to break out the thick “Alien” Quadrilogy Blu-ray set I picked up on Black Friday ages ago.
Streaming on Hulu with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV rental: $3.99.
Oct. 27: ‘Aliens’ and ‘Alien 3′
“Aliens” may get a lot of love, but there’s something about David Fincher’s “Alien 3″ that makes it stand out as the more ambitious of the first three films in the franchise. It’s quieter and smaller in scope, a nod to the original that swerves in its own satisfying way.
“Aliens” is streaming on Hulu and Max with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV rental: $3.99.
“Alien 3″ is streaming on Hulu with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV rental: $3.99.
Oct. 28: ‘Village of the Damned’
We debated between watching this movie and the 1960 original, but in the end, I couldn’t stop thinking about an early scene where a man wakes up after falling asleep on a burning grill, and that basically made our choice for us.
Streaming free with ads on Tubi and on Peacock with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV rental: $3.99.
Oct. 29: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’
I’ll be honest: This entry is meant to check a box on a list. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” waded way too far into overly abundant fan service and I wasn’t convinced it needed a sequel. But it got one, and my FOMO is very easily triggered, so I cannot keep any pop culture blind spots open for long.
Streaming on Netflix with a subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV rental: $5.99.
Oct. 30: ‘Agatha All Along’
While the show is off to a great start, I am wholly ready for the season finale, at the very least, to either try and set up for a sequel or tie into the larger Marvel universe. And in doing so, it’ll likely ruin what could be a phenomenal standalone series. Alas.
Streaming on Disney+ with a subscription.
Oct. 31: ‘Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers’
“Halloween 4″ might not be the best entry in the Michael Myers saga. It’s not even the scariest. But the kills are fun enough to keep you watching and the twist makes for one of the series’ best endings.
Streaming on AMC+ and on Amazon Prime Video with a Shudder subscription. Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies rental: $2.99.
The singer’s Dollywood theme park and the eastern Tennessee mountains are a great place to spend the holidays.
