Scary Movie Recommendations: 6 to Watch This Week

Welcome to Halloweentown! This spooky season, we’re bringing you a new selection of scary movies every week – one for each day of the scariest month of the year.

Not all of these films are available for free – but some of them are! – but all are available to either rent or stream. We’ve got classics, cult favorites, new films and familiar screams alike.

And come back next week for a new selection of scares! Next time, we’ll highlight seven spooky classics aimed at ghouls of all ages, from classics like The Wizard of Oz to more modern masterpieces like Coraline. But this series is aimed exclusively at adults and teenagers who can handle a few jump scares.

Read on – if you dare.

Slither (2006) – stream for free on Tubi

James Gunn’s 2006 dark horror comedy has become a cult classic in the years since its premiere – not bad for a man making his directorial debut. As you might expect from a movie about sentient alien larvae, it gets pretty gross, but that’s just part of the fun. The Suicide Squad’s Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion and Sean Gunn (the director’s brother and frequent collaborator) star alongside Elizabeth Banks and Gregg Henry. Read more about what makes “Slither” so good. Rated R. 95 minutes. Director: James Gunn. Also with Tania Saulnier and Jenna Fischer.

Stream “Slither” for free on Tubi

Jennifer’s Body (2009) – Streaming on Disney+

Karyn Kusama’s inspired horror-comedy, unfairly reviled in its day, has seen something of a cultural reappraisal in recent years – or, to put it more simply, everyone seems to finally realize that “Jennifer’s Body” rules. Megan Fox plays Jennifer, a cheerleader who finds herself in a classic high school crisis: she’s possessed by a demon and driven by the need to feast on the flesh of her classmates. Amanda Seyfried is her best friend Needy (yes, Needy), who senses that something isn’t quite right. It’s a riot. Rated R. 102 minutes. Director: Karyn Kusama. Also starring Adam Brody, Johnny Simmons, Chris Pratt, JK Simmons and Amy Sedaris.

In addition to Disney+, you can also stream Jennifer’s Body on Hulu, Paramount+, and Peacock.

Jaws (1975) – Streaming on Netflix

The first blockbuster is still one of the best of its kind, a triumph of storytelling and ingenuity that really packs a punch. Jaws could be the Swiss Army Knife of films – it works for everything. Looking for a creature feature? A comedy? An action film? A dramatic character study? A “just three guys on an impossible mission” kind of story? Or maybe you’re up for one of the most iconic film scores of all time, a giant shark named Bruce, and a boatload (pun intended) of great performances? Try this Steven Spielberg classic. Don’t let the beaches fool you: it’s a film for all seasons, especially the spooky one. Rated PG. 123 minutes. Director: Steven Spielberg. Featuring: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton.

The Descent (2006) – available to rent via Prime Video

Directed by Neil Marshall (“Game of Thrones,” “Hellboy”), “The Descent” is often praised as one of the best horror films of the last 20 years. It deserves this reputation. Certainly, it is a masterclass in escalating tension, spreading fear long before the extent of the desperate scenario is fully realized. So what’s the premise? Six women who love nothing more than adrenaline-pumping outdoor activities head to the Appalachian Mountains for a thrilling spelunking adventure. Soon old wounds are reopened along the very dark path of the cave system and it’s not long before things take a deadly turn. Read the rest of Emma Fraser’s thoughts on this contemporary classic. Rated R. 98 minutes. Director: Neil Marshall. Featuring: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, MyAnna Buring, Nora-Jane Noone, Oliver Milburn.

Us (2019) – Streaming on Hulu

Sketch comedy genius and horror writer Jordan Peele followed his Oscar-winning debut Get Out with this deeply unsettling high-concept horror film. Drawing on many horror subgenres (including post-apocalyptic, home invasion horror, and doppelganger stories), Us is a wild ride. Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o), her husband Gabe (Winston Duke), and their two children are relaxing after a day at the beach when four mysterious strangers in matching jumpsuits show up in their driveway – four strangers who look just like the family they are You are on the hunt. Nyong’o’s bravura dual performance earned her numerous awards, including a Screen Actor’s Guild nomination for Best Actress, but while she stands out, the entire cast is outstanding. Rated R. 116 minutes. Directed by: Jordan Peele. Featuring: Elisabeth Moss, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Tim Heidecker.

In addition to Hulu, “Us” can also be streamed on Peacock and Disney+.

Happy Death Day (2017) – Streaming on Peacock

Happy Death Day star Jessica Rothe became an instant scream queen with her performance in this clever horror-comedy that mixes the college slasher genre with Groundhog Day to create something fresh and devilishly funny. Tree (Rothe), a popular sorority girl, doesn’t seem particularly thrilled that it’s her birthday – her evilness is clearly visible throughout the day. But just as we begin to suspect that our heroine has hidden depths, she is murdered by a creep wearing a baby mask. Luckily she wakes up and it’s the morning of her birthday again. Thus begins one of the most entertaining slashers of the decade, as we watch Tree try to solve her own murder – or murders in the plural, to be precise – in one time loop after another. Rated PG-13. Director: Christopher Landon. Featuring: Israel Broussard, Rachel Matthews, Phi Vu, Ruby Modine, Charles Aitken.