With Halloween arriving on a Saturday this year, movie fans and industry professionals are assembling their seasonal watch lists, highlighting a mix of vintage monster movies, psychological thrillers and cult favorites across theaters and digital platforms.
Staff writers at Gizmodo and filmmakers surveyed by Vulture shared their go-to selections for the holiday weekend, ranging from celebrated masterworks to obscure international oddities and brand-new streaming adaptations, according to reports published Friday.
Classic scares and underground imports
For some critics, the ideal holiday viewing centers on certified horror touchstones. Gizmodo writer Jen Lennon selected John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi horror feature “The Thing,” citing its tension-filled Antarctic isolation, Ennio Morricone’s atmospheric score, practical effects work, and performances by Kurt Russell and Keith David. Lennon noted that while “Friday the 13th” serves as an annual Valentine’s Day viewing tradition, Carpenter’s creature feature offers the right atmosphere for late-October thrills, Gizmodo reported.
Other reviewers leaned into offbeat international cinema. Gizmodo’s Cheryl Eddy highlighted the 1980 Italian production “Alien Terror,” also circulated under the alternate title “Alien 2: On Earth.” The film follows returning astronauts replaced by explosive monsters who encounter a team of cave explorers. Eddy noted the feature attempted to capitalize on Ridley Scott’s 1979 blockbuster despite having no actual connection to the franchise.
Meanwhile, fellow writer Isaiah Colbert spotlighted Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 2001 techno-horror title “Pulse.” Colbert pointed to the picture’s enduring dread, particularly a haunting silhouette sequence in the film’s conclusion that continues to resonate decades after its initial release, according to Gizmodo.
Nostalgia and director selections
Reflecting on watershed moments in horror history, Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier chose 1999’s “The Blair Witch Project.” Lussier recalled being genuinely unsettled during the film’s original theatrical rollout, when early internet culture and viral marketing blurred the line between fact and fiction. Produced on an initial budget of roughly $27,000 before earning hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide, the independent found-footage hit remains a defining milestone that is currently enjoying renewed attention through physical media releases and development on a planned franchise reboot.
Hollywood directors and showrunners also weighed in with their personal favorites, according to Vulture. Edgar Wright, director of “Shaun of the Dead,” named the 1981 horror-comedy “An American Werewolf in London” as a top selection. David Lowery, who helmed “The Green Knight,” cited the iconic melting-face sequence from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” while Ashley Lyle, co-creator of “Yellowjackets,” praised the “Final Destination” series, pointing to its second installment as a standout.
Streaming debuts and counterprogramming
Audiences looking for new small-screen releases also have fresh options. Prime Video debuted a new limited-series adaptation of Stephen King’s “Carrie,” developed by the director of “Doctor Sleep” and starring Summer H. Powell in the title role alongside Samantha Sloyan, Vulture reported. AMC+ rolled out “Yaga,” an eight-episode supernatural drama adapted by Kat Sandler from her 2019 play and starring Carrie-Anne Moss, while Tubi delivered holiday counterprogramming with the sequel “R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2,” featuring Elvira.
Viewers seeking lighter alternatives or theatrical novelties can also choose between the romantic comedy “Wicker,” starring Olivia Colman and Peter Dinklage, or the animated outing “Minions & Monsters,” directed by Pierre Coffin and featuring a cameo appearance by “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, Vulture reported.
Whether viewers turn to streaming premieres, high-definition remasters or classic monster cinema, audiences are expected to keep living rooms and theaters packed throughout the holiday stretch.
