Sex, Blood And Scares: OutKick's Best Movies For Halloween And The Spooky Season

Halloween is right around the corner, and that means it's time for the best movies for the spookiest time of year.

As a sucker for a bit of cold weather consuming the country and Halloween, nothing beats a night in front of the TV with a great horror movie, a big tub of popcorn (extra butter melted on top of course), an iced down six pack of light beer, the lights off and perhaps the girlfriend seated next to me. The last part is negotiable, but everything else is a must.

Now, some of you might be scrambling to find a great Halloween movie to watch to get yourself in the mood for some scares. Luckily for you, I'm here to help with OutKick's official list of best Halloween movies. If you know of one I missed, send me a message at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Otherwise, let's dive in!

OutKick's best Halloween movies.

I do want to note that these aren't in any particular order. I'll let you guys battle the order out in my email. It's just a list. Don't get too fired up. Having said that, I'm ready to roll.

Scream:

I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't include "Scream" on the list. This is an all-time classic that masterfully plays on the tropes of horror films while also telling an absolutely incredible scary story with plenty of blood and murder as students in a small town start getting butchered.

It's hard to believe the film came out in 1996 because it definitely withstands the test of time.

Sleepy Hollow:

This is a CRIMINALLY underrated horror movie that is perfect for Halloween. It has the perfect sense of fall as viewers follow Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane in a film adaption of Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

Most people under the age of 30 reading this list probably don't even know this movie exists, but Tim Burton smashed a home run nearly 25 years ago with "Sleepy Hallow."

Definitely add it to the list if you've never seen it before.

The "Fear Street" trilogy:

I just wrote the other day about how R.L. Stine teased more "Fear Street" movies. That's great news for fans of the horror genre and great films.

The trilogy is the best original film production Netflix has ever done, and all three movies are outstanding. They are set in three different time periods that ties everything together perfectly. The first two films are the best, but the third is solid in its own right.

All three were among the best films of 2021, and they're must-watch for Halloween fans.

The "Fear Street" films are perfect for Halloween. (Credit: Netflix)

Trick 'r Treat:

Another criminally underrated movie that I'm sure most of you have never heard of. The plot revolves around multiple different horror storylines that are very vanilla upon first appearance.

However, it's clear that a lot of people have violent and deadly secrets, including an incredibly sinister storyline about dead kids on a school bus.

It also is loaded with great kill scenes. It's hard to really discuss the plot without spoiling anything, but you can watch a trailer below. "Trick 'r Treat" is one of the few movies I actually own on DVD, and I had it shipped to the Hookstead compound from Wisconsin a few Halloweens ago for a little movie night with a guest list I'm not at liberty to divulge.

Do yourself a favor and check out a trailer below.

Halloween (1978):

I'm pretty sure I'd lose my job if I didn't include the original "Halloween" with Jamie Lee Curtis on the list. The story doesn't need an explanation. It's the most famous Halloween film in the history of cinema, and viewers have watched Michael Myers terrorize people on the big screen for several decades ever since.

The sequels with Jamie Lee Curtis are solid, other than the most recent one, but nothing beats the original.

Friday the 13th (2009):

I'm sure you all knew "Friday the 13th" would appear on the list of best Halloween movies, but I'm guessing you thought it would be the original.

The original is outstanding, and the early sequels are also very entertaining. However, I've always held a soft spot in my heart for the 2009-reboot.

The Warner Bros. film follows a group of campers looking to party and have sex, but the festivities are interrupted when Jason Voorhees starts his massacre. The film is shockingly funny, but do not watch it with kids. There are some sex scenes that are borderline soft-core porn.

It's a ton of fun, and a great Halloween movie.

Haunted Mansion (2003):

For everyone looking for a kid friendly film, this is the one for you. The original "Haunted Mansion" stars Eddie Murphy as a realtor looking to help sell a massive mansion, but he soon finds out there are a lot of paranormal forces at play. It's the perfect family-friendly pick. Whatever you do, just don't watch the remake because it's absolutely awful.

"Midnight Mass" and "Storm of the Century":

What a curveball for all the readers! You didn't expect to see two TV series on the list, but here we are. For people looking for a limited series they can binge, you can go wrong with "Midnight Mass" or "Storm of the Century."

"Midnight Mass" is a great horror mystery from Mike Flanagan that follows people on a small island where all hell breaks loose.

"Storm of the Century" is from Stephen King, and also takes place on an island. When a demon (is that correct?) shows up, citizens are forced to make an impossible decision.

Both are great picks.

That's the list, folks! What did I miss? What did I hit? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.