We’ve never understood why some people wait until October to binge horror movies.
For us, it’s a yearlong pursuit and we’re just as likely to be found watching an all-time classic like “Final Destination 2” or “Bride of Chucky” on Valentine’s Day as we are on Halloween.
And, yes, we realize that probably says a lot more about us than it does about the more-seasonal viewers.
Still, the Halloween season does present the opportunity to put our expertise and passion for horror to good use and recommend some of our favorite fright flicks from 2022, a year in which it seemed a new scary movie came out every 10 minutes.
The offerings range from gory to goofy, from truly scary to (comparatively) mild, so pick your flavor and get ready for a ghoulish good time.
All of these movies are available to stream/rent/buy online.
‘Torn Hearts’
It’s said that making it in the music business in Nashville can be murder. That old adage is taken quite literally in director Brea Grant’s unusual music-horror hybrid film, which stars Katey Sagal (Peggy Bundy on “Married… with Children”) as Harper Dutch, a reclusive country great who welcomes two rising stars into her home for a very memorable (and bloody) stay. The result is an intense ride, one that is almost as scary as Garth Brooks’ rock album. (OK, maybe not quite that scary.)
Where to watch: Epix, Amazon, more
‘Firestarter’
The original 1984 film – starring Drew Barrymore as a young girl being hunted by a secret government agency due to her extreme pyrokinesis powers — was never considered one of the better Stephen King adaptations. (Although, honestly, we’d watch it again and again for the amazing overacting job from George C. Scott alone.) The fact that the 2022 remake fails to clear a relatively low bar shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this fun thriller, which somehow managed to enlist A-lister Zac Efron in a production that rarely rises above B-movie status.
Where to watch: Prime Video, AMC+, more
‘Hatching’
Tinja bottles up her emotions as she works hard — and often in vain — to earn the approval of her demanding and overly image-conscious mother. Those feelings of despair and resentment eventually erupt like a geyser — only not in the way that one might expect. “Hatching” is a disturbing story of a 12-year-old girl (convincingly played by Siiri Solalinna) who discovers an egg that produces a bird-like pet/protector that exacts revenge on all who dare cross them. The Finish film, which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, is stylishly creepy and wholly unsettling, coming across like an updated version of a lost Brothers Grimm story.
Where to watch: Hulu
‘Orphan: First Kill’
Isabelle Fuhrman was nothing short of amazing in 2009’s excellent horror-thriller “Orphan” as she convincingly played a 9-year-old psychopath with a mysterious past and a major secret. Thirteen years later, Furman — now 25 — delivers arguably an even more impressive performance as she returns to the role of Ester in this new chapter in the “Orphan” saga. But we’re not talking about a sequel, but rather a prequel — meaning that Ester would be even younger than she was in the first film. Seriously, this movie probably has no business being as good as it is, yet here we are with a must-see flick for horror junkies and gore hounds this Halloween season. Julia Stiles stars as Ester’s adoptive mom and has wicked fun with the role.
Where to watch: Paramount+, Prime Video, more
‘The Cursed’
It’s a bit slow at times, and requires some patience, but the payoff will definitely be worth it in what is this year’s best full-length werewolf film. The climax to the movie — which premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival before being released theatrically in the U.S. this year — is quite satisfying. But “Cursed” is really about the atmosphere and mood that director Sean Ellis steadily builds in this story about the bloody events happening to townspeople in rural France. It feels like there’s a chill in the air, as if somebody forgot to close a window on a winter’s night, throughout the movie. And expect that chill to stay with you even after “The Cursed” ends.
Where to watch: Hulu
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’
There have been nine offerings in this bountiful and bloody franchise, ranging in quality from 1974’s groundbreaking Tobe Hooper-directed original — easily one of the Top 5 horror movies of all time — to 1995’s so-bad-it’s-good “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation” that, believe it or not, marked the screen debut of both Renee Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey. Thankfully, this latest outing tilts toward the former and deserves to be ranked among the finest films in the series. It’s intense, brutal and relentless, offering up the kind of Leatherface (played by the hulking Mark Burnham) who could haunt your dreams.
Where to watch: Netflix
‘Bring It On: Cheer or Die’
A group of cheerleaders plan to camp out — sans cell phones, of course — in an old abandoned school on Halloween weekend. Really, what could possibly go wrong? Well, for starters, death by pom-pom is a distinct possibility. Overall, this is a comparatively tame “starter” horror flick, without much in the way of gore or intense scenes. What it lacks in blood, however, it makes up for in camp and cleverness. Without a doubt, this is our favorite of the roughly 786,412 installments of the “Bring It On” cheerleader series.
Where to watch: Syfy
‘Prey’
We were kind of hoping that producers would’ve continued along the path that began with 2004’s “Alien vs. Predator” and offer up another movie villain team-up, especially since there was a rumor — sure, one that we started — about how the next installment would serve up “Chucky vs. Predator.” What we got, however, served as more than just a nice consolation prize. “Prey” is a delightful horror-action movie, featuring solid fight scenes and special effects and topnotch acting from Amber Midthunder in the lead role of Comanche warrior Naru. It may just be the finest “Predator” outing since the original model with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987. And, yes, we do realize that’s not saying a whole lot.
Where to watch: Hulu
‘Fall’
If you’re afraid of heights then this might be turn out to be the scariest movie you’ve, well, ever seen. Narcissistic social media junkie Hunter (Virginia Gardner) and her reluctant friend Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) make the very ill-advised decision to climb to the top of a 2,000-foot-tall radio tower in the name of recording a video that will get plenty of likes/views. Then, of course, things go very wrong, very quickly and they get stuck up there. And not even their social media followers can save them. Director Scott Mann creates a survival film that is so tense you might feel like occasionally pausing it just to catch your breath. Plus, rarely has a vulture seemed more terrifying than in “Fall.”
Where to watch: Google Play, Amazon, more
‘Jeepers Creepers: Reborn’
The first “Jeepers Creepers” (2001) stands among the best horror films of the millennium. This latest installment — the fourth overall in the franchise — is a B-movie with terrible acting, laughable special effects and a script that may well have come out a Cracker Jack box. It’s also pure joy for fans of “so-bad-it’s-good” horror movies. Plus, it also features one of our all-time favorite bogeymen — the supernatural Creeper — who comes to life every 23 years, for 23 days, to dine on human body parts. There’s also an appearance by the great Dee Wallace as well as the worst (almost) marriage proposal in film history. Zero stars! Check it out!
Where to watch: Google Play, Amazon, more
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