It's the Halloween season once again, which means it's time to watch good, creepy movies.  However, with every good scary movie comes countless poorly made attempts to freak us out. 

You don't have time to wade through a bunch of bad movies, so find these 5 favorites of mine.  You won't be disappointed as they are not only good the first time but on multiple viewings.

Pop some corn, dim the lights and enjoy these movies.

  • 1

    The Shining

    Watch Stanley Kubrick's Take On Stephen King
    So, I'm 11 years old and my dad takes me, my sisters and a friend of mine to go see 'The Shining'. My dad liked to take us to movies that were getting good reviews, regardless of the rating of these movies (I did enjoy 'Animal House' when I was 9). Needless to say 'The Shining' was a freaky movie for me, but even as an adult I get the creeps whenever I watch it.
    Jack Nicholson is brilliant as a man gone mad and then you have the images of the murdered twins, crazy dead naked lady, redrum, freaky costume people, etc. What really does it for me is creepy music and the very end when you see the old picture from way back when and guess who is in it? You can't let Halloween go by without revisiting The Overlook Hotel.  Classic!
  • 2

    The Changeling

    Enjoy A Good, Old Fashioned Ghost Story

    This movie, starring George C. Scott was made in 1980 and it's part ghost story, part mystery. Scott plays a man who has tragedy turn his life upside down so he moves into a big old house to start over. As fate would have it, this house has secrets it wants to tell him.

    I've always liked this movie because the pacing isn't frantic, there are no cheesy computer special effects and there are some genuine chills, including this creepy seance scene.

  • 3

    The Conjuring

    A Ghost Hunting Couple Meet Their Match

    I've started with some older movies, but this more recent haunted house story holds a lot of good scares.

    Based on "true events", this movie is great in the way it sets up scenes to keep you on the edge of your seat, and the performances are great.

  • 4

    Let The Right One In

    A moody, scary friendship tale

    This is a terrific and gruesome tale of a fragile, often bullied 12-year-old boy who longs for a friend.  He finally finds a young girl and they become friends just as some nasty deaths and attacks are taking place around them.  Perhaps, his new friend is more than she seems.

    I highly recommend the Swedish original, you'll get used to the subtitles quickly.  However, there is a an American remake of this movie, called "Let Me In", which is nearly as good.  You can't go wrong either way.

  • 5

    Alien

    The Original Outer Space Horror Tale

    I started this list with a movie that my dad brought me to at a younger age, so I'll finish with a movie he brought me to when I was 10.  I give him credit for picking great movies as this one holds up.

    The original Alien didn't have all the action of its sequel "Aliens", but it's the better horror film.  Being confined and isolated with a small group can be unnerving enough, but when you throw in an expected visitor it can be terrifying entertainment.

    Like most of the scary movies I like, it doesn't rely on computer generated effects or gross out scenes that populate more recent movies.  Give me a good story, deliberate pacing, and good acting every time.

     

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