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Well, it’s that time of year again… time to put ourselves through pure terror for fun! If you are like me, a Halloween fanatic, you want to get into the essence of evil as much as possible. So, I’m here to give you a few spooky recommendations. Proceed at your own risk…
(Horror)
Midnight mass (2021) – 8/10
Warnings: Moderate gore, Religious horror, Mild jumpscares
Created by: Mike Flanagan
Midnight Mass is a short, seven episode show created by the notorious tv horror filmmaker, Mike Flanagan. Mike Flanagan has not only made Midnight Mass, but also the terrifying Midnight Club, and the Haunting horror series. He is best known for his horror television series inspired by the intrepid Stephen King, most known for IT and The Shining, as well as Quentin Tarentino, most known for Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Bastards. However, out of all of his famous creations, Midnight Mass (to me at least) was the least scary.
Now don’t get me wrong, it actually scared the life out of me, but it was quite an entertaining watch. Midnight Mass follows the story of Riley Flynn, a newly sober man, returning back to his hometown of Crockett Island, British Columbia, a small island with a total population of 200. Within this quiet and religious Christian town, Riley quickly finds out he isn’t the only new arrival. Father Paul, a charismatic 30-something, comes to Crockett Island in replacement of Monsignor Pruitt, the longstanding preacher who had most recently fallen ill. Over the course of seven episodes–Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, Gospel, Acts of the Apostles, and Revelation–all religious texts, the island begins to experience god-given miracles, but at what cost?
Midnight Mass gripped me from the start and took me on a terrifying journey. Not only does it create an intense and spine-chilling atmosphere, especially if you are a Christian, but its plot twist undoubtedly shocks you. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a scare with an essence of real-life fantasm.
You can watch Midnight Mass on Netflix!
(Comedy)
Daybreak (2019) – 9/10
Warnings: Moderate gore, Mild jumpscares
Created by: Brad Peyton
In a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, one without adults, average high schooler Josh Wheeler is living his full life, while paintballing zombies of course. Everything is smooth-sailing, until Josh finds out that his long lost love, the enigmatic and mysterious Sam, is still alive. After meeting the samurai Wesley and the pyromaniac Angelica, Josh sets out on a journey to find and rescue Sam from whatever dangers she has been caught in. Traveling through the seven tribes of Los Angeles, The Golf Team, The Jocks, The 4-H Club, The STEM Punks, The Game-Overs, The Cheermazons, and the Disciples of Kardashia, Josh works alongside his new team of Daybreaks to kill zombies and uncover Sam’s secrets.
Through ten, action-packed episodes, viewers journey with Josh and the Daybreaks to unlock the mysteries of both Sam’s disappearance and the real reason for the apocalypse. Daybreak was an incredibly easy and fun watch. It has minor elements of horror and sci-fi but in my opinion is a great Halloween watch!
You can watch Daybreak on Netflix!
(Psychological thriller)
Severance (2022) 10/10
Warnings: No gore, Mild jumpscares
Created by: Dan Erickson
Severance honestly left me with no words. I kid you not, this show had me jumping and running around the room in pure suspense and fear. The sheer creativity of it, in addition to its otherworldly cinematography, makes it a pure nine episode spectacle.
It captures you from the first minute, immersing you into this world within a world hidden in New Jersey. It follows Mark in his daily nine to five routine, with nothing out of the ordinary–except his surgically removed memories of his time at work of course–until he meets an old coworker. New information about Mark’s job spins a seemingly perfect life into anything but. I can’t say much more otherwise I would be revealing key twists, but Severance is, in my opinion, the best televised thriller out there. It leaves you questioning your reality, and the concept of work-life balance.
You can see Severance on Apple TV+
Other absolutely terrifying recommendations:
Midnight club (2022)
Warnings: Severe jumpscares, Moderate gore
Created by: Mike Flanagan
Midnight club follows the story of Ilonka, an eighteen-year-old girl with metastatic thyroid cancer, who decides to put herself in a teenage hospice, Brightcliffe. Ilonka meets seven other members of the hospice, all a part of a secret society, the Midnight Club. Each night they gather to tell their own sinister stories and attempt to reach other members, from beyond.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Warnings: Mild gore, Moderate jumpscares
Created by: Mike Flanagan
The Haunting of Hill House, based upon the novel of the same name by Shirley Jackson, follows the story of Hugh and Olivia Crain as they move into Hill House with their five children. The supernatural horror parallels the lives of the five children leading up to their sinister departure from the home, and their return as new adults attempting to confront their deepest fears.
The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
Warnings: Mild gore, Mild jumpscares
Created by: Mike Flanagan
The Haunting of Bly Manor, based on the novella, Turn of the Screw by Henry James, serves as the second part in The Haunting anthology. Yet, the two series are not plot connected. It begins as Dani Clayton gets hired as an au pair (live-in nanny) for two strange children at the unknowingly haunted Bly Manor. Happy babysitting adventures ensure, right?
Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (2022)
Warnings: Severe gore, Moderate jumpscares
Created by: Guillermo Del Toro
Guillermo Del Toro’s gothic horror anthology tells the Oscar Winning stories of eight different terrifying tales. With jaw-dropping cgi and performances, each story is sure to stay with each viewer.
You can find all of these on Netflix!
