As many gamers can relate to, this time of year is the time of the horror game. For me, it’s also the time of the horror movie. Each year I have an unofficial playlist of horror movies I put on rotation during October, and this year, I thought I’d share my top ten. In no way am I saying these are my top ten horror movies, I’m merely saying these are the films I’m in the mood to see right now.

I know this is a bit of a diversion from my typical gaming posts, but I hope you enjoy it none the less.

In alphabetical order, here we go!

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Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

When I first saw this film, I had no idea what to expect. It was a faux documentary of sorts with a comedic macabre edge. Perhaps because it was partially filmed in the Pacific Northwest (and I am from the Pacific Northwest) this resonates with me and the environments evoke many an autumn in my home town. Fortunately the events do not.

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Chernobyl Diaries

I’d had such high hopes for this film, and I actually went to see it in a theatre (I rarely venture out to the movies, preferring to see them once they release on DVD). The first two-thirds of the movie was great, and, for me, it fell off in the last third. Either way, it’s a fascinating look at a fictional version Chernobyl. I lived in Europe for five years and some aspects of the atmosphere in the early parts of the film remind me of the colder times of year there.

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fear dot com

Man, this movie gets a lot of crap for being terrible. I actually like it. The atmosphere of the movie is a shade away from a bizarre art house piece. It’s over the top, dated, and slightly cheesy, but I still love it. It conveys damp and dark quite well.

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The Fog

I am a huge fan of John Carpenter in general The Fog in particular. I’m sure I am in the minority, but The Fog is my favorite Carpenter film. It is atmospheric in spades, and, bonus, it takes place near the water.

This is one of my favorite horror films of all time.

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Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Oh my gosh this movie is great. It gets a lot of crap for being the only non-cannon Halloween movie, but I kind of love it for that. It’s grossness doesn’t appeal to me, but the fact that this completely strange entry into the series exists delights me.

Pretty much druids.

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The Houses October Built

I actually have this on in the background right now! This is one of the better found footage movies out there. I watched this with zero expectations and I felt it delivered. Is it perfect? No. Is it engaging and a bit unnerving? Yes.

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It Follows

I had heard about this film long before I had a chance to see it, but once I did, I loved it immediately. It’s beautifully shot and well acted. It easily became one of my favorite horror movies of all time.

I can’t praise the cinematography enough. It’s like seeing your hometown, but better. Like you’d imagine it to be after being away for a long time.

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Ouija

This was another movie I’d been so excited to see, and when I did, it fell a bit flat for me. Either way, I still enjoy it and I’ve been in the mood to rewatch it lately.

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Silent Hill

I actually quite liked this movie. Sure, it doesn’t hurt that it’s based on the video game of the same name, and I thought they nailed the atmosphere and the terror of the city’s transitions. It was beautiful, brutal, and atmospheric.

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Trick ‘r Treat

This is another one of my favorite horror movies of all time. For me, no other film embodies Halloween quite like Trick ‘r Treat. It’s vividly colorful, well acted, and beautifully shot. The way the stories weave together throughout is so well done. I can’t wait for the director’s next movie this holiday: Krampus. If I can see it in the theatres, I absolutely will.

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Are there specific horror movies you watch at this time of year? Do you do any kind of horror movie marathon? If so, which ones? What are your favorite horror movies?

Cheers friends, and have a safe and stellar weekend!