As anyone who practices the fine holiday of Halloween would tell you, part of getting it right comes down to having a lineup of seasonal films ready at a moment’s notice. While there are definitely some classics that always help to make the season fright, there’s always the thrill of jumping into a random film, hoping to find a new favorite.
So leave it to Netflix to come through with a lineup of spooky originals, as well as some recent gems from outside of its walls. Toss in a couple of older favorites, and you have a candy bag’s worth of thrills and chills from between now and October 31. Here’s eight new films heading straight to Netflix, just in time for All Hallow’s Eve!
We Have Always Lived In The Castle
Author Shirley Jackson is someone whose work always comes out to shine at this time of year. We Have Always Lived In The Castle is certainly no exception, as its tale of two sisters (Alexandria Daddario and Taissa Farmiga) who don’t seem to be able to leave the house is making a streaming debut at this very time. A piece lavish with period settings and costumes, this twisted mystery co-stars Sebastian Stan as a young man who would try to change the sister’s fates. Something tells us that’s not going to work out so well.
In The Shadow Of The Moon
Serial killers are scary enough on their own, but a killer who just happens to return every nine years is something that’s downright frightening. A Philadelphia detective is about to learn that the hard way in the Netflix original In The Shadow Of The Moon, as Boyd Holbrook’s Thomas Lockhart is determined to crack that very sort of case. Of course, Lockhart becomes so obsessed with trying to solve it that he starts to stumble on some troubling details, so it’s probably good that Michael C. Hall is one of this film’s co-stars. He seems to know a thing or two about serial killers defying all reason.
Scream 2
If you’ve been re-watching the original Scream on Netflix, but have been disappointed you couldn’t just launch into the very meta sequel, Scream 2, have no fear! Wes Craven’s 1997 sequel to the smash hit that rewrote the rules on slasher horror is joining its predecessor on the streaming giant’s library. In fact, now that Scream 2 is back, you’ll be able to watch all four Scream films in a movie marathon to die for. Just remember, if you’re going to park it in front of this particular series of films, you should always follow the rules of any good horror movie.
In The Tall Grass
Stephen King and his son Joe Hill once wrote a short story together that was so frightening, the ads dared you to read it right before you went to bed. While your mileage may vary with In The Tall Grass’s scare content, it’s undoubtedly an intriguing piece of short fiction. And it’s about to get even more exciting now that director Vincenzo Natali, famous for films like Cube and Splice, is making a play to become a part of the King club himself. It stars Patrick Wilson and Rachel Wilson (no relation, strangely enough) as a brother and sister on a road trip through middle America. It’s one that they might not survive, as a lost boy in a cornfield calls out to them, dragging the siblings into a tale that is totally classic King.
Fractured
Another tale in the genre of “cross country road trips from Hell,” Fractured stars Sam Worthington as a father who has to bring his daughter to the ER after breaking her arm during the ride back home. Before he knows it, he’s passed out and wakes up to find that his daughter and wife have disappeared; and no one has any record of them even being in the hospital. Naturally, Worthington’s protagonist is determined to get to the bottom of things, and the answers he finds might not be what he wants to hear.
Sinister 2
The sequel to 2012’s surprise horror hit Sinister, Sinister 2 sees Bughuul torturing a family on the run from an abusive husband/father. Of course, seeing as this is a horror movie and all, the family unfortunately chooses a residence that the mythological boogeyman resides in, leading to some further adventures in home movies, tortured nightmares and murdered parents. But fortunately for you, the audience, those scares are on the other side of the screen.
Eli
What’s worse than being sick with a mysterious illness? If you’re the central character in the Netflix original Eli, the answer is “having to seek treatment in a potentially haunted house, with a less than trustworthy doctor caring for you.” Starring Yellowstone’s Kelly Reilly and Lili Taylor, this is actually another film from the director of Sinister 2, Ciaran Foy. So if you want to double up on kids being threatened by haunted houses, you have your pair already laid out.
Rattlesnake
Random rule of the road: if someone happens to offer you a cure for a rattlesnake bite, in the middle of nowhere, no strings attached, make sure to ask them if there really isn’t a catch. Carmen Ejogo’s protagonist in the Netflix original Rattlesnake sure wishes she knew that, as a mysterious stranger does save her daughter’s life, but makes her swear to kill a random stranger in return. Sometimes the fine print is implied in the deal, so make sure you bargain with mysterious strangers wisely.
All of these titles will be coming on line through Netflix starting this weekend and straight through to the end of October. So be sure to check your queue to see when specific titles you’re interested in are available.
