It’s that time of year again, when we seek to invoke a little terror in ourselves through film and here at the Oakland Post, we’re no different. A horror movie is “a movie in which very frightening or unnatural things happen, for example, dead people coming to life or people being murdered,” the Cambridge Dictionary says. October is the perfect time to indulge in the fantastical and the gory amusement that horror movies offer.

Here are a few movies recommended by some Posties to watch before or during Halloween. The selections range from classic horror to contemporary thrillers, with some extra wholesome picks for a well-rounded mix of choices.

“The Intruder” — Maria Magnoli, Arts Reporter 

“The only movie that I like that’s genuinely scary to me is ‘The Intruder,’” Magnoli says. 

“The Intruder” is a 2019 psychological thriller about a couple, Scott and Annie Howard, who purchase a Napa Valley house from its previous widower owner, Charlie Peck, who isn’t willing to let go of the house. The film follows the couple’s struggles to get Peck to leave them alone while trying to build a new life in their house. What goes from a simple struggle spirals into a terrifying experience of escaping Peck’s stalker tendencies. 

“I’m not interested in watching horror movies, but this is the only one I am deeply invested in and I continue to rewatch it,” Magnoli says. “If you’re someone who doesn’t like horror, this is a good medium round. This is really an interesting movie that depicts a situation that can really happen to people and that’s what makes it scarier.” 

“Midsommar” — Addison Koch, Features Reporter

“Midsommar” is a 2019 A24 folk horror film that stars Florence Pugh. The storyline follows a couple, Dani and Christian, who travel to Sweden with a friend to attend a nine-day mid-summer festival at an ancestral commune while trying to fix their strained relationship after Dani’s sister’s death. Their time in Sweden takes a dark turn and it’s a journey filled with psychological thriller. 

“I like psychological thriller/horror over gore, because I feel like the storylines are usually better,” Koch says. “If you want to see some outlandish things and crazy stuff that you never thought would happen, this is the movie for it.”

Although the film is set in summer, its horror elements outweigh the seasonal setting, making it a worthy watch in October.

“I Saw the TV Glow” — Chelsea Bossert, Editor-in-Chief 

Sticking with A24 films, another recommendation is “I Saw the TV Glow” released in 2024. The movie follows two troubled high school students who emotionally connect with their favorite television series, which drives them to question their reality and identities. Owen and Maddy, as the two main characters, bond over the young adult television show “The Pink Opaque,” which causes them to start feeling like they are part of the show more than their real lives. 

“I Saw the TV glow” is a psychological horror thriller about teenage years and the mystique surrounding identity and also about a cult hit TV show from the 90s,” Bossert said.

Being set in the 1990s, it offers a nostalgic feeling with a touch of terror coming from the psychological aspects. It handles topics about identity, sexuality, obsession and human connection. 

“The film has a profound impact on me, mostly because it has some queer subtext,” Bossert said. “I’d have to say that it handles the script really well, uses a lot of big ideas and flushes them out in an interesting way. It’s also really scary; there’s a lot of body horror.”

“Nosferatu” — Sophia Curran, Politics Editor

Classical horror films are yet to be forgotten among the contemporary ones, especially with the reemergence of “Nosferatu.”

In 2024, there was a remake of “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” with a lineup of Hollywood’s biggest names. It stars Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe. The remake brought the original German expressionist film of the 1920s back to popularity, especially with Gen Z, which was heavily influenced by the star-studded cast. 

The film puts a modern twist on the classical horror storyline of Count Orlok’s obsession with Ellen Hutter, the wife of real estate agent Thomas Hutter, who is sent to sell the Count a property.

“I like the visuals of the newer one better, I think the cinematography is just so good, but the one from 1922 is obviously so classic, because it’s really established as one of the first horror films,” Curran says. “If you’re looking for a classical vampire movie, then definitely the original ‘Nosferatu’ is the way to go, but if you also want to see something that’s visually very compelling, then I would also recommend the newest version.”

“The Shining” — Mallory Waligora, Content Editor 

Another classical film recommendation is “The Shining,” which came out in 1980, based on Steven King’s 1977 novel. 

The film follows the Torrance family, specifically Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson), traveling to the Overlook Hotel with his wife Wendy (played by the late Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (played by Danny Lloyd) as he struggles to write his novel.

“It’s a classical film with such gorgeous cinematography,” Waligora said. “I think it’s the perfect mix of style and substance together; it’s a very scary story with very interesting plot points.” 

As the movie progresses, strange psychological and borderline gory scenes ensue that will lead the viewer to feel as if they are stuck inside that hotel as Mr. Torrance begins to turn on his family and descend into his own sanity.

“I think you should watch it for the pop culture references because you hear it get referenced so much in everyday life,” Waligora Said. “ I always quote ‘Red Rum’ just in my daily life,” Waligora Said.

“Sleepaway Camp” — August Wicker, Managing Editor 

A lesser-known but well-loved old timer, “Sleepaway Camp” is a horror and crime film released in 1983.

The film is about a shy girl named Angela Baker who goes to a summer camp with her cousin Ricky Thomas eight years after a boating accident killed her father and brother. Throughout the film bullies of Angela mysteriously get murdered brutally and bizarrely at the camp. The iconic plot twist that reveals the killer’s identity is what keeps the film popular to this day. 

“It’s a who-done-it situation and the twist ending is very famous, especially in the queer community, and it has a lot of potentially problematic implications, but I think if you just kinda turn your brain off, it’s a good time,” Wicker said. 

Aside from the scary horror movies that the posties interviewed recommended, they also included some wholesome Halloween favorites, such as “Hocus Pocus,” “The Addams Family” and the “Charlie Brown Halloween” specials, to balance out the terror.