Halloween season movie releases used to see folks flocking to theaters on Oct. 31, celebrating the scariest night of the year getting jump-scared by the latest slasher sequel or monster movie. Nowadays Halloween movie nights are made for living rooms and small screens. And it’s the perfect time of the year to catch up on all the horror releases you may have missed at the theater. Many of the year’s best horror titles hit big screens over the spring and summer, and now they’re available on various streaming platforms. Here are my movie recommendations for this year’s scary celebrating:
Immaculate
Sydney Sweeney stars as Cecilia. She’s an American nun who moves to a remote convent in the Italian countryside. It sounds idyllic, but Cecilia finds herself ensnared in a web of sinister secrets and unspeakable horrors including a mysterious pregnancy. Michael Mohan’s film blends religious themes with horror and supernatural creeps before the third act movies into B movie hysterics in the best way. Sweeney earns her Scream Queen bona fides with this picture and the film’s final shot is one of the most iconic frames at the movies in 2024. Now streaming on Hulu.
MaXXXine
Ti West’s MaXXXine is the third installment in his X Trilogy, following X and Pearl. Mia Goth returns in the role of Maxine Minx, a breakout adult film star in 1980s Hollywood. But as a mysterious killer – the Night Stalker — hunts Hollywood starlets, Maxine’s dark past keeps trying to steal her scenes. The cast includes Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon, and like all the movies in the X series, West ends Maxine’s story with an original vision, ambitious production, and a tale that spotlights Goth as a horror icon for the ages. Now streaming on Max.
The Exorcism
Russell Crowe stars as Anthony Miller in this supernatural thriller about a troubled actor. Miller starts behaving strangely while shooting a horror film. His estranged daughter worries that Miller’s past addictions are resurfacing, but maybe something even darker than Method acting is happening to Miller? The Exorcism delves into mental illness and demonic influences, but the better part of the film is a scary good performance that finds Crowe at his most intense. The Exorcism is streaming on Apple TV.
Longlegs
This immersive horror thriller follows an FBI agent who stumbles upon a series of gruesome crimes connected to an ancient myth about a creature with impossibly long legs. As the mystery unravels, the detective finds himself drawn into a dark and twisted world where reality and legend blur. I love this film’s mix of homicide procedural and occult horror, and Longlegs is recommended to fans who are still re-watching the first season of True Detective. With an eerie atmosphere and an unnerving performance from Nicolas Cage, Longlegs is a bone-chilling tale that will keep giving you the shivers long after the credits roll. Longlegs is available to rent on multiple platforms.
Salem’s Lot
Stephen King’s classic vampire story gets a fresh adaptation in this chilling new film. Salem’s Lot follows a writer who returns to his hometown only to find it being slowly overtaken by an ancient evil. This new adaptation brings gripping suspense to a faithful reading of the original novel. This one plays to horror film aficionados, but it’s a must-watch for King fans. Salem’s Lot is streaming on Max.
I Saw the TV Glow
This chilling psychological horror film follows a group of friends who come to realize that their late-night TV habits have far more sinister consequences than they ever imagined. With a haunting atmosphere and eerie visuals, I Saw the TV Glow digs into the dark corners of modern technology and its impact on the human psyche. It’s a gripping and unsettling exploration of the screens that we often take for granted. I Saw the TV Glow is streaming on Max.
Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.