Some lovely, spooky film recommendations

The cult classics

The Shining (1980)

It all begins quite unassumingly, almost idyllically: travelling through picturesque countryside, the writer and former teacher Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy and their son Danny make their way to the vast Overlook Hotel, which they are to look after over the coming winter. But then events take their course, strange occurrences begin to pile up – and ultimately culminate in a struggle for survival that takes place somewhere between reality and imagination.

Available on primevideo.com

Funny Games (1997)

Even more terrifying than the darkness is the horror that takes place in broad daylight. Which brings us to ‘Funny Games’ by the German-Austrian director Michael Haneke. This psychological thriller tells the story of a family who only realise the threat posed by two young men once they’ve already let them into their lakeside cottage. After watching this film, you’ll certainly think twice about who you let in …

A bonus tip for anyone who’s already seen *Funny Games*: *Caché*, by the same director, is certainly just as thrilling.

Available on primevideo.com

American Psycho (2000)

New York investment banker Patrick Bateman has it all and wants even more. His goal? To be the best. But there is this one side to him that he cannot suppress. A film about the dark sides of identity and the pursuit of prestige.

By the way: Lionsgate is celebrating the 25th anniversary of *American Psycho* this year with a Collector’s Edition – find out more here.

Available on netflix.com

Eraserhead (1977)

Some works of art are difficult to describe – and even harder to categorise. The debut film by star director David Lynch is one such example, which film critics like to describe as ‘sui generis’, meaning particularly (and) unique. It deals with parenthood and the tension between dream and reality. Body horror, science fiction elements and mind games – it’s all there.

Available on primevideo.com

The Devil’s Advocate (1997)

“Vanity, definitely my favourite sin,” whispers the Devil himself into the camera in the final scene of the psychological thriller *The Devil’s Advocate*. He has just succeeded for the second time in getting his claws into the up-and-coming lawyer Kevin Lomax. The film tells the story of how things turned out for Lomax and his wife Mary Ann the first time round – and what the tempting offer from a major New York law firm actually turned out to be.

Available on primevideo.com

The Newcomers

28 Years Later (2025)

If, whilst reading the title, you found yourself wondering what it reminded you of: yes, ‘28 Years Later’ is part of a whole series centred on the Rage virus and its impact on Earth. However, ‘28 Years Later’ works wonderfully well even if you haven’t seen its two predecessors, ‘28 Days Later’ (2002) and ‘28 Weeks Later’ (2007). That said, the Halloween weekend naturally offers the ideal opportunity for a film marathon …

Available on primevideo.com

The Substance (2024)

You certainly can’t have missed this body horror film: it was the talk of every conceivable awards show, and there were repeated reports of cinema-goers walking out early because the film was too brutal. But fortunately, that’s a matter of opinion. One thing is certain: ‘The Substance’ not only shocks, but also conveys a deeper message.

Available on mubi.com

Nosferatu – The Undead (2024)

‘Nosferatu’ draws on the story of what is probably the most famous vampire of all time: Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Dracula’. And as the film’s title suggests, it is, of course, a remake of the legendary silent film ‘Nosferatu – A Symphony of Horror’ from 1922. The story centres on a young woman, Ellen, who falls prey to the Transylvanian vampire Nosferatu. As well as the timeless story, the picturesque imagery provided by director Robert Eggers is particularly captivating.

Available on sky.com

V/H/S Halloween (2025)

‘V/H/S Halloween’ is the eighth instalment in the V/H/S series. The anthology brings together no fewer than six films, all centred on the spookiest day of the year: Halloween. The innocent ritual of ‘trick-or-treating’ turns into a fight for survival.

Available on primevideo.com

Kinds of Kindness (2024)

Yorgos Lanthimos’s film *Kinds of Kindness* is unsettling on two levels. The same protagonists take us through three unrelated stories, all of which escalate brutally: First, they find themselves caught up in a toxic relationship between a boss and his employee. In the second story, a marine biologist who had been declared dead returns to her husband – only for him to mistake her for a lookalike. And in the third part, a cult searches for its venerable leader. At the heart of it all? The central theme: the depths of the human condition.

Available on disneyplus.com

The arthouse contenders

Creep (2014)

Aaron, a videographer, comes across an online advert placed by Josef, who claims he is dying soon due to a brain tumour and needs help filming a video he wants to leave for his unborn child. He accepts the job and visits Josef at his remote forest cottage. Josef’s behaviour makes Aaron suspicious – and then a wolf mask comes into play. A found-footage psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat right up to the final scene.

Available on netflix.com

Possession (1981)

A Kafkaesque marital crisis in the divided Berlin of the 1980s, disrupted not by a beetle, but by a shapeless something. And by an affair. And murders. Even nearly 50 years after its initial release, the cult classic *Possession* still feels relevant.

Available on primevideo.com

The Lighthouse (2019)

Canada, late 19th century. Two men begin a four-week shift as lighthouse keepers on a small island. The older of the two, Thomas Wake, bullies the younger, Ephraim Winslow. The tension between them grows steadily. When a severe storm prevents them from leaving the island even after their planned four weeks together, they descend into madness.

Available on primevideo.com