alloverprintshirt The best halloween shows on netflix are a great alternative to therapy. Just grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and scream out all your frustrations while zombies go to town. Thanks to the deep pockets of Netflix and the popularity of scary movies, there are plenty of terrifyingly terrific films on the streaming service, from blockbusters that bleed to indies that take the arthouse style turn it into a haunted mansion.
Of course, there are plenty of terrible horrors out there too, ones where the special effects team appears to be relying on ketchup and someone forgot to hire a writer. These can be entertaining in all the wrong ways, but we want to make sure you know where to find the best horror movies on Netflix when you need them. Every movie on the below list is available in either the UK or the US so you won’t need a VPN – though, if you don’t live in either, we can recommend the best Netflix VPNs available right now. So, without further ado, let’s get spooky with the best Netflix horror movies.
Army of the Dead
Zack Snyder returns to the zombie genre with Army of the Dead. While Dawn of the Dead gave us ultra-fast undead sprinters, Army of the Dead introduces super smart and strong Alpha zombies, who rule over a decimated Las Vegas. A group of mercenaries heads into the city to try and crack a near-impenetrable safe before a nuke wipes Vegas off the map, but, as you might expect from a zombie movie, things go south pretty fast.
Prepare for all the classic hallmarks of the genre, like shambling hordes that just want to eat, as well as some intriguing twists – like a potential extra-terrestrial connection, and a zombie tiger. The undead tiger alone has to qualify it for the best horror movies on Netflix list.
The cast includes Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Ana de la Reguera, Omari Hardwick, Tig Notaro, and Hiroyuki Sanada.
The Babysitter
Babysitters in horror tend to get the short shrift. Whether they’re being stalked, stabbed, or taunted over the phone, it’s seldom what you’d dub a “fun gig” for them. McG’s The Babysitter twists this expectation, in perhaps its sole subversion that we shan’t spoil here, to elevate this Netflix Original from what could easily have been a so-so slasher. From the neon-drenched palette of its marketing, it’s clear that this isn’t your typical blood-soaked trip to suburbia.
Nope, this horror works at being hip. That’s in part to the breezy cool exuded by Ready or Not’s Samara Weaving. In the lead as the world’s best babysitter, it’s her turn that cements the pic as a playful riff on horrors past; whether she’s debating the merits of horror icons with tween scamp Cole or figuring out how to achieve the life she truly desires. While its overly-stylized screen pop-ups might appear needy, they’re not enough to detract from the popcorn frivolousness.
Little Evil
Films like The Omen and Orphan have taught us that having a kid in a horror movie typically doesn’t end well. The nightmarish concept of raising a hell-spawn receives a much-needed shakeup in Eli Craig’s horror-comedy Little Evil. Parenthood gets utterly skewered as Adam Scott’s everyman Gary meets and marries the woman of his dreams, Samantha (Evangeline Lilly), only to discover he’s stepdad to the antichrist.
It makes it onto the best horror movies on Netflix list because it’s a great riff on the exhausted supernatural child subgenre, that mixes up the typical “devil incarnate” trope with some fresher, less tired ideas (queer representation that’s not derivative). With a slew of recognisable horror moments nabbed and skewered (Dr. Farrow being a brazen nod to Rosemary’s Baby for one) on the meta altar, there’s plenty of genre winks to score Little Evil points with fans. Need further convincing? Craig also directed the stellar slasher comedy Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil.
The Perfection
Good at guessing twists? The Perfection acknowledges your arrogance and ceremoniously barfs all over it. This body horror supreme rages and twists, a schlock-filled delight that barely lets up until you’ve regurgitated your lunch, that is. There’s a reason everyone couldn’t stop talking about this campy Netflix Original at time of release: it’s a dizzying trip into the terrifying world of… classical musicianship.
You heard. Get Out’s Allison Williams channels that same energy to play cellist Charlotte whose rivalry with Logan Browning’s similarly-talented string plucker Lizzie spirals out of control. While that might sound like a ‘90s thriller, this is pure modern horror. It admittedly ventures into some rather over-the-top scenarios, but that’s where most of its deliciously deranged entertainment lies. This is a bizarre yarn of revenge that unspools through a number of interesting themes.
His House
His House is an excellent horror that’s best watched on Halloween, though can be enjoyed any time of the year. The story revolves around two immigrants who flee their war-torn country for a better life in England. However, they are given a new home that’s invaded by a certain… presence.
This one’s a timely tale that’s anchored by two superb central performances by Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu. We’ll leave the rest for you to discover halloween shows on netflix , but this is one haunted house horror that had to be on the best horror movies on Netflix list.
Await Further Instructions
The holidays can be a trying time without the added stress of meeting the in-laws. For Annji (Neerja Naik) that’s exactly her predicament, as she and her boyfriend Nick (Sam Gittins) head to his childhood home for Christmas. Right from the off, something feels wrong, yet there’s no otherworldly horror at hand for the first act; its deep-set xenophobia flung across the table along with the pigs-in-blankets that strikes terror into your heart.
Watching this movie in 2020 is an altogether different experience than its director Johnny Kevorkian likely intended when the pic was lensed back in 2018. A rampantly horrible housebound horror, this deft pic burrows under your skin due to its frankly awful characters. That’s not the worst part though. The Milgram family’s terrible natures worsen a shade or two when an unknown entity threatens them through an ominous warning message on the TV: “Stay indoors. Await further instructions.” Hysteria ensues and the household is gripped by paranoia, in one of the grimmest sci-fi horrors to emerge in recent years.
Apostle
Gareth Evans might seem an unusual choice to lens a slow-burn period horror, but somehow? Apostle works. Fans of The Witch will get a kick out of this Netflix Original horror that stars Dan Stevens as Thomas Richardson, a man who returns home to learn his sister has fallen afoul of a cult. Desperate to rescue her, he ventures to the secluded isle, willingly embracing cult leader (Michael Sheen) and his flock under the guise of a recent convert in order to locate his missing sibling.
Evans puts a pause to kinetic flourishes brought to life in his signature efforts, The Raid and The Raid 2. Here, he opts for a slower pace to the hidden horrors of the hazy, misty Welsh town. A slew of subplots steer Stevens’ wanderer all over the map in his dogged pursuit, showcasing Evans’ eye for making the bleak beautiful, and the horrific truly mesmerizing
