We’ve never understood why some people wait until October to binge horror movies.
For us, it’s a yearlong pursuit and we’re just as likely to be found watching an all-time classic like “Final Destination 2” or “Bride of Chucky” on Valentine’s Day as we are on Halloween.
And, yes, we realize that probably says a lot more about us than it does about the more-seasonal viewers.
Still, the Halloween season does present the opportunity to put our expertise and passion for horror to good use and recommend some of our favorite fright flicks from 2022, a year in which it seemed a new scary movie came out every 10 minutes.
Pick your flavor of horror and get ready for a ghoulish good time. All of these movies are available to stream/rent/buy online.
‘Firestarter’
The original 1984 film – starring Drew Barrymore as a young girl being hunted by a secret government agency due to her extreme pyrokinesis powers — was never considered one of the better Stephen King adaptations. (Although, honestly, we’d watch it again and again for the amazing overacting job from George C. Scott alone.) The fact that the 2022 remake fails to clear a relatively low bar shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this fun thriller, which somehow managed to enlist A-lister Zac Efron in a production that rarely rises above B-movie status.
Where to watch: Prime Video, AMC+, more
‘Hatching’
Tinja bottles up her emotions as she works hard — and often in vain — to earn the approval of her demanding and overly image-conscious mother. Those feelings of despair and resentment eventually erupt like a geyser — only not in the way that one might expect. “Hatching” is a disturbing story of a 12-year-old girl (convincingly played by Siiri Solalinna) who discovers an egg that produces a bird-like pet/protector that exacts revenge on all who dare cross them. The Finish film, which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, is stylishly creepy and wholly unsettling, coming across like an updated version of a lost Brothers Grimm story.
Where to watch: Hulu
‘Orphan: First Kill’
Isabelle Fuhrman was nothing short of amazing in 2009’s excellent horror-thriller “Orphan” as she convincingly played a 9-year-old psychopath with a mysterious past and a major secret. Thirteen years later, Furman — now 25 — delivers arguably an even more impressive performance as she returns to the role of Ester in this new chapter in the “Orphan” saga. But we’re not talking about a sequel, but rather a prequel — meaning that Ester would be even younger than she was in the first film. Seriously, this movie probably has no business being as good as it is, yet here we are with a must-see flick for horror junkies and gore hounds this Halloween season. Julia Stiles stars as Ester’s adoptive mom and has wicked fun with the role.
Where to watch: Paramount+, Prime Video, more
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’
There have been nine offerings in this bountiful and bloody franchise, ranging in quality from 1974’s groundbreaking Tobe Hooper-directed original — easily one of the Top 5 horror movies of all time — to 1995’s so-bad-it’s-good “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation” that, believe it or not, marked the screen debut of both Renee Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey. Thankfully, this latest outing tilts toward the former and deserves to be ranked among the finest films in the series. It’s intense, brutal and relentless, offering up the kind of Leatherface (played by the hulking Mark Burnham) who could haunt your dreams.
Where to watch: Netflix
‘Bring It On: Cheer or Die’
A group of cheerleaders plan to camp out — sans cell phones, of course — in an old abandoned school on Halloween weekend. Really, what could possibly go wrong? Well, for starters, death by pom-pom is a distinct possibility. Overall, this is a comparatively tame “starter” horror flick, without much in the way of gore or intense scenes. What it lacks in blood, however, it makes up for in camp and cleverness. Without a doubt, this is our favorite of the roughly 786,412 installments of the “Bring It On” cheerleader series.
Where to watch: Syfy
‘Jeepers Creepers: Reborn’
The first “Jeepers Creepers” (2001) stands among the best horror films of the millennium. This latest installment — the fourth overall in the franchise — is a B-movie with terrible acting, laughable special effects and a script that may well have come out a Cracker Jack box. It’s also pure joy for fans of “so-bad-it’s-good” horror movies. Plus, it also features one of our all-time favorite bogeymen — the supernatural Creeper — who comes to life every 23 years, for 23 days, to dine on human body parts. There’s also an appearance by the great Dee Wallace as well as the worst (almost) marriage proposal in film history. Zero stars! Check it out!
Where to watch: Google Play, Amazon, more
