Introduction
For horror fans, the 31 for 31 challenge is a beloved tradition in October. It’s a celebratory indulgence as well as a personal challenge to genre-loving cinephiles. So, what are the rules? It depends on you! The 31 Horror Films for 31 Days of October is all about how you want to play it.
Purists claim that you must watch one horror movie on each day of the month to meet the challenge. You can even create a stricter approach and decide to only watch 31 films from a subgenre, such as zombie movies or post-apocalyptic films. Most take a more casual approach and just try to make it to 31 films within the month. That’s how I play.
Do TV Shows Count?
For this article, I’ve only included feature-length films but I don’t think it’s cheating to include horror television series as part of the challenge. Some of the horror series out there are phenomenal. In my home, two episodes of a series, or one episode of a mini-series counts as a day’s worth of horror. For die-hards who disagree, some of us have kids, long work hours, or share a tv with a sensitive partner who can’t hang. We’re making it work. TV shows are in!
Choosing the 31 for 31 Films:
First, the selections are contemporary. The newer the better, but also these films are (currently) available to stream. That means that very recent or current theatrical releases such as Alien: Romulus or The Substance are not included. If you are a busy person and making it out to a theater is a chore, no worries.
Second, these movies all have strong merit. There are many plot devices associated with horror that feel tired. The movies on this list offer a unique approach, or at least they do a good job with a familiar trope. And most importantly, this selection revels in genre, without being shlocky, brain-dead gore fests with no substance. And if shlocky, brain-dead gore fest is your preferred flavor, respect, my friend. Gore is good. No judgment here.
Scary is the Name of the Game:
But scary is better than gore. Much better. I included a fright-level score. It’s based on concept as much as startle scares or atmosphere. A high rating means the film goes to dark places with disturbing themes and imagery. The lower the rating the less intense, the more approachable the subject matter. Check your headspace before the higher-rated films and there’s no shame in having a Hocus Pocus day when you need it.
Here’s my 31 for 31 recommendations, in no particular order:
When Evil Lurks (2023) Subgenre: Indie Folk Horror
Director: Demián Rugna
This Argentinian festival darling and brutal horror film is not for the faint of heart. It’s hard to explain and can only be experienced. This movie will stay with you because it is not only searingly disturbing but also a fantastic film. Parents beware, you won’t like some scenes.
Fright Level: 10/10
Talk To Me (2022) Subgenre: Supernatural Thriller
Director: Danny & Michael Philippou
Talk To Me is a refreshing take on the supernatural horror genre. Enjoy some exciting séance sequences and intense creepiness with an updated feel. The violence here is more subtle, but the psychological terror is not.
Fright Level: 9/10
Black Phone (2021) Subgenre: Serial Killer/Supernatural
Director: Scott Derrickson
A surprisingly poignant and clever film about a boy who is held captive in a basement. This film is polished horror and a supremely satisfying watch.
Fright Level: 6
Late Night with the Devil (2023) Subgenre: Descent Into Madness
Director: Cameron Cairnes
This stylized and atmospheric television parody has a found footage flavor. It’s a little arthouse, and a little absurd, in just the right amounts. Have fun with it and just enjoy the ride.
Fright Level: 6
It Lives Inside (2023) Subgenre: Boogeyman
Director: Bishal Dutta
This Indian American coming-of-age film revitalizes the boogeyman genre with wonderful performances and cultural depth. Grab your bestie and watch it together.
Fright Level: 6
What Keeps You Alive (2018) Subgenre: Survival Horror/LGBTQA+
Director: Colin Minihan
Bloody, violent, and intense, this film leaves you breathless as you root for the protagonist. Maybe it’s not the best film to watch if you’re angry at your partner…or maybe it’s the PERFECT film to watch if you’re angry at your partner. I’ll leave that up to you.
Fright Level: 8
Border (2018) Subgenre: Fantasy/Drama
Director: Ali Abbasi
As bizarre as it is impressive, this modern-day fable is a true genre-bender. You’ve never seen anything like it and it’s excellent.
Fright Level: 5
Malignant (2021) Subgenre: Boogeyman/Thriller
Director: James Wan
A splashy horror thriller dripping with homage to the classics. It also has several delightfully choreographed action sequences and police procedural plot lines. A lot is going on and it works tremendously well.
Fright Level: 9
The Host (2006) Subgenre: Creature Feature Comedy
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Arguably one of the best films on this list, this Korean masterpiece is a must-see once a year, if not more often. Hilarious, poignant, and thrilling, it kicks so much ass!
Fright Level: 4
Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) Subgenre: Psychological Horror
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
A doctor’s family falls victim to intense psychological manipulation by a teenage boy in this story. This movie sinks in its teeth with stunning performances and leaves you feeling unsettled for long after the credits run.
Fright Level: 9
Humane (2024) Subgenre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Caitlin Cronenberg
To avoid a mass extinction, the human population must be reduced by 20% ASAP. The patriarch of an influential family volunteers to give up his life and inadvertently throws his family into murderous chaos.
Fright Level: 4
Errementari: The Devil and the Blacksmith (2017) Subgenre: Dark Fantasy
Director: Paul Urkijo Alijo
A beautiful folk story about a devil, a blacksmith, and a little girl living in a culture of religious abuse in the 1800s in Basque, Spain. This movie is pure poetry with outstanding performances!
Fright Level: 5
The Wailing (2016) Subgenre: Supernatural Folk Horror
Director: Na Hong-jin
A cop and a shaman race against time to save a little girl from an evil force in this fantastic movie. Exciting and atmospheric, it’s extremely rewatchable!
Fright Level: 6
Fresh (2022) Subgenre: Psychological Terror
Director: Mimi Cave
This tale of dating woe takes a hard turn one-third of the way through. It’s brilliant, terrifying, and on point with modern feminist themes.
Fright Level: 8
Dashcam (2021) Subgenre: Found Footage/Livestream
Director: Rob Savage
Want a completely different perspective on horror? Check this amazing film out. It’s wild, it’s weird, and it’s scary, but most of all, it’s fun!
Fright Level: 8
The Innocents (2022) Subgenre: Supernatural Thriller
Director: Eskil Vogt
Have an unfounded fear of children? This movie will justify those feelings! When young children develop amazing powers, things get dark.
Fright Level: 8
No One Will Save You (2023) Subgenre: Science Fiction/Survival
Director: Brian Duffield
A reclusive lady must fight for her life in this action-packed alien home invasion flick. It’s a fun romp with very little dialogue…human dialogue, that is.
Fright Level: 6
Slash/Back (2022) Subgenre: Science Fiction/Horror/Comedy
Director: Nyla Innuksuk
Want to watch an Inuit horror teen comedy? Look no further than Slash/Back. It’s whimsical and delightful, plus it has aliens. What else are you looking for?
Fright Level: 4
The Empty Man (2020) Subgenre: Occult Mystery/Urban Legend
Director: David Prior
This elevated concept of horror wallows in high strangeness. It’s artsy and powerful, with a super creepy atmosphere.
Fright Level: 6
Smile (2022) Subgenre: Supernatural Mystery
Director: Parker Finn
In this terrifying tale, a young psychiatrist faces off with an evil force. The film is beautifully shot, and paced and levels up the fear factor as it moves through the story.
Fright Level: 8
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) Subgenre: Survival/Whodunit
Director: Halina Reijn
Need a break from the really scary stuff? This movie is about a group of privileged twenty-somethings who party in a mansion to wait out a hurricane. Things go wrong during a party game and then the real festivities begin! It’s not too scary, but it’s a lot of fun.
Fright Level: 4
Prey (2022) Subgenre: Science Fiction/Period Piece
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
A Native American spin on the Predator Saga with a female lead who kicks some serious ass. It’s action-packed, and it can be streamed in the Comanche language on Hulu!
Fright Level: 4
A Quiet Place (2018) Subgenre: Post-Apocalypse/Family Drama
Director: John Krasinski
This feature is the first of three in the “Quiet Place Universe” and is the best of them. It’s an intimate story about a loving family and their fight for survival against invading creatures.
Fright Level: 8
A Quiet Place 2 (2020) Subgenre: Post Apocalypse/Survival Horror
Director: John Krasinski
A thrilling sequel that picks up immediately from where the original finishes. Home destroyed; our scrappy family goes on a quest across the country to find a safe haven.
Fright Level: 7
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) Subgenre: Apocalyptic/Survival Horror
Director: Michael Sarnoski
The origin story of the alien invasion is told through the plight of a dying woman in New York City. It’s a little sappy and not as scary as its predecessors, but still a good film.
Fright Level: 5
We Are Still Here (2015) Subgenre: Haunted House
Director: Ted Geoghegan
This haunted house movie gives the genre a terrifying reboot and the serious treatment it deserves. It’s got all the usual tropes, New England house, old curses, spiritualists, and a recent death in the family, but it plays like a fresh wound. Well done.
Fright Level: 8
Back Country (2014) Subgenre: Wilderness Survival
Director: Adam Macdonald
A city couple goes into the woods for an advanced backpacking adventure, what could go wrong? A lot, as it turns out, a bloody lot.
Fright Level: 7
Barbarian (2022) Subgenre: Genre-Bender
Director: Zach Cregger
This movie portrays a lot of fears experienced by women traveling alone. Then it takes a hard turn, and then another. It’s weird, it’s scary and it’s unpredictable. Good stuff!
Fright Level: 8
Deadstream (2022) Subgenre: Found Footage Horror
Director: Joseph and Vanessa Winter
This quirky horror movie packs in a lot of humor and has a funhouse-of-horror feel to it. Clever in execution and loaded with jump scares, you won’t be able to relax as it ramps up!
Fright Level: 7
The Medium (2021) Subgenre: Found Footage/Folk Horror
Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun
This is a spine-tingling story about a shaman matriarch and her efforts to unseat an evil spirit tormenting her family. The film becomes more unsettling as it goes, and the scares are punchy!
Fright Level: 9
Blood Red Sky (2021) Subgenre: Gender-Bender
Director: Peter Thorwarth
Strap in for a bloody romp in the sky! With fun twists and turns, this airplane adventure will knock your socks off. Don’t watch the trailer, it has major spoilers, but even if you know going in, it’s great!
Fright Level: 6
Can you make it to 31?
So there you have it, 31 horror films to knock out this month. Let us know what you think of this recommended selection and if you make it to 31!
