If you are anything like us here at RawCritics, you LOVE this time of year.  With all the hype and lore surrounding the Halloween season it is hard not to get into horror mode.  And for us...that translates into watching movies.  Here are our 31 movies to watch in the month of October.  We have to warn you, these movies are not for you folks with a weak stomach or if you are afraid of the dark.

 

  ***Spoiler Alert***  If you haven't seen some of these, then we suggest you don't read all of the descriptions and instead watch for yourself so you won't know when the next scare is coming!

 

 

October 1st:  A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Before Freddy ever got a sense of humor there was A Nightmare on Elm Street.  Robert Englund will forever be the original dream killer, no matter how they remake it.

 

 

 

 

Killer scene:  Young Johnny Depp meets his demise as he is sucked down into the bed, only to be liquified and sprayed all over the ceiling.

 

 

October 2nd:  Pet Sematary (1983)
Church will forever be a name synonymous with horror because of this movie.  Children everywhere were afraid to bury their dead pets out of fear that they could turn on them upon return.

 

 

 

 

Killer scene:  Little Gage is cut down in the middle of the road by a passing semi truck.

 

 

October 3rd:  Freaks (1932)
This 1932 movie about sideshow performers does the trick in terms of visual unease.  Bearded women, conjoined twins, and a marriage uniting a midget and a trapeze artist is all you need to get your October chills.

 

 

 

 

Killer scene:  One of us, One of US, ONE OF US!

 

 

 October 4th:  Children of the Corn (1984)
Young cultists unite!  This spooky, fictional, mid-western town is the host to the ultimate cult gatherings.  With corn as the town's major source of income, it is only natural that they hold their meetings in the middle of the corn fields.

 

 

 

Killer scene: Burt enters a church and finds Amos carving a pentagram into himself, much to the satisfaction of the watching children.

 

 

October 5th:  Child’s Play (1988)
Playing on the fears of young children everywhere, Child's Play tells the story of a Good Guy doll gone bad.  Murderer Charles Lee Ray voodoos himself into a doll and unleashes hell upon a quiet community.  What child wouldn't be put in check by this?

 

 

 

Killer scene:  Andy is given the doll and while playing with it, reveals himself to have the name of "Chucky".  From then the anticipation mounts as we wait for the doll to step into character and off Maggie.

 

 

October 6th:  Hellraiser (1987)
Puzzle boxes have never been the same since Hellraiser was released.  Young ones everywhere were wary as they played with their jack-in-the-box's and rubik's cubes.  Who wants to be thrown into a hellish underworld anyway?

 

 

 

Killer scene:  The final scene in the movie where the puzzle box is shown in the hands of the original merchant, who asks a customer, "What's your pleasure, sir?"

 

 

October 7th:  Scream (1996)
The mid-90s owes this movie for breathing new life into the slasher genre.  Playing off of stereotypical horror themes, this movie brings slasher film conventions to the forefront and makes fun of them outright, all within the confines of the who done it arc.

 

 

 

Killer scene:  The final reveal where Billy and Stu are both revealed to be co-murderers.

 

 

October 8th:  Poltergeist (1982)
Touting one of the most recongnizable one liners in horror history, "They're here!", Poltergeist single handedly brought the number of parapsychologists in this country up ten fold.  Ghosts messing with little kids...freaky.

 

 

 

Killer scene:  Without a doubt: "They're here!"

 

 

 October 9th:  The Fly (1986)
Scariest movie I've ever seen from one of the unscariest actors ever; Jeff Goldblum.  This science fiction horror film follows Seth Brundle as he deals with an unfortunate accident that leaves him with heightened senses and a gruesome transformation.

 

 

 

Killer scene:  Brundle is stuck in a Telepod and his body is fused to chucks of nearby metal and equipment.

 

 

October 10th:  The Amityville Horror (1979)
The original viral marketing campaign.  A movie based off of a real set of murders and playing on real fears of everyone watching.  Forget the bad economy, this movie alone makes you think twice about buying a house.

 

 

 

 

Killer scene:  "Amy! Amy open the door... Amy? For Christ's sake, open the door!"

 

 

October 11th:  Drag Me to Hell (2009)
Another fun entry on our list, Sam Raimi delivers another Army of Darkness-esque movie that lets us breathe for a moment and let's us remember not to take this holiday too seriously.  Another great tale of do one to others as you would have done to you.

 

 

 

Killer scene:  Christine falling onto the train tracks, and is taken by force from the demons below into the depths of hell.  Clay can do nothing but watch in horror.

 

 

October 12th:  Friday the 13th Part II (1981)
Passing over part one due to the fact that Jason doesn't make an appearance until this installment, this is a no brainer if you are craving your stupid camper forest setting death fix.

 

 

 

 

Killer scene:  Mark recieves a thrown cleaver to the face, courtesy of our friendly neighborhood drowning victim.

 

 

 October 13th:  Creepshow (1982)
Five stories of terror with a small family dispute to cap the ends.  George A. Romero and Stephen King bring the macabre to life as we are treated to story after story that focus on playing on the audiences deepest darkest fears.

 

 

 

Killer scene:  The Crate sitting under the stairs still haunts me to this day.

 

 

October 14th:  The Exorcist (1973)
Religion is already a scary thing as it is, but The Exorcist takes it to a whole other level.  A young girl is possessed by a demon and it's up to a couple of priests to perform the exorcism to rid the demon of the girl's body.  What ensues are some things that scared the ever living crap out of any church going person. 

 

 

Killer scene: When young Regan, possessed by the demon, takes a crucifix and begins to thrust it extremely hard into a place that a crucifix should not be placed, all the while screaming out..."Let Jesus F@$# You!"

 

 

October 15th:  Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995)
This movie makes the list because it was a pleasant surprise and break from the typical horror film.  Combining humor and unrestrained bloodflow (along with the Cryptkeeper), makes this a perfect mid-month break from the serious killer movies.

 

 

 

Killer scene:  The Collector flailing in pain and morphing back to his demonic form before exploding.

 

 

October 16th:  Alien (1979)
Some may consider this sci-fi, but Alien is more than just that.  It's survival horror at it's finest.  Consider this, a crew aboard a spaceship is trapped alone in space with a horrifying alien monster with nowhere to run or hide.  The psychological scares in this will make you glad you're not an astronaut.

 

 

Killer scene: Watch as an alien living inside the body of one of the crew pops out through his stomach!

 

 

October 17th:  Signs (2002)
Ever wonder about an alien invasion?  What kind of panic would ensue?  Would the aliens be friendly or violent?  M. Night Shyamalan eludes to some of those answers in Signs.  Signs is probably more of a drama with sci-fi elements than real horror, but imagine how scared you would be if aliens started invading Earth and eventually your home.

 

 

Killer scene: As the aliens begin to invade we get our first glimpse of an alien through a home video of a child's birthday party.  When the alien walks across the screen, it will send chills down your spine.

 

 

October 18th:  The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The documentary style film with a marketing campaign that made everyone believe it was real.  And not only that, it was frightening.  A few young adults go into the woods to make a doc about a mysterious witch and lo and behold things take a turn for the worst.  Watching this when it first came out, thinking it was real, had you thinking twice about going into the woods.  It's about what you don't see that will scare you.

 

Killer scene: As Heather and Mike are searching for their friend Josh who disappeared, they come upon a house in the middle of the woods.  Watch in horror as their fates are decided.

 

 

October 19th:  The Mist (2007)
The Mist will have you scared by how crazy people can get during times of crisis.  Some sort of military experiment has opened a portal to another world and a mist overtakes a small town.  Something is lurking in the mist, but the real scares come from the group of people locked inside a supermarket.  Two groups take sides and face off with one another, all with a crazy religious freak of a woman who you, yourself will want to reach into the screen and knock out.

 

Killer scene: When all hope is lost at the end of the movie, with no help in site, a few people have to make a tough choice.  Not your typical Hollywood ending.

 

 

October 20th:  28 Days Later (2003)
The new age zombie movie.  Remember all those George A. Romero zombies?  Dead. Slow walking.  Not these guys.  These "infected" run as fast as Carl Lewis on steroids and there is no slowing them down.  A virus has broken out in London and is spreading rapidly, infecting everyone it comes into contact with.  Gory, bloody, and stylized as hell, 28 Days Later gives zombies a new life.

 

Killer scene: Seeing Cillian Murphy standing alone in an absolutely desolate London is a site to behold.

 

 

October 21st:  The Thing (1982)
An Antarctic research team uncovers an alien that can imitate other life forms.  This is a bit of problem for the research team as none of them know if they are all still themselves and paranoia takes over.  The Antarctic setting alone is scary enough as the only shelter from the unbearable cold is the research facility.  The horrifying special effects are solely worth the price of admission.

 

Killer scene: The alien that was inhabiting a sled dog transforms into a freakish monster and is incinerated by a flamethrower.

 

 

October 22nd:  Saw (2004)
Two men wake up in a grimy bathroom both chained by the ankle.  A dead body and a tape recorder in between them.  After playing the tapes they find in their pockets, they realize they have to play a terrifying game.  This is the beginning of the Jigsaw killer and all his innovative traps.  Smart as well as scary, this movie will have you asking how much you value your life.

 

Killer scene: Each and every one of Jigsaw's traps is intriguing to watch as each character is given a choice and the chance to live...if they make the right choice.  Watching Cary Elwes as Dr. Lawrence Gordon saw his own foot off to free himself is pretty gruesome.

 

 

October 23rd:  The Ring (2002)

A remake of the Japanese original Ringu, with an interesting premise about a cursed videotape that after you watch, you will receive a phone call in which a voice tells you that you will die in seven days.  The creepiness factor is increased to full throttle in this one as just the atmosphere alone will have you shivering.  Of course watching the actual videotape yourself once it comes on screen will have you waiting for your phone to ring.

 

Killer scene: A crazy, soaking wet, Samara Morgan from the cursed videotape, climbs out of a well, walks toward the television screen and crawls right through the screen and into the living room.

 

 

October 24th:  The Descent (2006)
A group of girlfriends decide to go cave exploring but once deep down in the caves, they realize they are not alone and are soon being terrorized by cave dwelling creatures.  What makes The Descent so unique and frightening is not so much the creatures, but the claustrophobia factor of the actual caves.  Watching this movie will make you feel incredibly claustrophobic even if you're just sitting comfortably in your own living room. 

 

Killer scene: When the girls make their first descent down into the abyss of the caves.  You will feel like the walls of the caves are closing in on you.

 

 

October 25th:  Dawn of the Dead (1978)
THE zombie movie.  Anytime that anyone talks about zombies, you have to mention George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead.  It's the template that all other zombie movies are made from.  Yes, this is the sequel to his groundbreaking Night of the Living Dead, but Dawn of the Dead is the one everyone remembers most.  The zombies taking over the shopping mall, essentially trapping our group of heroes inside is gruesome and scary and all the while effective as hell.

 

Killer scene: Much like the desolate and empty London of 28 Days Later, it's a pleasure to see a completely empty shopping mall as we're so used to seeing consumers filling the malls on a daily basis.  Of course, then Romero does end up having the zombies infiltrate the mall providing his social commentary, showing that the people, even while dead, return to the mall by a primitive instinct.

 

 

October 26th:  The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
While more a thriller than straight up horror, The Silence of the Lambs still packs a punch.  Anthony Hopkins is the main attraction here with his terrific portrayal as the psychotic and cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter.  The real creep factor comes in the form of serial killer Buffalo Bill whom Jodie Foster's character FBI agent Clarice Starling is tracking down.  A man who wants to be a woman, is killing women so he can use their skin to make a woman suit.  And nothing is scarier than "the tuck."  If you don't know what I'm talking about, just watch it.

 

Killer scene: Hannibal Lecter's escape from his cell in the courthouse when he kills a couple police officers and then cuts off one of the officer's faces and wears it as a mask to escape the building.

 

 

October 27th:  Seven (1995)
Much like The Silence of the Lambs, Se7en is more of a thriller than horror, but it's the story that lifts it's scare factor.  Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are trying to track down a serial killer who is using the seven deadly sins as motivation for his murders.  David Fincher keeps the freaky factor high with his settings and visual style.  Do people who commit these sins deserve to die?  Se7en is a big influence on another one of the movies on our list, Saw.

 

Killer scene: As police come across the victim of the deadly sin Sloth, who has been bound to his bed for a year and presumed dead, he shockingly wakes up as an officer leans over him.

 

 

October 28th:  Candyman (1992)
If you look into a mirror and say his name five times and turn off the lights, you will summon the Candyman, and he will take your life.  Or so the legend goes.  This movie freaked me out when I was a kid.  And since the time that I watched it, anytime I see Tony Todd in anything, I can only help but think of Candyman and those bees coming out of his mouth.  Go ahead and try it.  I dare you to look in the mirror and say his name five times.  Good luck!

 

Killer scene: When Virginia Madsen decides to try to disprove the Candyman legend by looking in the mirror and saying his name five times.  All the while, you won't want to look to see what happens.

 

 

October 29th:  Sleepy Hollow (1999)
You can't have Halloween without the Headless Horseman so Sleepy Hollow is a must watch.  The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is as old as stories get as it dates back to 1820.  This adaptation is a bit different from the original story, but Tim Burton provides his usual feast of visuals and Johnny Depp displays his acting chops once again as Ichabod Crane.  There is quite a bit of heads being chopped off and the amount of gore is surprising for a Tim Burton film.

 

Killer scene: At the town meeting in the church, watch as the Horsemen throws a picket from a fence through the window and impales one of the men in the church, then yanks him outside and chops off his head. 

 

 

October 30th: Trick 'r Treat (2009)
This masterpiece was just released but already we consider it one of the definitive movies of the Halloween season.  Focusing it's efforts on the lore and rules of Halloween rather than a murderer with a knife, this collection of interwoven tall tales does a fantastic job of putting you in the Halloween spirit.

 

 

Killer scene:  Sam, your friendly Halloween rule reminder, stops his all out assault on the bitter, non candy giving, Mr.Kreeg after Sam finds a piece of candy on his chest.  Lesson learned!

 

 

October 31st:  Halloween (1978)
The definitive slasher movie.  Our introduction to Michael Myers, the masked killer who terrorizes scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis.  Working with absolutely no budget, John Carpenter was able to fill the audience with fear for years to come.  And that music still gives people the chills.

 

 

 

Killer scene: We follow a young Michael Myers through the first person. He's wearing a mask as we can only see through two eyeholes.  Watch as he walks through the house, finds a kitchen knife and brutally stabs his own sister.

 

 

 And if these movies didn't scare you enough...

try to get out and see the movie that is supposedly scaring the pants off audiences everywhere, Paranormal Activity.  If it's not playing in a theater near you, don't worry, because you control where it is going to play.  Just Click Here to demand the movie come to a theater near you!