By Will Lopes, Staff Writer

With Halloween less than a week away, it’s important to remember what the holiday is really about: movies!

This guide will have you covered on spooky Halloween movies and make sure you aren’t scrolling Netflix for 30 minutes trying to find something to pass the time.

1. Hereditary 

Even though it was released just four years ago, Hereditary is already hailed as one of the scariest movies ever. Ari Aster’s project runs for 127 minutes, all of which will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what’s coming next.

Hereditary follows the Graham family as they try to navigate the recent death of grandmother Ellen, who supposedly left behind a big secret in her life. Performances from the two main protagonists, Annie (Toni Collette) and Peter (Alex Wolff), really stand out above the rest. Their family dynamic holds true and devolves more and more as the family experiences more traumas throughout the movie.

Plenty of scenes in this movie made me gasp — shocking me so hard to the point of yelling verbal obscenities at the screen. The amount of unspeakable occurrences that take place in this movie makes me wonder if the R-rating is too kind for Hereditary. Nevertheless, the sheer amount of intense scenes and frightening jump scares makes Hereditary my number one recommendation for this Halloween season.

2. Fresh

Fresh is one of my favorite films to come out in 2022. It is a fun, interesting take on the modern horror flick. The film follows Noa (Daisy-Edgar Jones) as she tries to navigate the struggles of online dating, which director Mimi Cave fits seamlessly into the horror genre.

All seems to be going well for Noa when she meets Steve (Sebastian Stan) at a grocery store, but she soon becomes swept up in his terrible secret. Watching Fresh feels like experiencing one of the stories of your friend who always seems to have horrifying dating experiences but 10 times worse.

I really had no idea what to expect coming into this film, and that made it all the more worthwhile. Like Hereditary, this film features a couple of jaw-dropping scenes. Fresh is definitely not as scary, but it still has a great amount of shock value. The whole movie makes a 180-degree turn when Steve’s secret is revealed. Powerful performances from supporting actors Dayo Okeniyi and Jojo T. Gibbs add energy and make this a great horror film.

The amount of craziness makes the movie enjoyable — along with great acting and a good storyline — which makes this a Halloween 2022 must-see.

3. The Black Phone

Ethan Hawke’s presence alone makes The Black Phone worth your watch. The Black Phone is my favorite movie to come out in the last two years in any genre.

This movie is as much horror as it is a coming-of-age story, making it different from a lot of other horror films. It has jump scares here and there, but the real horror lies in the emotional torment to which the protagonist, Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) is subject. 

The film makes good use of the rhetorical triangle, relying heavily on pathos. Finney’s sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) steals the show with her witty remarks and stellar acting, despite being just 12 years old at the time of production.

With a hint of supernatural elements and a disturbing antagonist, this film has something for everyone.