Want a Halloween watchlist that avoids the same old classics? Below are eight real films — recent releases, smaller indies, and one obscure experiment — curated for the 2025 spooky season. Each entry includes what it is, why it works for Halloween, and viewing notes so you can pick the right vibe for your marathon.
1. Talk to Me (Australia 2022 / US breakout 2023)
A modern possession film that spreads like a social-media contagion: a group of teens dabble with an embalmed hand that allows them to contact the dead, but each session leaves a violent, escalating after-effect. The film’s practical effects, breakneck pacing, and the way it taps into the viral-craze logic of Gen-Z culture make it a fresh, chatty-but-terrifying choice for a Halloween lineup.
Why watch: slick practical effects, social-media horror angle, built for jumpy group viewing — perfect for a friend-night scare fest. Best if you want visceral, modern scares — prepare for loud, fast sequences and a tight running time.
2. Skinamarink (2022)
An intensely experimental indie that does away with conventional cinematography and plot beats to create an atmosphere of childhood dread and dislocation: two children wake to find their father missing and the doors and windows of their house gone. Shot in a deliberately lo-fi, home-video aesthetic, the film leans on sound design, long takes, and minimal visuals to pry open primal fear.
Why watch: an obscure, mind-bending pick for people who want lingering unease instead of jump-scare thrills. It’s the kind of movie that haunts you for days. Best viewed alone or in a quiet room with headphones — its slow-burn weirdness rewards patient viewers.
3. Infinity Pool (2023)
An unapologetically transgressive body-and-psychological-horror film in which an exotic vacation devolves into violence, identity fracturing, and moral decay. Brandon Cronenberg (son of David Cronenberg) leans into surreal, corrosive ideas about celebrity and consequence — the result is often brutal, occasionally grotesque, and visually arresting.
Why watch: if you like horror that’s philosophically provocative and visually intense — lean into its unpleasant, thought-provoking imagery. Best for a late-night, small-group watch where viewers want to debate the film afterward.
4. Cobweb (2023)
A contained psychological horror about a young boy who keeps hearing knocking and a voice behind his bedroom wall — the family decays into secrets and paranoia as the truth is forced out. Cobweb trades big-budget spectacle for creepy intimacy, and Lizzy Caplan anchors the film with a performance that balances frantic protectiveness and mounting dread.
Why watch: the “something in the walls” trope is done here with effective atmosphere rather than cheap shocks — an ideal middle-ground pick if you want unsettling rather than gory.
5. The Substance (2024)
Bold body-horror with raunchy satirical edges: the story follows characters pursuing youth, identity, or fame through experimental means — only to confront grotesque physical and psychological fallout. Coralie Fargeat (known for sharp, provocative horror work) leans into surreal transformation sequences and transgressive ideas about the price of reinvention.
Why watch: for viewers who want the grotesque married to social satire and strong performances; it’s a film that shocks and provokes discussion afterward. Not for the squeamish — pack tissues and a hard-to-swallow gasp or two.
6. Late Night with the Devil (2023/2024)
A clever faux-documentary/’70s late-night-TV possession movie: a live talk show becomes the stage for a supposed possession, and the film slowly peels back production artifice to reveal creeping, old-fashioned occult menace. It’s a breath of fresh air for viewers tired of formulaic possession films because it pairs period texture with inventive staging and a strong lead turn.
Why watch: the mock-television format is an immersive, original way to build dread — it’s ideal if you like format-driven horror that plays with expectations. Try watching with the TV on full-screen and with an audience that appreciates retro design and slow-burn payoff.
7. In My Mother’s Skin (2023)
A striking piece of Filipino folk horror that blends wartime trauma and supernatural vengeance: set during the end of World War II, the film centers on a family abandoned in a grand house where folklore and grief collide. It’s visceral, culturally specific, and richly textured — a smart pick if you want international horror with folkloric depth rather than franchise tropes.
Why watch: the blend of historical pain and mythic retribution gives it emotional weight as well as scares — great for viewers wanting a story with cultural specificity and a strong central performance.
8. Good Boy (2025) — new & surprising
One of the newer, surprising entries in 2025: Good Boy tells a haunted-house / supernatural story told largely through the perspective of a loyal dog named Indy. Critics note its emotional core, inventive viewpoint, and restrained run-time — a film that pairs melancholy with uncanny scares and offers a fresh vantage point for haunted-house conventions.
Why watch: it’s new for 2025, original in viewpoint, and mixes emotional stakes with supernatural beats — ideal for viewers who want something different in the haunted-house space. A good pick for a late-afternoon Halloween screening before heavier titles later in the evening.
Elara is a dynamic writer and blogger who specializes in pop culture and movie reviews. With a background in film studies and journalism, she combines her deep knowledge of the entertainment industry with a sharp, insightful writing style that keeps readers coming back for more.
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