October is the spooky season with tricks, treats, and terror filling the air. It’s also when ghosts, ghouls, and supernatural beings make themselves known. Halloween is the perfect time for horror films and TV specials with most TV shows having at least one Halloween themed episode, while others have more and sometimes these episodes are linked. Here are a variety of fun and scary episodes from 31 TV shows, so sit back, relax and enjoy watching your favourite characters on this frightening feast day!

1. Friends: The One with the Halloween Party (Season 8 Episode 6)

Halloween arrives in New York as Monica and Chandler throw a costume party for the gang. Chandler has a costume mishap resulting in him wearing a pink bunny costume, Joey comes as Chandler, Phoebe as Supergirl, Monica as Catwoman and Ross as “Spud-Nik”, Rachel wears a fancy dress before she can no longer fit in it due to her pregnancy. Her maternal feelings cause her to give out all the candy resorting to giving money instead. Sean Penn guest stars as Ursula’s fiancé.

2. Modern Family: Halloween, The Last Halloween (Season 2 Episode 6, Season 11 Episode 5)

Spooky season is a big deal in suburban Los Angeles resulting in seven different Halloween episodes in this series. The first Halloween episode showcases Claire’s love for Halloween as she turns her home into an elaborate haunted house for trick or treaters. Mitchell goes to work dressed up as Spiderman with unexpected results, Cameron repeatedly tells a traumatic childhood story of why he is scared of Halloween. Meanwhile Gloria starts talking with an English accent. This episode marks the 30th episode overall. In the final Halloween episode, the audience sees Phil trying to scare Claire until he eventually succeeds. Alex and Luke both go through a break up and Gloria wins a Drag Queen contest. (See also Season 4 Episode 5, S6 E6, S8 E5, S9 E5, S10 E5)

3. Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Halloween (Season 1 Episode 6)

This episode starts an iconic Halloween tradition in the precinct between Jake and Captain Holt that continues throughout every season. Jake bets Holt he can steal his Medal of Valor from Holt’s locked office before midnight. His efforts are hilarious. Amy and Charles have to go undercover in costume much to her dismay and Terry discovers Rosa’s secret. Although this episode is not particularly scary, it is fun to watch these beloved characters celebrate Halloween. (See also Season 2 Episode 4, S3 E5, S4 E5, S5 E4, S6 E16)

4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Halloween, Fear Itself, All the Way (Season 2 Episode 6, Season 4 Episode 4, Season 6 Episode 6)

Being the chosen one means Buffy fights off Vampires on a day-to-day basis alongside any other demon that decides to rise up over Sunnydale. Therefore, it’s no surprise that there are three Halloween episodes across the seven seasons. The first Halloween episode takes place when the gang are still in high school: the costume shop owner performs a spell that turns everyone who bought their costume from him into their characters, for example, Buffy loses her slaying powers and becomes a weak debutante in her pretty dress. The second episode is at a college haunted house frat party where everyone’s worst fears come to life and the third showcases Buffy’s role as a parent in her sister Dawn’s life. Regardless of Halloween, these three episodes are worth a rewatch as they show Buffy’s character development from high school student, college student and legal guardian.

5. The Vampire Diaries: Haunted, The Five (Season 1 Episode 7, Season 4 Episode 4)

 Mystic Falls is home to vampires, hybrids, doppelgangers, werewolves and witches: everyday is like Halloween. However, there are two specific episodes in the series to note: the first takes place at a Halloween dance at the high school. Vicki, Jeremy’s girlfriend, is a new vampire with an addictive personality but Stefan kills her because she  attacked Elena. Damon compels Jeremy to forget about Vicki. Stefan’s good guy personality and Damon’s bad boy persona are played against each other in both of these episodes and the rest of the series. In Season 4, Damon dressed as Jack the Ripper with Elena and Bonnie as his victims attend a Halloween frat party at Whitmore College. Damon helps Elena master her new bloodlust and she begins to feel things she shouldn’t. *blares feel so close by Calvin Harris* Meanwhile, Klaus acts as a puppeteer controlling Stefan and tortures Connor, a vampire hunter belonging to the group, The Five.

6. Pretty Little Liars: The First Secret, This is a Dark Ride, Grave New World. (Season 2 Episode 13, Season 3 Episode 13, Season 4 Episode 13)

Anonymous texts from a creepy stalker that knows way too much about you and your friends is enough to scare anyone on a regular day. Therefore, these Halloween specials are extra terrifying. It also cannot be a coincidence that each Halloween special falls on the thirteenth episode. This first episode is a prequel to the pilot. The Halloween before Ali goes missing, Alison and the girls get invited to Noel Kahn’s Halloween party until a worrying text from Alison causes the liars to leave and go to an abandoned house. The next episode unfolds on a terrifying ghost train with the girls dressed up as Marilyn Monroe, Daisy Buchanan, Marie Slim Browning and Barbarella with interference from A. The last Halloween episode takes place first in a graveyard, then underground tunnels which leads the girls to a creepy old mansion. The end of the episode confirms that Alison is alive and wants to come home to Rosewood.

7. One Tree Hill: An Attempt to Tip the Scales, Not Afraid (Season 3 Episode 4, Season 8 Episode 6). 

Tric is the perfect setting for Halloween in both of these episodes. In the first, a masquerade ball leads everyone to dress up as who they would like to be rather than who they are. For example, Hayley dresses up as Sandy from Grease. Stolen kisses, practical jokes and commitment issues are at the heart of this episode as Fall Out Boy perform. In the second one, although in their adult life, the gang enjoy an open mic night at Tric on Halloween with some funny costumes as Julian arrives as a Dalmatian with his mother as Cruella and Hayley comes as herself in high school; a pregnant cheerleader.

8. Ugly Betty: The Lyin, the Watch and the Wardrobe  (Season 1 Episode 5) 

The Suarez house is transformed with Halloween decorations by Ignacio. Betty arrives at Mode dressed as a butterfly for the costume contest only to learn that Marc only sent the email to her. She takes it in her stride and decides she has won. Marc finds a new way to make fun of Betty by dressing up as her. Henry, secretly dressed as Superman, grows closer to Betty, much to Walter’s dismay. Amanda tries to get her claws into Daniel by keeping his watch from their night together but Betty figures it out. Meanwhile, Daniel visits Claire in rehab and Wilhelmina’s wicked  witch personality thrives in this episode as she can’t fit into a designer gown and has been slandered for dating a younger man.

9. Sabrina the Teenage Witch: A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It (Season 2 Episode 31)

This tv show has many Halloween themed episodes to choose from due to the realm between living and the dead being at its weakest on All Hallows Eve. Also, it being Hilda and Zelda Spellman’s favourite holiday. Episode 31 shows an unexpected Halloween party being thrown at Sabrina’s enchanted house for all of her fellow, mortal students. Although she was the last to know, Sabrina decides to let the party go ahead. The arrival of talking furniture, Ghouls from the closet, termites, overflowing cauldrons, and an attention seeking, talking cat make this Halloween party one to remember. (See also Season 1 Episode 5, S3 E56, S4 E81, S5 E103, S6 E120, 123)

10. How I Met Your Mother: The Slutty Pumpkin, The Slutty Pumpkin Returns (Season 1 Episode 6, Season 7 Episode 8)

Although there are three Halloween episodes in this series,  the first and the last are the ones to note because they are linked. The first Halloween episode of the series highlights Ted’s hopeless romantic personality trait as he goes to the party on the roof hoping he will meet this girl in a slutty pumpkin costume four years earlier. Marshall and Lily enter the costume contest as a parrot and a Captain Sparrow character at MacLaren’s and win with surprising results. Barney must change his costume multiple times as his pick up lines keep failing him. Robin doesn’t like to share which causes Mike to break up with her. The last Halloween episode is a continuation of the first as the title suggests, The Slutty Pumpkin Returns. Ted discovers the slutty pumpkin costume in a shop window and finds out the identity of the girl, Naomi (guest star Katie Holmes). They begin dating until they both agree they have no chemistry and break up. Barney’s worst nightmare comes through as Robin discovers he is one quarter Canadian. (See also Season 6 Episode 7)

11. New Girl: Halloween (Season 2 Episode 6)

 This Halloween episode marks the 20th episode in the series. Jess goes to work at a haunted house, dressed up as a zombie. She develops feelings for Dr Sam even though their relationship was meant to be just physical. Nick is stressed out because his college crush, Amelia, is coming to visit him. He also faces his fear of haunted houses with entertaining results. Schimdt tries to get close to Cece but realises she’s happy with Robby. Winston and Shelby fight about their costumes. (See also Season 3 episode 6)

12. Desperate Housewives: Now I Know, Don’t be Scared (Season 4 Episode 6)

Halloween arrives on Wisteria Lane with consequences for all. Gaby continues her affair with Carlos while trying to break up with potential governor candidate Victor. Bree forbids Danielle from attending Bob and Lee’s Halloween party because she’s pregnant. In true Danielle fashion, she disobeys and her water breaks at the party. Lynette beats cancer but becomes obsessed with a possum in the garden. Edie’s biggest fear comes through as Carlos ends their relationship. Susan meets a living ghost, Mike’s father, who she thought was dead. Secrets past, present and future come to light on Halloween night. (See also Season 7 episode 6)

13. Sister, Sister: Halloween (Season 3 Episode 7)

In an effort to be different, both Tia and Tamera buy the most outrageous costume they can find only to end up dressed the same as each other. The twins borrow Roger’s brand new Mercedes convertible to drop their friends at a Halloween rave even though they are grounded. The girls end up at the Canada US border and on the late night news leading to a hilarious reaction from a furious Ray in his pink bunny costume.

14. Glee: Rocky Horror Glee Show (Season 2 Episode 5)

Music and holidays go hand in hand. McKinley’s high school Glee club pays tribute to the 1973 Rocky Horror Picture Show Musical. Carl and Emma attend a midnight screening of the film which prompts Will’s decision to make this the school play. Finn and Rachel are cast as the leads but Finn struggles with body image issues due to his role. With the play cancelled, Glee performed it for themselves. Seven cover songs are featured in this episode, ending with the Glee club singing Time Warp.

15. Stranger Things: Trick or Treat, Freak  (Season 2 Episode 2)

There is a clue in the title that ‘strange things’ are always happening in the town of Hawkins. Halloween is no different. The boys dress up as Ghostbusters paying homage to the film at that time while nobody else at school is in costume. That’s a nightmare in itself. The kids continue to fight monsters from the upside down in this spooky episode filled with 80’s references.

16. The Suite Life of Zack and Cody: The Ghost in Suite 613 (Season 1 Episode 19)

Since Stephen King’s The Shining and subsequent film version, hotels can have a creepy element with abandoned rooms, long corridors and basements. In this episode, The Tipton hotel is the perfect setting to discover a haunted room. After Muriel tells a ghost story about suite 613, Zack, Cody, London, Maddie and Esteban decide to spend the night. Esteban holds a séance, Arwin detects paranormal activity while the rest of the gang wait patiently to hear from ghost Irene.

17. Bones: Mummy in the Maze (Season 3 Episode 5)

Bones episodes mainly consist of finding human remains in a strange situation. This episode is like every other one with an added Halloween twist. At a Halloween hay maze, a mummified corpse was found by a lost kid. A second body shows up at Shoreline Amusement Park and Booth and Bones rescue another girl from becoming the third body. There’s a Halloween party for the Jeffersonian Institute which Cam insists everyone must go to because there will be sponsors in attendance. Booth is dressed up as a squint and Bones is Wonder Woman. What a team.

18. Teen Wolf: Illuminated  (Season 3 Episode 16)

Werewolves are the first supernatural species introduced to Beacon Hills although it is home to other mysterious beings. A power outage puts a curfew on the town, however, Danny and Ethan manage to throw a blacklight Halloween party in Derek’s empty loft. The mystery surrounding the hooded figures is still at large as Ethan and Lydia are attacked and marked in the same way Isaac was; with a reverse number 5 as the symbol. This is a good episode to watch before the upcoming film.

19. American Horror Story: Murder House (Season 1 Episode 4, 5)

Each episode of AHS is scary but the two part Halloween special highlights the fine line between the living and the dead: the ghosts of anyone who died in the murder house can finally leave on Halloween night. Five mangled teens from a school shooting haunt Tate to find out why he killed them while he’s on a date with Violet. After seeing an ultrasound of Vivien’s baby, the doctor collapses leading the audience to believe there is something seriously wrong. Ouija boards, the return of the rubber man, and the revelation that Constance is Tate’s mother sums up some of the action.

20. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air: Hex and the Single Guy (Season 4 Episode 7)

Bel Air is bewitched on this scary holiday as the Banks’ family attend a séance with a spiritualist to help Hilary make contact with Trevor, her dead fiancé. Will’s scepticism leads to a hex being put on the whole family as they all experience bouts of bad luck. The next morning, Will wakes up thinking it was a bad nightmare until the day begins to repeat itself.  (See also Season 1 Episode 8,9)

21. Dawson’s Creek: Four Scary Stories (Season 5 Episode 9)

Joey, Jack, and Pacey return to Grams’ house unsatisfied after seeing a horror film. Joey suggests maybe she can’t be scared anymore which is music to Jack and Pacey’s ears as they play a prank on her. To prove she’s not as scared as they think, she tells them a frightening story that happened to her. The boys follow suit and in true Grams fashion, she joins in and tells the scariest story of all, Jennifer’s story. The episode flashbacks to the time of each of their stories. Jen takes over Charlie’s (Chad Michael Murray) radio station on Halloween night and horror ensues. Gram’s retelling leaves Jack, Joey, and Pacey terrified. (See also Season 1 Episode 11, S3 E7, S6 E6)

22. That’s So Raven: Don’t Have A Cow (Season 2 Episode 2)

Raven and Chelsea find an old spell book in grandma Viv’s old trunk. They perform a spell and wish for an invite to Alana’s Halloween party. After the first spell works, they perform another to have the best costumes. However, a mishap during the potion making causes them to start developing cow features. Raven didn’t see this coming as she’s got cow ears and Chelsea’s got a tail. They rush to the party to stop the spell before they turn into livestock. Meanwhile, Cory decides he’s old enough to go trick or treating with his friends rather than his parents.

23. Hannah Montana: Torn Between Two Hannahs (Season 1 Episode 17)

Deception and mistaken identities take over Malibu in this Halloween special. Robby Ray’s niece, Luann, who looks like Miley, comes to visit from Tennessee. At first, she fools everyone (except Miley) with her sweet and innocent act. She ties Miley up and leaves her in the closet then goes to a party dressed as Hannah with an unsuspecting Lola. Terrified she’s going to ruin her secret, Miley escapes and rushes to the party. The two Hannah’s get mixed up and it’s up to Lily and Oliver to determine who’s the real Miley. Meanwhile, Jackson and Bobby Ray are annoying their neighbours with their Halloween decorations. 

24. The Big Bang Theory: The Middle Earth Paradigm (Season 1 Episode 6)

Penny throws a Halloween costume party and invites the gang which is a test of their social skills. After The Flash costume disaster, they must change outfits: Leonard is Frodo, Raj is a Norse God Thor, Sheldon is The Doppler Effect and Howard is Robin Hood. Penny kisses Leonard for the first time. Although this Halloween episode is not scary, it is fun to watch. (See also S2 E6, S6 E5, S12 E6).

25. This is Us: The 20’s (Season 2 Episode 6)

Halloween is here and the Pearson family are back in this fun filled flashback episode. It shows the big three at aged ten and then again in their twenties. Jack and Rebecca take the kids trick or treating dressed as Sonny and Cher while Kate is Sandy from Grease, Kevin is a cigar-smoking bum and Randall is Michael Jackson. The big three struggle in their twenties: Beth and Randall are awaiting the birth of baby Tess not long after Randall’s nervous breakdown; Kate is working as a waitress and involved with a married man and Kevin attempts to steal an acting role from his roommate and friend. Miguel reaches out to Rebecca for the first time in years. There are no present day scenes as this episode offers an insightful journey into the past lives of Kate, Kevin and Randall on Halloween.

26. Supernatural: Family Remains (Season 4 Episode 11)

Having already discussed the Salvatore brothers, it’s time to talk about the Winchester brothers: monster hunting duo Dean and Sam. In this episode, they investigate the appearance of a ghost girl after a man called Bill Gibson was murdered in a locked room in an abandoned house. His wife died in childbirth, and his daughter hung herself in this attic. The boys try to warn the Carter family who are going to move into the house but they don’t pay any attention until their son, Danny,  is kidnapped through the walls. Disturbing facts about the Gibson family makes this a horrifying episode.

27. Once Upon A Time: The Doctor (Season 2 Episode 5)

Storybrooke becomes home to a new monster, Frankenstein, otherwise known as Dr Whale, in this episode. Frankenstein is the first character to appear from literature that is not for children. The scene in the lab is a reference to the 1931 film, Frankenstein. In the present day, Dr Whale wants Regina’s help in bringing his brother back but she refuses because she’s trying not to use magic for Henry’s sake. Dr Whale revives Regina’s first love Daniel Colter by giving him an enchanted heart with disastrous results. Torn Limbs, hearts inserted and removed and an ogre massacre is just a  part of the action in this episode.

28. 13 Reasons Why: Tape 2 Side B (Season 1 Episode 4)

The ghost of Hannah haunts every episode of this show as the audience are brought through her thought process before her death. This episode takes place on Halloween. It focuses on the character Tyler Down who is on the fourth tape which documents the reasons Hannah committed suicide. He was stalking Hannah and taking unwanted pictures of her. He took a picture of her and Courtney Crimsen kissing and showed everyone at school which ended the girls’ friendship. Clay helps to clean the outside of Hannah’s house as it has been toilet papered and chats with her mom. He delivers his own form of revenge by sending a naked picture of Tyler to the whole school.

29. Heartland: The Haunting of Hanley Barn (Season 3 Episode 4)

Hooded figures, thunder crashing and a power cut make this episode a spooky one. Hudson’s favourite ghost story takes place at Hanley barn. Mr Hanley’s horses are being spooked at night by the supposed ghost that’s been haunting the place. During a thunderstorm, Ty and Amy spend the night keeping an eye on the horses while Caleb, Soraya and Ashley try to frighten them. A tragic love story from years ago comes to light at the end.

30. That 70’s Show: Too Old to Trick or Treat, Too Young to Die (Season 3 Episode 4)

Hitchcock’s horror influence infiltrates Point Place Wisconsin as the gang fall victim to different comic spoofs from the films.  Laurie attacks Kelso in the shower while her red shampoo goes down the drain. Fez thinks Bob killed Midge and disposed of her body. Eric has vertigo after falling from the garage roof and Kitty is left in charge of birds which does not end well. (See also Season 2 Episode 5)

31. Dynasty : Wild Ghost Chase (Season 3 Episode 3)

The Carringtons have a flair for the dramatics and this Halloween spectacle lives up to their reputation. What better way to celebrate the scary season than with a party at the manor. Fallon is dressed as Marie Antoinette and Adam is Louis XVI and ironically they both end up in Halloween cake following their fight. After his sister’s body is found in the Carrington Lake a few episodes back, Evan destroys Fallon’s garden which is part of her community service to try and ensure she goes to jail but later apologises.

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 31 Spooky Halloween TV Episodes To Watch appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Ah, spooky season. The best time of the year. (Fight me, Christmas.)  One of the reasons October is the best month of the year is the surplus of horror movies. You can’t change the channel without seeing a grisly murder or demonic possession, and it’s beautiful.

We all know those old classics: Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist, all those overblown 80s creations that all have a gazillion sequels and remakes. With this list, and in no particular order, I’m choosing movies exclusively from the year 2000 or later, and none of them are remakes. (Well, one of them is an Americanised remake of a Japanese classic, but that’s it.)

Get Out

I’m writing this before watching Antebellum, so I can’t form an opinion on that particular Jordan Peele film. However, Get Out will always be one of my favourite horror movies.

If you’ve somehow managed to avoid hearing about it, Get Out is the story of a Black man going to visit his White girlfriend’s parents for the first time. Turns out, they plan to harvest his body. The whole thing is a commentary on race in America and the insidious nature of White moderates, and it’s got a whole creepy factor that gets under your skin. 

The Cabin in the Woods

A horror movie that makes fun of horror movies, written by the guy who wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with Sigourney Weaver as the villain. There is nothing I don’t love here. This is one of those films that you either put on your Top 10 Modern Horror Movies list or think it’s the dumbest thing ever. There is no in-between, like with pineapple on pizza.  

The basic premise is that five twenty-somethings go to a Cabin in the Woods, where a group of government-type people send zombified monsters to kill them. Except the “villains” are a lot more morally complex than we’re initially led to believe—and hilarious. Think of those goofballs who work at the office, constantly making jokes and having fun, except their office environment includes brutally murdering the guy who plays Thor.

It

I never read the book. Or any of Stephen King’s classic horror books. Don’t judge. I personally preferred Part One over Part Two, although they were both great. I can’t tell who’s scarier: Pennywise the clown, or the creepy abusive adults.

Both? Both. Both. 

Before I Wake

An eight-year-old boy’s dreams—and nightmares—become reality.

The boy is an orphan and gets taken in by a foster family, two parents whose own son drowned. At first, when they realise the boy’s gift, they use him to try to get their own son back (the dreamer sees a picture of the dead son, dreams of the dead son; the dreamer watches a video of a past Christmas, and the dead son can now talk), but they quickly realise that that’s A Bit Not Good, right around the time the dreamer has a nightmare.

This movie is genuinely creepy, building dread and suspense until the boy’s personal monster comes to life and starts killing people. But it’s also weirdly uplifting, with a hopeful ending. 

Resident Evil

The first rated R movie I’ve ever seen. Good times. Based on the video game, Resident Evil is a zombie action franchise. We follow Alice as she unravels the secrets of the Umbrella Corporation. In the first movie, she and a SWAT team of sorts go into the Umbrella Corporation’s underground lab, where the computer program murdered everyone after they were exposed to a virus. Turns out, this virus brings them back to life as zombies.

In the sequel, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, the zombies have escaped the lab and gotten into Racoon City, where officials desperately try to keep it contained. In the next movies…you don’t have to watch the next movies. Let’s just pretend there are only two.

The Ring

An American remake of a Japanese classic, The Ring is about a haunted videotape that kills people in seven days. Our main character is a reporter who catches wind of this, watches the tape, and then spends the next seven days unraveling its secrets.

Unlike most horror movies, this one is rated PG-13. Meaning it doesn’t rely on blood and gore for horror effects. It uses suspense and dread to rachet up the tension until the true horror is revealed.

A Quiet Place

Some sort of aliens/monsters that hunt by sound show up and kill any humans they find. The story follows a small family as they struggle to survive in this post-apocalypse, made complicated by the fact that the mom is pregnant, the eldest daughter is deaf, and everyone’s blaming themselves for the death of the youngest child in the opener.

Fun fact: the deaf daughter is played by an actually deaf actress. Which is great, because Hollywood has a hard time hiring actors with disabilities, even if they’re portraying those actual disabilities on screen.

Train to Busan

A 2016 Korean zombie movie about family and fatherhood. A zombie outbreak in Korea prompts the government to herd the refugees to a train leading to the fortified city of Busan. Except the zombies get on the train, so the refugees struggle to survive as they creep from car to car. It doesn’t help that a lot of the refugees are self-centered assholes who are happy to sacrifice their fellow humans for a slightly greater chance of survival.

It’s one of those “humans are the real monsters” metaphor, but also highlights some of our greater qualities, too. 

Ready or Not

This one’s a horror comedy about a bride who marries into a…very unusual, rich family. This family has achieved great fortune through a deal with a demonic figure. Every time someone else marries into the family, they have to play a game on their wedding night. Most of them are harmless. But if the game is Hide and Seek, that’s the cue for the family to kill them. If the family doesn’t kill the bride before sunrise, they all die.

The family is totally dysfunctional, and darkly funny. Think Cabin in the Woods, but without the explicit commentary on horror movies. 

The Boy

An American woman takes a nannying job in England, where she’s told she’ll be taking care of a porcelain doll. At first, she thinks it’s a joke, and then after some Paranormal Activity-style shenanigans, quickly realises that this is a deadly situation.

What’s interesting here (other than the third-act twist) is that the woman is a domestic abuse survivor. That’s the whole reason she’s in England in the first place: she’s running from her ex. Once she realises the danger of the haunted doll, she immediately switches to survival mode, creating stark parallels between the story and domestic violence.

(So, uh, trigger warning for that.)

Know any other great modern horror movies? Let us know in the comments!

The post 10 Modern Horror Movies For You To Enjoy This Halloween appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Rather than definitively ranking the colossal amount of awesome horror literature out there, a job I can’t do as I love it all, we are going to delve into each horror sub-genre and take a closer look at a range of creepy, terrifying, gory and chilling novels. There will be something for every horror fan from the detectives of true crime enthusiasts to the doomsday preparers. Grab your vampire hunting stakes and Ouija boards and prepare to strap yourself in for a rollercoaster ride through exorcisms, alien possession, cannibalism, monsters, and haunted houses. This journey is not for the faint hearted… you have been warned!

Serial Killer Shockers

Silence Of The Lambs by Thomas Harris

Pure unadulterated horror in its rawest form, the Hannibal Lecter books are not for the faint hearted. Incorporating murder, violence, cannibalism, sexual violence, and abuse, this book should come with a trigger warning in capital letters. The novels tell the story, not in chronological order, of psychologist turned cannibalistic serial-killer Hannibal Lecter’s twisted childhood, crimes and consultancy to homicide detectives. If you want to understand a serial killer, ask a serial killer right?

Harris cleverly creates a force of sinister manipulation in Lecter keeping us wondering who’s side he is on and waiting for his seemingly inevitable escape. The graphic descriptions of terrible and violent crimes leave the reader feeling slightly queasy. Meanwhile Harris opens up the door to harrowing pasts and darkest secrets of the other characters using Lecter’s heightened perceptive skills, manipulation and persuasion creating a multi-layered, three dimensional cast. It’s not for everyone, but if you think you can stomach it, buckle up for a crazy, crime filled ride!

Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi

Have you always wanted to know what motivates a serial killer? Why people join cults? How people are brainwashed? Well this is the book for you! Vincent Bugliosi, a prosecution attorney on the case, provides an inside look at the bone-chilling Tate–LaBianca murders instigated by the infamous Charles Manson and his indoctrinated followers.

Following an initial, gruesome murder scene, Bugliosi takes us systematically, through the following investigations, trials, and backstory of the Spahn Ranch cult headed by the enigmatic, influential and cold-blooded Charles Manson. Bugliosi leaves out no detail, using actual court transcripts and often repeating information to ensure the reader can follow the complicated proceedings with more ease. It’s a long one so set aside plenty of reading time as you’ll quickly find that the devil is in the detail, painting an all-encompassing picture, transporting you back in time to Mason’s childhood, cult-life, the murders and the subsequent trails. You almost forget when reading that this isn’t a work of creative fiction, it really did happen, inviting you to question: are any of us really safe?

Science Fiction Madness

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King

King talks about writing Dreamcatcher under the influence of powerful painkillers after an accident and it’s a mind-bending, journey incorporating psychic powers, aliens, government cover-ups, and possession. The sort of thing that surely can only been dreamt up under the influence!

When school-friends Henry, Beaver, Jonsey, and Pete noticed ‘Duddits’, a disabled child being bullied, the boys intervened, intertwining their lives and showing them ‘the line’, Duddits’ telepathic power. The line is a compass guiding the group through life, drawing them away from danger and towards lost things. Present day, the boys still meet up every year to go hunting in the snowy forest, cut off from civilisation… Cue the cabin in the woods style gore-fest! A UFO has crashed in the forest and the military are racing against time to contain the incident, but they don’t have the full story. It’s up to the group of friends to save the world, an action inexplicably linked to Duddits and his special powers.

For those of you fascinated by the recent Area 51 raid pranks, this is a must-read! What have the authorities been hiding? Peel back the proverbial curtain and find out what extra-terrestrial horror awaits!

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

Written as a collection of interviews, news articles, personal accounts, and scientific data collated by a journalist, Brooks convinces the reader that World War Z was a real-life global catastrophe. Written in the post-apocalyptic wake, World War Z examines the effects of a worldwide pandemic and response from global leaders, health organisations and pharmaceutical companies cashing in on the chaos.

The corruption revealed throughout governments, world leaders and at times the medical profession provides a commentary on contemporary issues surrounding conflict, peace, safety and ethical practise which is extremely thought provoking and before you can check yourself leads you to wonder: could a corrupt government lead to a zombie war?

Brooks cleverly weaves personal accounts showing war as a microcosm, devastating families juxtaposed against the worldwide effects using government press releases and interviews. This makes for a read which at times tugs on your heart strings, terrifies you to your core and causes you to scratch your head and strategise with the world leaders about what to do next!

Creepy Classics

Dracula by Bram Stoker

A gothic setting, a tyrannical villain and damsels in distress, Dracula is the epitome of classic horror. Drawing the reader in with detailed panoramic descriptions of beautiful scenery, we are taken into Dracula’s foreboding castle and into the world of the vampire.

When Jonathan Harker sets out to Transylvania to close a real estate deal with Count Dracula, he is warned by villagers along the way to turn back. Despite this, Jonathan chooses to continue on and finds himself embroiled in wolf attacks, vampire assaults, murder, monster hunts, and blood. Meanwhile, Harker’s wife Mina and her friend Lucy are caught up in vampire dealings of their own leading to further macabre events.

Stoker paints a picture of how unprepared England is for Dracula’s attacks due to its propensity for modern science which doesn’t allow for believing in vampires. Warning readers not to overlook supernatural occurrences science can’t explain. Like Van Helsing, we must take into account both superstition and science. If you like eerie, spooky, otherworldly horror then Dracula is the one for you!

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

When Robert Walton set out on his voyage to the North Pole, little did he expect to come across Victor Frankenstein, a near frozen man with an incredible story. Once nursed back to health, Frankenstein tells his secret, scary, and shameful story. Following a happy childhood, Frankenstein studies anatomy and chemistry discovering his ability of animation and embarking on his biggest project yet, to create a human being. Frankenstein makes the monster from a collection of human body parts before bringing it to life and running in fear. What follows is a twisted tale of murder, shame, betrayal, guilt and ethical questions.

Shelley writes a dark and ominous text exploring the implications of too much knowledge. Text and language also play a huge role in the novel with the story told through letters with nods to notebooks, inscriptions and journals. The monster even learns to speak and read from the villagers allowing Frankenstein and thus the reader to understand the complex emotions felt by the creature adding another layer to the story. If you like chewing over problems of ethics and philosophy with a side order of grisly horror, then this is the novel for you!

Psychological Frights

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

Schizophrenia or supernatural possession? This was the question plaguing the Barrett family when 15-year-old Marjorie began acting erratically and medicine wasn’t helping. Merry, Marjorie’s sister, chronicles the horrific events that took place in the Bennett house when the family decided an exorcism was the only way to help Marjorie. To ease their financial strain, the family agreed to have a reality TV show enter their home and film the events leading Merry to question is Marjorie really possessed?

The book explores the dark theme of reality TV exploitation while raising the age old question of science versus religion. Full of harrowing scenes and creepy imagery, the book has an overall feeling of paranoia and madness, making for a sinister and terrifying read. Open if you dare and travel down the psychological rabbit-hole into the ghost filled head of Marjorie Barrett.

Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Would you go for a summer holiday in a haunted house? That is exactly what Eleanor, Theodora, and Luke do following an invitation from Dr Montague who is investigating the supernatural occurrences at Hill House. The group are tasked with living in the house for the summer, noting unearthly experiences.

Although dark and foreboding with a chequered past, Hill House is uninviting but apparently not haunted. However, malevolent events begin slowly unfolding leaving us to wonder what is the work of spirits and what may be the work of the group of ragtag inhabitants. The house comes to life, ensnaring its victims, particularly drawing in fragile, vulnerable Eleanor who is infatuated with the house. Will Hill House ever let her go?

For those that have watched the hit Netflix series, you’ll find that the show takes a lot of creative licence, further developing key themes from the book to stretch over a whole series. The novel is more compact with traditional haunted house tropes but still packs a frightening punch, made even more impactful by the shock ending. Come inside Hill House if you dare!

Supernatural Scares

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

When a malevolent child abductor and a psychic teenager cross paths, both of their lives are changed forever. Charles Manx, a famed child abductor has been kidnapping children in his Rolls-Royce Wraith, which can traverse worlds and taking them to the supernatural vampire amusement park of Christmasland. When psychic Vic takes the ‘Shorter Way bridge’, her telepathic link, to Manx’s house following an argument with her mother, she had no idea what horrors awaited there.

Fast forward to Vic’s adult life, where she lives as the only known escapee of Manx, but he is not finished with Vic yet. Although imprisoned, after Vic’s almost abduction, Manx has escaped using paranormal means, convincing everyone he is dead and when he takes Vic’s son, no one believes it. It is up to Vic to rescue Wayne and destroy Christmasland for good.

Hill cleverly incorporates the real-life threat of child abduction which send a shiver down the spine of most along with supernatural elements such as psychics and vampires. This makes for a bone-chilling scare you won’t be able to shake long after the last page.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

Alma Katsu showcases her amazing ability to make horrific historical tragedies even more terrifying by introducing supernatural entities within her take on the Donner Party disaster, The Hunger. In 1846, the 90 members of the pioneer Donner Party setting out on the Oregon trail from Missouri to California, could not have foreseen the horror that lay in wait.

Katsu’s writing builds suspense from the outset, having the reader believe something is stalking the party, causing disappearances and deaths. Although a true story of conflict, betrayal, illness, exposure and starvation, Katsu explores the events under a supernatural lens adding another layer of horror to the already tragic accounts. Did the Donner Party succumb to exposure or is there another sinister explanation for their bad luck?

This novel seamlessly marries history and horror incorporating barbaric tribes, ghosts, demons, and witchcraft without a second of disconnection from the gripping politics and relationships of the group. The variation of traditional storytelling and the use of correspondence, to inform the reader of the character and setting backgrounds, reveals the twine that links all party members to one another and the dread, death and destruction awaiting them all.

Heinous Horror Adaptations

Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Turned into a hit Netflix movie, Bird Box will leave you on the edge of your seat, both the book and movie. Malorie and her two children live in an abandoned house in a post-apocalyptic ruin. Most people are dead, and something is out there. Something that wants to get them and if they look at it directly, it will turn them into homicidal, suicidal maniacs. Malorie and her children need to escape and run to safety but a perilous journey lies ahead and you’re on it with them!

Written with a sense of urgency that will keep you turning pages, Bird Box will have you looking over your shoulder with paranoia and panic, thinking am I being followed too? Due to the fact the protagonist spends much of the time blindfolded or trying to avoid seeing the malevolent forces, you will become maddeningly frustrated at your own consequent blindness. keeping you reading desperately in the hope you will get to see the monster. But can you handle it? Or will it send you mad too?

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

You’ve probably heard of the cult movie The Exorcist, but did you know it was based on a bestselling book? Noted as one of the most controversial books of the time, The Exorcist tells the story of 11 year old Regan’s experience with demonic possession and her subsequent exorcism. It’s hard not to compare the novel to the film due to its notoriety but where the book far excels is in the stomach-churning; repulsive descriptions of acts carried out by the possessed Regan and the shocking and horrifying dialogue from the demon inside. Making those infamous scenes from the movie (I won’t give it away!) even more disturbing and unsettling.

Inspired by real life events, if you don’t value a good night’s sleep all that much then this is the book for you. It will have you up long into the night jumping at shadows and cowering under the duvet.

Do you have any horror recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Creepiest Reads For Halloween appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The trick or treat season is here! If you need some spooky inspiration for your Halloween costumes or perhaps a few scares, then here are some horror filled television shows that just might do the trick!

The Haunting of Hill House

This terrifying tale is available on Netflix and it revolves around the traumatic childhood experience of a family and how it comes back to haunt them in the present.

Stranger Things

This 1980s meets monster tales combination with children and adults on an epic adventure is one hell of a tale you don’t wanna miss, plus it’s filled with plenty of nostalgia mixed with a whole lot of darkness.

Supernatural

This long running horror series may be coming to an end soon, but there’s 14 seasons to enjoy! Watch two monster-hunting brothers solve urban legends on this adventurous ride.

Devilman Crybaby

Devilman Crybaby is amongst the most twisted and violent series that one would find on Netflix. It shows you the story of a sensitive teenager infected with a homicidal demon.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is the adaptation of the Archie comics character, but with a dark and modern twist that will leave you spellbound. From twisted spells to horrifying rituals, everything about this tale is dark.

Mindhunter

This exceptionally interesting series tells the true story of how FBI evolved into the minds of serial killers. The difficulties they faced to convince the law of their methods and ways of tracking and investigating dark and intriguing murders is a must-watch. The second season of Mindhunter has recently released on Netflix.

Wynonna Earp

This horror series is about Wyatt Earp’s descendent who protects the Purgatory town from demons and an immortal Doc. This action packed supernatural thriller show is available on Netflix and it’s a smaller gem that needs to be enjoyed by the masses.

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Chilling Shows To Binge Watch For Halloween appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Four decades of being locked up in a mental institute would leave any psychopathic killer thirsty for blood. Michael Myers is no exception. After escaping, he’s back in Haddonfield and ready to get stuck into some good old-fashioned slashin’. It might be just about time for the Halloween franchise to hang up its coat, but a clever reboot of the 1978 horror classic by writer and director David Gordon Green (Goat; Stronger) shows us that it’s still got some fight left in it.

In 1978, John Carpenter delivered a horror film that has influenced countless other films over the years. However, none have come even close to the genius of the 40-year-old masterpiece. A nifty, suspenseful horror-thriller in which randy, drunk teens are pursued and slashed by an interminable nutter, it was a true tour de force with a delightfully priggish narrative twist.

Halloween (1978) was the beginning of something that many a genre fan holds dear to their heart, and while several films under the franchise weren’t too shoddy themselves, the original will always be definitive. The indomitable, unrelenting Myers completely defies belief, but that doesn’t stop us (sort of) rooting for our favourite masked, knife-wielding killer.

Here we are in 2018, as Green gives Michael (Nick Castle) a new lease of life. He and his co-writers Jeff Fradley (Vice principals) and Danny McBride (Your Highness) strive to lay the franchise to rest in peace, all the while conveniently disregarding everything that went down in any of the aforementioned sequels. Of course, just like all those sequels, Halloween is no measure for the original, but that was to be expected. In a departure from the stylish simplicity that Carpenter brought to the table, we see a slightly different approach here, with enough in the way of gimmicks to entertain fans without compromising on the terror.

Green et al. have worked really hard to chuck aside all the usual tropes that we’ve come to associate with the franchise, instead handing us a far more chilling version of a seemingly unstoppable, truly evil bastardisation of humanity. This Michael Myers has zero limits. Nothing – not a single thing – will obstruct his murderous binge. This is totally hold-no-prisoners stuff, and even the most unshakable of us will find themselves quaking in their booties.

Something else is different this time, too. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) – the only survivor from Carpenter’s original – refuses to take Michael’s crap, and she’s ready to give all she’s got. Once weak and naïve, Laurie is all grown up, capable of defending herself, and prepared for what’s been coming for a long time: a hell-bent psycho on a mission to finish what he started. Her home rigged out with traps like the Home Alone house on steroids, Michael is in for a real trick – but plainly no treat. Curtis steals the show here as the tough but troubled mother and grandmother Clearly, this role fits like a worn-in sneaker.

With her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) wanting little to do with her, Laurie’s life is in tatters. She’s pretty much got nothing else to think about other than a new deadly dance with Myers. And they sure trip the light fantastic in the most terrifyingly beautiful way in this film. Sadly, other than the fresh take on Michael and his cat-and-mouse gambol with Laurie, there’s not much else about Halloween to go absolutely nuts about. The plotline following Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) stands out in this respect – it seems more like an afterthought than a valuable addition.

Luckily, the hunter-becomes-the-hunted ending that Halloween hurtles towards is hugely fulfilling, both visually and emotionally. The writers know how to use red herrings well, and things don’t go down as you might think they would. As the film takes the franchise on its last sunset ride, we’re taken poetically and intelligently back round to the original, serving to add another level of satisfaction to the conclusion.

What we have here is certainly no match for Carpenter’s legendary triumph, but it’s got a sharp enough bite to be noticed. This is a brand-new take on the ageing Halloween franchise, and good on Green and his team for taking it to a new place. Michael Myers is back on our screens, and I suspect that you’re going to enjoy it.

What did you think of the movie? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Movie Review: Halloween (2018) appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

On All Hallow’s Eve, when the moon is round, a virgin will summon us from under the ground. We shall be back! And the lives of all the children of Salem shall be mine! – Winifred Sanderson, October 31, 1963

Happy Halloween, Witches! The Sanderson Sisters are back! Hocus Pocus is one of the most beloved Halloween movies around the world and this October, it marked the 25th anniversary since the movie came out in 1993.

Therefore, Freeform decided to through a party for the witches and include the Anniversary Bash as part of their 31 Nights of Halloween. Almost the entire cast came back together for the celebration (unfortunately two of the witches have not come even though it was confirmed they would) and look how the kids have all grown up! If you want to watch the show including stars like Vanessa Hudgens reprising the songs, you can go to Freeform and stream it.

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This is happening. TOMORROW. Join us for the Halloween event of the year. Watch the #HocusPocus25thAnniversary Halloween Bash tomorrow at 8:15pm/7:15c.

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So if you do not know what the movie is about, here is a quick overview!

In 1963, Thackery Binx’s sister Emily is lured out of bed and killed by three witches known as the Sanderson sisters – Winifred (Beth Middler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary (Kathy Najimy). Binx, who followed his sister into the sisters’ cottage, is caught by the sisters and turned into a black cat, doomed to walk on earth for all eternity. The sibling’s father then wants to see the sisters dead and the citizens of the village hang them, but before they die the oldest sister, Winifred speaks a spell, that the sisters will be resurrected during a full moon on All Hallows Eve when a virgin lights the black flame candle. Cat Binx makes it his personal task to make sure that no one ever will bring the sisters back.

300 years later Max moves from L.A. to Salem with his parents. He wants to impress his crush Allison and does not believe in the legend of the Sanderson sisters so he lights the candle and then he has to protect his little sister and the town throughout the night and he only has time until sunrise to banish the sisters from earth again.

“Some inside and some without, One believes and one holds doubt. On All Hallow’s Eve were twelve is struck, trade three souls until sunup.”

This year Disney has published a sequel to the movie as a book. First, you have the story from the movie and around 200 pages later, you get to read continuation.

25 years on, Max and Allison are married and have a 17-year-old daughter, Poppy. Max is now a history teacher at the local high school and Allison works as an attorney. They wanted to have the Sanderson’s cottage removed, but due to the fact that it is a historical monument, they could not. Now, they own it and made sure that no one will be able to light the black flame candle ever again.

It is the night of All Hallows Eve and the night of a blood moon. To make sure that no child will be near the cottage, the Dennison’s are giving a Halloween party, but Poppy has other plans. She and her two friends, Travis and Isabella, are playing with a spirit board and the Sanderson’s spell book. Everything is fine, until Poppy reads an exchange spell which brings Winifred, Sarah, and Mary back and sent her parents and aunt to hell.

Now Poppy has to solve this problem, quickly. The faiths are in her favour, because Isabella tells her friends that she is a descendant from the youngest Sanderson sister, Elizabeth, who was a good witch and Poppy’s parents have sent Binx and Emily to watch out for her.

Can Poppy save her parents? Can she and her friends defeat the sisters who are planning to swap the whole town with fellow witches? Hint: it is a Disney story, after all.

This book is a nice quick read, but I for sure would have preferred a movie instead of a sequel. Plus seeing the cast back together reprise their iconic roles would have been nice to see and be a nice Halloween movie, which there are not many of these days. It does not have to be always bloody and scary, right? Especially, I would have loved to see little Dani grown up and being her usual sassy self.

Happy Halloween once more and no matter if you will enjoy your 25th rewatch or dive into the sequel, Hocus Pocus will always entertain you and bring you a good time.

Have you read the sequel? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Witchy Times In ‘Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Now that it’s officially fall for half of the world and the weather has turned cold and crisp for half of the world, it means it’s also time to welcome the Halloween season! It’s that time of the year to get spooky, to spend your nights watching and reading horror until Halloween ends, and of course, to put up crazy decorations and wear costumes! To help you spice up your Halloween reads, we are here to suggest a few books and themes that would be perfect for a Halloween binge!

Read A Classic

There are many options you can choose for this prompt, including Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, and Inferno by Dante.

Read A Book About Witches

What’s Halloween without a few witches? The obvious choice for this prompt would be Harry Potter, but if you want something different, you can read Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, How to Hang A Witch by Adriana Mather, and Truthwitch by Susan Dennard. Or you know, you can always read the book adaptation of Hocus Pocus!

Read A Book About Curses

Any kind of curse will do! You can read Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, Compulsion by Martina Boone, The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw, and Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton.

Read A Book About Foreign Myth/Folk Stories

For this prompt, you can read The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and obviously Rick Riordan’s books. If you want something new, you can read an East Asian stories anthology, A Thousand Beginnings and Endings.

Read A Book About Grim Reapers/Death

I really love reading death as a personification, as death/grim reapers always have such a unique voice. They can be really had to find as there are rarely books about them, but you can read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Scythe by Neal Shusterman, A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, and Death or Ice Cream by Gareth P. Jones

Read A Book With An Unreliable Narrator

Unreliable narrators is defined as a narrator whose credibility has been compromised, either because they are the culprit, didn’t remember what happened, or something else. Some of the books with unreliable narrators are The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas, The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins, and The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich.

Read A Book With A Creepy Cover

I think we can agree the Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children series have creepy covers! Other options include Daughters unto Devil by Amy Luckavics, Say Her Name by James Dawson, and The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.

Happy October! Let us know if you plan on reading any along with the books you will be reading this Halloween in the comments below!

The post Read Some Spooky Books This Halloween appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover what’s coming out this month and tell us what you are most excited for!

Venom

One of Marvel’s most enigmatic, complex and badass characters comes to the big screen, starring Academy Award® nominated actor Tom Hardy as the lethal protector Venom. Starring Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road), Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn), and Woody Harrelson (True Detective).

A Star Is Born

A musician helps a young singer and actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral. Starring Lady Gaga (American Horror Story), Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook), Sam Elliott (The Ranch), and Dave Chappelle.

The Happy Prince

The untold story of the last days in the tragic times of Oscar Wilde, a person who observes his own failure with ironic distance and regards the difficulties that beset his life with detachment and humour. Starring Rupert Everett (My Best Friend’s Wedding), Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Emily Watson (The Book Thief), and Colin Morgan (Merlin).

First Man

A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Starring Ryan Gosling (La La Land), Claire Foy (The Crown), Pablo Schreiber (American Gods), Ciarán Hinds (Red Sparrow), and Christopher Abbott (The Sinner).

Bad Times at the El Royale

Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at Lake Tahoe’s El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one fateful night, everyone will have a last shot at redemption – before everything goes to hell. Starring Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey), Jeff Bridges (True Grit), and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation).

The Hate U Give

Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what’s right. Starring Amandla Stenberg (Everything Everything), Regina Hall (Scary Movie), Russell Hornsby (Grimm), Issa Rae (Insecure), KJ Apa (Riverdale), Algee Smith (The New Edition Story), Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World), Common (Suicide Squad), Megan Lawless (Table 19), and Anthony Mackie (Avengers: Infinity War).

Beautiful Boy

Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years. Starring Steve Carell (The Office), Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name), Maura Tierney (The Affair), and Amy Ryan (Birdman).

Halloween

Laurie Strode comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis (Freaky Friday), Judy Greer (Ant-Man), Andi Matichak (Underground), and Willl Patton (Falling Skies).

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween

Two boys face an onslaught from witches, monsters, ghouls and a talking dummy after they discover a mysterious book by author R.L. Stine. Starring Caleel Harris (Castle Rock), Jeremy Ray Taylor (IT), Madison Iseman (Still The King), Chris Parnell (21 Jump Street), and Ken Jeong (Community).

What movie are you most excited to see? Tell us in the comments below!

The post October Movies appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Halloween is one of the most loved holidays of the year and it is a time for people to dress up, be silly, and to scare and be scared. This particular day is especially loved by kids because they can dress up and get free candy, because who wouldn’t love that!? Even though all these traditions are fun, there is one tradition that is treasured by many and that’s the regular binge-watching of Halloween movies.

Check out some of our favourite Halloween films for both kids and those young at heart! Tell us in the comments below what your favourite Halloween film to watch is!

Casper (1995)

Casper the friendly ghost is a classic for many, many people. There are tons of movies following Casper where he is just trying to get by in the world. In many of the movies, we see Casper getting downgraded because he is a ghost so everyone thinks he’s scary, but little do they know Casper is a friendly ghost and he would love to be your friend.

Halloweentown (1998)

There is four instalments in this franchise and they are all perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit! The film follows a family of witches where the eldest daughter is just starting to gain her powers. Marty (the eldest daughter) is very curious about Halloweentown and her family’s past, but her mother wants to keep that secret.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

This movie is an ultimate favourite, which follows a teenager who has found the legend of the Sanderson sisters to be true and worse, he has released them. Now he, along with his sister and friend, have to stop them before they take all the kids for themselves. This one is can be considered an oldie, but it is a true classic.

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

This movie was anticipated by many and it sure did live up to its expectations. Hotel Transylvania is about a hotel for monsters run by Dracula. It sounds completely cool, but Dracula’s daughter Mavis wants to see the human world, which is not cool according to Dracula and what’s worse, she falls in love with a human boy!

Scooby Doo: Ghoul School (1988)

A Halloween movie list wouldn’t be complete without some sort of Scooby Doo movie. Although there are plenty of different Halloween Scooby Doo movies that you could watch this holiday season,this particular movie is great for Halloween because it gives off that spooky feeling we all look for this time of year. But then again, people watch Scooby Doo all year round (I’d be one of those people) because who doesn’t love the Scooby gang?

Goosebumps (2015)

I know what you’re thinking this isn’t the best Halloween movie, but it is written by the best spooky writers, RL Stine. Most of RL Stine’s books that went to become movies gave off a different and more eerie feeling than this one. Goosebumps is one that appeals more to a younger audience, which really helped ratings and that’s why it made it to this list!

Just remember: even if you’re not a kid anymore, it doesn’t mean these movies aren’t for you!

The post Halloween Movies For Kids of All Ages appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Plot (from Goodreads): “Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life. Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.”

Victorian London? Murder? Jack the Ripper? Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco is a book to enjoy during the crisp Autumn months while you are sitting by the fire. The descriptions are horrifyingly graphic and the mystery so tangible, which makes you feel as if you are right alongside Audrey as she attempts to figure out the ripper’s true identity.

Lockwood & Co. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

Plot (from Goodreads): “When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in. For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions. Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.”

Though this series is geared more towards younger audiences as it is categorised as a Middle Grade, it can still be enjoyed by everyone (I for one am not in the younger audiences category). It is a perfect Halloween read for those looking for a creepy ghost story with elements of humour to lighten the mood.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Plot (from Goodreads): “One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone’s a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. Pay close attention and you might solve this. On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.  Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app. Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.”

A recent release, One of Us is Lying is more of a mystery than a thriller. This is a book that is made for you to race through in order for you to figure out who the culprit is and why they did it. It will leave you wondering until the very end, “Who killed Simon?”

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Plot (from Goodreads): “Shhhh! Don’t spread the word! Three-day weekend. Party at White Rock House on Henry Island. You do not want to miss it. It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury. But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine. Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?”

Ten teenagers are invited to a lake house party where they are supposed to have the weekend of their lives. But what they get instead is a storm cutting them off from the outside world and teens getting killed, one-by-one. Filled with suspense and intrigue, this book is a perfect read for the Halloween season.

A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachman

Plot (from Goodreads): “Seventeen-year-old Anouk has finally caught the break she’s been looking for—she’s been selected out of hundreds of other candidates to fly to France and help with the excavation of a vast, underground palace buried a hundred feet below the suburbs of Paris. Built in the 1780’s to hide an aristocratic family and a mad duke during the French Revolution, the palace has lain hidden and forgotten ever since. Anouk, along with several other gifted teenagers, will be the first to set foot in it in over two centuries.  Or so she thought. But nothing is as it seems, and the teens soon find themselves embroiled in a game far more sinister, and dangerous, than they could possibly have imagined. An evil spanning centuries is waiting for them in the depths.”

This is another thriller that left me breathless and desperately wanting more. Set in modern-day, a group of teenagers are chosen to help with the excavation of an underground palace, but the mission turns out to be a lot different from they thought. Twists and turns make up this creepy thriller that will leave you gasping for breath.

Which one of these have you read or want to read this Halloween season? Tell us in the comments below!

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