Must-Watch Scary Movies: DJs Share Their Favorites for Spooky Season

What better way to celebrate the spooky season than diving into some truly chilling films? For this month’s post, we asked our DJs to share their go-to horror movies—the ones that made them jump, gasp, or maybe even laugh in the face of fear. If you’re looking for bone-chilling recommendations or just want to know which films our DJs can’t get out of their heads, keep reading to find your next scare!

DJ Ace – As Above, So Below (2014)

My favorite scary movie is As Above, So Below (2014), which originally got me into them as a whole. It’s a haunting film that blends psychological horror with adventure in the catacombs beneath Paris. It’s one of those movies that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll, not just because of jump scares, but due to the unsettling exploration of such a claustrophobic space. As such, the movie’s strength lies in its atmosphere; the labyrinthine catacombs, tight spaces, and darkness all seen through the eyes of a camera in a found-footage style, make you feel trapped alongside the characters.

The pacing builds tension effectively. While it plays with traditional horror tropes, it manages to feel fresh and different. It also doesn’t rely solely on gore or violence, but instead delves into metaphysical and psychological terror. There’s something truly unsettling about the way it explores the idea of descent—both physically into the earth and metaphorically into the depths of the characters’ minds—blurring the thin line between reality and hell. This layer of horror is what makes As Above, So Below stand out as a favorite.

DJ Dani – Bottoms (2023)

My favorite Halloween-time movie to watch is called Bottoms by Emma Seligman. This movie is not a horror movie. It is like a slasher movie that is very comedic. This movie about two teen gay girls who start a self-defense club at their school to try to teach other women how to defend themselves from their high school’s rival. It stars Rachel Sennott who plays PJ and Ayo Edebiri who plays Josie. It is a very fun movie as you get to know about the different characters. My favorite character in the movie is Mr. G who is played by Marshawn Lynch. The soundtrack of the movie was made by Charlie XCX. Compared to other Halloween movies, Bottoms does not really fit into scary or horror. It is more of a comedy with some gore towards the end. If you’re looking for something fun to watch this Halloween, Bottoms is the perfect movie for that!

DJ Flat – Tall Girl (2019)

My favorite scary movie is Tall Girl by Netflix. Now—I know what you are thinking: “Tall Girl is not a scary movie”. To that I respond with an important question— have YOU ever been a tall girl? Tall Girl is a movie about eyes crawling under your skin, about the suffocating feeling of being judged. Just because it isn’t supernatural doesn’t mean it isn’t scary. Tall Girl’s grotesque mundanity is disturbing precisely because it’s familiar.

When the titular “Tall Girl” googles ‘height reduction surgery’, do YOU think she’s having a good time? I don’t. I think she’s scared. I watch that scene and I hold back tears. It hurts to imagine what she feels. What do you think the Tall Girl is thinking as she watches her sister angrily throw knives? I think she’s terrified. Terrified for her life and for her future. After all–what is scarier than dying alone?

Tall Girl and Halloween go together like apples and peanut butter— I know what I’m watching on the 31st!

DJ Fierce – Eerie (2018)

The scariest movie I have ever watched was Filipino movie, Eerie. It is about a nun that haunts a Catholic Church in the Philippines, and a woman named Pat decides to investigate after a student dies in the school. The investigation led her to one person, which was one of the abusive nuns in the school, Mother Alice. What I found scary in this movie was the monster that was haunting the school and possibly killing the students. From what I know, there is a theory that the student who had died at the school recently was killed by the monster. The girl was likely hallucinating from drugs and fell off the edge, a few floors down to her death. My family and I watched this scary movie right after New Years’ Day, and it scared the crap out of me! This movie really relates to The Nun in the US, but the effects and makeup of the artist playing the monster is more scarier than The Nun.

DJ Harrito – Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023)

One of my favorite scary movies is Five Nights at Freddy’s. I stated a long time ago that my favorite horror movie series is the Final Destination Series, and while that remains to be true, Five Nights at Freddy’s is a fun time down memory lane when it comes to frights. While it is corny and pretty cliche at times, it’s still an amazing film for me as I watched it a bit after the week it came out with some high school friends. I even remember when the movie premiered and the reactions started to go live on Instagram and TikTok. I purposely avoided using social media as much as I could until my friends and I watched it in person. It ended up being worth it as from a lore standpoint, I definitely had fun seeing the vast amount of references to the games and even the Sparky animatronic.

When we finished the movie, I remember giving some Freddy Fazbear pins to my friends to remember the night. We ended it by going out for some ice cream late that night, almost nearing 12 in the morning! While it may not be the best horror or scary movie in general, it definitely has some emotional connection to it and is something I remember fondly thanks to my friends. 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, if you happen to see my DJ bio on our KSSU Instagram, you may even see me dressed in familiar clothing to someone in that film!

DJ KulHmonglllest – Host (2020)

I’m not much of a movie person but I do enjoy horror movies, particularly thrillers. Jump scare horror movies aren’t exactly my cup of tea because they’re pretty predictable. In fact, I’ll call out when a jump scare is about to happen, even if it’s my first time watching it. Watching them by myself is pretty boring, but I do enjoy watching them with others so I can jump scare them in sync with the movie. It is rare where I don’t anticipate the jump scare, as they typically have a buildup to them or some other tells. On the off chance if a jump scare does catch me though, I applaud them for it. 

That said, my favorite scary movie would have to be Host (2020). It’s a slow burn thriller that came out during the COVID-19 era, where we were all stuck to our computers and using Zoom to communicate. As such, this group made a movie primarily through Zoom, even with the limitations that came with the COVID-19 lockdown. You feel like you’re in a Zoom call as a seance goes awry and the spookiness begins. While jump scares happen occasionally, other tropes common in thrillers and horrors happen with small, innovative twists thanks to Zoom features and our technological age. It’s got some obvious buildup for some of the bits happening but I think they’re worthwhile. The best part though, the movie is only 57 minutes long. Maybe it’s my short attention span, but I’m not a fan of long and dry movies. With it being less than an hour long, it held my attention the entire time. So, if you’re looking for a quick thriller, and one you can watch party with your friends over Zoom, then check out Host (2020)!

DJ Motherboard – Skinamarink (2022)

It’s hard to choose, but I would say my favorite scary movie is Skinamarink. I was so on edge the entire time and was impressed with how perfectly the director captured that unsettling feeling a dark house gives you when you’re a child. Another reason I like the film is because it is an installment into an up-and-coming artistic movement within horror: Analog Horror. The use of lighting and technology in the movie really lends to its eerie vibe and the twisted nostalgia factor. For a long time, Analog Horror was confined to YouTube, some notable examples being The Backrooms and The Mandela Catalogue. Seeing Analog Horror with a bigger budget was an absolute trip.

If you want a movie with a super creepy vibe and subtle narrative, please watch Skinamarink! There is a version of it on YouTube as well, before it was turned into a feature film. Enjoy!!

Odin Rasco – A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Hey there, Odin Rasco, host of Odin Rasco’s Weekly Breakdown, here to drop a bit of a hot take before I get to what my favorite scary movie is. The scariest movie I know is, by far, not the movie I most want to see during spooky season–or any season whatsoever. That film is the 2001 Steven Spielberg film A.I. Artificial Intelligence. I watched it as a child, and by the end, I had been hit with such an unmitigated dose of ennui and existential dread that I honestly don’t think my psyche has ever recovered. Considering my show is half-named because of my propensity for the not-infrequent bad times noggin-wise, I feel like Spielberg has some weight of blame to carry for the flawed person I am now. I mean, really, I was just a kid! And now I have to confront a film I can only half-remember, except the icy, empty feeling that spreads through my chest when confronted with the idea of a robot faced with the concept of death.

Anyhow, Evil Dead is pretty rad. 

DJ Sammie – Hereditary ​(2018)

What makes a good scary movie? Does it have to do with the villain and what they can do? The plot? The gore? Or only cult classics? Everything that makes a good scary movie is subjective and all depends on one’s own taste and expectations in films, which makes it hard for me to decide on my favorite movie. So, sit down and chill for a moment as I try to navigate my way through a plethora of some of my favorite scary or Halloween movies to decide, truly, what is my favorite scary movie.

Of course, there are so many amazing scary movies out there now, with new ones continuing to come out every year. My list of favorites is constantly changing. Just last weekend, while I was getting ready, I finally watched director Ti West’s horror film X. As weird and explicit as it was, I found it to be very intriguing. It was hard to take my eyes off the screen despite there being some moments where I wanted to look away. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves a good slasher film, graphic content, weird psychotic old ladies, and–of course–a prequel (which I still need to watch). This movie was a classic slasher film, a genre I love to hate but love to explore!

I love all kinds of horror movies whether it’s monsters, slashers, supernatural, paranormal, and psychological. I enjoy a good scary movie that makes me want to close my eyes with my hands but peek through them to see what is going on. From a young age, I was exposed to movies about the supernatural and never really minded the images of gore. I would gladly watch Michael Jackson’s Thriller as much as I can before my sister begged our mom to have me turn it off. I am not sure why gore and slasher has never fazed me.

My mom was a fan of vampire movies, which prompted me to follow suit. Together, we bonded over these terrifying creations, rewatching beloved vampire classics like Twilight, Interview With The Vampire, The Lost Boys, Fright Night, and even Dark Shadows. My favorite vampire movie would have to be Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The movie was amazing! The acting, gothic visuals, and the portrayal of Dracula’s humanity and love is what attracted me to the film. One might not consider it a horror film, but the gothic elements and origins in horror fiction, I think it qualifies it to be in this category. I always turn back to this film every Halloween.

Supernatural horror films are among my favorite genres, but I also have a strong love for both paranormal and psychological horror. These genres give me the jitters, making me pull my feet up on the couch while watching. 

In the paranormal genre, there are a vast amount of sub-genres that are a part of it such as possession, demonic/satanism themes, and even religious horror films. This genre and these types of films are the type I hate to love. I have watched The Conjuring series as well as the popular horror film The Exorcist. These films are classics and still manage to give me the heebie-jeebies. 

As someone who one hundred percent believes in ghosts, curses, and paranormal activity, these types of films don’t do it for me. I appreciate their commitment and research for the paranormal, but these films are like a cookie jar to me. I’ll watch one and enjoy it, but the more I watch, I risk the sake of my own sanity. Yes, slasher films serial killers exist in real life.Watching these films gives me a deep, dark pit of sadness and despair that these certain circumstances have happened to many people before. But paranormal is what I feel I need to keep my peace and gaslight myself that it does not exist. I say this as I believe my house is haunted which could play a major role in why I do not like this genre. Call it prejudice against this genre, or just me trying to not scare myself at night when something in my room moves. The genre pops out some amazing films, but if I can avoid it, I will.

Now, narrowing it down to one of my absolute favorites: psychological horror. Psychological horror is quite literally a part of every horror film, as it is a genre that messes with our emotions and our mental state. Some of the best cult classics, like Psycho, Rosemary’s Baby, Misery, Silence of the Lambs, and The Shining, fall under this genre. I can go on and on about how many classic films are under this genre. I love this genre as it is really engaging and it triggers my fight and flight response, giving me a boost of adrenaline. Weird reason to like a horror film, I know, but the rush feeling or the realization at the end that changes everything in your brain is a crazy experience. I appreciate that from the genre.

My favorite psychological horror films that initially started my love for this genre are The Black Swan and Hereditary, with an honorable mention of the mind effing movie Barbarian. The scramble of thoughts and emotions in my brain after watching these movies is indescribable–something I won’t ever experience again. These films left my mouth wide open as they created discomfort but also the feeling of amazement as to who could think of this?! That is why I love psychological horror films. 

To conclude, if I had to choose one favorite horror film, it would be Hereditary. It spooked me, threw me into a loop, and made me question what is in some people’s brain. Hereditary will always be at the top of my horror movie list. 

Snog – Stephen King

As I scanned through the moments in my life where I felt a true sense of terror or fear that was induced by a scary movie, there’s just one name that comes to mind.

When I was in the 8th grade, I read my first real adult book, It. While it was nearly impossible for me to put down, I was in a continual state of fear while reading it. When the movie came out and I found out that Frankenfurter (Tim Curry) was portraying Pennywise, I scoffed at first, but he absolutely “killed it” in that performance. However, that wasn’t really my most favorite scary movie, and to be honest, I felt like the newer It movies kinda tarnished the whole thing for me. Sorry, not sorry.

When I was even younger, and before I was reading adult books, Children of the Corn was a thing. That movie came out when I was like seven or eight, and I saw it somehow. I am not even kidding when I tell you that the fear of Isaac and Malachai is deeply ingrained in me to this day. I have literally never been into a corn maze because of this movie, and I’m not even kidding about that. I haven’t seen this one in a while but it’s obviously made its mark. With that being said, I still don’t think it’s my favorite scary movie.

“….We played daddy, we had an awful good time, now I want to play wif you…..”

That part of Pet Sematary creeped me out so bad when I first saw that movie, and to be honest, it was equally creepy just checking the clip on YouTube to be sure I got the line right for this blog. I want to be clear that, again, I am referring to the original version of this movie which came out in 1989 when I was still a kid. I don’t know how scary any of these movies would be to me now as a middle aged person. Reality feels a lot scarier than any movie does, these days, and again, this movie isn’t my favorite scary movie of all time either.

By this point, I’m not sure if you’re picking up what I’m putting down, but I don’t have a favorite scary “movie”. The common denominator to what I perceive as scary IS in one name, though; Stephen King. Every one of these movies began its journey as a book written by King. I’m fairly certain he had a great deal of input in not only these, but most (if not all) the movies adapted from his novels. By my estimation, Stephen King is the most prolific and widely regarded generator of horror based content in this century.

Prove me wrong…

DJ Z – Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007)

If you’re a fan of horror films looking to broaden your collection, I’d definitely recommend Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007). This Hindi psychological horror-comedy combines fear and humor in a way that’s both chilling and entertaining. The movie follows Dr. Aditya (played by Akshay Kumar), a quirky psychiatrist brought in to solve the mystery of strange occurrences in an old ancestral palace. It’s believed that the spirit of Manjulika, a dancer betrayed in her past life, haunts the mansion.  

Though I’m not typically a horror fan, this film stands out for how it lingers in memory—especially the intense “Mere Dholna” scene. Vidya Balan’s portrayal of Avni, as she embodies Manjulika’s spirit during the dance, left a lasting impact on me. I still remember her look in that scene, her hair in disarray and makeup smeared, bringing a haunting intensity that genuinely terrified me as a kid. The way she loses herself to the character makes the scene unforgettable and frightening in its realism.

What I love most about Hindi horror films like Bhool Bhulaiyaa is how they blend unsettling suspense with humor, creating an experience that’s both scary and enjoyable. Despite its eerie plot, the movie never loses its comedic edge, and the laughter feels as natural as the scares—a unique touch in Hindi cinema.

Even though Bhool Bhulaiyaa has continued as a series, the first film will always be my most memorable favorite. If you’re open to exploring horror from other cultures, this one is a classic you won’t regret watching.