Scariest films you can stream on Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video this Halloween

30 October 2023 , 16:07

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Smile ... you're in for a shock! Top right is Werewolf By Night and Halloween, below. (Image: Paramount Pictures/Compass International Pictures/DisneyPlus)

Those who dare to stream should prepare to scream this Halloween - as Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video have pulled out all the stops to ensure you're scared witless!

Netflix boasts a particularly impressive cauldron of chills, kicking off with the jump-inducing Insidious. A film that has all the right ingredients to freak you out - a creepy kid, the astral plane and a demon. Packed with spine-tingling chills and memorably grotesque imagery, Insidious manages to scare the hell out of its audience in remarkably assured fashion. Don't say we didn't warn you!

Elsewhere on the platform there's also A Quiet Place Part II, where the Abbott family's fight for survival forces them to venture into the unknown. It isn't long before they rapidly discover that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path. Widely regarded as one of the best sequels of the genre, this is a suspenseful and thrilling film riddled with tension, nail-biting stuff.

Not to be outdone, Disney Plus has the devilishly good Werewolf By Night, only this time in COLOUR. Originally released last Halloween in black-and-white, the 55-minute tour de force, directed by Michael Giacchino, follows the death of esteemed monster-hunter Ulysses Bloodstone. His widow, Verussa, summons five other experienced monster slayers, including Jack Russell, to Bloodstone Manor, where they're told to take part in a competitive hunt to determine their new leader and wield the powerful Bloodstone. Werewolf by Night has scored an impressive 89 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The website's critics consensus reads: "A spooky yarn told with taut economy, Werewolf by Night is a standout Marvel entry that proves Michael Giacchino as atmospheric and skilled a director as he is a composer." Jordan Moreau from Variety called it "a triumphant first effort at losing the capes and spandex and delving into more genre territory for Marvel".

Finally, Amazon Prime Video boasts the Aussie horror flick Talk To Me, which rapidly became a box office sensation largely through word-of-mouth. Directed by twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, the movie went on to rake in a cool £74m worldwide off a budget of just £3.7m. The story centres around a group of mates who become obsessed with summoning spirits using a very creepy-looking embalmed hand. What could possibly go wrong? A lot, as it happens, with one party member (Sophie Wilde) releasing some terrifying forces after one particularly ill-fated seance. This is steadfastly NOT a film for the faint-hearted! This neat and incredibly nasty picture received an avalanche of positive reviews, with Damon Wise of Deadline Hollywood saying it "attempts to do something new with an old idea".

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Elsewhere there's Paranormal Activity, a homage to The Blair Witch Project, which riffs on the whole 'found footage' premise. New homeowners become increasingly disturbed by what appears to be a supernatural presence in the building. Hoping to capture evidence of it on film, they set up video cameras around the house - but are not prepared for the terrifying events that follow. A short, sharp shock of a movie, but it's pretty potent while it lasts.

So now we've whetted your appetite, here's a fairly comprehensive list of some of the best frights the streamers are serving up this month ...