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A scaredy cat’s 5 favorite horror movies

For better or worse, spooky season is upon us. Although a quick doomscroll these days provides plenty of scares, October is the one time of year I willingly seek them out on screen.

I am a self-proclaimed scaredy-cat, but each year, in the lead-up to Halloween, I push myself outside my comfort zone and watch a few things that might cost me a night of sleep. Over the years, I’ve learned two things: which horror movies are actually worth it, and how to survive them.

My tips: When things get too scary, picture yourself as a crew member on set. Think about the cameras, the director yelling cut, and the actor getting up afterward perfectly fine. Stick with the more outrageous and supernatural picks; the further removed from reality, the better. I’ll take a demon, monster, or ghost over a human man breaking into a home any day.

With that in mind, these are the five horror movies that even this scaredy-cat loves.

Plus, for those of you following along on my Dancing with the Stars Season 35 journey, I’m sharing every thought I had during Week 3 ahead of tonight’s Mariah Carey episode!

Every pick is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

A scaredy cat’s 5 favorite horror movies


One you can laugh through:

Bodies Bodies Bodies

Bodies Bodies Bodies

Streaming on Prime Video

A group of rich twenty-somethings gathers at a remote mansion during a hurricane, where a party game called Bodies Bodies Bodies takes a turn when someone actually winds up dead.

Spooky rating: 😱 😱

It’s kind of a who’s who of Gen Z cool kids: Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, Myha’la, Amandla Stenberg, and Maria Bakalova, plus Pete Davidson and Lee Pace. It was also directed by Halina Reijn, who went on to make Babygirl.

This is probably the most fun whodunit I’ve ever seen. Yes, there’s murder and enough tension to qualify as horror, but you’ll spend just as much time laughing as this group of increasingly hysterical friends turns on each other. It’s as dumb and funny as it is scary, delivering much-needed relief whenever things get a little too tense. And the ending? No spoilers, but it’s perfect.


One that will make you cry:

4 more scary picks are right behind the paywall.

Plus, every thought I had watching DWTS Week 3.

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