It’s almost October! Are you still looking for easy-to-access movies that will give you frights (and maybe some laughs)? We’ve previously shared movies that you can stream on Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon Prime. But this time we’re covering Hulu’s offerings. Let’s dive in!
“Ghost Stories” (2017)
Quick Synopsis: Professor Goodman (Andy Nyman) is a skeptic who is given a file of three mysterious, unexplained cases to investigate. He’s hoping to prove that they can be explained rationally.
More Information: I regrettably missed this one when it screened at SXSW Film Festival in 2018, but thank goodness for streaming! This British horror movie is almost an anthology, as it tells three different stories: one about a man who sees a ghost on the job, one about a boy who comes in contact with what seems to be a demon, and one about a poltergeist. I really enjoyed this movie and found it both creepy and (in parts) funny. The acting is top-notch all around, and there are several twists and turns that had me yelling “WHAT?!” at the TV. I’m still not sure how I feel about the ending, but it’s a solid film for sure.
“Fast Color” (2018)
Quick Synopsis: A woman with superhuman powers (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) has spent years in hiding, but realizes that she must return home if she wants to be safe.
More Information: Okay, so I’m cheating a little bit here, because this isn’t strictly horror. It’s a drama that definitely throws in a lot of sci-fi and thriller elements, but it feels underrated and is worth a watch. It takes place in an apocalyptic setting, and the main characters must hide because the government wants to experiment on them, to study their powers. “Fast Color” is also a beautiful examination of the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters; Mbatha-Raw plays Ruth, whose mother Bo (Lorraine Toussaint) wants to protect Ruth’s daughter Lila (Saniyya Sidney). It’s really an amazing and original film.
“The Host” (2006)
Quick Synopsis: A monster emerges from Seoul’s Han River after a purposeful contamination of the water by an American. The creature kidnaps a young girl named Park Hyun-seo (Ko Asung), and the rest of the Park family works through their grief to rescue her.
More Information: Bong Joon-ho fans, rejoice! If you enjoyed “Parasite” (and who didn’t?) and “Snowpiercer,” don’t miss out on this one. You’ll see some familiar faces: Director Bong’s favorite leading man Song Kang-ho stars as the lazy and bumbling Park Gang-doo, and you’ll recognize Asung as Yona from “Snowpiercer.” This movie has the humor, horror and political commentary that you can expect from any Bong Joon-ho film, and it’s a great creature feature.
“The Devil’s Candy” (2015)
Quick Synopsis: A young family moves into a rural home. The father (Ethan Embry) is a struggling artist, but he soon finds his muse as he is possessed by something otherworldly. And the house’s previous resident (Pruitt Taylor Vince) keeps showing up on the property in a threatening way.
More Information: If you want to talk about movies that don’t get enough love, this is one. Embry and Shiri Appleby play cool parents to Zooey (Kiara Glasco in a standout performance). This movie features real-world and supernatural threats to the family, and it’s cool to see a teenage girl fight for her own life in a movie that isn’t a teen slasher. It also focuses heavily on metal music. There’s a bonkers climax to “The Devil’s Candy” that you just have to see for yourself.
“Goodnight Mommy” (2014)
Quick Synopsis: This movie follows twin boys (Lukas and Elias Schwarz) and their mother (Susanne Wuest) after she’s had dramatic facial surgery, leaving her entire face bandaged.
More Information: Honestly, this is one that is probably best to leave mysterious. I will warn you that things get weird and gruesome in this one, but this German movie will keep you guessing.
“XX” (2017)
Quick Synopsis: This is an anthology of four short horror films, all with different themes and genre blends.
More Information: This anthology gets its title from the fact that all four shorts included in it are written and directed by women. “The Box” is a thrilling mystery about a boy who starts acting strangely after seeing something we’ll never know, and it was written and directed by Jovanka Vuckovic (based on a Jack Ketchum short story). “The Birthday Party” is a dark comedy about a family tragedy, directed by Annie Clark (AKA musician St. Vincent) and co-written by her with Roxanne Benjamin. Speaking of Benjamin, she wrote and directed the next installment, “Don’t Fall,” which is a creature feature. And last but not least is Karyn Kusama’s “Her Only Living Son,” which is a dark drama. I particularly liked “Don’t Fall,” but a lot of people enjoy Kusama’s entry too. As with most anthologies, there’s sort of something for everyone here.
“Stir of Echoes” (1999)
Quick Synopsis: Tom (Kevin Bacon) is hypnotized by his sister-in-law (Illeana Douglas) at a party. But now his mind is opened up so that he sees a girl’s ghost around his house — and has visions of her memories, as well as premonitions.
More Information: This is a pretty good horror mystery from the ’90s. There are a few effective jump scares and a lot of intertwining parts. It’s fun to see a couple of young actors before they were famous, namely Liza Weil (“Gilmore Girls”) and Jennifer Morrison (“House”). The kid in this movie can also see ghosts (and the future), which I guess was sort of a thing in 1999 (“The Sixth Sense,” anyone?).
“Tragedy Girls” (2017)
Quick Synopsis: Two high schoolers who are obsessed with murder try to become influencers when there’s a serial killer in their town.
More Information: This movie is so darkly fun! Brianna Hildebrand and Alexandra Shipp are amazing as the leads, and there are supporting performances by Jack Quaid, Josh Hutcherson and Craig Robinson. There would be no “Tragedy Girls” without classic satires from the ’80s (“Heathers”) and ’90s (“Scream”), as noted in the trailer above. But it still manages to stand on its own within the subgenre.
“The Houses October Built” (2014)
Quick Synopsis: A group of friends go on a road trip to find the most extreme haunted house in the U.S. They end up getting more scares than they bargained for.
More Information: Okay, it’s been a few years since I last watched this one, but I remember being pretty terrified for a good chunk of its run time. This is a found footage horror movie, and for me it was almost as effective as “Rec” and “As Above, So Below.” I don’t traditionally do well in haunted houses (not real ones, but the kind with actors) because I am a scaredy-cat who loves horror from the safety of her couch. But after this movie, I at least feel my fears are vindicated.
“Let the Right One In” (2008)
Quick Synopsis: Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) and Eli (Lina Leandersson) are outcasts who find comfort in each other’s friendship.
More Information: This Swedish film is based off of a novel by the same name, written by John Ajvide Lindqvist. I haven’t read the book (though I have read another novel of his, “Människohamn”/”Harbor”) but I imagine the atmospheric quality of this movie reflects it quite well. This is mostly about friendship and is a slow burn horror, but there is action and gore here as well. It’s a rare vampire pick for me, maybe because it explores humanity and morality. (In case you’re wondering, I haven’t seen the American remake, “Let Me In,” starring Chloe Grace Moretz.)
Do you have any picks you’d add to the list? Let us know what you think of these selections, and share your recommendations with us too!
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Jackie has called Austin home since choosing to attend the University of Texas, where she graduated with a degree in multimedia journalism. She loves spending time with her dogs, writing about pop culture in all its forms and spending time with friends – eating, drinking and doing trivia.