Alive as Always: The Ultimate Halloween Watch List (NO GHOSTS!)

It's one week to Halloween! Eep! Are you guys already deep in the spooky vibe? I love Halloween, but I'm such a scaredy cat when it comes to the supernatural. That doesn't mean I don't want to be spooked or scared to my bones; it just means that I'd rather have it without the wandering spirits and demonic creatures. I can't be the only one, right? You're probably like that too, if you're reading this, right? Well, I thought since it's already sun down where I am, it's the perfect time to give you last-minute Halloween-themed treats leading up to the holiday with only one week left. We've got feature films, series and short films from across the globe. There are psychological thrillers, disturbing plots and unexplainable mysteries—pretty much everything you need for a great horror story. Here we've got numerous recommendations that you can watch while counting down to the big night—with one guarantee: NO GHOSTS!

Full-Feature

Contratiempo

(The Invisible Guest)

Here is one of the greatest plot twists I've ever watched, following the story a man tells his new lawyer about the isolated murder of his lover that he is charged with. While the characters actually never leaves the apartment while this story is being told, the story itself takes us far and wide, going beyond the murder itself. Such a tremendously unexpected film, with numerous twists and turns that get us guessing the truth the entire time—and when the actual reveal happens, it is so immensely satisfying. Definitely a must watch, especially for a clever audience, such as yourself. Personally, I don't like the English title, although I feel like it could have a tremendous double-meaning—if you've watched the film, you'll know what I mean.

Identity

We all have that nightmare of being stranded somewhere with a bunch of strangers and then being killed one by one, right? Nope, just me? Oh well. In this dark, rainy thriller starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta and Amanda Peets, you get to see it come to life. The film has such an eerie factor, well-executed from the fear of all these strangers with a lurking serial killer among them. It's one of those films with a double plot twist—both of which work out amazingly well. Honestly, I'm not sure why this film is so underrated. It's a rare gem that manages to pull off so many amazing tricks up its sleeves. The ending is so unexpected and so beautifully-wrapped, it will leave you gawping.

Shimmer Lake

If ever Memento is shot for comedic relief, the result might look just like this film. Starting out at the end, this film feels almost goofy and incompetent—especially with so many comedy actors as its cast—following the police as they try to solve a recent bank robbery in a small American town. Netflix categorises this film as quite dark, and I couldn't understand it at first, but it turns out to be such a slow burn with its darkness—something you'll only realise after the fact. A lot of people say they predict the flip from a mile away, but personally, I found it to be quite pleasant. A good watch for anyone not looking for anything too serious.

Il racconto dei racconti

(Tale of Tales)

As the title says, this film is such a beautiful epic, coloured with elements of the bizarre, violent and downright mysterious. The story takes place in a fantasy world of three kingdoms, each with very different rulers and stories revolving around the royals and plebeians alike. Borrowing several aspects of existing fairy tales of olde, this film manages to give a modern twist to classic tales. There are mystical creatures, trolls and unexplained magic involved. What I love most from this film is the amazing setting as well as costume design of the entire cast—who, by the way, give amazing performances. Not a scary series of tales, but definitely fits the Halloween theme.

Modus Anomali

(Ritual)

Very proud to include an Indonesian film to this list—and an extremely twisted and disturbing one at that. One of Joko Anwar's great masterpieces, this film starts out completely shrouded in mystery with a jaw-dropping reveal towards the very end. The story follows a man, buried alive and amnesiac, frantically scrambling to gather his identity and search for his apparent wife and children—while a serial murderer is on his tail. With minimal music and sound effects, this film is entirely gripping and truly doesn't prepare us when it takes us for a spin. The best part of this film is that its premise isn't at all explained even towards the end, leaving us with a creepy feeling afterwards.

Series

เด็กใหม่

(Girl from Nowhere)

A Thai TV anthology featuring one girl, named Nanno, as the red string that connects everything. Inspired by 13 reported news with female victims, these are unsettling stories about human nature that feels almost Black-Mirror-esque. Each story is set in a different school with Nanno as the newly transferred student. Although she is definitely the one mysterious character here, the horrors of each story is actually not perpetrated by her—her presence just adds to the eerie and frightening quality. Some episodes also include somewhat abusive and violent scenes that may be hard to watch, so please tread carefully.

愛なき森で叫べ

(The Forest of Love: Deep Cut)

One of the most disturbing, bizarre and entirely hard-to-watch series I've ever discovered. The Japanese definitely don't hold back when it comes to revealing what lengths humans will go to, in order to serve their purpose. Inspired by a highly disturbing, real-life serial murder case, Sion Sono created this deeply confusing and draining miniseries about a charismatic figure who manages to wrap a crew of young filmmakers, a young man who just arrived in Tokyo and two grief-stricken girls around his fingers. It really shows how powerful charisma can be—in a heightened and dangerous sense. However, even after a thorough display of violence and horror, nothing is as it seems.

鏡文學驚悚劇場

('Til Death Do Us Part)

Yet another anthology series, this time from Taiwan. Divided into 7 episodes, this series takes us into a multitude of journeys with people brushing up with death in one way or another. Some of these stories are downright bizarre, some are terrifyingly close to home and some are undeniably heartbreaking. These stories are not connected one with the other, but all incredibly eerie and haunting. Personally, I don't think all the episodes are worth watching, with only a few favourites that I would recommend—which are "No Pets Allowed" and "Login Trouble."

Dark

I had a hard time deciding whether to include this world-famous series in this list or not, but I can't ignore the grand masterpiece that is Dark. Arguably the best series I've ever watched, this German tale takes us on a mind-bending, time-travelling journey. Everything starts when a boy named Mikkel disappeared as he was out on a nighttime expedition with his older siblings, Marta and Magnus, and their friend, Jonas. It's the beginning of a confusing journey into the twists and turns of time—back when their parents were young and later when the world has changed completely. Equipped with numerous plot twists, reveals and back-and-forth timeline, this series is a hard one to follow but absolutely worth all the effort. Be warned: you might need some tissues for the finale.

Shorts

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons

Every horror film buff most likely knows who Ari Aster is, but did you know that he made short films before his success with Hereditary and Midsommar? Well, this one is his most well-known work. Personally, I found out about this from a former colleague of mine, who kept pestering me to watch it for months. It's such a strange story about familial sexual abuse, in which the victim is the father and the culprit is the son. You'd think the role reversal would make it a whole lot less scary, but it's actually much more eerie and incredibly suspenseful. An absolute grip, it will leave you feeling permanently disturbed.

Other Side of the Box

With a simple plot and storyline—and less than 16 minutes—this film manages to instil such haunting nightmares in me. The story follows a couple who receives a box from an old friend one fateful night. It starts out very casual and subtle—actually a lot chill—but escalates rather quickly. The mystery aspect in this one is strong—up until the end, you won't know exactly what you're facing and what happens. Nobody knows for sure what's on the other side of the box, but, man, it's adamant to crawl out if you look away—you don't want to find out what it is.

He Took His Skin Off For Me

Metaphorical and with a romantic undertone, this film is not exactly scary in the conventional sense. It's definitely a slow burn, with numerous still shots that got you thinking what lies between the lines. A couple living together finds their relationship changed when the man decides one day to take his skin off. What starts out as a simple action ends up being something that neither of them can ignore. Truth be told, for the majority of the film, it doesn't feel like a horror film, but the tension buildup is amazing. From the get go, we already know it probably won't end well. But does it?

The Sermon

Reminiscent of the Midsommar vibe—how is this film mentioned twice in passing in this list?—this is a daylight horror story that requires close to no dialogue. Set in a small town somewhere in the UK, this tale takes place during the sermon of the town's minister. However, as the story unravels, it will start to dawn on you what, when and how shit will hit the fan. Be warned: this film involves numerous vomit scenes—and I, for one, was grossed out. It's another incredible slow burn that is suitable for any time of day.

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

Saving the best for last, this is the one short film that I watched three times in a row but haunted me for all eternity. It is also the only film in the lot that is actually animated—but you will be gravely mistaken, if you think that this won't scare you. Guising itself as an innocent children's show, this film uses music and colour to show you true horror—even without so much as a storyline at all. Its terrors lurk underneath all the happy-go-lucky look of the whole show. Watch it the first time, you will miss out on a lot of details. Watch it more times and you will unravel so much more—but wish you hadn't.