The following article reviews movies that contain graphic content.

October has finally arrived, bringing not only dark autumn weather and cozy pumpkin-spice-flavored treats, but also the long-awaited-Halloween. With the spooky season officially upon us, many brave souls turn to creepy movies for a ghoulish adrenaline rush. 

So whether one needs a fun scary group activity, a trick-or-treating pregame, or a recommendation for a Halloween-themed movie night, here are some critically acclaimed horror and thriller movies to watch this October.

“Talk to Me”

Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, and written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, “Talk to Me” is an excellent example of great media coming from a largely unknown name. 

“Talk to Me”, being the Philippou brothers’ smashing debut, is an Australian supernatural horror film following a group of teenage friends who are forced to face the consequences when playing a game involving supernatural forces goes too far.

Many critics say that the film gives a refreshing take on classic horror themes while also reflecting modern-day crazes surrounding the paranormal and the immense strain grief can bring to people. One of the movie’s main strengths is how plausible and easily imaginable the plot is in our own reality.

Overall, this film has a very straightforward and classic concept while still incorporating complex and intriguing pieces, creating a truly bone-chilling cinematic experience.

This A24 production is rated R and can be accessed on Apple TV, VUDU, and Amazon Prime Video for anyone looking for a twisted and occult-themed movie.

“Huesera: the Bone Woman”

The pains of motherhood and childbirth aren’t a typical theme found within the horror genre. Director and screenwriter Michelle Garza Cervera makes her directorial debut with this supernatural body horror film, which incorporates the mental strains of pregnancy, new motherhood, and supernatural forces as its driving concepts. 

This Mexican horror movie follows new mother Valeria as she is tormented by an unnamed and spine-chilling entity, chronicling her journey to attempt to eject it from her life. 

The film does wonders with aesthetics, establishing shots, atmosphere, and sound, which provides more discomfort than the actual supernatural aspects for many critics. Additionally, Cevera’s highlighting of the darker sides of motherhood — which some consider to be a woman’s ultimate fulfillment — won the film two major awards at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2022.

This unrated movie artfully presents narratives of domestication and society’s views on women, especially those whose dreams don’t revolve around motherhood, and can be watched on VUDU, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV.

“Saw X”

It has been years since the globally recognized “Saw” franchise has seen a critically successful installment in its long list of films, which date back to 2004. However, after the failures of their previous few films, heading back to the drawing board and creating “Saw X” seems to have been a great move on the behalf of the production company Lionsgate. 

This film is said to correct the sins of previous installments by ditching some incoherent plot lines and instead focus on creating a more complex and emotionally resonant reasoning behind the infamous gory traps. 

Simply put, in “Saw X”,  things get much more personal.

Directed by Kevin Greutert, this film opens with and follows the “Saw” franchise’s main antagonist John Kramer learning of his newfound inevitable mortality and his desperate battle against it. The film presents Kramer with a glimmer of hope, which turns out to be a scam, and from there longtime fans of the franchise know all too well the price the scammers will have to face.

This movie does an incredible job at making the audience second guess their own morals when it comes to sympathy and payback by humanizing and painting out the twisted morals of their villain. Where so many previous installments had failed, this movie prevailed at avoiding meaningless characters with meaningless consequences and going back to the basics.

So whether you are a “Saw” franchise fan, or simply up for a gory mind-bending film, this rated R movie can currently only be watched in select theaters. 

“Evil Dead Rise”

Over the course of forty-plus years, there have only been five installments to the “Evil Dead” franchise, with “Evil Dead Rise”, written and directed by Lee Cronin, being the newest release.

The film opens ominously with a brief scene of a group of friends in a cabin, whose fates are rather abruptly and violently handed out by the supernatural force that later torments our protagonists. Then, the film immediately shifts completely to a family living in a rundown apartment in downtown Los Angeles. The plot truly begins to unfold when single mother Ellie finds herself possessed and tormenting her family and fellow tenants.

As a franchise, “Evil Dead” is known for its simplicity and extremely gruesome scenes surrounding body horror and the supernatural. While this movie excels at the classic gore that brought the franchise so much attention to begin with, it does start out with several complicated details that delayed some of its strongest elements. 

However, once the movie really gets rolling, it truly is outstanding and keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. 

From its prosthetics and camera work, to its classic gnarly gore, to the well placed and suspenseful jump scares, this movie is overall a very fun watch, especially in group settings. “Evil Dead Rise” is rated R and can be streamed on Max and Hulu Premium.