It’s here, the final stretch into spooky season. That magical time of year when the best streaming services ramp up their horror offerings to lure you in ahead of the major October rush. Yes, September is no slouch when it comes to must-see titles on the docket.
Halloween anthology flick Trick ‘R Treat might be a good spot to start to get you primed for the chillier season ahead. And as per usual, Shudder is a goldmine of newer releases with the likes of Damian McCarthy’s Caveat follow-up, Oddity, set to drop toward the end of the month and the slasher spin-off In A Violent Nature also poised to make you drop your lunch.
Those in the US can also look forward to the trippy dream space of I Saw The TV Glow as it arrives on Max later this month. Read on for the rest of our best horror movies picks to stream in the run up to October.
Happy Death Day (2017)
When: September 1
Where to stream it: Peacock (US); Tubi (UK); Paramount Plus, Binge (AU)
With word continuing to mount that we may one day see a final installment to Christopher Landon’s time travel horror series, now’s the perfect time to dive into where it all started. A masked killer, a Groundhog Day-style loop, and a star-making turn from Jessica Rothe; if you’ve never seen Happy Death Day then you’re in for a treat.
Rothe steals the show as Tree Gelbman, a college student who finds herself reliving the day of her murder over and over again. In order to stop the loop and solve her own death, she embarks on a journey that involves montages that are equal parts chucklesome and brutal. A concept that’s beautifully executed by Landon and gave us a superior sequel in Happy Death Day 2 U.
Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
When: September 1
Where to stream it: Amazon‘s Prime Video (UK, AU); Netflix (US)
While John Carpenter’s 1978 classic is considered the masterwork of halloween horror, there’s room for other monsters to come and play on All Hallow’s Eve. Michael Doughtery’s anthology pic from the late 2000s is a cult classic of sorts, accruing fans steadily over the years thanks to its willingness to push into heavy gore and grot from the get-go.
The wraparound story includes the movie’s pint-sized mascot named Sam, who wears a sack and a button mask as he trots around the town of Warren Valley ensuring that its citizens are behaving. Elsewhere folks are stalked by werewolves, slashers, and ghosts in a fun mix of segments starring the likes of Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker and Brian Cox. This is the perfect start to the spooky season.
New Life (2024)
When: September 1
Where to stream it: Amazon’s Prime Video (US, AU); Netflix (UK)
Everyone likes a good surprise when it comes to their horror and this directorial debut effort from filmmaker John Rosman is one of them. A confronting, quite emotionally-packed movie, New Life opens with Jess (Hayley Erin) a bloodied youngster tearing north through Portland in the hopes of reaching Canada.
Why is she running? What is she fleeing? While those questions are answered in due time, we meet Elsa (Sonya Wagner), a veteran agent tasked with pursuing Jess for reasons unknown. To say more about this sci-fi horror would be to spoil the rewards within, but this one is highly recommended if you like character-driven stories.
Watcher (2022)
When: September 6
Where to stream it: Shudder, Hulu (US); Netflix (UK); Prime Video (AU)
Look, there is never a wrong time to rewatch Maika Monroe’s filmography but if the recent release of Longlegs – which is one of seven new horror movies I previously recommended to stream in July – is what prompted yours, then you’re in luck because 2022’s Watcher is here to become one of the best Shudder movies.
Monroe stars as Julia, an actress who moves with her boyfriend Francis (Karl Glusman) to Bucharest and soon finds herself pondering the strange man across the street watching her through the windows. After she starts to spot the stranger out in the world, she worries he may be the serial killer police have dubbed ‘The Spider’. Monroe is compelling and sympathetic, a fearless lead whose attempts to raise concern are shrugged off by those around her. A beautiful slow-burn from writer-director Chloe Okuno with a knockout ending that’ll probably have you shouting at the screen.
In a Violent Nature (2024)
When: September 13
Where to stream it: Shudder (AU, UK, US)
Imagine Friday the 13th but from Jason’s perspective. No, no, not in an empathetic “oh no, I can’t get my machete to really gleam” but more in his literal experience. In A Violent Nature approaches the “serial killer who returns from the grave” shtick in that vein, opting to lurch instead of run as the film follows killer Johnny after two clueless college kids rouse his dormant corpse.
This unique spin on the tried and true camp slasher tosses aside convention, with writer-director Chris Nash citing the works of Gus Van Sant as pace and mood inspiration. That’s not to say nothing happens – this is one helluva gory, stomach-churning horror that you probably want to watch without snacks. But the piece de resistance is its final, nerve-shredding five minutes. No wonder a sequel is in development.
Handling the Undead (2024)
When: September 17
Where to stream it: Hulu (US); Prime Video (UK, AU)
This has snuck onto the release schedule with little fanfare, which is unusual considering the success of the author’s sombre vampire tome, Let the Right One In. Handling the Undead adapts John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel of the same name – with Lindqvist sharing scripting duties – and tells a similarly low-key genre tale.
Directed by Thea Hvistendahl, the film unravels on a baking hot summer day in Oslo and follows three families as their long-gone loved ones return to them from beyond the grave. This isn’t a showy, gory zombie affair, but instead a slow, tragic examination of grief and how we handle loss that lands with an emotional wallop. Worth the journey even though it may sting once the credits finally roll.
I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
When: September 20
Where to stream it: Max (US); Prime Video (AU)
Jane Schoenbrun follows We’re All Going To The World’s Fair with this knockout sophomore effort. A surreal dreamscape story telling a deeper tale of gender identity, friendship, and finding our place in the world, I Saw The TV Glow rightly earned critical acclaim upon initial release.
On the surface, it revolves around two classmates who bond over a TV show. Justice Smith plays Owen who is introduced to the world of underground teen series ‘The Pink Opaque’ by his classmate Maddy, played by Brigette Lundy-Paine. As the pair connect, the film explores their experiences as transitioning teens through Schoenbrun’s signature visuals; a surreal dreamworld that’s both beautiful and harrowing.
Apartment 7a (2024)
When: September 27 (US), September 28 (AU, UK)
Where to stream it: Paramount Plus (AU, UK, US)
In an era where sequels to 1970s classics like The Exorcist and The Omen are all but guaranteed on the release docket, it can be hard to tell what’s likely to rise above straight-to-video dirge. Luckily, Apartment 7a boasts a stellar cast and a creative team that’s poised to make this return to the world of demonic offspring worth the watch.
Natalie Erika James, who directed the superior Relic, is on scripting duties and behind the camera on this prequel to Rosemary’s Baby. Set in the very same building years earlier, the story follows Julia Garner’s character Terry, a dancer who befriends a couple in her building. Yes, it’s the Castevets, except this time they’re played by Dianne Wiest (!!) and Kevin McNally.
Oddity (2024)
When: September 27
Where to stream it: Shudder (AU, UK, US)
Following its premiere at South by Southwest in March, Oddity has emerged as one of the year’s most talked-about horror hits due to, well… how damn scary it is. If you’ve seen director Damian McCarthy’s seriously creepy debut Caveat, then that should come as no surprise. While we’ve no possessed bunny toys this time around, do we have something potentially worse?
The movie follows Darcy, played by Carolyn Bracken, a blind clairvoyant grieving the death of her sister who was brutally murdered. A year later she pays a visit to her late sister’s husband and his new partner, bringing with her a life-size wooden mannequin from her curio shop. Horrors abound and you might need a cushion or two to hide behind.
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