The spooky season is officially upon us, friends. And what better way to celebrate the occasion than by inviting the family over and sitting down to a spooky movie? Or, if you’ve got the stomach, going it alone? We’ve already combed through Netflix’s entire library for some of the best horror thrills streaming this October, and now it’s Showmax’s turn.
Whether it’s Spielberg’s shark-filled masterpiece or Aja’s decidedly hilarious Crawl, Showmax has proven itself to be the home of spooky this October – as long as you’ve got the time to dig through its somewhat confusing catalogue before Halloween is over. We’ve done the hard work for you – compiling some of the favourite horror titles currently streaming on the service. Without any further ado, in no particular order, here are our picks:
The Conjuring (2013)
One of the most iconic horror films of the 21st Century is undoubtedly James Wan’s The Conjuring which not only reignited the genre’s lost spark but spawned an entire universe of films that, eleven years later, is still ongoing. Wan is only responsible for the titular entry point and its sequel, introducing the world to Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) – paranormal investigators who take on the job of ridding the Perron family from the supernatural (not to mention, satanic) entity plaguing their homes and lives. It’s blood-curdling terror done right – helped along by some excellent performances and cinematography to match.
Annabelle (2014)
Before The Conjuring, there was Annabelle. It may not have the prestige swirling around it that The Conjuring, uh, conjured up, but it sifts off enough of its sibling’s heat to craft an enjoyable horror flick that’s worth at least seeing once. When Annabelle first turns up at the home of John and Mia she’s an unassuming and distinctively non-evil feature in their lives. That… doesn’t last long. A satanic cult breaking in, conjuring the most wicked of spirits, and funnelling it into the creepiest of dolls will do that. Annabelle is not the most ambitious horror movie we’ve ever seen, but the performance of Annabelle Wallis (not the creepy doll) is enough to stick it on this list.
M3GAN (2022)
Now here’s a creepy doll horror flick that we can heap mounds of praise on. M3GAN was a surprise hit to both the audience and studio, garnering a well-deserved sequel set to release in 2025. M3GAN stars Violet McGraw from The Haunting of Hill House and it’s clear her horror chops are not under-utilised here. The same could be said for Amie Donald, whose uncanny ability to transform into the AI-powered M3gan at a moment’s notice makes M3GAN a must-see thriller. The plot is about as complicated as you’d expect. What? Enlisting a robotic AI caretaker to a young child wasn’t a good idea?
Crawl (2019)
Unlike the rest of the films on this list, Crawl is… a comedy. An excellent one at that, even if it wasn’t quite Alexandre Aja’s intention. The most terrifying aspect of Crawl is its excruciatingly simple (yet somehow, brilliant?) plot involving a woman (Kaya Scodelario) braving the elements of a category-five hurricane to save her father (Barry Pepper) trapped in his home – only to learn that alligators are crawling the scene. Despite the hilariously absurd premise, Aja injects a sense of tension that only a horde of ravenous alligators and a slowly flooding basement can supply. Fortunately, Crawl features both of those things in spades.
Get Out (2017)
When internet funnyman Jordan Peele announced his intent to delve into the world of film, debuting his writing and directing talents through the horror genre, we couldn’t help but roll our eyes. That was before we saw the subtle psychological horror that is Get Out and had our eyes fixed on the screen for the entire 1hr40m runtime. Daniel Kaluuya’s excellent portrayal of the main character visiting his Caucasian girlfriend’s family (we promise that’s important) for the weekend (before all sorts of horrific shenanigans take place) netted him a well-deserved nomination for Best Actor. It’s a modern-day classic that’ll inform generations of filmmakers to come.
Us (2019)
After the smash hit that was Get Out, we were wholly on board for Peele’s next feature film – Us. Our faith was not misplaced. What starts as a simple family vacation starring the brilliant Lupita Nyong’o and superb Winston Duke (one of our favourite Dark Knight voices, incidentally) quickly turns into one of the most introspective horror thrillers of all time when they meet their twisted doppelgängers. Actors acting as themselves presents massive technical and cinematic hurdles that Peele clears with ease, thanks in part to his decision to let Nyong’o take the driving seat for most of the film’s 1hr50m runtime.
Midsommar (2019)
When you think of A24 and horror, Hereditary inevitably jumps to mind, right? Well, too bad. Showmax doesn’t carry Toni Collette’s superb masterclass of acting, but it’s got the next best thing: Midsommar. Florence Pugh and director Ari Aster are anything but in this psychoanalytical thriller that takes place in a remote Swedish village where things quickly take a turn at the cultish annual Mid-summer festival. Unnerving smiles and too-bright set pieces lull audiences into a false sense of security before finally dropping the hammer on this definitively macabre film we maintain is Pugh’s best work yet.
Final Destination (2000)
Final Destination is certainly a product of its time. Hell, just look at its leading man – Devon Sawa – most famous for this and Eminem’s Stan music video. Final Destination, however, drags its audience through a somewhat predictable yet massively entertaining 2000s picture. The film follows Alex, who has a premonition of a plane crash and ultimately saves his friends. Death follows in the group’s wake as it attempts to collect the lives of those who previously outwitted it. We can’t promise it’ll provide the nail-biting vibes you’re looking for this spooky season, but bring along a couple of friends for the ride and Final Destination sets the Halloween mood perfectly.
Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg is known for many things, but Jaws is perhaps his most spectacular. That haunting theme from John Williams has become synonymous with the genre itself, and if that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about the cult classic that is Jaws, we’re not quite sure we’ll be able to convince you. We’ll try our best, anyway. Jaws follows a killer shark harassing a Long Island beach (by chomping down on children), prompting the alliance of the local sheriff (Roy Scheider), a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss), and a professional shark hunter (Robert Shaw) to clear out the issue. You can give subsequent Jaws films a skip. Trust us.
Saw X (2023)
It’s not quite saving the best for last, but Showmax is saving something for the special day. Saw X – set somewhere between the original classic and its not-as-good sequel – touches down on the streamer on 31 October. When it does eventually arrive, you’ll see the return of Jigsaw as he sends his victims through a series of increasingly terrifying traps. You know? A Saw movie? A Saw movie that reimagines itself, however, upping the scares and making for one of the more compelling entries in this long-standing franchise.