We Recommend: Favorite Scary Movies

If you prefer to spend your Halloween night on the couch with a bowl full of your favorite treats, rather than out party hopping, here are our favorite scary movies to keep the evening festive and creepy:

The Witches (1990) - This movie haunted our childhood.  The Roald Dahl book was scary on its own, but this film version made the witches terrifyingly real.  The painting at the beginning, that the witch traps the child into, is still nightmare inducing.

The Others (2001) - This Nicole Kidman vehicle is intensely creepy and worth watching again, even if you already know how it turns out.  The pale children who can't go in sunlight due to their skin condition, the mist and fog filled island, and the big old house are all classic horror done well.

Let the Right One In (2008) - The Swedish version of this vampire story is dark (literally, Scandinavia doesn't see much light mid-winter) and builds well on the mythology of vampires, while never feeling over the top or cheesy.

The Shining (1980) - This Jack Nicholson-starring horror movie, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, is a classic for a reason.  The hotel, the ghosts, the alcoholism, and the family strife are all disturbing in their own ways.

Ringu (1998) - The Japanese original (the US version, The Ring, is also pretty scary) has an austerity and a coldness that makes it especially unnerving, and guaranteed to stay with you for days - if not years.

Psycho (1960) - The classic Hitchcock horror movie, this film is high camp with a level of melodrama that makes it almost comedic.  Many film historians have now unearthed evidence that that's how the great director intended it to be viewed.