FILM ANNALYSIS: Five scary movies to watch on Netflix this Halloween

Anna Bowman is a senior English and telecommunications major and writes 'Film Annalysis' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. Write to Anna at aabowman@bsu.edu.

Anna Bowman

There are five types of scary movies:

1. The campy and ironic B-movie

2. The nuanced and understated thriller

3. The groundbreaking and timeless staple

4. The blood and gore monstrosity

5. The childhood classic

Here is the best in show for each category on Netflix:

1. “The Ouija Experiment” (2011)

Runtime: 92 min.

Rating: Not rated

Watch trailer

A movie to watch with heaps of junk food and piles of blankets—you wouldn’t guess by the opening scene that this movie could be anything but poorly made, but you would be wrong. No, the production value doesn’t improve as the film continues, but that doesn’t matter when you’re constantly checking behind you, half-expecting the ghost of a killer to be waiting with a knife. The most interesting part of “The Ouija Experiment” is the way the story develops with the ghosts the characters begin to contact. It’s about the only part that’s really thought out. If you’re into the campy thing, you’ll love the acting, too. Plus, each player in this comedy of errors is so unforgivably stupid, it makes you question everything in your life that led you to this movie.

2. “Stonehearst Asylum” (2014)

Runtime: 112 min.

Rating: PG-13

Watch trailer

Based on one of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories, “Eliza Graves,” this scary thriller stars Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess and Kate Beckinsale—could we ever ask for more? We don’t have to, because Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson) and Ben Kingsley’s son in real life, Edmund Kingsley, also grace us with their presence. Are you pumped yet? If not, here’s the premise: It’s 1899 and a change of staff has occurred at Stonehearst Asylum, sending the entire system into a tailspin. Also, romance ensues with the characters played by Beckinsale and Sturgess. Crazy people, intrigue and a love story… “Stonehearst Asylum” has all the ingredients of a top-notch pick this Halloween.

3. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920)

Runtime: 67 min.

Rating: Not rated

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The hipster of horror films, this movie was made before “horror” was even a genre. Directed by German post-impressionist Robert Wiene, who also directed the esteemed “Nosferatu,” “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” may be short in length, but it requires your full attention, and not just because of the subtitles. This piece of art starts with a love triangle and ends with a man framed for murder, with a somnambulist sideshow thrown in too. Perfect for watching with that jerk in your group who always tries to predict the ending, it will be sure to throw him/her for a loop.

4. “The Human Centipede” (2009)

Runtime: 92 min.

Rating: R

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You’ve doubtless heard of this movie before, maybe in a conversation about the worst movie of all time, but I thought I would offer it up for those who can stomach it. It’s an… interesting concept, to say the least. For the few of you who know nothing about this sadistic movie and can’t guess from the title, try to keep it that way for as long as possible, because once you know, there’s no going back. It’s got all the basics of a gore movie, from the dumb, two-dimensional girls to the constant, gruesome fights for survival. I hate this movie so much, but if you want carnage, “The Human Centipede” has buckets of it—and you’ll need a bucket before it’s over. Although it may give you nightmares for weeks, it might be worth a watch, if only to see what all the fuss is about. 

5. “The Addams Family” (1991)

Runtime: 99 min.

Rating: PG-13

Watch trailer

Yes, the “scary” movie you stuck in the VCR so many times during your youth has finally reached the digital age! I don’t think I need to describe this childhood staple to you, so I’ll just provide some fun facts about it instead. For one thing, it was the first movie Barry Sonnenfeld ever directed. He later went on to direct the “Men In Black” trilogy and the TV series, “Pushing Daisies.” Who would have thought? Plus, before he was a director, he was a cinematographer for the Coen Brothers, working on “Blood Simple,” “Raising Arizona” and “Miller’s Crossing.” If that isn’t enough, Cher was originally thought of for the character of Morticia, and Tim Burton was set to direct. If you decide on this movie for Halloween, you’ll be sure to look at it in a totally different way.

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