Some horror movies feel like autumn. Dead leaves, chilly air, and that creeping feeling that something wicked is waiting just around the corner. These are the films I come back to every fall for one reason or another.

1. Thanksgiving — Eli Roth really leaned into camp here, which keeps that mean streak he’s known for in check. The trampoline kill? One of my favorite slasher deaths in years. It’s inventive, perfectly edited, and such a throwback to 80s slashers. This isn’t a “sit and study every frame” movie, it’s a background slasher. I like to throw it on while cooking Thanksgiving dinner, dip in and out, and then get pulled right back in when the next kill happens.
2. Ginger Snaps — Sisterhood, puberty, werewolves—this movie has it all. It’s one of those films that’s better with friends because there are so many moments to laugh about and dissect afterwards. The fall atmosphere is everything: chilly streets, sweaters, the sense of change in the air. I love how it ties puberty to the season without ever feeling forced. This is a Friday night blanket-and-hot-drink kind of movie.
3. Halloween — Tradition. Pure tradition. Every October I watch this while I’m putting up decorations, and then I give it a proper movie night too because it deserves the full attention. Even though it was filmed in South Pasadena pretending to be Illinois, it still feels so autumnal. The pumpkins, trick-or-treaters, Jamie Lee Curtis in all her sweaters; it’s the definition of fall. Honestly, I revisit this one multiple times a year because why wouldn’t you?
4. Trick ’r Treat — This anthology is basically a love letter to Halloween itself. I could never really pick a favorite segment. The werewolf reveal is feminist, surprising, and a blast. The pumpkin carving story is gross and funny in the best way. And Sam has earned icon status. Equal parts charming and menacing, he’s become the face of Halloween horror for a reason. I always save this one for pumpkin carving — it’s a tradition at this point.
5. Tales of Halloween — This one’s messy, uneven, and absolutely beloved in my house. Lucky McKee has a segment (which makes my nerdy horror heart happy), and like all anthologies, some stories land harder than others. That’s the point though. It’s the kind of movie you can half-watch while handing out candy or getting ready to go out. The chaos of it — the mix of tones and moods — just feels like Halloween night in one package.