With Halloween now upon us, there are plenty of options for great horror franchises with endless sequels (some great and some not so great). In honour of spooky binging, check out some of our picks for the best films from the most iconic horror franchises.
The Halloween Series
Halloween (1978), Halloween (2007), H2: Halloween (2009)
The simplest way to pick between these three standout films in the seemingly never ending load of Michael Myers films is as follows: Are you a traditional horror fan? or are you willingly to go all out for the ultimate gore horrorshow. For those who are more into the latter, go for the one that started it all, but for those who want a unique horrifying retelling of the classic, go for Rob Zombie’s amazing take on story of Michael Myers. Both films provide a near perfect experience that is of course fitting for this spooky day.
Friday The 13th Collection
Friday The 13th (2009)
The original Friday the 13th films have aged…well, not too greatly. The same could be said for the 2009 reboot of the same name. However, what makes this film better than the original, is that (spoiler alert), Jason is actually in it. A staple of the tank top era of horror, this slasher flick is nevertheless a very fun time to be had with friends and a big bag of popcorn!
The Conjuring Universe
The Conjuring 2 (2016), Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
One of the best modern horror series’ is The Conjuring and its never-ending spinoffs. Although some are admittedly stinkers, the two best films of the series are easily The Conjuring 2 and Annabelle Comes Home. The former is truly terrifying thanks to a solid story, paired with eerie atmosphere and jump scares that combine to make it more than recommendable. Despite being the third in the franchise, the latter is a solid haunted house flick that works great as a group watch. Honestly, all the films in The Conjuring universe are recommendable (except for The Nun), but those two films are easily the standouts!
A Nightmare On Elm Street Series
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
Without a doubt, no film in the Nightmare on Elm Street series has come remotely close to the original. While this fact may not even be the fault of its sequels, this one is just too damn good! A staple of 80’s horror and horror in genre, this is easily the most recommendable watch on this entire list. It’s got great horror, characters and to top it all off, a young Johnny Depp. Don’t fall asleep!
The Purge Series
The Purge Anarchy (2014)
Another fun group of modern horror films are The Purge films. The Purge Anarchy, is easily the best to have come out of the series. This film has the most interesting story, expanding the yearly event all throughout the town rather than it’s smaller scale predecessor, mixed with genuine fear invoked from the viewer as these characters night’s seem to only get worse. For those inclined to binge any of these series, The Purge series is the best choice!
At the end of the day, no matter which film viewers choose, they are sure to get spooked. All of these choices are destined to provide some good entertainment for any socially-distanced Halloweens from home.
Happy Halloween!
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