Each year, Fresh Fear recommends 10 horror features—new, classic or rarely seen—available now on streaming to binge for Halloween! Here’s our October 2025 list:
Stigmatized Properties: Possession (2025)
Just when I thought J-horror was dead, I accidentally clicked on Stigmatized Properties: Possession now streaming on Amazon Prime — and it instantly shot to the top of my list as my favorite horror film of the year. Part omnibus and part playful parody of classic J-horror tropes, Stigmatized Properties: Possession is a sequel to the 2020 film Stigmatized Properties, which follows a young man who moves to Tokyo with dreams of becoming a TV host, only to end up starring in a web show where he lives in four “stigmatized,” or haunted, properties. The twist at the end completely won me over and made me appreciate just how cleverly the film was written and directed. It’s the perfect Halloween treat for anyone looking for an original, well-crafted horror movie.
Weapons (2025)
Weapons is by far my second favorite horror film of the year. It’s not only innovative within its genre but also a sharp parody of a Trumpian dystopia — a cathartic exploration of all the things we want to talk about in America but are too afraid to. It’s a distinctly American horror film. And guess who plays the Trump figure in the movie?
Companion (2025)
As both a horror film and a commentary on AI, Companion completely kicks M3GAN’s ass in 2025. It’s clever, twisty, and brilliantly parodies the ugliness of humanity, making us realize the problem is not with AI. The problem remains being human. I’d watch this any day over that other AI horror sequel.
The Ugly Step Sister (2025)
Not particularly scary, The Ugly Stepsister is probably the best horror adaptation of Cinderella, told from the perspective of the titular character. It cheekily deconstructs gender roles and the “mean sister” trope, all while unfolding as a beautifully crafted period extravaganza.
The Monkey (2025)
As you know, many Stephen King adaptations have gone awry, but The Monkey is an effective chiller built on a simple yet powerful concept — a Pandora’s box in the form of a creepy toy monkey.
Tenebrae (1982)
Dario Argento’s Tenebrae is a classic giallo-slasher that I love revisiting every Halloween. I still can’t get the late Daria Nicolodi’s screams out of my head since first seeing the film as a teenager!
Murder Party (2007)
This debut feature from Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Green Room) is a wickedly fun thriller about an ordinary guy who stumbles upon an invitation to a “Murder Party” while walking down the street on Halloween night. If you’re in the mood for something funny, irreverent, and deliciously evil, Murder Party is the perfect pick.
Lifeforce (1985)
Lifeforce remains one of the most fantastic and imaginative science-fiction horror films ever made. It was the second of three films the late Tobe Hooper directed for Cannon Pictures at the height of his career. I remember watching it in Tokyo, where it was released under the title Space Vampires—the theater was so packed I had to stand in the aisle for the entire screening.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
The most fascinating sequel in the Halloween franchise is also its least commercially successful. It’s the only installment that doesn’t feature Michael Myers, yet it has endured as a cult classic beloved by horror fans.
Stigmatized Properties (2020)
After seeing the sequel, I decided to track down the original Stigmatized Properties and ended up watching it as a user-uploaded copy somewhere online. While I was curious enough to finish it, the original Stigmatized Properties feels more episodic and less compelling than its sequel—which I absolutely loved. Still, if you’re curious, why not give it a try? Both films stand well on their own as one-off horror experiences.
#octoberlist
