Smile

Normally we associate smiles with joy, with laughter, and with fond memories. However in Smile, directed by Parker Finn, this idea is turned upside down. Dr. Rose Cotter, a trauma therapist begins to be haunted by demented faces that appear on the people around her after a disturbing visit with a patient. Beware: this thriller horror might keep you up at night and cause you to start seeing creepy smiling faces in your day to day. 

Poltergeist

This classic movie directed by Steven Spielberg was released in 1982 and follows a suburban family in California that is being haunted by a paranormal presence. Ghosts start convening on the family’s television and while initially friendly, they soon turn menacing and the youngest daughter, Carol Ann is abducted. In this film, the light represents the transition from Earth to the afterlife and characters must avoid it or risk never returning. Poltergeist is an essential watch for the spooky season that will leave you craving the darkness. 

Longlegs

This newly released A24 film begins with an unsettling opening scene when a car parks in front of a house in the middle of the woods. A mysterious figure with a creepy voice walks up to a child who appears to be home alone, however his face remains hidden from the camera. The story follows longlegs, a serial killer who targets families with 9 year old girls. Set in Oregon in the 1990s the filming locations feel eerily similar to Seattle. Instead of relying on jumpscares to entertain the audience, cinematographer Andrés Arochi skillfully draws out long scenes with uneasy open spaces to keep the viewers on their feet.