Since this is our Halloween issue, I wanted to kick off this new column with something that fit the coffin. Netflix is not short on horror, especially as the holiday creeps up on us. Some of the most thrilling series shows on Netflix include American Horror Story, Bates Motel and Dexter, all of which are amazing. My aim, though, is to find the movies and shows buried deep within, movies you may not have heard of or movies you saw so long ago that they are just a faded memory where you kind of remember the plot. So grab some candy corn and a pumpkin beer and get into some comfy flannel pants – it’s going to be a long night.

Hemlock Grove is worth a look. This Netflix original series has a decent story line, but what sets it apart is the stunning visual. You do need a strong stomach for the more gory and bloody scenes, but the production team really spared no expense in making this look good. A small town in Pennsylvania is riddled with sudden murderous crimes. You have psychics and psychiatrists and werewolves, among other things. Like any good game of Clue, you are guessing who is to blame while watching the characters struggle to maintain their own secrets. I found it rather binge-worthy.

Of course, you have to watch The Shining, The Exorcist and other well-known classic horror movies at this time of year, but for something off the beaten path, I am suggesting you click on The Prophecy (1995). It isn’t brutally scary and gory – it’s a religion thriller. It stars Christopher Walken, who was really kind of born to play a villain role (in this case, one really pissed off angel), and Viggo Mortenson (pre-LOTR) as the devil. That doesn’t sound like it would work, I know, but it really does.

Another more recent pick is Oculus (2013). This movie freaked me out. It is about an evil mirror, which on the surface sounds kind of silly, but with two timelines maintained throughout the movie – with the characters as both children and adults (slightly confusing, but intriguing) – there is a menacing flair to it that I appreciated. If you are looking to watch something that will have you jumping, this is a good one. If you are more a fan of the utterly ridiculous, but want to stay in the horror movie genre, there is actually a B (or really more like C) movie called Poultrygeist (2006). I am dead serious … chicken zombies. It puts Sharknado to shame.

By Jennifer Russo