Movies for post-Halloween terror, intrigue, amusement

As a college student I am far past the point of trick or treating on Halloween. At my age it would really just be creepy. So I am left with two options. I could either stay home and lamely pass out candy, or dust off my cat woman suit and hit the town in search of fun. I honestly would rather go with the former. As fun much as being cat woman sounds, I could do without a night of weird stares, not to mention scaling buildings is a bit much.  Therefore, I have come up with a brilliant solution of what to do in between the annoyance of answering the door bell—a horror movie marathon. A night filled with a mix of blood chilling fright, funnily crafted ‘horrors’ and everything sandwiched between makes for the perfect Halloween.
For anyone like me, an easily frightened scaredy- cat, it’s  best to start the evening off diving straight into the deep end of horror films, or what I prefer to call ‘the nightmare worthy.’ At the top of the list has got to be Paranormal Activity one and two. If these aren’t enough there is a third installment being released in theaters on October 21, 2011. Another excellent supernatural horror must-see would have to be The Shining with Jack Nicholson. It’s a startling plot based on the idea of ghost and their affect on the human mind. The next movie choice would be any one or all five of the Final Destinations. These films are fear provoking due to the use of everyday objects combined with seemingly harmless accidents that result in rather disturbing deaths.
Joey Chan’s favorite horror movie is Chainsaw Massacre. She says, “Most people go to see the gore.” Chan watches for “the underlying story, and also partially the gore.”
If those aren’t enough, The Omen, filmed in 1976, is a chilling movie about the child version of the Antichrist. These films aren’t the nightmare list because of their blood and gore, but rather due to the way they play with the mind even after a few years have passed. It stays with the viewer. The audience is left with a sense of paranoia, and every time a floorboard creaks or a tree rustles, it will bring the viewer’s mind right back to this type of movie.
After summoning nightmares, it is best to cool the evening off by slipping into some of the best sociological thrillers in the history of movies. Start off with The Roommate. This film is the worst thing to watch before coming to college.
Alyssa Alphabet admitted that she like the thriller The Craft, a wild movie about a coven of witches.  Alphabet said she “thought it was good, because (she) just likes crazy movies.”
Another great thriller is Black Swan. This chilling movie fills the viewer with a mix of horror and fascination due to its beautifully twisted plot.
If you are looking for a good old-fashioned classic, Sixth Sense is a brilliant movie that centers on a young boy with a unique gift.
The last thriller that must be mentioned is The Exorcist. Although it was made in 1973, this movie is eerie in its own respect. It poses the idea of a force beyond human control.
Thrillers are horror movies in their own respect. They amuse themselves by entering the viewer’s mind, frolicking about within it. Unlike the ‘nightmare worthy’ movies they are always present, and will always affect the viewer’s actions.
The best movies to watch for a true scardey-cat are the older movies. One of the best is Dracula, made in 1931. This classic vampire movie is beautifully done and not as fear-provoking as other horrors.
The Haunting, filmed in 1963, is a spine-chilling tale of a ghost ridden house and its captives. The original Halloween, made in 1978, is a frigid movie surrounding the escape of a psychotic murderer who decides to give his childhood town a gruesome visit. The last of the frightening older movies has to be the 1986 film, Children of the Corn, a frightening motion picture about a cult of children taking over a town. The older movies are less frightening and more artistic in their creation, due in large part to the lack of good graphics available.
Now for the part of the evening the fearful have been waiting for: the cheesier and less terrifying films.
Jennifer’s Body has got to be at the top of the list, because it is overdone and leaves the audience rolling in laughter rather than cowering in fear. Prom Night was another movie that tried too hard to be a horror, falling short instead with a predictable plot and bad acting. The last film to fall under this cheese filled category would be the original Scream along with all three of its sequels.  Cheesy movies are renowned for their ability to fail at insisting any type of fear into the audience, therefore a perfect way to unwind after a tense horror movie filled evening.
The final movies to be added to this extensive marathon are funny ‘horrors’ such as all four Scary Movies. The Scary Movies are funny because all the cliché things that happen in them can also be found in actual horror movies. The British film, Shaun of the Dead, is a wonderfully funny film surrounding the idea of a zombie infested town. The last must-see movie is Zombieland, made in 2009. It is another comedic zombie film, just funny enough to end the night or morning on a good note.
The best way to spend Halloween is snuggled under the covers, sneaking trick or treat candies and laughing or cringing at some horror film.
If the idea is to really strike fear, it’s best to go with something that will give you nightmares. Alyssa Alphabet admits, “Snakes give me nightmares.” Because of this, she watches films like Anaconda. So find your fear, just don’t be too surprised if it ends up in your dreams.