Who said Halloween wasn’t a romantic holiday? Not only can you dress up in cute matching costumes with your SO, but you have someone who will cover your eyes and who you can grab on to during the gory scenes of scary movies. Horror films are one of the best ways to get your adrenaline pumping for a fun date during Halloween season, whether it’s with your long-term squeeze or a new cutie you’ve been seeing. While going for a walk to see the leaves changing is a nice way of hanging out, every couple needs a break from the typical fall dates—and what better way to break the lull than with popcorn and a blood-curdling thriller?
So kick off the spooky festivities by cuddling up with your man and watching one of these terrifying movies! Experts even say that engaging in thrilling activities with another person can make your bond stronger. We’ve ordered our movie selections from light-hearted frights to bone-chilling tales that will stick with you long after you’ve turned off the TV—it’s up to you how close you want to get with your guy this Halloween!
1. Warm Bodies
Can’t decide between a horror flick and a rom-com? Warm Bodies takes the best of both worlds by blending a grotesque cast with an irresistibly sweet plotline. In this paranormal Romeo and Juliet adaptation, a zombie boy falls for living girl in the midst of an apocalypse. As their love grows stronger, the boy begins showing more humanlike characteristics (we’ll spare you the beating heart joke), which shed a new light on the war between the living and the dead. So if you and your guy have opposite tastes on the movie spectrum, we’re sure you’ll both find something to love in this hilarious “horror” film. Plus, you can always have a playful argument about who will win the ultimate battle between zombies and humans!
2. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Another classic that takes place in a seemingly peaceful suburban setting, this movie will turn your pleasant dreams into sheer terror. When a murderer with a bladed glove begins haunting people in their sleep, a young girl must prove that a string of deaths are all related to one nighttime killer (before he slashes all of her friends!)
While the plotline will make you sleep with one eye open, keep in mind that this movie was made in the ‘80s. Lindsay Goldstein, a senior at the University of Illinois, says, “The special effects are SO outdated, and it's always great to make fun of how obvious the makeup and fake blood are and laugh together while snuggling up!”
3. Scream
Any installation of this classic thriller is sure to give you a case of goose bumps. The movie features a cast of horror movie mavens that uses their know-how to escape the attacks of a killer by the name of Ghostface (we wonder how long it took them to come up with that…). While the cast makes fun of the conventions in scary movies, they still find themselves falling for the very same tricks.
“I think it [has] just the right amount of scary… that you can talk through the movie and still know what’s going on,” says Asiana Smith, a senior at Le Moyne College. What would you and your guy do if Ghostface was pursuing you? Chat it up and make a game plan as you watch the main characters make not-so-smart decisions.
4. When a Stranger Calls
This 2006 remake of the 1979 film will have you think twice about taking that seemingly harmless part-time babysitting job. When a teenager babysits two children in a large home, she receives strange phone calls from an unidentified number. The police trace the call and tell the babysitter that the calls are coming from inside the house (we think that’s a creepy enough reason for you and your guy to silence your own phones—and that means more attention on each other!). The babysitter soon realizes that her real job description is to keep the kids—and herself—alive and far away from the mysterious caller.
Despite its disturbing premise, this movie can also be an unlikely conversation starter if you’re watching it with a guy you’re getting to know. “I always use this movie to my advantage because I can cuddle up with the guy and reference how much I babysit and love kids,” says Morgan Gibbons, a recent grad of Boston College and the publicity director for HC BC. “Guys usually like to hear that I care about kids… especially if they have younger siblings.”
5. The Cabin in the Woods
If you think all horror films end the same way, you need to watch this movie. The story begins with five adventurous friends who go on holiday in a remote cabin (what could possibly go wrong?). Little do they know that workers in an underground facility are monitoring their every move. By using drugs, the workers begin manipulating the group’s rational thoughts (like sticking together no matter what) to control their fates.
The action pokes fun at the ridiculous scenarios in most horror films and uses a unique approach to keep you guessing at every suspenseful pause. On top of the exciting plot, there are a few sultry scenes (like a tipsy game of truth or dare) that will set the mood for any scary movie date night—just make sure your date doesn’t get jealous when you’re staring at Chris Hemsworth more than him.
6. You’re Next
A family reunion goes awry in this movie when murderers wearing farm animal masks invade the family’s luxurious vacation home. However, the assailants are in for a surprise when one of the sons’ girlfriends has hidden survival skills that could save them all. The retreat turns into a bloody game of cat and mouse as relationships are tested and trust becomes one of the most deadly weapons. This movie is sure to give you an eerie feeling as you’re holding on to your guy, because the most dangerous villains are often closer than you think…(although we’re sure he’s great!)
7. The Conjuring
Set in the 1970s, this movie is about a family who moves into a farmhouse that was previously owned by an accused witch. If that wasn’t bad enough, it turns out the witch killed her own children and then committed suicide. The family starts hearing voices and seeks out the help of a husband and wife who specialize in paranormal investigations. The creepiness escalates, and the couple must perform an exorcism before the family is possessed and history repeats itself. This movie is not for the timid, so make sure you and your guy are ready for the eeriest scenes ever. If you need some motivation to make it through to the end, just know that Patrick Wilson gets a lot of screen time.
Take advantage of the spooky season and indulge your inner child; you can outgrow trick-or-treating, but scary movies are always age-appropriate. Your SO will appreciate the bold suggestion and be more than happy to protect you from those freaky villains (whether you’re really scared or not!).