By
March 10, 2020
Just in for Halloween … The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix)
There’s nothing like a slow-burning, intensely chilling ghost story to send shivers up your spine on Halloween. And you won’t find better than The Haunting of Hill House, which is new to Netflix with season one just in time for the trick or treating. Based on the Shirley Jackson novel of the same name (which is regarded as one of the best ghost stories ever written), this haunted house tale is not for the faint-hearted. It follows siblings, Steve Crane (Michiel Huisman) and his two sisters (Elizabeth Reaser and Kate Siegel) as they journey to hell (the family home) to face their past.
Lighter side of dark … Stranger Things (Netflix)
If you haven’t watched Stranger Things (Netflix) now is the time to make the leap into the Upside-Down. A wonderful cast of unheralded actors (including Winona Ryder) drive the story of a missing boy (trapped in a parallel universe), a girl with superhuman powers, dodgy government agents and a frightening creature from another dimension. It’s perfect escapism. A spooky cross between the X-Files, Stand By Me and Supergirl, it’s delightful, amusing and just scary enough.
Scary-smart: Get Out (Neon)
You’d think it’s almost impossible to make a horror movie that tackles race issues in a darkly humorous vein but that’s why Get Out (Neon) was one of the most highly-rated films of last year. This low budget sleeper started on the festival circuit but quickly became a talking point. It garnered four Academy Award nominations, including for best picture. It’s very scary but funny and thought-provoking too.
The King of Horror: Castle Rock (Lightbox)
New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey stars in Castle Rock (Lightbox), a series created by Stephen King which brings together many of the themes of his previous works. Because it pulls on disparate threads from King’s portfolio it can feel piecemeal, stitching together fantasy, supernatural, slasher, horror and science fiction genres. But it comes together with a brilliant crescendo that will have you discussing it with friends long after the last credits.
Classic: Rosemary’s Baby (Amazon Prime)
sometimes you can’t beat the classics Rosemary’s Baby (Amazon Prime) is probably ranked second only to Psycho on the list of all-time best horror movies.
Gothic: Castlevania (Netflix)
Blood, gore and gruesome battles aren’t everyone’s cup of blood but if you come like the bash-and-slash style of horror then pay a visit to Castlevania (Netflix). Based on the Nintendo game of the same name, this is a Dracula-focused animated series is in the Japanese anime style but definitely adults only.
Afraid of the dark?: The Good Place (Netflix)
When you just want to laugh and not scream, go to The Good Place (Netflix), starring Kristin Bell. One of the funniest, smartest shows to come out in the past couple of years, this laugh out loud visit to the afterlife will give you all the Halloween vibes without the nightmares. If you want a funny-dark movie rather than a series look no further than New Zealand’s own What We Do In The Shadows (Netflix).
For the trick or treaters: Hotel Transylvania 2 (Netflix)
If the young ones also want to get into the Halloween theme, a safe option is Hotel Transylvania 2 (Netflix). It’s a classic flip on the horror genre in which the collection of wimpy monsters are scared of humans. It’s good for the younger ones and is easily digestible for the adults too.
Netflix and Chills …
The folk at Netflix get it and have a “Halloween” tab in their menu plus a Netflix and Chills trailer of the best horror and fantasy movies on the site.
Tips on how to watch
Your ultimate setup for streaming the content you love looks like this:
fibre broadband + unlimited data + a Smart TV plugged into your modem.
There are heaps of ways to watch Netflix, Lightbox and other streaming services. The easiest is through an app on your Smart TV but you can also stream shows through your laptop or PC. However you watch, it’s best to make sure your devices are using the best broadband connection so you don’t get the dreaded mid-episode pause while your device “buffers”.
Get advice from Chorus on how to set-up streaming at home and tips on getting the most out of your broadband connection.