What is more perfect than enjoying the spooky season with a scary film? This tradition has been going on for decades and there are over thousands of scary movies and films to choose from – but what are the best ones?

Kunal Kumar (‘25) says that the best horror movies are The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016), in which paranormal investigators come to examine the odd events occurring in a family’s new home. He states that he enjoys “the eerie waiting…[and the] sense of approach, suspense” that the movies have. Many popular horror movies are centered around a terrifying killer stalking the streets, but Kumar adds that he doesn’t care for “bland movie[s] where there’s just like, a killer, who stabs a person who goes on the ground and dies.” Following the themes of the supernatural and of demonic possession, Ms. Bryan, an English teacher here at Bothell, states that The Exorcist (1973) is one of “the best classic horror movie[s].” In The Exorcist, a worried mother seeks help from a priest to save her seemingly possessed daughter. What do the upperclassmen have to say? Julia Radvick (‘24) explains that the perfect spooky season film is “funny, not scary – but thrilling.” She also explains that IT (2017) is her favorite horror movie of all time and it has the best “plotline and jump scares.”

But what do people outside of BHS have to say? Similarly to Ms. Bryan, the writers at Paste place The Exorcist at the top of their list of “The 100 Best Horror Movies of All Time” this year, expressing that “The film radiates an aura of dread—it feels somehow unclean and tilted, even before all of the possession scenes begin” and there just isn’t any other movie “more influential or just plain scarier.” The Shining (1980) and Alien (1979) follow in their rankings, in second and third place respectively. The popular movie ranking site Rotten Tomatoes credits Sissy (2022) as the best horror film; they explain that “Sissy weaves timely themes into its rich blend of horror and dark humor, topped off by terrific work from a talented cast led by Aisha Dee.”

From The Conjuring to IT, there is a vast amount of horror movies to enjoy, and Bothell knows the best of them. If you’re a horror-movie fan, or just want to try something new, make sure you check out these top picks to enjoy the spooky season to the fullest.