The key facts

  • The selection is divided into five levels: comedic horror, mysticism without gore, psychological thrillers, horror for a group, and family films
  • The selection is divided into five levels: comedy horror films, mysticism without blood, psychological thrillers, horror films for a group, and family cinema
  • Among the recommendations are What We Do in the Shadows, The Others, The Shining, Scream, Coraline, and the Soviet Vij
  • Among the recommendations are 'What We Do in the Shadows', 'The Others', 'The Shining', 'Scream', 'Coraline' and the Soviet 'Viy'
  • The outlet advises choosing films based on the mood of the group rather than ratings

A selection for every level of bravery

Ahead of Halloween 2026 Life.ru has put together a selection of horror films, designed for different audiences: from those who cannot stand jump scares to fans of bloody scenes. The outlet divided its recommendations into five categories — comedic horror, mysticism without gore, psychological thrillers, horror for a rowdy group, and family films. As Life.ru notes, scary movies come in many varieties: there are horror films you can laugh at, mysticism with almost no blood, and quiet thrillers without a single jump scare.

From comedies to psychological thrillers

The mildest category is comedic horror, which the outlet recommends watching early in the evening while guests are still arriving. It includes What We Do in the Shadows (2014) by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), a return to the cult comedy 36 years later, and Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead (2004). For those who want a light chill down the spine, there is a mysticism selection: The Others (2001) by Alejandro Amenábar starring Nicole Kidman, M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense (1999), and the 1967 Vij — the first Soviet horror film, based on Gogol's novella, starring Leonid Kuravlyov and Natalya Varley.

For the brave and for the whole family

The psychological thriller section features Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby (1968), Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980), and Jordan Peele's Get Out (2017), which earned the director an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. For a rowdy group, the outlet recommends Wes Craven's Scream (1996), The Cabin in the Woods (2011), and the fresh sixth installment of the franchise — Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025), warning that it contains plenty of bloody scenes and that squeamish viewers should pick something else. For family viewing, the picks are Coraline (2009), The Addams Family (1991) with a young Christina Ricci as Wednesday, and the Disney comedy Hocus Pocus (1993) starring Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker. The main principle of choice, in the outlet's words, is simple: no one should watch something they genuinely find unpleasant.

What We Do in the Shadows: a comedic horror for Halloween. Photo © Still from the film What We Do in the Shadows, directors Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, screenwriters Jemaine Clement, Taika WaititiBeetlejuice Beetlejuice: Tim Burton's horror comedy. Photo © Still from the film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, director Tim Burton, screenwriters Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson, Alfred Gough and othersShaun of the Dead: a British zombie comedy. Photo © Still from the film Shaun of the Dead, director Edgar Wright, screenwriters Simon Pegg, Edgar WrightThe Others with Nicole Kidman: mysticism without jump scares. Photo © Still from the film The Others, director Alejandro Amenábar, screenwriter Alejandro AmenábarThe Sixth Sense with Bruce Willis: mysticism without gore. Photo © Still from the film The Sixth Sense, director M. Night Shyamalan, screenwriter M. Night ShyamalanVij (1967): the first Soviet horror film. Photo © Still from the film Vij, directors Georgy Kropachyov, Konstantin Yershov, screenwriters Georgy Kropachyov, Alexander Ptushko, Konstantin Yershov and othersRosemary's Baby: a psychological thriller for Halloween. Photo © Still from the film Rosemary's Baby, director Roman Polanski, screenwriters Roman Polanski, Ira LevinKubrick's The Shining: a psychological horror for Halloween. Photo © Still from the film The Shining, director Stanley Kubrick, screenwriters Stanley Kubrick, Diane Johnson, Stephen KingJordan Peele's Get Out: a thriller with almost no jump scares. Photo © Still from the film Get Out, director Jordan Peele, screenwriter Jordan PeeleScream: a cult horror for a group. Photo © Still from the film Scream, director Wes Craven, screenwriter Kevin WilliamsonThe Cabin in the Woods: a horror parody for a group. Photo © Still from the film The Cabin in the Woods, director Drew Goddard, screenwriters Joss Whedon, Drew GoddardFinal Destination: Bloodlines: horror for the brave. Photo © Still from the film Final Destination: Bloodlines, directors Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein, screenwriters Guy Busick, Lori Evans Taylor, Jon Watts and others'Coraline': an animated film for Halloween. Photo © Still from the film 'Coraline', directed by Henry Selick, written by Henry Selick and Neil Gaiman'The Addams Family': a family film for Halloween. Photo © Still from the film 'The Addams Family', directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, written by Caroline Thompson, Larry Wilson and Charles Addams'Hocus Pocus': a family comedy about witches. Photo © Still from the film 'Hocus Pocus', directed by Kenny Ortega, written by Neil Cuthbert, David Kirschner and Mick GarrisWhat 'Back to the Future' got right about our present, and which technologies have yet to be created