The best horror movies playing at Twin Cities theaters, plus scary flicks to watch at home

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The best horror movies playing at Twin Cities theaters, plus scary flicks to watch at home

One of the best ways to celebrate Halloween? Terrify yourself with some good old-fashioned scary movies (the other best way is to buy a bunch of candy and then “accidentally forget” to hand out one of the bags.) If you’re up for the terror, there are some great theaters around town playing classic horror films. Or, if you’d rather not have the embarrassment of running scared out of a theater halfway through a movie, you can watch from the comfort of your home – a.k.a hiding under your blanket – with one of the top 10 best nail-biting horror movies according to Rotten Tomatoes critics.

Horror Movies In Theaters

The Innocence of Children Series at Trylon Theater

In this eight-film series, the Trylon has dug up films spanning over four decades and three continents to bring us the most terrifying films that suggest children may not be oh-so-innocent but in fact, will be the death of us. These creepy kid-themed horror movies will definitely make you want to leave the lights on at night.

There’s two movies left in the series beginning with The Omen which will start screening on Sunday, October 28 and Hausu, a Japanese cult horror film that will screen Wednesday, October 31.

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

Nosferatu still holds the test of time since its debut in 1922 and remains an unsettling and macabre horror film. The Music Box Theatre is going back to its roots when it first opened in 1920 as a silent film venue and will screen this original vampire flick accompanied live by The Curse of the Vampire Orchestra which will undoubtedly make Nosferatu even more viscerally creepy. This is no Twilight movie.

The film screening is on Friday, October 26 with showtimes at either 7pm or 9:30pm. Ticket prices are ‘pay what you can’ and they will also take donations of food and winter clothing for local shelters.

Twin Cities Horror Festival – The Horror Show Hot Dog Short Film Festival

The Southern Theater continues its onslaught of horror hosting the 7th annual Twin Cities Horror Festival. While you can come for truly terrifying live performances, which I highly recommend, the festival is also presenting The Horror Show Hot Dog Short Film Festival which is compiled of short horror films from 12 different countries and spanning the entirety of horror subgenres from black comedy and thriller to psychological and animation.

Their website says it best, “These shorts cut terror to the bone, delivering bite-size versions of horror movie scares.” So… the good news is the terror will only last a short time. Screenings begin on Friday, October 26 at 11:30pm and run through Sunday, November 4.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Uptown Theatre

This show is always so much fun. Transvestite Soup is the shadow cast for the Rocky Horror Picture Show, acting out the film as the movie plays behind them on screen. The show is interactive where you as the audience will shout at the screen, throw props, and so much more. Props are available for purchase or you can bring your own by consulting the approved list provided on their website. You’re also encouraged to dress up in whatever you’d like – your favorite Rocky Horror character, gothed out, drag, or no costume at all.

The show begins at midnight on Saturday, October 27. Get ready for a memorable night.

Horror Movies At Home (under the safety of blankets)

Rotten Tomatoes usually knows what they’re doing. They have recently compiled a list of “The Best Horror Movies of All Time”. While you may not agree with all of their choices, it’s a great jumping off point so you’ll be able to pick the perfect flick to get you properly scared for the spookiest night of the year.  

10. The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Critics Consensus: Featuring Robert Mitchum’s formidable performance as a child-hunting preacher, The Night of the Hunter is a disturbing look at good and evil.

9. Alien (1979)

Critics Consensus: A modern classic, Alien blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.

8. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Critics Consensus: An eccentric, campy, technically impressive, and frightening picture, James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein has aged remarkably well.

7. Repulsion (1965)

Critics Consensus: Roman Polanski’s first English film follows a schizophrenic woman’s descent into madness, and makes the audience feel as claustrophobic as the character.

6. Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror (1922)

Critics Consensus: One of the silent era’s most influential masterpieces, Nosferatu’s eerie, gothic feel — and a chilling performance from Max Schreck as the vampire — set the template for the horror films that followed.

5. King Kong (1933)

Critics Consensus: King Kong explores the soul of a monster — making audiences scream and cry throughout the film — in large part due to Kong’s breakthrough special effects.

4. Psycho (1960)

Critics Consensus: Infamous for its shower scene, but immortal for its contribution to the horror genre. Because Psycho was filmed with tact, grace, and art, Hitchcock didn’t just create modern horror, he validated it.

3. A Quiet Place (2018)

Critics Consensus: A Quiet Place artfully plays on elemental fears with a ruthlessly intelligent creature feature that’s as original as it is scary — and establishes director John Krasinski as a rising talent.

2. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Critics Consensus: Arguably the first true horror film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari set a brilliantly high bar for the genre — and remains terrifying nearly a century after it first stalked the screen.

1. Get Out (2017)

Critics Consensus: Funny, scary, and thought-provoking, Get Out seamlessly weaves its trenchant social critiques into a brilliantly effective and entertaining horror/comedy thrill ride.

Happy Halloween!

Read this next: Experience a new kind of fear at the 2018 Twin Cities Horror Festival