The end of August means that summer is wrapping up and fall is right around the corner. The arrival of autumn means that spooky season has arrived, and it’s an ideal time to get back to watching horror movies. There is just something about watching horror films around this time of the year that feels so special. Streaming services have plenty of tremendous horror movies available for everyone to check out, yet the platforms are always adding and removing projects as time goes on. Several strong films in the genre are set to hit various streaming services in September and October, yet if you want a jump start on spooky season, there are some excellent horror movies that you need to see before they leave their respective platforms. The end of August and beginning of September mark the departure of some great films, and this is your last chance to see them beforehand.
Whether it’s a renowned sequel to a long-running franchise, a standalone horror movie that has become a cult classic, or an underrated hidden gem of sorts, these projects deserve to be seen. Now is the best time to do it before they become much harder to find.
Heretic (2024) is another in a long line of impressive horror movies from A24. It’s one of those films that works so well because of its small scale. It tells an intimate and tense story that makes sure the viewer is uncomfortable throughout. Heretic centers on two Mormon missionaries who visit the home of a man for religious purposes, only to learn that he has much darker intentions. Hugh Grant is terrifying as the man, earning a Golden Globe nomination, and you never quite know when he could snap.
Modern “final girl” Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East also deliver strong performances alongside Grant as pretty much the only people you see on screen. It’s much better to go into this movie blind because Heretic has a handful of surprises for you. As the story unravels, it gets scarier, especially once the girls venture into the basement. Check out Heretic before it leaves HBO Max on September 6th.
For the most part, the Alien franchise is cemented in the sci-fi genre, yet its roots lie in horror. The 1979 original is a terrifying film that uses its atmosphere to tell a chilling tale. Later sequels moved away from that, yet Prometheus (2012) found its way back to those roots. The film features the kind of body horror that stood out in the original Alien, yet does so in a more grotesque manner. The C-section sequence is one of the most haunting and difficult-to-watch scenes in the entire franchise.
Prometheus also has a sense of dread throughout, as you realize how harrowing things are for humanity. The barren setting on the Moon where the prequel’s story takes place also gives everything an eerie feeling. It makes for an unsettling viewing experience. Alien: Romulus is another entry in the franchise that leans into horror and is worth a watch. Prometheus leaves HBO Max on August 31st.
Upon its release in 2009, Jennifer’s Body became a box office flop and was poorly received by critics. A big part of that was due to the film’s poor marketing focusing on star Megan Fox’s status as a sex symbol over everything else. Time has been kind to Jennifer’s Body, which has become a cult classic and has been reevaluated as a great feminist movie. It centers on the titular Jennifer, who becomes possessed after a band kills and sacrifices her for fame. She returns and targets her male classmates.
The demonic possession, body horror, and killing spree are classic elements of the genre, yet Jennifer’s Body also has a fair bit of comedy that keeps it from being too scary. It helps that Fox does the best work of her career alongside Amanda Seyfried and that it was penned by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody. Jennifer’s Body is getting a sequel, so there’s even more reason to watch it before it gets removed from Netflix on August 31st.
