Spooky Sarah’s Shudder Picks That Every Horror Fan Needs to See!

It has been a hot minute since I’ve written any reviews! However, I’m back and currently am in the midst of hosting my 100 Horror Movies in 92 Days Challenge! One of the questions I’ve been asked is where I find movies I haven’t seen, so I thought it would be fun to do a series of posts on movies I like from each of the major streaming platforms! First up is Shudder!

For those of you who aren’t aware, “Shudder has the largest human-curated selection of high-quality, spine-tingling, and provocative films, TV series, and originals– there’s always something new and unexpected for Shudder members to explore.” I’ve been a Shudder subscriber for years and it never disappoints. Between their original movies, curated lists, shows, and more, it is a streaming service we never turn off. It stands to reason then, that I would have some favorites to recommend.

Let’s get started.

  • Scare Package “In this riotous anthology, Chad Buckley is a lonely Horror aficionado, spending his days overseeing a struggling video store and arguing with his only customer, Sam. When an unsuspecting applicant arrives, Chad sets out to teach him the rules of Horror; weaving in and out of hilarious segments geared toward the ropes and tropes of terror.” This film is one I CONSTANTLY recommend to people. Not only is it hilarious and smart, but the folks who made it really are champions of horror and a great part of the community. Scare Package
  • Scare Me – “During a power outage, two strangers tell scary stories. The more Fred and Fanny commit to their tales, the more the stories come to life in the dark of a Catskills cabin. The horrors of reality manifest when Fred confronts his ultimate fear: Fanny may be the better storyteller.” This is another movie that I always suggest to people. It has great social commentary, Stephen King references, and an incredible cast. Josh Ruben really knocked it out of the park with this one.  Scare Me
  • Tigers Are Not Afraid – “A haunting horror fairytale set against the backdrop of Mexico’s devastating drug wars,​ Tigers Are Not Afraid follows a group of orphaned children armed with three magical wishes, running from the ghosts that haunt them and the cartel that murdered their parents.” Issa Lopez has created a fantastic film that is perfect for fans of Guillermo del Toro’s work. This film is a bit of a slow burn but the payoff is really good. This film also will hit you right in the feels, so have tissues ready throughout. Tigers Are Not Afraid
  • Tourist Trap – “Five friends are hunted by a creepy killer after stopping to visit a roadside museum in this slasher that counts Stephen King as one of its biggest fans. After car trouble, the gang goes to visit a creepy museum filled with eerie mannequins which may be alive.” Objectively, this isn’t the most amazing movie, BUT, it is a fun movie. Also, I will die on the hill that the House of Wax remake was actually more of a Tourist Trap remake. Fun fact: this aired during The Last Drive-In OG Marathon and you can still catch that episode if you want to hear Joe Bob’s commentary on the film! Tourist Trap
  • One Cut of the Dead – “While shooting a low-budget zombie film in an abandoned warehouse, the crew find themselves caught between actual zombies and a mad director who won’t stop rolling.” The less you know about this one, the better. What I can tell you is to stick with it and you’ll be glad you did! This one also has an episode of The Last Drive-In and Joe Bob has some great commentary for this one! One Cut of the Dead
  • Pumpkinhead[EDITORS NOTE: Sadly, since this post was created, Pumpkinhead is no longer on the service] “When teenagers inadvertently kill his only son, Ed Harley seeks the powers of a witch to bring him back to life, but when she tells Ed the child’s death is irreversible, his grief becomes vengeful rage! Ed and the witch invoke an evil demon known as “Pumpkinhead;” however, as the creature exacts revenge on the teens, Ed sees his link to the beast and knows that he must stop its deadly mission before he becomes one with the creature forever!” Pumpkinhead is one of my favorite 80s horror movies and doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Lance Henriksen is fantastic in his role as well. Pumpkinhead
  • Vicious Fun – “Joel, a caustic 1980s film critic for a national horror magazine, finds himself unwittingly trapped in a self-help group for serial killers. With no other choice, Joel attempts to blend in with his homicidal surroundings or risk becoming the next victim.” I caught this one during Panic Fest and had a total blast with it! I am so happy it found a home on Shudder. Those who know me well will understand why Hideo was my favorite killer! Vicious Fun
  • City of the Dead – “In this atmospheric classic, a professor (horror icon Christopher Lee) sends a student to Whitewood, Massachusetts, the site of 17th century witch burnings. Once there, she learns the satanic secrets that live on.” This movie came to my attention last year when I did my 100 Horror Movie challenge for the first time. My friend Liz recommended it to me and in a rare instance where we agree on a film, I fell in love with this one. It is the perfect movie for spooky season! The City of the Dead
  • The Mortuary Collection “In the phantasmagorical town of Raven’s End, nothing is as it seems… A misguided young girl takes refuge in a decrepit old mortuary. There she meets Montgomery Dark, an eccentric undertaker with more than a few skeletons in his closet. Montgomery chronicles the strange history of the town through a series of twisted tales, each more terrifying than the last, but the young girl’s world is unhinged when she discovers that the final story… is her own.” As someone who really enjoys anthology horror, this one really hit for me. Not only are the individual stories good, but the wraparound is actually fully fleshed out and doesn’t feel like an afterthought! The Mortuary Collection
  • WNUF Halloween Special“In 1987, a TV news team tried to contact spirits in a haunted house. But something went wrong. Three decades later, the recording of this spooky special has finally surfaced and viewers can now see what really went on that fateful night – complete with commercials! Think GRINDHOUSE meets PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and you’ll know what to expect from this hilarious parody of found footage horror.” Found footage is totally my jam, so this one is right up my alley! It’s a lot of fun and reminiscent of Ghostwatch which is getting harder and harder to find. WNUF I hope this list helps you find something fun to watch that you’ve never seen! For those of you on Letterboxd, you can find the list of films here to add them to your watchlist! If you are still on the fence about joining Shudder, use code SPOOKYSARAH to get 2 weeks for free! This only lasts through Halloween, so don’t miss out! Also, if you want to hear more about some of these films, check out the podcast I co-host, Final Girls Feast! We have episodes for Scare Package, Scare Me, and will have one in October for The Mortuary Collection. Let me know in the comments below which streaming service you’d like recommendations for next! 

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