Whether you love or hate Hallmark-peddled holiday movies, horror movie marathons and Valentine’s Day go together like wine and chocolate, making it the perfect way to celebrate the holiday. And to help you plan your celebration, these six horror films offer the ideal combination of horror and love.
Happy Death Day
A fantastic combination of horror, humor, and budding romance, Happy Death Day is everything you could want. The plot follows a college-aged sorority girl re-living the day of her murder in true Groundhog Day fashion. So really, you’re knocking out two February holidays in one film! If you loved the first one, the sequel is equally as entertaining, providing a much-needed backstory to the original. Win-win!
The Strangers
If you’re spending your V-Day alone and looking for something truly horrifying but devoid of monsters and other creepy crawlies, The Strangers is perfect for you. The story follows a couple in a cabin as deranged individuals stalk them, offering plenty of thrills and eerie moments that will definitely fill your scare quota. Plus, the film’s central relationship is ripping at the seams, so the risk of feeling lonely due to lovey-dovey storytelling is at an all-time low here. Yes, please!
Disturbia
An oldie but goodie, Disturbia is a modern remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, and it’s everything you could want for Valentine’s Day. Shia LaBeouf? Check. Plenty of humor? Check. Mystery, intrigue, and the right amount of jump scares? Check. Check. Check. The film’s light enough that horror novices will enjoy but just dark enough that even the most avid horror fan will be glued to the screen the whole way through.
The Crazies
Zombie films are essential horror genres, and yet, so few offer the same romantic storytelling as The Crazies. It’s not The Notebook, but it does provide Valentine’s Day watchers that slight romantic element they may be looking for with the addition of zombies, of course. Watching this film during a pandemic may be a little too realistic but still captivating.
Jennifer’s Body
This self-aware, female-empowering horror film is exactly what your Valentine’s Day streaming list requires. Not only is Megan Fox at her best, but the story of female sexuality is also designed with Valentine’s Day in mind. Just note before watching this film that it may have been marketed as a scary movie, but it’s much more a commentary on society and the way we view female sexuality. A feminist horror film, if there ever was one!
Get Out
Lastly, what kind of horror film list would this be if Get Out was omitted? Jordan Peele’s film debut will forever be one of the greatest of all time, but that’s not the only reason your viewing party should include it. Get Out attacks a facet of the dating world so often ignored in cinema: race. And granted, the horrific events of the film are exaggerated, but they so eloquently mirror the truth in our society that it’s more pertinent than ever. With more psychological scares than anything else, even the biggest scaredy-cat in your group will enjoy this one.