Weekend watchlist: 10 TV shows and movies to check out

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (Netflix): There is nothing like a classic ghost story to get you in the mood for All Hallow’s Eve. Shirley Jackson’s novel gets a delicious and downright terrifying outing in this Netflix adaptation. The story follows five siblings who grew up in a home that would one day go on to become the most famous haunted house in the US. Ghosts of past and present collide when a tragedy and the siblings are forced to confront their demons. Created by horror veteran Mike Flanagan, the limited series is just as viscerally haunting as it is stunningly fearsome. The gothic mansion that sets the premise for Hill House looms through the mist as a haunting entity in itself. Not for the faint of heart, watch the limited series only if you dare.

‘Midnight Mass’ (Netflix): Mike Flanagan returns with a different horror subgenre with ‘Midnight Mass’, proving to be another Netflix winner that haunts us with the dark depths of grief and the triumph of terror. A dying fishing village on a remote island gets a new lease on life when a mysterious priest arrives, performing miracles for those who follow a righteous path. As the folks gradually discover their faith, what they don’t realise is that it comes at a high price — giving up humanity itself. Flanagan’s series delves into the relationship between the supernatural and religion. And while it does toe the line of turning into a long-winded sermon, the pay-off does come in all it’s glory. Be patient.

‘Chucky’: In the TV adaptation of the tale of the famous bloodthirsty doll, a small, idyllic town is thrown into chaos when a seemingly inconspicuous child’s toy sets off a series of monstrous murders. As long-buried secrets find their way to the surface, the demonic doll won’t rest until it has been avenged. ‘Chucky’ is no ‘Annabelle’, but the deadly doll does serve scares and laughs aplenty to play with our minds without taking things too seriously.

‘Servant’ (Apple TV+): If you’re looking to be unsettled, you can’t go wrong with ‘Servant’, a dark and twisted psychological horror series produced by horror thespian M Night Shyamalan. The series follows a wealthy couple, Dorothy and Sean, undergoing transitory object therapy after suffering the tragic loss of their 13-week-old child, Jericho. They hire a nanny, Leanne shortly after Jericho’s passing to take care of the extremely lifelike baby doll that Dorothy has come to believe is Jericho. Sean swiftly becomes suspicious of the devoutly religious Leanne, who has no qualms about treating the baby doll as Jericho. Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free and ‘Harry Potter’ star Rupert Grint feature in the series.

‘Locke & Key’ (Netflix): Supernatural horror meets teen drama in the Netflix series ‘Locke & Key’, which just recently debuted its sophomore season. After Rendell Locke is murdered, his wife Nina decides to move with her three children, Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode, from Seattle to Massachusetts, and take residence in Rendell’s creepy old family home, Keyhouse. The children soon discover a number of mysterious keys throughout the house. But they also soon become aware of a demonic entity that is also searching for the keys for its own malevolent purposes.

‘The Cleveland Kidnappings’ (Starzplay): Based on a true story, this documentary tells the story of Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry who vanished months apart and mere blocks from each other in Cleveland, Ohio. While their families rally together, they have no way of knowing that the girls — plus a third victim — suffer inside a house of horrors with no escape.

‘Lore’ (Amazon Prime Video): This unique horror anthology television series is based on the popular podcast of the same name by Aaron Mahnke. The series delves into real-life stories that have plagued our consciousness, and their strange origins. The makers have used documentary footage, animation and cinematic scenes to recount these stories to dramatic effect. While this might not be typical freaky fare, it’s still an interesting way to learn about the things that have given us the heebie-jeebies and made us look under the bed to be safe.

‘#Alive’ (Netflix): Ghosts and monsters are so passe. This Halloween, get into zombie mode. This modern story about the undead is set in South Korea and tells the story of a video game live streamer who is stuck at home as a zombie apocalypse breaks out outside. He has to figure out a way to survive even as the living dead are right at his door. It’s equal parts gory and full of action, and the zombies look convincingly gruesome.

‘Bulbbul’ (Netflix): From beautiful cinematography and great acting to a creepy soundtrack, this Indian movie has all the makings of a brilliant horror flick. It’s about a child bride Bulbbul who grows into a striking and confident woman who rules over her household. However, the charming lady is hiding a painful past, even as men in her village are hunted by a supernatural being. The story also manages to touch upon the topics of women’s rights and social issues, so in some ways its real-world horror is the scariest part.

‘Antlers’ (UAE cinemas): Head to the cinemas for maximum creeps and jump scares... if you dare. In this new horror movie co-produced by Guillermo del Toro and set in a small Oregon town, a middle-school teacher and her sheriff brother become concerned about her mysterious student whose is harbouring a deadly ancestral creature in his house.