The stars have aligned, and we are lucky enough (or unlucky enough) to have a Friday the 13th in October this year. Perhaps the scariest thing you can find in Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime’s libraries is the sheer amount of absolute shlock they contain. For every “The Babadook” or “Blair Witch” there are thirty “Gingerdead Man”-s or “Chainsaw Maidens from Hell”-s. I’ve scoured Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix’s libraries to find the best scary movies they have to offer, so you don’t have to.

Night of the Living Dead (Amazon Prime, YouTube)

George A. Romero’s classic movie is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and, because of its accidental public domain status, is available to stream almost anywhere on the internet. Night of the Living Dead is considered to have revolutionized the horror genre, providing influence for movies like “Halloween” and “Nightmare on Elm Street.” And while it certainly wouldn’t be considered scary by today’s standards, it’s still a fun watch, and a neat piece of cinematic history.

Pet Sematary (Amazon Prime, Hulu)

A young family recently moved to Maine is warned of the evil surrounding a nearby pet cemetery. When their cat is run down by a truck, the family buries their pet, and suffer the dire consequences.

An American Werewolf in London (Amazon Prime, Hulu)

While visiting Britain, two American students are attacked by a werewolf, one is brutally murdered, and the other is hospitalized. While on bedrest he begins to have nightmares of transforming into a werewolf himself, and must take action before the next full moon. This movie won the Oscar for best makeup, and has special effects that still hold up to this day.

Gremlins (Netflix)

Never expose your mogwai to sunlight, submerge it in water, or feed it after midnight. Of course all three rules are broken, an army of gremlins are spawned, and wreak havoc across the city. Gremlins is a great comedy horror movie, with enough 1980s violence to almost single handedly create the PG-13 rating.   

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (Netflix, Hulu)

Tucker and Dale are just two hillbillies trying to enjoy a nice getaway to their cabin in the woods. Their vacation is disrupted when a group of preppy frat boys mistake them for murderers. Hilarity ensues in one of the funniest, and most overlooked movies in the parody horror genre.

The Babadook (Netflix)

A widowed mother and her erratically behaved son have their life interrupted when they hear a knock on the door, and discover an odd pop-up book on their front step. After reading the book, the malevolent Babadook is unleashed in their home.

The Sixth Sense (Netflix)

“I see dead people.” A young boy attends sessions with a therapist after discovering that he is able to see and talk to dead people. After this movie was released, many called M. Night Shyamalan the next Steven Spielberg. Shyamalan’s presence in the film industry has since decreased dramatically, but the previous praise is a testament to how great this movie is. 

Friday the 13th (Rental on Amazon, Google, iTunes)

A group of teens trying to fix up an abandoned Summer camp are terrorized by an unknown murderer. They are taken out one by one as they try to uncover the secret of Camp Crystal Lake. “Friday the 13th” is perhaps one of the most iconic horror movies of all time, and started a 12 movie franchise spanning decades. The series laid the groundwork for slasher movies in the decades to follow, not to mention the countless knock offs, and parodies it inspired. And no Friday the 13th, especially in October, is complete without watching the slasher that started it all.