Netflix Review: Still the Best Streaming Service

Netflix Review: Still the Best Streaming Service

When you think of streaming TV shows and movies, there's a good chance that Netflix is comes to mind first. Though competition from rivals like HBO Max and Disney Plus is fierce, it's still the best choice for streaming entertainment, period. 

Netflix includes a wide variety of familiar network shows and more original series, films, documentaries and specials than any of its myriad competitors. Despite challenges with retaining subscribers and a price bump, the world's first major streaming service remains our favorite choice thanks to its huge library of constantly refreshed content and its easy accessibility across different devices. In 2021, Netflix won 44 Emmys, making history and racking up more than the next two media companies combined. If you're looking for something new to watch, Netflix should be your top choice.  

Like

• Strong recommendation engine
• Easy to use across different devices
• Offline downloads available
• Extensive list of movies and shows
• Massive selection of original programs
• No commercials

Don't Like

• Cost for premium plans is on the higher end
• Can't watch shows as they air on other networks

Depending on the plan you choose, Netflix costs between $10 and $20 per month, which is at the higher end for a streaming service, as you can see in the chart below. Its recent price increase shook up the streaming world and moved Netflix closer to HBO Max in terms of cost. However, the pricier package lets you watch up to four screens at once, and create different user profiles, so in theory, you could split it among friends to lower the price. Thanks to its sheer variety and number of new things to watch, Netflix also gives you the most bang for your buck.

Streaming Services Compared

	Netflix	Peacock	HBO Max	Disney Plus	Apple TV Plus	Amazon Prime Video	Hulu
Monthly price	Starts at $9.99	Basic free with ads, ad-free for $5	$9.99 for basic with ads, $14.99 for ad-free	$7.99	$4.99	$8.99 (or included with $140/year Prime membership)	Basic $6.99 with ads, ad-free Premium for $12.99, Live TV for $70
Ads	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
Top titles	Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, Ozark, Money Heist	The Office, 30 Rock, Bel-Air, early access to Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon	Game of Thrones, Dune, Euphoria, DC titles	The Mandalorian, Loki, Encanto, Obi-Wan Kenobi	Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, CODA, Severance	Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Boys, Reacher, The Wheel of Time	Handmaid's Tale, Pen15, The Great, Bob's Burgers
Mobile downloads	Yes	Yes (Premium Plus plan)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
4K HDR available	Yes (on Premium plan)	No	Yes (limited titles)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Number of streams:	1 (2 for Standard, 4 on Premium)	3	3	4	6	2	2 (Unlimited with Live TV $9.99 add-on)

How Netflix started vs. how it's going

Between 2012-2013, Netflix premiered its first original TV shows, including Lilyhammer, House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black. Today, it has a catalog of more than 1,500 original TV shows and movies, including global hits like Stranger Things, Emmy winners such as Bridgerton, The Queen's Gambit and The Crown, as well as Oscar-nominated movies such as The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick… Boom! and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Though the company's been known for its commercial-free streaming experience since its inception, there are plans to introduce an ad-supported tier before 2022 ends. Additionally, Netflix aims to crackdown on password sharing by charging a fee for extra users on an account. The program is still in the pilot phase, but the days of crowdfunding your Netflix subscription may soon be over. 

As of 2022, Netflix has more than 220 million paid subscribers across 190 countries, after seeing a major spike in users during the pandemic. A dent in its subscriber base caused numbers to drop by 200,000, but there are still reasons to keep the service, with the main draw being its content.  

What shows and movies does Netflix have?

Netflix may have had the first-to-market advantage in the world of streaming services, but it's kept its momentum with its increasing number of original shows and movies -- many of which have won critical acclaim and major awards and nominations.   

Compared to other streaming platforms, you can't beat Netflix's slate of original TV shows that are now considered among the best of the modern era of television, including those mentioned above plus many more, such as Squid Game, Ozark, Never Have I Ever, Money Heist and Cobra Kai.

Read more:  Netflix: The 49 Absolute Best TV Shows to Watch

Outside of TV shows, Netflix's original programs include a wide range of comedies, dramas, foreign films and shows, documentary series, anime, stand-up comedy specials and reality dating and competition shows. Not all of them are runaway hits, but many of them are, and there's enough to explore interesting shows that may not have found a home on traditional network TV. And at a time when going to the movies is more fraught than it once was, Netflix offers a place to find new films: In 2022 alone, Netflix is set to release over 100 new movies, at least one per week. The selection spans across genres and geography, and includes K-dramas, animated features, and fantasy book adaptations.

Stranger Things is one of Netflix's powerhouse originals. 

Netflix

Netflix typically adds shows a full season at a time, though not while a show is airing on network TV -- so if you don't have cable or another platform like Hulu, you'll have to wait to watch for a few months to watch seasons in full. 

One complaint: Netflix content sometimes can come and go without warning. The only way to tell if something is leaving the service in the next 30 days is if you happen to tap on the details page for the given show or movie -- or search online for everything coming and going in a given month.

Another potential content issue to flag: In recent years Netflix has lost some of its most popular content (such as The Office, which moved to NBC's Peacock, Daredevil, which moved to Disney Plus and Friends, which moved to HBO Max) as other networks created their own streaming services. While it started as an online video store that was trying to offer every movie and TV series online, it may be slowly becoming more akin to the old HBO -- mostly featuring its own original programming, complemented with some things it licenses from other companies.

What's it like to use Netflix? 

I first subscribed to Netflix back in the first streaming days of 2007, so using the platform feels like second nature at this point. Even if you're new to it, it's pretty user-friendly: Open the app and tap on your profile (if you have one set up), and you'll see a homepage. You'll see Popular on Netflix, Continue Watching, Trending Now, Top Picks for you and a number of (sometimes oddly specific) other categories based on shows you've watched before. Mine include Critically-acclaimed Witty TV Comedies and Suburban-dysfunction TV Comedies, for example. 

Netflix's design encourages scrolling -- there are so many different categories to look through, and then shows and movies within those categories to continue scrolling into. You can create a watch list to help you cut down on this, but the vast, colorful library makes it easy to spend more time looking through options than actually watching a show, so be careful.

The Netflix app operates similarly across various devices. My home page on the web browser is nearly identical to that on my Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick, both in content and layout. It's more condensed on the smaller iPhone and Android phone screens, but still follows the same format, and has a clear "Downloads" tab to find content to save to watch offline on your device. 

Rows and rows of content on Netflix can keep you busy.

James Martin/CNET

One difference between devices is voice commands: You might find it more or less difficult to fire up a Netflix show from your device's home screen depending on which voice-capable device you're using.

For example, when you say, "Watch Stranger Things" on the Apple TV and the iOS app on iPhone, it will first have you click which specific show (Stranger Things or Beyond Stranger Things), and then will take you to an Apple TV page for the show, and there it will give you the option to open Netflix and start episode 1. On Amazon Fire TV Stick, you can say, "Watch Stranger Things," and it will open Netflix automatically if you're logged into the app. On the Roku 4K stick, if you say, "Watch Stranger Things," it will take you right to the first episode in the app. Those are more hardware-side concerns, but interesting to note. 

Once you're in the Netflix app, though, voice commands work the same across devices: Go to the Search tab, hold the microphone button to dictate, and say the name of the show you're looking for. 

When you select a show or movie to watch, you have the option to fast-forward, rewind, add subtitles and change your audio settings. If you have a Premium account and a big enough 4K TV, watching in Ultra HD makes for a very cinematic experience. The show or movie you choose will also show up in your "Continue watching" section at the top of your homepage for easier access. 

How much does Netflix cost? 

Netflix offers three pricing plans: Basic, Standard and Premium. Here is how the costs and features break down:

Netflix plans

	Basic	Standard	Premium
Monthly price	$10	$15.50	$20
Number of screens you can watch on at the same time	1	2	4
Number of phones or tablets you can have downloads on	1	2	4
HD available	No	Yes	Yes
Ultra HD available	No	No	Yes

All plans include the ability to watch on any device, and the full, unlimited collection of movies and TV shows. All allow cancellation at any time. Netflix also offers a one-month free trial. 

Netflix's Basic plan costs more than Prime Video ($9 per month), more than Hulu's ad-based plan ($7 per month) but less than its more comparable no-ads plan ($13 per month). If you're on a shared Netflix account with family, chances are it's a Premium one ($20 per month) -- if you're actually splitting it between four people, that's only $5 per month each, and a strong value for all of the original content available, including some in 4K Ultra HD. Plus: No commercials on any plan. 

What features do you get on Netflix? 

Outside of general streaming, if you have the Standard or Premium plan, you can create different profiles for different users, and find your own list of personalized recommendations. 

Netflix's recommendation game is strong, from "Because you watched" carousels that have been improved by the new "two thumbs up" feature, to the option to remove content from your home page, to its "Play Something" shuffle feature for when you're unsure what to stream.

The platform also has a particularly appealing kid's section, with a solid catalog of content including CoComelon, Pokemon: Master Journeys and Trolls: The Beat Goes On! and a much more kid-friendly user interface – including the mystery box feature added earlier this year.

If you subscribe to the Premium plan, you can watch certain shows and movies in 4K Ultra HD on 4K TVs. You'll need a steady internet connection speed of at least 25 megabits per second, and streaming quality set to Auto or High. 

Netflix has more 4K content than just about any other streaming service, and a lot of its 4K shows and movies are also available in HDR. High dynamic range provides an even bigger improvement in image quality than 4K according to CNET's tests, with better contrast and color, and the difference is especially apparent on large, higher-end televisions. Netflix supports the two major HDR formats, generic HDR (aka HDR-10) as well as Dolby Vision. If you have a device that handles Dolby Vision, Netflix will play content (if available) in that format by default.

You can search for a selection of 4K TV shows and movies on the service with the Premium plan.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Data usage varies by format, ranging from about 1GB per hour for the standard-definition video to up to 7GB per hour for the highest-quality 4K streams. Downloading and streaming take up a similar amount of data, according to Netflix. If you want to avoid having Netflix eat up all of your data, you can take certain steps laid out on Netflix's website to adjust your data usage settings. 

All subscribers can download TV shows and movies on the Netflix app on mobile devices for offline viewing, though certain titles aren't available to download. 

Read more: 9 Handy Netflix Tricks That Can Help Make Streaming Better

Should you get it? 

Netflix remains my favorite streaming platform of the increasingly large bunch. It has a huge selection of movies and TV shows old and new, tons of high-quality original programs, and an easy-to-navigate interface. 

Even though it no longer offers a free trial, it's worth trying Netflix for a month if you want something new to watch.

---

Source

Tags:

• Netflix Review Still The Best Streaming Device
• Netflix Review Still The Best Streaming Company
• Netflix Review Still The Best Streaming Apps
• Netflix Review Still The Best Streaming Stick
• Netflix Review Still The Best Streaming Series
• Netflix Still Breathing
• Netflix Review Still Life
• Echoes Netflix Review
• Wednesday Netflix Review
• 1899 Netflix Review
• Cursed Netflix Review
• Messiah Netflix Review

Best Streaming Services for Kids

Best Streaming Services for Kids

If you have kids you most likely have every song from Spongebob Squarepants memorized or may be familiar with the beloved animals of Paw Patrol. With dozens of TV shows on multiple streaming service to keep your kids entertained, finding the best streaming service for kids may seem impossible.

Platforms like Disney Plus and Netflix offer something for the entire family to watch -- from young kids to picky teenagers and grown-ups -- and are often the exclusive home of popular franchises you can't find on YouTube.

Each streaming service is stacked with great TV shows and movies, with some acting as headquarters for your kids' favorite characters. Here's a guide for choosing which kids streaming service may be the best fit for your family.

Walt Disney Pictures

Where do we begin? With a wealth of content rated PG-13 and below, Disney Plus has a large catalog of kid-friendly series and films. In addition to carrying Disney Junior, Disney Channel and everything else with the Disney stamp, you'll find Pixar, National Geographic, Marvel and Star Wars titles on the platform. 

Toddlers can be mesmerized with the animated and live-action versions of Disney classics, or binge on every piece of content starring Bluey, Tinkerbell or another favorite character. Tweens and teens can enjoy The Simpsons, Gravity Falls, Turning Red and Encanto, and movies from the Disney Channel or the company's blockbuster lineup are a click away. Animated tales like Lightyear, Marvel live-action picks and nature series will keep them busy for hours.

To navigate Disney Plus's library, you can click on a designated tile for Pixar, Marvel, etc., or search by title, character, or genre. Kids and parents can scroll through the platform's special collections (such as Ice Age and Black Stories), musicals, movies, and exclusive originals and shows from every decade of Disney.

Parental controls allow you to add a four-digit PIN and set ratings limits for each regular profile. But creating a kid's profile automatically curates content that's appropriate for all ages. To add an extra layer of security, toggle the Kid-Proof exit feature that prevents kids from switching profiles. Disney Plus is entirely ad-free for $8 a month.

Paramount Pictures

While Disney is flush with beloved shows and movies Paramount Plus has its own stash of iconic characters and series. It's basically Nickelodeon central. SpongeBob, iCarly, Rugrats, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and other Nick superstars sit beside Paramount Plus originals Big Nate and Star Trek: Prodigy on the platform.

While there isn't a designated kids' menu, it's simple to locate Noggin, Nick Jr. and all other Nickelodeon content on Paramount Plus. Additionally, there are five live channels that run content 24/7 for kids, including dedicated hubs for SpongeBob, Paw Patrol and "Kids and Family Fun." 

But many family-friendly movies are mixed in with the streamer's genre lists, so if you're searching for Rumble or Clifford, check the comedy or trending section. Starting this summer, Showtime's content will also be available on the Paramount Plus app. Though the network is adult-oriented, a select number of family movies will be added to the lineup. 

Paramount Plus enables parents to create kids' profiles by activating "Kids Mode." Choose an avatar and specify whether it's for older kids or younger kids, and the content will adjust ratings based on your selection. Subscriptions cost $5 for the ad-supported Essential version and $10 for ad-free Premium.

Netflix

Netflix offers a range of kids' titles in the realm of music, education and entertainment, all without ads. The platform caters to every age and stage in your child's life. Popular series include CoComelon, Octonauts, Ask the Storybots and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. The streamer routinely drops new originals including The Sea Beast, The Cuphead Show and Boss Baby spinoffs, but there are plenty of Dreamworks titles on Netflix, too, such as Camp Cretaceous. Upcoming releases include Sonic Prime, Pinocchio and an Ivy & Bean adaptation. 

Resulting from a partnership with Nickelodeon, kids can stream favorites like Invader Zim, Big Time Rush, Avatar: The Last Airbender or new Loud House features. And Netflix's search function allows you to drill for niche content like kiddo-friendly movie adaptations, cooking stuff or coming-of-age stories. Type in a specific term and you're likely to find a match.

Where the streamer stands out is with its kids' profile. While you can set up parental controls on each profile with ratings restrictions, the Netflix Kids Experience comes with a bright logo and a ready-made batch of content. No need to handpick shows and movies for young ones, because the streamer does it for you. If you select titles outside the ratings limits for Kids Experience, the logo is removed and the profile type is automatically changed.

To cap it off, the platform showcases a Top 10 row for kids' programming and sends out biweekly emails to parents with recommendations and other child-centric tools. And in May 2022, Netflix introduced a "Mystery Box" feature on kids' profiles which surprises them with a new title to check out.

WarnerMedia/HBO Max

Don't sleep on HBO Max. Not only is it the place to stream Cartoon Network favorites like We Bare Bears and Adventure Time, but also Sesame Street, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and animated DC superheroes. That includes the OG Teen Titans. For Sesame Street fans, all 50-plus seasons of the show -- along with new episodes -- are available to stream on HBO Max.

HBO Max allows you to select Kids & Family from its menu and then you'll be taken to its dedicated page. To make it easy to find content, you can click on a character's icon -- like Elmo, Scooby Doo, the Powerpuff Girls and Batman -- for a program lineup featuring said characters.

Prefer to search a different way? HBO Max divides content into categories for kiddos ages 2-5, 6-9, 10-12, and 13 and up. You can also browse titles from A-Z or search specifically for series or movies. The streamer also announced the addition of CoComelon, Lellobee City Farm, Blippi and Vlad & Niki for its preschool Cartoonito audience. But don't forget that  and other movies are available for teens who need a break from animation.

While you can watch TV with your children, you can also just give them their own kid profile on HBO Max. The service requires adults to log a four-digit PIN in order to create it, and then provide birthdate information so the system can customize age-appropriate content. Subscribe to HBO Max for $10 a month with ads or $15 for the ad-free version. 

PBS

For decades, PBS Kids has been the destination for Sesame Street and other childhood favorites. Elmo, Arthur, Daniel the Tiger and Curious George are among the characters who entertain while teaching lessons. While SpongeBob and Disney get a lot of love, it's noteworthy that Arthur is the longest-running animated kids' show in history. The 8-year-old aardvark is a PBS rock star. And though Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO own Sesame Street, new episodes are still available to watch on PBS Kids.

PBS Kids is available to Prime Video subscribers for free, and it's also available to watch 24/7 on The Roku Channel. But parents, you can also download the stand-alone PBS Kids video app for free on your mobile device or TV. That means your children can stream Elmo or Wild Kratts when you're on a road trip or visiting family. 

A Parent Media Co. Inc.

Like PBS Kids, Kidoodle TV offers free entertainment that's geared toward younger children up to age 12. Some of the content is educational, and some is purely recreational. The app features licensed TV shows and movies from properties such as Lego, My Little Pony, SpongeBob, Pokemon and Baby Shark.

But there are also videos from the Dodo about nature and animals, game-themed content with Mario, Minecraft and Roblox, and a host of crafting tutorials. YouTube favorites like Ryan's World are nestled in with picks that focus on learning. Kidoodle also has a set of originals that launched in 2020, including StoryRaps from Wes Tank. Another plus is that parents can choose videos from Little Pim that teach five different foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.

You can watch for free as a guest on Kidoodle without registering. But if you sign up, you're able to create accounts for kid or parent users. Everything on the app is age-appropriate, vetted by Kidoodle parents and staff. The Freemium account includes family-friendly ads, but if you want to skip the commercials, you can get the Premium version for $5 per month.

PIN-enabled parental controls enable you to set screen time limits, choose titles or set curfews with the option to automatically turn the app off. And the analytics feature gives you a glimpse at viewing habits. Kidoodle is available on Roku, FireTV, smart TVs and other devices.

Kids streaming services FAQ

Are Hulu and Amazon's Prime Video great for kids too?

We considered both streaming services for this list but examined content offerings as well as user-friendly interfaces. While Prime Video has some original content, it gleans much of its kids' programming from Nickelodeon, PBS Kids and other Viacom properties. The same holds true for Hulu. It's easier to access these shows and movies directly through Paramount Plus or PBS. 

What if you don't want your kids watching ads while streaming?

We know that screen time is not the only area of concern, because advertising impacts kids too. Disney Plus and Netflix are wholly ad-free, but HBO Max, Kidoodle and Paramount Plus offer more expensive plans if you want to watch without commercials. The PBS Kids app is ad-free.

Which streaming service has the best parental controls?

While you can set parental controls on streaming devices from providers like Amazon, Roku and Apple, you can also monitor and restrict what your kids watch directly on the services. Netflix, Disney Plus and HBO Max have the best features for allowing you to set maturity ratings and PINs for kids' profiles.

---

Source

Tags:

• Best Streaming Services 2022 For Kids
• Best Streaming Services For Education
• Best Streaming Services For 2022
• Best Streaming Services 2022
• Best Streaming Services 2023
• Best Streaming Sites
• Best Streaming Service
• Best Streaming Movies

The best halloween movies to stream on netflix hulu disney the best halloween movies to stream on netflix hulu hbo the best halloween movies to stream online the best halloween movies to stream on peacock the best halloween movies to stream on paramount the best halloween movies for family the best halloween movies on hulu what are 30 of the best halloween movies the best halloween movies what are the best starting words for wordle you are the best

The best Halloween movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and more

The best Halloween movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and more

Halloween movies are a thrilling watch year-round, but there's no better time to enjoy them than when chillier temperatures settle in. Especially this year, with the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way we partake in classic Halloween activities like trick-or-treating, you might need something to transport you to fictional places where the horrifying stuff isn't actually real. (We all cope differently, right?)

Here are our top picks for the scariest, creepiest and sometimes silliest films to stream or watch on demand on platforms including Hulu, Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, HBO Max and others. We've noted which of these films require higher-tier streaming subscriptions like Hulu Plus Live TV, or a Showtime or Cinemax add-on.

Read more:  15 of the best movies to see on Amazon Prime Video

Disney

Hulu started life as a joint venture between ABC, NBC and Fox. Since Disney (ABC's parent) absorbed most of the Fox Entertainment properties, however, it's been buying out its remaining partners and converting Hulu to more of a Disney Plus for adults. As such, you can watch the movies below with their full, R-rated gore intact. The baseline subscription includes commercials, and you can also bundle this with Disney's other online properties, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV. Also available on Peacock.) We always appreciate a well-done horror comedy! You can catch the sequel, Zombieland Double Tap, on Starz.

(Also available on Tubi.) Something about murderous children in a cornfield just feels autumnal. 

It's a Swedish film about a little girl vampire. Are we selling it? It's fantastic, trust us. 

(Also available on Tubi.) We don't particularly get this franchise, but Hellraiser viewing parties are a pretty common Halloween activity. You do you.

Quite frankly, this adaptation isn't the greatest, but then again neither was the first one. Still it definitely has some chilling moments.

(Available with Showtime add-on.) The first Paranormal Activity was pretty unnerving. It might be worth a revisit this Halloween. 

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV starting Oct. 7.) We refuse to fact-check this, but Get Out is possibly the only Oscar winner on this list. That's inaccurate. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for Rosemary's Baby. And The Silence of the Lambs won like 5 Academy Awards too. Are you happy? Get Out is fantastic though.

Get Out 

Universal Pictures

Our 8-year-old selves still believe deep down this is the greatest Halloween movie ever made. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, please, please return to making films.

This Korean creature feature is easily one of the best films on this list.  

As far as haunted house movies go, this one is better than The Amityville Horror, but not quite as good as The Conjuring.

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV starting Oct. 8.) Once again we learn abstinence is the only way to prevent slow-moving nightmare monsters from trying to kill you. What a helpful PSA!

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) This is the part where you stop reading the article and immediately go put on Ghostbusters. Don't worry, this article isn't going anywhere. We'll wait. 

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) Rebecca's mom really loves the Madea movies. And who are we to deny you options?

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) On the one hand, it's a pretty good remake. On the other hand, Zack Snyder directed it. Your call.

(Available with Cinemax add-on.) Don't you want to finally understand what a "Jacob's Ladder scenario" actually is?

Ever since Dead Snow came out, we are always 100% down for any movie with Nazi zombies. 

(Available on Hulu plus Live TV. Also available on Spectrum.) It's possible Rebecca has seen this film more than any other film on this list. Don't judge!

Saw (2004)

(Available on Hulu with Cinemax add-on.) If you plan on watching Saw, we also recommend checking out our interview with screenwriter Leigh Whannell. He tells us about his 5-year-old's bedtime story demands and let's just say, twisted storytelling definitely runs in the family.

Netflix hardly needs an introduction, but the biggest streaming service out there remains a mixture of TV shows and movies, including content licensed from other studios and a growing stable of originals. 

We probably didn't need a family-friendly version of The Omen, but we enjoyed it nevertheless.

If you've come to this list looking for the scariest horror films, watch this one. Maybe with the lights on. 

Anjelica Huston is majestic in this Roald Dahl adaptation.

Even if you're not into super dark films, the storyline in this Guillermo del Toro masterpiece will be enough to win you over.

One of our favorites and Zelda Rubinstein's performance is really just the cherry on top.

This is probably the most under-the-radar film on this list, but it's absolutely worth your time.

Certain horror fans find themselves disappointed when the "big bad" turns out to be metaphorical. Don't worry, this one has a satisfying "actual monster" payoff.

This movie is carried by Mark Duplass and his amazingly sinister face. A delightfully creepy watch.

(Also available on Spectrum.) Ghost movies are great for Halloween, right?

Universal Pictures

Already subscribe to HBO? You can probably get HBO Max at no extra charge. Think of it as (wait for it) "HBO Plus" -- everything on HBO, plus a bunch of additional back catalog and exclusives from Warner's catalog, as well as some nice licensed exclusives like Doctor Who and the Studio Ghibli library. 

Shark movie!!! Sorry, didn't mean to get that excited. But we did see The Meg on opening weekend. Are you a "shark movie" person? No better time to find out!   

Possibly the last time we found the ending to a horror film surprising. 

I (Rebecca) thought this movie was really scary when I was 13. It might still be scary. There's really no way of knowing these things. 

We all know the saying, "In space, no one can hear you scream," but your neighbors will definitely be able to hear you scream while watching this on your couch.

It's pretty rare with a horror masterpiece to stumble upon a masterpiece of a sequel, especially with a different director. Thanks, James Cameron!

John Landis doesn't get enough credit for being able to blend horror and comedy.

While The Shining is probably the favorite horror film of many and may not have needed a sequel, it's one of the better Stephen King adaptations in recent years.

A very enjoyable example of a dark comedy and horror mashup.

Disney

You know ... for kids! It's probably not the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of "horror," as nothing here eclipses PG-13 scares. But it also has the full libraries for everything from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and The Simpsons, to name just a few of the big content silos you'll find here. As with Hulu, you can subscribe to this solo, or as a Disney/Hulu/ESPN bundle.

A cult classic you can finally stream. 

(Also available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) It's really a Christmas movie, but also you should be watching it year-round.

This vibrant, touching film brings Day of the Dead to life in the most beautiful way.

Maybe it's the nostalgia talking, but this is simply a Disney classic.

Feel-good and Halloween don't always go hand in hand, but this nostalgic Halloween classic always warms our witchy little hearts.

As if trusting her new beau wasn't hard enough already.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Peacock is NBCUniversal's recently launched streaming app that includes several free movies and TV shows. Paying customers can unlock the platform's full library of content, and can also pay a little more to go ad-free. 

You should really watch/rewatch them all, but the third film does have the most Halloween-y vibe. 

You can't get more classic than Frankenstein!

We love a good dystopian film.

Another for the classics fans.

Screenshot by Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET

This ad-supported network offers a range of free TV shows and movies. It's available on devices including Roku and Amazon Fire TV, as well as on Android and iOS. You won't need an account to watch content, but creating one enables you to save favorites and resume playback when switching between devices.

Is it really Halloween if you haven't watched a creepy Tim Burton film?

A cannibal villain is as horrifying as it gets.

Not exactly sure if a flick about a viral outbreak is something you want to watch right now, but if it is, you're in luck.

MGM

Existing Showtime cable subscribers can access all of its content on the Showtime Anytime app on most major app platforms. But you can also get it as a straight streaming app for a monthly fee. (Disclosure: Showtime and CNET are owned by the same parent company, ViacomCBS.)

(Also available on Netflix.) This is one of our favorite films to watch on Halloween. Hannibal Lecter is a magnificent villain.

If you don't barf while watching the shaking cameras, it's a pretty good creature feature. 

This would pair well with The Omen for a Halloween double feature. 

We're going to throw this out there: More films should be set in the 1600s. Provided they're as good as The Witch.

Focus Features

Like Showtime, this premium cable movie service is also available "over the top" as a direct streaming option on most app store platforms.

This is the quite possibly the most perfect Halloween movie on this list. Demon spawn! (If you're interested, you can also find the 2006 version on Hulu.)

Not big on horror? No worries, you can check out one of the greatest comedies ever made instead.    

Is it just us or does anyone else find Edward Scissorhands incredibly soothing to watch?

Jeff Goldblum in a creature feature is all we're really looking for in a Halloween film.

Watch this after you finish watching The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

Epix is another pay cable channel that's expanded its horizons to the digital realm. Get it with your cable or satellite subscription, or as a digital streaming option instead.

We're almost positive people have written dissertations on the influence of this film on the horror genre. So, we dunno, maybe check out?

Definitely worth it for Vincent Price. 

(Also available on Hulu.) Creature features often don't get enough love in the horror genre. But this one was our jam!

Warner Bros. Pictures

Prime Video is thrown in "for free" for anyone subscribing to Amazon's membership program, which otherwise guarantees delivery of a wide array of products in two days or less at no additional charge. It's got a ton of movies and TV shows from third-party studios, and a growing list of Amazon exclusives, too. Note, however, that only the first few selections are available via Prime; the rest are available as 48-hour rentals at a pay-per-view cost.

This movie will freak me out always and forever!

Chris Sarandon as a vampire? Sold!

(Available to rent.) This Michael J. Fox classic about a teen werewolf will have you howling for more! I promise that's the last pun in this article.

(Available to rent.) It's a Halloween movie list, so I'm obligated to include Pumpkinhead.

(Available to rent.) One of the few films on this list that is also a cinematic masterpiece.

(Available to rent. It's also available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) I know the found footage gimmick is tired, but do you actually remember how scary this movie was? An entire generation couldn't go camping for like a decade after it came out. 

(Available to rent.) This film was so scary that I still can't bring myself to watch any of the sequels or prequels! But if you are interested in watching The Conjuring 2, it's available on HBO Max. 

(Available to rent.) I went as the Bride for Halloween one year. This isn't relevant to my recommendation, but I'm trying to sell you on a film from 1935.

(Available to rent.) Carrie is so good! Sissy Spacek just has a special place in my heart. It isn't at all related to Halloween, but you should also check out Coal Miner's Daughter.

(Available to rent.) This is the American remake of Let the Right One In. And it's pretty well done for US market cash grab. 

It (2017)

(Available to rent. Also on Hulu plus Live TV.) This film is alway a thrill. The sequel is also available on HBO Max.

(Available to rent.) Frankly, I could use more sci-fi horror films. And more Vin Diesel.

(Available for rent.) For all the gore lovers.

(Available to rent, though the 1972 version is included with a Prime membership and is also on Hulu.) I'll say this about the remake: it's probably more suspenseful than the original. But the original left me feeling emotionally violated, and that's a special kind of horror that's hard to replicate. Still the remake is worth a watch.

(Available to rent.) Down with the yuppies! Honestly this is one of my all-time favorite films.

(Available to rent.) As a child I was only afraid of two things: Chucky and spiders. I am still terrified of both. But hey, now I'm also afraid of heights!

(Available with a Prime Video Channels subscription. Also available on Tubi.) It's Wes Craven so I'm not even going to bother trying to convince you. Just watch it.

Raw (2016) 

(Available to rent.) Watch only if you have a strong stomach!

(Available to rent.) OK, here's our pitch: Jessica Walter and Clint Eastwood. Are you sold?

(Available to rent.) Not to be confused with the Brooke Shields film The Blue Lagoon. This one is about a lagoon monster.

(Available to rent.) You'll never want to fly again. 

(Available to rent.) This is possibly one of the worst films ever made, but it stars Gerard Butler as Dracula. So you should probably watch it anyway.

(Available to rent.) Nearly half the movies in our roundup were in some way inspired by this classic slasher film. An absolute Halloween classic.

Read more

---

Source