Windscribe VPN Recommends: Scary Movies
Get ready, folks, it's SpOOkY SeAsOn! That's right, Halloween is here - time to eat too many mini chocolate bars, get dressed up (or not), and binge some scary movies. In honor of the best seasonal holiday, I've hand-selected one fearful film from each of our 11 free VPN server locations.
In case you weren't aware, Windscribe offers up to 10 GB of data with connection to servers in 11 different countries for free! That's right, from Canada to Turkey, Norway to Switzerland, and beyond, all free!
If you don't already have an account, sign up NOW. Like RIGHT NOW. Then come back and dig into this blog post.
So, without further ado, let me present to you: Windscribe Recommends: Scary Movies!
My Spooky Picks
You may be wondering - what does Rebecca from the Windscribe Support Team know about scary movies? Well, Windscribers, I actually don't know much - but I know what I like! Look, we all know you can easily Google painstakingly curated lists from critics all around the world. I say, where's the fun in that, when instead you can take a peek inside my mind and maybe stumble upon a new-to-you freakish and frightening movie?
Also, a massive shout out to Letterboxd (powered by JustWatch) - you can search for any movie, read user-submitted reviews, and quickly check where you can stream/rent/buy per country. This is not an ad; I really like the site.
Finally, another massive shout out, this time to my pal, Phil, for kindly reviewing this list. He’s a former film critic and knower of all things horror, so keep an eye out for a few of his picks below. Not for the faint of heart.
Canada - Ginger Snaps
Of course, as a Canadian, I have to start here. My pick for Canada is Ginger Snaps (2000). I'm sure you've seen a werewolf movie or two in your time, but a feminist pubescent coming-of-age teen girl werewolf flick? This film is one of a kind (ignoring the two sequels that followed).
Connect to Our Canadian VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on Amazon Prime (Canada)
Rent on AppleTV (Canada)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
United Kingdom - Shallow Grave
Now, I wouldn't call Shallow Grave (1994) a traditional horror flick, but man - this movie bangs. Nearly 30 years old and described as a "black comedy crime film," this movie stands the test of time. Plot: 3 roommates find their 4th roommate dead with a suitcase full of cash. Chaos ensues.
This is director Danny Boyle's first film, which he followed with Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire, and a bunch more. I've seen this movie at least 5 times, and I will easily see it 5 more. It also stars a 23-year-old Ewan McGreggor (who can get it).
Connect to Our UK VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on BritBox (UK)
Rent on AppleTV (UK)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
France - Martyrs
Martyrs (2008). Phew, what can I say about Martyrs? This is a genuinely depraved film. It's dark, it's disturbing, and the trailer even has a content warning. When I was younger, this was the movie I would mention that I loved to prove I was a true horror movie fan. Definitely NOT for the faint of heart. Not to be confused with the 2015 American remake, which I'm sure can't compare to the OG.
Connect to Our French VPN Server and Watch Here:
Rent on CANAL VOD (France)
Rent on YouTube
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
Hong Kong - The Eye
At acupuncture the other day (yes, Windscribe has some pretty fantastic employee benefits), Kevin (my acupuncturist) and I began chatting about scary movies. Hong Kong's The Eye (2002) is one of his faves.
In this movie, the main character undergoes an eye cornea transplant, resulting in a new and horrifying ability to see ghosts and death. Kevin - who I trust implicitly to stick me with 50+ needles per session - told me the film is considered one of the most accurate depictions of what it's like to have "visions." I have nothing to go on, but don't disagree; and if sequels and remakes are a measure of quality, this movie has 2 sequels and 3 remakes!
Connect to Our Hong Kong Server and Watch Here:
Stream on DisneyPlus (Hong Kong)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
Phil’s Pick: Hong Kong’s Dumplings (餃子) (2004) is a doozy. The trailer is “a little coy about the subject matter”, says Phil. The gist? It’s about a woman who makes dumplings filled with REDACTED and sells them to older rich ladies to make them look younger. Check it out, if you dare, on Disney Plus (Hong Kong) and Tubi (Canada)
United States - The Strangers
The Strangers (2008) is a quintessential slasher flick. Even better, it's "inspired by true events." Do you want suspense? Do you want jump scares? Do you want scary-ass masks? Then this is the movie for you.
It's been a hot minute since I've seen this one. When I suggested a rewatch to my partner while we were staying in a cabin in the woods (much like the couple in this movie), I was met with an "absolutely not, we are NOT watching that movie while we are alone in a cabin in the woods." So, if you get scared easily, maybe save this for a daytime screening in a bustling city instead.
Connect to Our US VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on Fubo (USA)
Rent on Amazon (USA)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
Norway - Dead Snow
Dead Snow (Død snø) (2009) is a classic! As the movie poster says: ZOMBIES, NAZIS, BLOOD ON SNOW… IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER. And I really can't argue with that.
Gory, gross, and hilarious; I've always felt that zombie movies never had enough Nazis, and conversely, Nazi movies were sadly lacking in zombies. Finally, a movie for me! Get ready for gore!
Connect to Our Norwegian VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on Strim (Norway)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
Turkey - Dabbe: The Possession
Director Hasan Karacadağ has directed a BUNCH of these Dabbe films (7, I think?), and is credited for introducing jinn (invisible creatures from Islamic mythology) into Turkish cinema. Dabbe: The Possession aka Dabbe: Curse of the Jinn (2013), the 4th in the Dabbe series, follows a young woman who gets possessed just before her wedding, where she stabs and kills her husband (bummer). Her pal, a psychiatrist, wants to perform an exorcism, but the vibes are off - and it only gets worse from there.
Filmed in a gritty-documentary/hand-held camera style, Dabbe: The Possession completely reinvigorates the old exorcism movie genre. Plus, it's high time we had some non-catholic exorcisms. Am I right? This one had me turning the lights WAY up at the end and having to throw on an episode of the Simpsons to decompress. Beware.
Connect to Our Turkish VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on Netflix (Turkey)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
Switzerland - Sennentuntschi
Ah, the Swiss Alps! Fresh air, stunning scenery, and a weird homemade sex doll that comes to life and murders her makers. That's Sennentuntschi: Curse of the Alps (2010) for you! I wasn't sure what to expect, but boy was this a creepy one.
Connect to Our Swiss VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on PlaySwiss
Rent on GooglePlay
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
Romania - Be My Cat: A Film for Anne
Okay, hear me out: this award-winning film is about a young man in Romania who becomes obsessed with making a movie with Anne Hathaway. Considered to be one of the top found-footage films, Be My Cat: A Film for Anne (2015) presents itself as a self-tape video plea to Anne from Adrian (the director, writer, producer, and lead in the film) to be his star in a movie he wants to make - and it only gets weirder (and deadlier) from there. A nice change of pace from your standard horror movie. Romania, you crazy for this one…
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find a native source for this one, but it’s available on a couple of US services and is too weird not to include in this list!
Connect to Our US VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on Tubi (USA)
Rent on Amazon (USA)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
Netherlands - Sint
With Christmas coming up, this horror-comedy flick will get you in the mood - for MURDER!
Okay, picture this: what if, instead of just delivering gifts to kiddos around the world, Santa, aka Sinterklass, was an evil ghost who kidnaps and murders children. Fun, right? Saint Nick (Sint) (2010) is sure to terrify and delight. Vibe-wise, this would be a nice double-feature with Dead Snow.
Connect to Our Dutch VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on AppleTV (Netherlands)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
Phil’s Pick: Brought to you by the same director as Saint Nick, Dick Maas’s Amsterdamned (1998) is just a “super fun slasher killer vs action hero detective movie.” Plus, there’s a top notch boat chase scene through the canals of Amsterdam; what more could you ask for? You can find it on Videoland (Netherlands) and Amazon Prime AMC (Canada)
Germany - Goodnight, Mommy
No shade, but twins are just inherently a little creepy. In Goodnight Mommy (Ich seh Ich seh) (2014), though, the twins aren't even the creepiest part - well, at least for the first half of the movie. The film follows twin boys who spend the summer in the countryside with their post-plastic surgery, face-bandaged mother. This one is a sloooooow burn, so settle in and get ready to be creeped out.
Warning: don't confuse this German film with the American remake on Amazon Prime. I'm sure it's okay, but as you know - the original is almost always better than the remake.
Connect to Our German VPN Server and Watch Here:
Stream on Joyn (Germany)
Rent on Amazon (Germany)
Find more streaming options on Letterboxd
That’s a Wrap!
I hope you found a movie or two in there that piques your interest and gets you in the Halloween mood. Don’t come running to me if you get so scared you have to sleep with the lights on.
If you haven’t already signed up for Windscribe, what’s stopping you? Sign up for a free account with access to servers in 11 countries, and you, too, can make your way down this scary movie list!
And if you find yourself running low on data, you can always upgrade your account to get unlimited bandwidth for as little as $3 USD per month!
Happy Halloween, my weird and wonderful Windscribers! Stay spooky!