We’re months away from spooky season (which usually begins September through October), and although Halloween is a particularly attractive time to binge the scariest thrillers, die-hard horror movie fans have had them playing on a loop all year long. These are the folks who live for the jump scares, gory scenes, and brutal takedowns that usually comprise the films in this genre.
Or they’re the watchers who, despite their terror, can’t seem to turn away, viewing the picture through the gaps between their fingers covering their eyes because they refuse to abandon the film, no matter how frightened they might be.
Regardless of which horror movie viewer you are, it isn’t always easy to find the films that give you the same heart-racing feeling that encompasses your body while watching The Shining (1980) or A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) — two classics that we still can’t watch even now without the lights on. MoviVue co-founders Jim Thalman and Ian Holt recognized this. They launched the streaming platform in August 2024, making hundreds of horror films from classics to new discoveries available to subscribers under one umbrella.
However, it’s not just about having a designated site to watch films that scare the socks off you. Thalman and Holt, who are also filmmakers themselves, strived to create a safe place for independent filmmakers to showcase their projects that fellow horror movie lovers might not have been aware of if they weren’t on MoviVue. They also want to highlight the ones that might not have gotten “the hype and press that they deserved, but they’re exceptional films,” Thalman and Holt told us during an interview.
And they can vouch for every film on the platform (the earliest dating back to 1962) because they hand-pick the movies selected, watching each one, and using their 30 years in the industry to compile the ones they believe should be on our radar.
“We don’t want to be the guys who miss the next brilliant film because of the gatekeepers that often get in the way,” Thalman said while noting that some worthy projects are lesser known because of a lack of funding for advertising and promotion. However, they aim to change that with their open-door policy, which allows filmmakers to submit their work for free for review.
As for MoviVue subscribers, having access to the platform enables them to rent or buy films, including a growing foreign selection, horror anthology, and even classics from the great Dario Argento. Their interest supports the filmmakers, who get an attractive payout to help them make more movies down the line, which is the goal for Thalman and Holt.
With the release of dozens of titles every month, users can stay entertained (and scared out of their wits) for hours, and we know just the films to start with. We’ve curated a list of movies currently streaming on MoviVue that are the perfect watches to begin your journey on the platform.
Warning: These films are designed to be scary (and don’t go easy on the squeamish), so view with caution (and maybe during the daytime and not home alone).
Scare-tastic Award Winners
Ring Master
If you’re seeking a film that delivers trepidation, panic, and an overwhelming wonder of what’s to come, the Ring Master is for you. (However, if you work at night at a gas station in a desolate area, you might want to steer clear.) The movie, told in German, follows two young women working late at a secluded gas station when a series of creepy events unfold.
After dodging multiple alarming encounters with menacing customers (and the eerie constant resurfacing of a gas can), the ladies are taken hostage by a sinister ringmaster who tortures them for a “sick” show broadcast live online. Their survival skills are put to the test while an unseen audience decides their fate…unless they can break free.
The film premiered in 2018 and stars Anne Bergfeld, Karin Michelson, and Damon Younger. Per its IMDB page, the Ring Master has received numerous accolades, including winning Best Feature Film at the DROP: Russian International Horror Film Festival and Awards, and was recognized for its make-up effects at the NOLA Horror Film Fest.
Blood and Snow
Dystopian Films/Movivue.
The title of Blood and Snow alone hints that there are plenty of gruesome moments in the film, but we didn’t expect so much to be spilled out for the camera (you’ll understand what we mean after tuning in). The sci-fi, which debuted in 2023, shows a literal gut-wrenching murder of one of two scientists conducting research in the Arctic by a meteor, leading to many questions for the survivor who becomes infected and may not be the person they think she is.
Anne-Carolyne Binette, Michael Swatton, Vernon Wells, Simon Phillips, Paul Whitney, and Adam Huel Potter lead the cast of this mystery thriller that, at the risk of sounding cliche, left us on the edge of our seats.
Murderous Trance
You might see quite a few familiar faces in the 2018 crime thriller Murderous Trance, given Pilou Asbæk of Game of Thrones fame and Josh Lucas from Ford v. Ferrari are two of the main stars. You might even recall the story, as the film is based on actual events surrounding a series of hypnotic crimes in Denmark in the 1950s. Asbæk, who plays an investigator, is desperate to uncover the truth about who’s really behind the horrid killings in a world of psychological manipulation.
The movie, originally titled The Guardian Angel, according to IMDB, has been applauded since its release. In 2020, it nabbed two Gold Movie Awards, including Best Feature Film and Best Actor, for Lucas’ portrayal of a criminal accused of hypnotizing a fellow inmate in prison to carry out a murder for him. Yes, and the fact that this really did happen makes it even more terrifying.
Must-See Foreign Fright
Fifth Thoracic Vertebrae
If foreign films particularly pique your interest, we suggest diving into Fifth Thoracic Vertebrae, another horror movie that will make you afraid to fall asleep at night. However, the reason might be because it’s about a creature formed by a mysterious mold within an abandoned mattress that travels around the country gorging on its victims’ vertebrae.
The hour-long production is told in Korean and filled with sounds of the unidentified critter feasting on the helpless souls who lie on the bedding. While this is a fantasy, we recommend not watching this in bed unless you want to add to the scare factor.
Horrific Cult Classics
Cemetery Man
Last year, many celebrated the 30-year anniversary of the 1994 classic Cemetery Man, so it’s only fitting that we highlight it here. If you’re unfamiliar, the film follows a cemetery keeper (Rupert Everett) in a small town in Italy who takes down zombies by axing them in the head when they resurrect from the dead. There’s also a sweet love story tied in when he has an affair with a woman (Anna Falchi) whose husband recently died.
You’ll jump at times and laugh at certain parts and maybe walk away with a favorite character (ours is the keeper’s assistant Gnaghi, played by François Hadji-Lazaro). The comedic horror also got much recognition for the production and its actors, taking home wins at multiple film festivals, including Everett’s Best Actor award at Fantasporto in 1997.
MoviVue is a one-stop shop when you’re looking for a crawling-out-of-your-skin type of film, and Thalman assures there’s something for every horror movie fanatic. “We want to continually bring you fresh, interesting, wild content that you can, you know, keep visiting us like, ‘Oh, wow, they got this movie all of a sudden!’” he said. And while he vows the platform will always maintain its charm of having a carefully selected library of films, he urges users to continuously check the site for more chilling hidden gems.
Visit MoviVue | Catalog to explore paid and free content, which can be downloaded on your laptop or watched via the MoviVue app.
