With October coming to a close, it’s natural that a subscriber’s streaming schedule will be filled with perfectly horrifying movies. Based on HBO Max’s top ten, many of this year’s greatest horror releases, as well as other terrifying flicks, are being watched by tons of people. However, there's one not-so-scary movie in the top ten, and I have to admit, I have my eye on this drama that has 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
HBO Max’s 9 Perfectly Horrifying Movies In The Top 10
As a horror film aficionado, I was psyched by the recent wave of films from the genre that were both well-received and kept me up at night. Those with an HBO Max subscription seem to agree this spooky October, as nine films that you could consider scary have made their way to the streamer’s Top Ten list. Take a look at what subscribers couldn’t get enough of below:
- Weapons (2025)
- It (2017)
- It: Chapter 2 (2019)
- The Substance (2024)
- Sorry, Baby (2025)
- Bring Her Back (2025)
- Hunted By My Husband (2025)
- The Shining (1980)
- Edward Scissorhands (1990)
- Stephen King’s It (1990)
What a list! I’ve got to say that I’ve been really impressed with the recent batch of horror releases. Weapons was easily one of the craziest movies of the year, in large part because of the villainous Aunt Gladys character. But The Substance and Bring Her Back rode an amazing body horror wave that actually made me look away at certain parts.
It also doesn’t surprise me that many of the It movies made their way to the Top Ten list. After its prequel, Welcome to Derry, was so unreal with its creature violence and shocking deaths, it’s natural that fans would want to revisit Pennywise in his many forms.
While Hunted By My Husband is not a horror film necessarily, the true crime doc still has a scary premise as it tells the story of a DC sniper who killed 10 people in the area. As his ex-wife was a survivor of the killer’s actions, I can understand people’s curiosity spiking at this true story.
What’s impressing me the most about HBO Max’s Top Ten list is not just that subscribers are running to watch new horror releases, but are revisiting the classics, too. The Shining is one of the best Stephen King movies due to Jack Nicholson’s performance and the spine-tingling tension of his character's madness. Not to mention, it’s a great gateway horror flick that delivers scares without being overly violent.
Meanwhile, Edward Scissorhands may not be a horror movie. But, Johnny Depp’s character is living his own horror story of having sharp, metal hands that make forming a basic human connection a struggle.
Now, while all that is fun, and I love the spooky energy, there's one other movie on this list that has me even more interested.
It's An Impressively Terrifying List, But I’m More Interested in the Lone Holdout
There’s no argument that every movie on the Top Ten list is worth giving a shot. However, the one that’s truly grabbing my attention is the only non-scary movie on there— Sorry, Baby.
Currently at a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, Sorry, Baby is about a woman trying to turn her life around after going through a traumatic event. It’s a storyline that really resonates with me because I know what it’s like for depression to keep you stuck in that state. The A24 flick doesn’t appear to be about watching a woman’s growing depression; she's trying to find a way out of it. That’s incredibly inspirational to me.
Based on the trailer, I love the dry humor of how people think they know the right thing to say to a person going through trauma, only to come across as completely clueless. Even more so, I love the friendship aspect of your loved ones giving you reasons to keep on going. With all being said, this 2025 movie release is totally at the top of my watchlist.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the perfectly horrifying flicks on HBO Max’s Top Ten are worth watching, but the one I’m really holding out to see is Sorry, Baby. Being an A24 fan and loving the movie’s relatable premise, I can’t walk away from this one.
