With Halloween round the corner, we delve into a playlist that fits the mood. Whether you want to indulge in a blend of American history, blues music and vampires, a fictionalisation of the story of one of the most macabre psychopaths in the US or an Indian series that brings together supernatural dread and social commentary about the social place of women, we’ve got you covered.

Together, these stories prove that the scariest monsters are often the ones closest to home.

Sinners (2025, HBO Max)

I first saw this when it hit cinema screens in Pakistan. And I was left in awe.

Now streaming on HBO Max (which only recently became available in Pakistan), Sinners is an audacious genre mash-up that weaves horror, music and social commentary into one bold tapestry.

From gothic blues and real-life monsters to haunted hostels, this Halloween’s streaming line-up offers a different kind of scare… one that gets right under your skin

Directed by RyanCoogler and starring MichaelB.Jordan in dual roles, the film was born out of Coogler’s desire to make something original, free of franchise constraints, and to explore Black American history, blues music and supernatural horror, all at once.

Set in 1932 Mississippi, the story follows twins Smoke and Stack, who return home after years away to open a juke-joint for Black sharecroppers dreaming of freedom and escape. But their ambitions are threatened by an older evil — a clan of white vampires with sinister designs. As the bar opens and the live blues performance pulses through the night, the true horror begins.

Visually, the film is stunning: sweeping camera work, dusty Southern sets, flickering candle-lit interiors, and a soundtrack that pulses with blues-infused dread. At the same time, sometimes it feels like its pacing sags in the early act and that the horror payoff is uneven.

For Halloween, Sinners delivers more than jump scares — it offers a hypnotic, visceral experience, where music, myth and mortality collide under a heavy Southern dusk. If you’re in the mood for something rich, dark and off-beat, this one is a perfect fit for you.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story (2025, Netflix)

This one is impossible to miss but hard to watch. Streaming on Netflix, it has a chilling veneer but ultimately it leaves a mixed impression.

The series delves into the life of EdGein, the notorious grave-robber and murderer, whose bizarre relics and macabre obsessions shocked the world, and whose legacy has haunted horror cinema ever since his story came to light.

Gein, known as the “Butcher of Plainfield”, was a Wisconsin farmer whose gruesome crimes in the 1950s shocked America. After his mother’s death, Gein exhumed corpses from local graveyards, fashioning furniture, masks and clothing from human remains. When police arrested him in 1957 for murder, they discovered his horrifying collection, revealing a psyche twisted by isolation, maternal obsession and delusion.

Though convicted of only two murders, his macabre acts inspired some of Hollywood’s most infamous horror icons — Norman Bates (Psycho), Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and Buffalo Bill (The Silence of the Lambs).

From the outset, the show leans heavily into its own mythology rather than being a strictly factual biopic. The visuals are polished, performances intense, and there’s no shortage of gore and surreal sequences. On the downside, the series has somewhat of a sprawling narrative, the filmmakers take dramatic liberties, and it has a pacing that sometimes feels aimless. It’s as if the creators were torn between documenting a true crime legend and crafting a full-blown horror myth.

So yes, as a Halloween watch, it offers plenty of visceral moments and a deeply unsettling undercurrent of “this actually happened.” But if you’re seeking clarity or a tightly focused retelling, proceed with caution. The truth is distorted, the horror is amplified, and the result is more a psychological shock-fest than a clean true-crime documentary.

Khauf (2025, Amazon Prime)

This series makes for a compelling, eerie watch, especially if you prefer watching something that’s rooted in psychological tension rather than just cheap jump-scares.

The plot centres on Madhu (Monika Panwar), a young woman who relocates from Gwalior to Delhi, seeking a fresh start, only to end up in room 333 of a women’s hostel, where whispers of past violence sulk in the shadows. Madhu (and consequently us, the viewers) are driven mad trying to unravel what’s haunting her.

Panwar’s performance is a standout: her quiet desperation and gradual unravelling anchor the series emotionally, which helps give the horror more weight.

What I love about this series is how it slowly builds fear around real-world vulnerabilities — trauma, isolation, gendered threats — rather than relying solely on spectral apparitions. Visually and atmospherically, Khauf scores well. The hostel itself serves as a tight, claustrophobic character. The cinematography makes the dim lighting and echoing corridors feel absolutely soaked in dread. The sound design holds the unease longer than most typical horror efforts, especially from Bollywood.

Having said that, Khauf isn’t perfect. The pacing is uneven as episodes meander through back-stories, and the horror payoff sometimes fades into explanation rather than lingering mystery.

If you’re looking for an intense playlist to match the Halloween mood, with atmospheric dread, a haunted hostel, and an undertone of societal fear, Khauf is a solid pick. Just don’t expect non-stop scares; instead, you’ll find a slow-burn, unsettling journey that lingers more in the mind than on the skin.

Published in Dawn, ICON, October 26th, 2025