HONOLULU (KHON2) — It’s officially Halloween season! That means it’s the perfect time to queue up those horror movies and put out those decorations.
KHON2.com caught up with Steven Hobaica, founder of Honolulu Horror Nights, who has put together the definitive list of 2025’s must-see horror movies (so far!)
Hobaica promises these flicks will send chills down your spine and make you glad you’re only a spectator.
10. Warfare
“This is a movie about a military mission in Iraq as it unfolds in real time, It captures raw intensity and fear,” said Hobaica. “While Warfare isn’t your stereotypical horror film, it’s definitely horrifying.
Hobaica said the reason you want to watch it is because it is a brutal and relentless horror flick that trades typical scares for the terrifying realities of combat.
9. Heart Eyes
“This film is about a masked killer who stalks couples on Valentine’s Day and targets two coworkers mistaken for lovers,” explained Hobaica. “It’s bloody, ironic and wickedly fun and blends slasher carnage with dark romantic comedy.”
8. 28 Years Later
“Decades after the rage virus outbreak, survivors grapple with the legacy of infection, and a new crisis looms,” said Hobaica. “Boyle’s long-awaited return to the franchise makes this a standout film that tense, emotional and timely in its reflections on survival.”
7. Together
“This is a romantic getaway that turns sinister when a couple discovers their bond is being manipulated by something monstrous,” said Hobaica. “It’s equal parts romance and horror, with sprinkles of comedy. These themes bond as the film explores love, codependency and fear in deeply personal, terrifying ways.:
6. Ugly Stepsister
“A twisted reimagining of Cinderella hat follows two sisters as jealousy, revenge and dark forces spiral into obsession and violence,” said Hobaica. “It’s gruesome, clever and dripping with gothic flair, and Ugly Stepsister proves fairy tales were always meant to be scary.”
5. Final Destination: Bloodlines
“This film is about a college student who realizes her family is cursed to die in violent, impossible accidents; that is unless she can break the cycle,” explained Hobaica. “The franchise’s creative death sequences are back, nastier than ever and with more than enough new twists to keep longtime fans hooked.”
4. Companion
“This is about a couple that goes on a getaway weekend with friends, but growing independence turns the getaway violent,” said Hobaica. “The flick is slick, stylish and unsettling, and Companion twists technology, control and autonomy into a sharp sci-fi horror film.”
3. Sinners
“Set in 1930s Mississippi, this film follows twin brothers who open a juke joint in the Delta only to find it invaded by malevolent beings on opening night,” said Hobaica. ” It’s equal parts horror, music and social commentary. Sinners fuses Southern Gothic with supernatural menace and a powerhouse soundtrack.”
2. Weapons
“When a class of children vanishes overnight, a small town struggles to make sense of the impossible,” said Hobaica. “It blends mystery, paranoia and dread, making Weapons feel fresh and inventive, just like director Cregger’s last film, Barbarian.”
1. Bring Her Back
“From the minds behind Talk to Me, this shocker follows foster siblings who discover something disturbing within their new home,” explained Hobaica. “This film’s a mix of raw family drama and supernatural terror, with Sally Hawkins delivering one of the year’s most unsettling performances. It’s perfect for fans of atmospheric, emotionally heavy horror.”
Honorable Mention: Queens of the Dead
This film about drag queens and queer club kids who must put their rivalries aside when zombies crash their party at a Brooklyn bar,” said Hobaica. “Queens of the Dead was directed by Tina Romero — yes, George Romero’s daughter — and is a campy horror-comedy that blends drag and queer culture with undead mayhem. Check it out in theaters, this October!