10 Beginner-Friendly Horror Movies To Binge-Watch This Halloween

Trick or treat! Why not learn English with Halloween movies this year? Practice your English without missing out on the Halloween vibe with these ten horror films. 

Halloween is approaching! You can see carved pumpkins everywhere. Strange costumes are also starting to appear, and you will see them whether you like it or not. And you know what other things are trending in this spooky occasion? Horror movies, of course.

Since it’s the time for spooks and jumpscares, this is also a great chance to further improve your English skills. For starters, you can start learning new words and phrases perfect for Halloween. If such activity seems tedious and not fun, why not try and learn English with these Halloween movies? 

In this article, we listed some of the most entertaining horror movies in English that are easy to understand. If you don’t want to go trick-or-treating this weekend, you can binge-watch these movies with your friends instead. Get your popcorn and drinks ready, and don’t forget to turn off the lights to make the experience a lot more immersing. 

Why Learn English By Watching Horror Movies? 

Learning English using horror movies is a timely activity to do. But that doesn’t mean that this can only be done during Halloween. A lot of you might be wondering, “Why horror movies”? Why not romance or comedy instead? There are American sitcoms that can give similar experience, right? 

In reality, watching horror movies has a lot of advantages for English learners. This is especially true if listening skills and sound comprehension are just starting to be developed. Here are some reasons why you should give the horror genre a chance. 

1. Horror Films Are Easy To Follow

Like action films, horror movies are easy to follow. Emotions are conveyed effectively in the character’s face. Whenever a horrific scene happens, the plot is usually told effectively via the scene alone. The viewer doesn’t need to understand every word or sentence told on-screen to know the gist of the situation. 

2. Lesser Dialogue = Lesser Confusion

Not all horror films have short dialogues. But more often than not, the characters’ actions can tell the story effectively. Simpler dialogues enhance the overall watching experience, as there will be less confusion in the plot. 

How is this a good thing for English learning? It means that the learner can absorb the lesson more efficiently than in movies with lengthy conversations. An English learner can pick up new words easily because the talks and conversations are often simple. 

3. Learn Accents Intuitively

Besides speaking practices, one of the best ways to learn accents intuitively is listening to native speakers. Consuming media with visual and audio cues will give the learner an idea of how certain words are spoken in certain accents.

Remember: English is one of the languages that developed tons of accents overtime due to widespread usage. Constant exposure to videos and other materials of your desired accent will slowly but surely improve your English accent. 

4. There Are Tons of Horror Genres To Choose From

Did you know that there are four horror genres overall? One of these is classic horror movies, where the story is based on old folklore monsters like Dracula or Frankenstein. B-films are movies made with less budget than major producers. Slasher films are videos where the major villain of the story is a psychopath who hurts people. Lastly, psychological thrillers are films that use supernatural elements and mental torment to scare the viewer. 

5. Horror Movies Are Fun

Horror movies are simply fun to watch, especially with friends. Although watching spooky movies alone increases immersion, group-setting can help better in English learning. It is a way to commence English practices by sharing your reactions and the scariest moments (in English). 

Without further ado, here’s a list of English-friendly movies to binge-watch in this spooky season. 

10 Halloween Movies to Learn English (2020)

1. The Babadook (2014)

The Babadook is a horror-drama film that features the story of Amelia Vanek and her 6-year-old son, Samuel. When Amelia’s husband dies, she and her son move to the city of Adelaide. One day, Sam’s behavior starts to get troublesome. When Sam asks Amelia to retell a storybook called “Mister Babadook,” things begin to get weirder around them. Little do they know, that they unleashed the monster, Babadook, into their lives. Will they survive this mental torment? 

2. IT (2017) 

IT, also known as It Chapter One, is a horror-drama and thriller film released in 2017. This movie centers around Bil Debrough and his group of friends. After his little brother, George, disappears without a trace, Bill is determined to find out what happened. With his friends’ help, they go to The Barrens in hopes of finding his missing brother. As the group digs deeper, they start encountering a supernatural clown responsible for George’s fate. Can they defeat this mysterious creature by themselves? 

3. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1985)

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a slasher horror film considered one of the most iconic of its kind. Nancy Thompsom loses her best friend in a mysterious nightmare attack while sleeping. After the incident, more and more teenagers are dying in their sleep. Determined to bring justice in her hand, Nancy and her boyfriend start investigating this phenomenon. Discovering Fred Krueger’s identity, the two dig in further to defeat this vengeful spirit. 

4. Coraline (2009)

Coraline is a 2009 dark fantasy-horror released in 2009. The story is about Coraline, who moved with her parents to an old mansion. Because her parents are always busy, she is always left alone/ One day, Coraline found a door, which serves as a portal to a parallel dimension: a  cheerful version of her home. Her parents’ counterpart is also more attentive and caring. However, when Coraline wanted to go home, everything became grim. Now, she must use all her wits to escape the place. 

5. The Sixth Sense (1999) 

Have you seen that meme where a kid is crying in his bed with a ridiculous caption such as “I can see real prices” printed below? That’s the character Cole Sear from the 1999 mystery-thriller movie, The Sixth Sense. Malcolm Crowe, the protagonist of the story, needs to help Cole in his biggest dilemma: seeing ghosts. 

6. The Cabin In The Woods (2012) 

The Cabin In The Woods is a film released in 2012 written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard. This film features a group of five college friends who decide to get some fun during their weekends in a remote cabin inside the forest. All is going well until zombies start appearing and terrorizing the group. Would they be able to stay out of the woods alive? Will they discover the truth that haunts the cabin in the woods? 

7. The Conjuring (2013) 

Another classic horror film, The Conjuring is one of the most recommended titles for horror movies. The story is set in the 1970s when paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren were invited to investigate a haunted farmhouse. As the paranormal investigation continues, more and more secrets and uncovered. The Warrens are now facing one of the most frightening experiences of their lives. 

You can also watch the second and third installments of this movie series. The English in this movie is quite simple and easy to use in normal conversations. 

8. The Shining (1980) 

The Shining is another horror classic that is considered by some as the scariest movie ever. Although the English used in this movie is a little bit on the difficult side, beginners can still enjoy this masterpiece. Jack Torrance is a writer who moved into Overlook Hotel with his family to make money sidelining as a caretaker. Although the family has been warned to not open 237, Jack’s son Danny was overwhelmed with curiosity, With this event, the ghosts of the place have been awakened. 

9. Scream (1996) 

Scream is a slasher film released in 1996. It revolves around Sidney Prescott and a serial killer known only as Ghostface. Ghostface calls teenagers, asking questions about horror films. When the victim’s answer is wrong, Ghostface kills them. Sidney barely evades her fate. Will she be able to uncover Ghostface’s identity and motives for killings? Although a slasher, this movie can be considered as comedy, as it parodies the known cliches of the horror movie at the time. 

10. You’re Next (2011) 

Another slasher film, You’re Next features the story of the Davisons, who are part of the elite but not a close-knit family. Aubrey and Paul Davison make an attempt to fix the estranged family’s relationship by celebrating their wedding anniversary with their children. However, this celebration turnss into something more when masked individuals started attacking them. 

5 Tips To Improve Your English Via Movies And Videos

• Delay Your Subtitles 

You can play a small “guess the meaning” game by delaying your subtitles. Guess the meaning of the sentences after the character delivered their lines on-screen. Give yourself a reward when you guessed the right meaning. 

• Pronounce A New Word Out Loud

Upon encountering a new word, try to say it out loud until you’re making the same sound in the movie. This method is another way to improve your pronunciation and add more words to your vocabulary. 

• Repeat A Scene Until You Understand It Completely

As a new learner, it is relatively easy to get confused about unfamiliar words. This is especially true if one scene is sprinkled with unfamiliar words. Before you skip one confusing scene, at least try to understand what is happening. Slow the video down if you’re having difficulties in catching the word used. 

• Don’t Choose Movies That You Won’t Enjoy

If you don’t enjoy horror movies, the list above might not be for you. To make learning easier, the learning material must be enjoyable to the reader. Don’t worry; there are tons of variety in the entertainment industry to choose from, including TV series. 

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Learning is a lot more enjoyable if you have other learners with you. Call your language learning buddies and enjoy a movie or two. Maybe ask about their best moments or the most annoying ones. Don’t forget to try other genres and English media, such as books, music, and even video games. 

Conclusion

Movies are probably one of the best learning tools in language learning. Horror movies are probably one of the easiest media to use when you’re new to the language. 

Fortunately, these materials are available on streaming platforms and digital purchases. If you want to supplement your learning experience, another good option is learning with an online English tutor. 

Justlearn offers high-quality, personalized English tutoring classes offered by native speakers. Choose your own teacher and learn at your own pace. 

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