Spider webs, creepy clowns and scary witches; yes it’s that time of year again. Halloween is upon us.

Almost every year film studios try and release movies around the month of October in order to get traditional movie goers and hardcore horror fans fully engulfed in the holiday spirit.

In recent (and not so recent memory), some movies have been good and some not so much. So, we are going to take a look at the top-five horror films of all-time.

1. The Conjuring (2013) – I know most people weren’t expecting to see a movie from this generation this high on the list but it’s deservingly so. The Conjuring was a movie that easily put itself into conversation as the best horror film in recent memory. Furthermore, it could have leaped into the conversation of one of the best horror films of all-time.

2. The Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise (1984-2010) – I couldn’t bring myself to pick a specific movie in this historic franchise. While I prefer some movies over others, it’s hard to say any of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies were bad beyond belief. Plus, how can one choose from the legendary work that Robert Englund put in as the infamous Freddy Krueger.

3. It (1990) – It’s hard to argue that most people in the world who are deathly afraid of clowns have Stephen King to thank. King gave fans everywhere a legitimate reason to be terrified of those seemingly joyful yet unbelievably evil beings we call clowns in It. Not to mention, the recent craze of clowns walking around different cities looking as menacingly as possible doesn’t help the cause either.

4. The Shining (1980) – Aside from the storyline itself, which some may argue could have been better, the performance put on by Jack Nicholson and company set the bar at an all-time high during that time that very few have even come close to duplicating. The Shining was a film that no matter how weird and whacky the scenes got, you could not manage to tear your eyes away from the screen. And if you’ve saw the movie, you should go read “Doctor Sleep,” by Stephen King. Thank me later.

5. Carrie (1976) – This movie is responsible for being the first movie that had me afraid to go to sleep at night. Carrie was a movie that took horror and fused in super natural abilities. It’s already hard to protect yourself against an evil entity but an evil entity with super natural abilities, the task becomes almost impossible.

Honorable Mentions: Three movies that did not make the list but were very close were:

• Candyman (1992)
• Scream (1996)
• The Exorcist (1976)

While this is just one humble opinion, plenty of movies could have made this list easily. And I’m sure plenty more are on the way.

Side Note: Different generations like to compare things, with movies being one of the many things. While it has been said before, when it came to horror films, previous generation hold the advantage. But I think it’s worth noting with movies like The Conjuring, Annabelle, Oculus and Sinister being released in recent memory; I think it’s safe to say this generation is catching up quickly.