The month of October isn’t just about cramming as many horror movies as you can into your days and nights. There are other genres that are just as fitting, from psychological thrillers to intense dramas, and even sci-fi. Some of the best sci-fi movies, in fact, teeter the line between sci-fi and horror, quenching your need for creepy content.
There are three sci-fi movies on Peacock this month that you need to watch in October. All are new to the streaming service, and they hail from two of the best decades for the genre: the ’80s and ’90s. Travel back in time with a Jeff Goldblum classic, feast your eyes on the story of a killer car, or revisit high school life with teenage witches brewing something bad.
We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
The Fly (1986)
Arguably one of the most iconic sci-fi horror movies ever made, The Fly stars Jeff Goldblum in a role tailor made for him. He’s Seth Brundle, an eccentric scientist who accidentally turns himself into a fly-hybrid creature when a pesky fly gets into his teleportation transmitter pod. Loosely based on a short story of the same name by George Langelaan and directed and co-written by David Cronenberg, The Fly will make you feel, as the movie’s tagline reads, “afraid. Very afraid.”
Despite not having any of the special effects and CGI wonders that have become common in movies today, The Fly remains one of the creepiest sci-fi films you can watch for Halloween month. Seeing Seth slowly transform into Brundlefly is both fascinating and terrifying; it’s no surprise the film won an Academy Award for Best Makeup.
Stream The Fly on Peacock.
The Craft (1996)
This teen supernatural horror movie has become a cult classic since it originally premiered in the mid ’90s. Four teenage outcasts with dark and morbid preferences don’t fit in with others. So, they decide to start their own clique to perform witchcraft. They live out every teenage girl’s fantasy by casting spells on the people who wronged them, from the boy who spread lies about what happened on a date to the female bully. But soon, the spells start to backfire and the ladies realize the power isn’t entirely in their hands.
The Craft is social commentary as much as it is a horror sci-fi. The ladies are eventually forced to come to terms with the fact that having everything they ever wanted through nefarious means isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The Craft is campy fun, a dark take on the typical coming-of-age story without that cookie-cutter happy ending.
Stream The Craft on Peacock.
Christine (1983)
No, this movie isn’t selected just because it’s my namesake. Christine is a cult classic supernatural horror movie from John Carpenter that was adapted from a Stephen King novel of the same name. Christine isn’t a person, it’s a car with a mind of its own. When Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) buys the gorgeous red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury, little does he know that it will be more jealous and possessive than a clingy girlfriend. What’s more, Christine’s attitude starts to rub off on Arnie, to devastating results.
The candy apple beauty takes down anyone and anything in its path, then weirdly repairs itself from damages as if it has been safely parked in the garage all night. Christine, the antithesis of Knight Rider’s KITT, might make you think twice about expressing deep love for your vehicle. The late Roger Ebert best described how Christine might make you feel: “This is the kind of movie where you walk out with a silly grin, get in your car, and lay rubber halfway down the Eisenhower.”
Stream Christine on Peacock.
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