Want a spooky movie night without spending the entire evening hiding behind a throw pillow? We've got you covered!

October in Michigan means colorful leaves, pumpkin patches, cider mills, and the annual debate over whether it's a good idea to watch a horror movie right before bed.

Some people love terrifying movies. They want creepy music, things jumping out of closets, and enough nightmares to keep the hallway light on until Thanksgiving. Other people hear one strange noise in the house and immediately start pricing new locks.

If you're in that second group, Entertainment Weekly has put together a list of 20 horror and spooky movies for people who enjoy the Halloween atmosphere but aren't necessarily looking to have their souls scared out of them.

Think creepy stories, supernatural surprises, dark comedy, and classic monster fun, without making every trip to the basement feel like a survival mission.

20 Spooky Movies for Scaredy Cats

Here are the movies to put on your Halloween watchlist:

1. The Birds (1963): Alfred Hitchcock's classic proves that even an ordinary afternoon can go terribly wrong when nature decides it has had enough of humanity.

2. Crimson Peak (2015): A gothic ghost story filled with creepy hallways, beautiful scenery, and a house that desperately needs a home inspection.

3. Death Becomes Her (1992): Dark comedy, outrageous characters, and a whole lot of trouble with the fountain of youth.

4. Get Out (2017): A psychological thriller that turns an awkward weekend meeting the family into something considerably more unsettling.

5. House on Haunted Hill (1959): A classic haunted-house mystery with Vincent Price, creepy surprises, and plenty of vintage Halloween atmosphere.

6. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956): What if the people around you weren't really the people you thought they were? Suddenly, your neighborhood looks a little different.

7. Jennifer's Body (2009): A darkly funny horror movie about friendship, high school, and a classmate with some seriously unusual eating habits.

8. The Love Witch (2016): A colorful, retro-inspired tale of romance and witchcraft that looks like a vintage movie poster come to life.

9. The Menu (2022): An exclusive dinner turns into a very unusual culinary experience. Maybe stick with the local Michigan diner next time.

10. The Others (2001): A mysterious old house, strange happenings, and an atmosphere that makes every shadow suspicious.

11. Personal Shopper (2016): A supernatural mystery involving a personal shopper who believes she may be receiving messages from beyond.

12. Phantom of the Paradise (1974): A bizarre musical horror comedy with a rock-and-roll edge. It's definitely not your typical night at the movies.

13. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975): An eerie mystery about a group of schoolgirls who disappear during an outing. The unsettling atmosphere does much of the work.

14. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975): A cult musical packed with outrageous characters, catchy songs, and enough weirdness to keep Halloween interesting.

15. Rosemary's Baby (1968): A psychological horror classic about a pregnancy that raises some deeply disturbing questions.

16. Shaun of the Dead (2004): A zombie comedy that mixes British humor with the end of the world. Finally, a movie where being unmotivated might actually be a survival strategy.

17. Signs (2002): Strange happenings on a Pennsylvania farm suggest that something may be visiting from beyond Earth. Fair warning: this one does have a famously startling jump scare!

18. The Sixth Sense (1999): A supernatural mystery with a memorable twist that makes you want to watch the whole thing again.

19. Tremors (1990): Giant underground creatures terrorize a small desert town. It might make you think twice about walking across an open field, though Michigan's biggest October threat is probably mud.

20. Young Frankenstein (1974): Mel Brooks' hilarious take on classic monster movies. It's an ideal choice for anyone who prefers laughing at Halloween rather than screaming through it.

The Michigan Scaredy-Cat Movie Night Challenge

Here's our recommendation for a proper Mid-Michigan Halloween evening: grab some fresh cider, pick up a few doughnuts from your favorite cider mill, get comfortable under a blanket, and let somebody else choose the movie.

Just establish a few ground rules before the opening credits roll:

• No judging anyone who covers their eyes. Some people watch the movie through their fingers. That's still watching.

• Keep the lights on if necessary. Electricity bills are cheaper than replacing a perfectly good couch after someone launches themselves off it.

• Choose your snacks wisely. Nothing ruins a tense scene quite like choking on a caramel apple because a character opened a suspicious door.

• Don't watch Signs right before bed if you're already convinced every noise outside is something extraterrestrial.

And remember, the best Halloween movie isn't necessarily the scariest one. It's the one everyone enjoys, whether that means screaming at the television, laughing at the monsters, or arguing over who has to turn off the lights afterward.

So, what's your Halloween movie personality? Are you a horror-movie fanatic, a comedy-and-candy person, or someone who considers Hocus Pocus the absolute limit of acceptable terror?

Around Michigan, we can handle cold weather, potholes, and the first surprise snowfall of the season. But a creepy noise coming from the basement? That's a problem for tomorrow.