6 horror movies to watch while snowed in

As I write this, much of the U.S. is bracing for a winter storm, or currently in its grip. In my neck of the woods, we may face up to a foot of snow, or more. There's no better time to have a movie marathon than during a winter storm. The shoveling and digging out can always wait until later.

As the storm bellows across the U.S., here are six horror movies to watch while snowed in.

The Thing (1982)

One of my go-to winter movies is always John Carpenter's 1982 remake of The Thing from Another World. The Thing is a horror movie classic about a group of American research scientists in a remote Arctic location who discover an alien life form under the ice. It first infects a sled dog and then the scientists one by one.

This movie has a great cast, especially Kurt Russell as R.J. MacReady and Keith David as Childs. It also has eye-popping special effects created by Rob Bottin and an unforgettable score by Carpenter. The Thing is one of those iconic movies that never gets old. It's a perfect watch for a snowstorm.

The Thing is currently available to stream on Shudder and Prime Video.

Misery (1990)

Misery is another horror classic that's always a great watch. Considering the recent tragic death of its director Rob Reiner, who, along with his wife Michele, were murdered in their LA home in December, now is an appropriate time to either revisit this movie or check it out for the first time. Based on the Stephen King novel, the movie follows novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan). After a serious car crash during a winter storm, he's rescued by a former nurse named Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). She claims to be his biggest fan and takes him to her remote cabin to recover. Her obsession with the novelist's work takes a dark and twisted turn, especially when she learns he plans to kill off her favorite character.

Misery has so many great scenes. It also has an unforgettable performance by Bates. She's one of the best villains in any horror movie from the 90s. In honor of Reiner, give Misery a watch.

Misery is currently streaming on Peacock, HBO Max, Prime Video, and Hulu.

Let the Right One In (2008)

Let the Right One In is one of my favorite horror movies of all time, and it's always on my rewatch list every winter, especially during a snowstorm. Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, the Swedish movie follows Oskar (Kare Hedebrant). He's a sensitive boy whose parents are divorced and largely MIA. He's bullied and tormented at school, but finds kinship with another outcast, Eli (Lina Leandersson). It turns out that Eli is a vampire who eventually shares the macabre secret with Oskar.

This non-traditional vampire movie has one heck of an ending but several poetic scenes before that. My personal favorite is when Oskar and Eli first meet each other on the snowy playground. At that point, you know these two will form a bond.

Let the Right One In is available to stream for free on Tubi and Pluto TV.

Frozen (2010)

There is no Elsa in the 2010 movie Frozen. This film's director, Adam Green, has gone on to make a career out of his cult slasher series Hatchet. As fun as those movies are, I prefer Frozen. This one made me avoid skiing. In it, three people get trapped on a ski lift at a resort closed for the weekend. Everything about this movie makes you feel cold.

The movie does have some character moments and a bit of relationship drama, but mostly, it takes the set-up and runs with it. Every escape plan the characters explore just feels futile. After watching this, you'll be thankful to have a warm home and shelter from subzero temperatures.

Frozen is currently streaming for free on Tubi and Pluto TV.

30 Days of Night (2007)

Along with Let the Right One In, here's another non-traditional vampire movie. The film takes place in the remote town of Barrow, Alaska, which experiences a month of solid darkness every year. Most of Barrow's residents head south for the winter, while some remain behind. One particular year, hungry vampires descend upon Barrow to feed.

The movie stars Josh Harnett as Sheriff Eben and Melissa George as his wife, Stella. Together, they work with a dwindling group of survivors to fend off the vampires and survive until the next dawn. 30 Days of Night has lots of vampire action and plenty of gore.

30 Days of Night is available to rent on most streaming platforms.

The Shining (1980)

Of course, The Shining had to be included on this list. It's probably the ultimate snowstorm horror movie. It's a Stanley Kubrick masterpiece that follows a family trapped at the Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) loses it and attacks his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and their son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who possesses psychic powers. Jack also sees ghosts that haunt the Overlook and encourage him to kill.

Kubrick made some major changes to Stephen King's novel, especially the ending, but his film certainly captures feelings of isolation and madness. The movie is also famous for the stress the actors endured, especially Duvall. Kubrick required them to shoot sequences over and over again and frequently made changes to the script. The results, however, crafted one of the greatest horror movies of the 20th Century.

The Shining is available to stream on Peacock and Prime Video.