The Babadook

There‘s a new gay icon in Hollywood currently enjoying a moment of enhanced visibility. If you find Ellen too squeaky-clean, Neil Patrick Harris too eager-to-please, or Lance Bass too Lance Bass, then you’re in luck, because a new LGBT champion has emerged from the shadows to capture the hearts of millions. He’s here, he’s queer, and he wants to eat the child that cracked open his cursed pop-up book: good citizens of the Internet, the Babadook has burst out of the closet, and he’s hungry.

It’s October and you know what means — it’s time to dust off the horror genre and spend a few weeks screaming at your television. Since actually getting off your couch and actually getting a movie off the shelf is too much effort, we’ve gone ahead and done all of the hard work for you. Here are the 10 best horror movies currently streaming on Netflix Instant. From bonafide classics to newer discoveries, these movies have a little something for everyone.

While the entirety of Game of Thrones Season 6 may end up spoiled on sight alone, observation of the set often yields some strong casting choices for the season. Case in point, The Babadook star Essie Davis has been spotted filming on the Game of Thrones set, in role that should look familiar to fans.

‘The Babadook’ is undoubtedly the scariest film of the year—not only that, but it’s also one of the best films of 2014, garnering acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The film, which is currently in theaters and on VOD, features a highly original and disturbing new movie monster in the titular and sinister Babadook. And just when you thought you were free of the terrifying monster, he’s back in a new animated Christmas greeting, to wish you a very chilling holiday.

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret: No one likes putting together a Top 10 list. Oh, don’t get me wrong; it’s fun at a party if someone asks you, “What were your favorite movies this year?” and you can just rattle off a list of titles in no particular order, not overly concerned if you accidentally left something off. But this list is formal. Published on the Internet. This will be my legacy. And that’s not something to take lightly.

Although it doesn't hit theaters until next month, we can tell you that 'The Babadook' is one of the best horror movies of 2014 and that director Jennifer Kent is someone you will want to keep your eyes on for the foreseeable future. However, before her film freaked everyone out at Sundance and Fantastic Fest, Kent made a short film titled 'Monster,' which acted as a warm-up to her first feature gig. If you want to get a taste of 'The Babdook' and have already seen the trailer, this is the next logical place to go.

It's become increasingly rare for horror films to make an effort to truly scare us these days, but Jennifer Kent's 'The Babadook' gets under the skin in ways that are both visceral and highly emotional. A mediation on a mother's grief and the displacement of that grief onto her son, the film echoes Stephen King's 'The Shining' in many ways, while lead actress Essie Davis gives a chill-inducing performance evocative of vintage Sissy Spacek and Mia Farrow.

The first 'Babadook' trailer certainly knows its audience. After all, even the most seasoned horror fan gets creeped out by childish drawings of truly unsettling monsters, and this Australian horror film seems to have that in spades. If you happen to be at the Sundance Film Festival, you have a chance to go see this. Otherwise, you'll just have to make do with the trailer for the moment.