This autumn, our world is grappling with a bevy of horrors—an ongoing pandemic, relentless unchecked racial injustice sanctified by our legal system, the gaping void of an open supreme court seat, and an election that could potentially unravel all of American democracy.

Of course, October also brings with it a far more pleasant kind of horror: The blissfully distracting, transportive, folky wonder that is Halloween season. This October, we'll all have to intersperse pre-election phone banks and protests with some spooky autumnal entertainment in order to avoid burnout and keep our spirits alive.

The good thing is, fall offers plenty of options in the realm of transportive art and culture. Namely, these dark autumn nights are perfect for playing through your favorite horror movies. From the kitschy to the gory to the downright spine-chilling, horror movies have a way of bringing many of us an odd kind of peace. Plus, a recent study discovered that people who love horror movies might actually be faring better during the pandemic.