30 Best Hidden Gem Horror Movies Perfect For Halloween

Horror and comedy are often considered a difficult pairing, and adding stoner humor into the mix seems nearly impossible. However, late ’90s gem Idle Hands manages to pull it off with effective bloody success.

A high school stoner (Devon Sawa) discovers that a murderous force has possessed his right hand and killed his parents. His best friends (Seth Green and Elden Henson) are next on the hit list, but return as undead companions to help him fight the evil and save his high school crush (a young Jessica Alba), as the chaos builds towards a showdown at the school’s Halloween dance.

Director Rodman Flender, a veteran of the Roger Corman school of filmmaking, brings impressive gore, effective jump scares, and all the R-rated terror elements with confidence. Arguably, Idle Hands does lean stronger into stoner comedy, creating a fun, likable atmosphere that’s unmistakably late ’90s - complete with frosted tips, oversized clothes, and a cameo by Offspring.

In terms of casting, this was during the period when Devon Sawa was poised for superstardom. He’s likable and relatable as the lead, but the real scene stealers are Green and Henson as his undead buddies. Their chemistry is undeniable, and they deliver the film’s most memorable lines with finesse (Look at me, I’m Leatherface!).

Idle Hands is a charming product of its time and a rare example of horror and stoner comedy blending together successfully.