I’m watching a horror movie every day in October 2026 — and I’m starting with one of the most influential found footage films ever made (Oct. 1)

Heather Donahue in "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) — (Image credit: Artisan Entertainment / Alamy)

I’ve always loved horror, but October is when I really get to indulge in it. I love the colder weather, the darker evenings and, obviously, the fact that Halloween is just around the corner. There’s something about this time of year that makes watching horror movies feel even better. Give me a dark room, a blanket and a genuinely creepy movie and I’m pretty much sorted.

31 days of horror

Hi, welcome to 31 days of horror, where I’m challenging myself to watch one horror movie every single day for 31 days in October. Some are old favorites I haven’t seen in years, while others are films I’ve never seen before.

So this year, I’m taking my love of horror a little further. I’m challenging myself to watch one horror movie every day for 31 days, taking me from October 1 all the way through Halloween. Some of these are old favorites I haven’t watched in years and desperately need a refresher on, while others are films I’ve somehow never seen before.

For day one, I’m watching “The Blair Witch Project,” the found footage horror classic that became a phenomenon when it was released in 1999. I’ve recorded my reaction and thoughts after watching it, so you can follow along with my 31-day horror challenge below (along with a transcript of my video). Will I make it through the month? There’s only one way to find out.

What is ‘The Blair Witch Project’ about?

The Blair Witch Project (1999) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers - YouTube

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“The Blair Witch Project” follows three film students, Heather (Heather Donahue), Mike (Michael C. Williams) and Josh (Joshua Leonard), who travel to Burkittsville, Maryland, to make a documentary about the local legend of the Blair Witch. They interview residents about the mysterious figure and several disturbing incidents associated with the surrounding woods before setting off into the Black Hills Forest to investigate for themselves.

After hiking deeper into the forest, the trio struggles to find their way back to their car. Their situation becomes increasingly difficult as they encounter strange piles of stones, mysterious stick figures and unexplained noises around their campsite. Arguments begin to break out as they realize they are lost and have no clear way home.

My thoughts after watching ‘The Blair Witch Project’

It’s been a while since I last watched “The Blair Witch Project,” so I definitely needed that refresh, and honestly, I think I enjoyed it even more this time around. As someone who loves found footage, I found this particularly immersive because of the way it was filmed. The whole movie feels like you’re experiencing everything alongside these characters rather than simply watching a horror movie unfold.

And the marketing for this back in 1999 was pretty insane. Sadly, I wasn’t born yet to experience it, but the filmmakers went all in on making people believe this was genuine. Even the opening note tells us that this is recovered footage, and essentially everything we’re seeing is raw footage from these three characters. Because if this really was recovered footage, they obviously wouldn’t have had the chance to edit it.

I also think the three central performances are really believable and genuinely haunting. And I love that you never actually see the Blair Witch. We’re experiencing these strange events alongside Heather, Mike and Josh, as they slowly descend into paranoia and madness while they’re lost in the woods and seemingly being taunted by something they can’t see.

Michael Williams and Joshua Leonard in "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) — (Image credit: Artisan Entertainment / Alamy)

I was actually surprised to find out this got some pretty polarizing reviews, with people calling it boring, overhyped, or criticizing the ending for being unsatisfying. Personally, I don’t really agree with those takes. I think “The Blair Witch Project” is designed to be a suspenseful experience that leaves you with questions and gives your imagination room to come up with your own theories.

Even those interviews with the townspeople at the beginning aren’t there for no reason. If you go back and listen to what they’re saying, there are actually some pretty interesting hints about what’s eventually going to happen.

Overall, “The Blair Witch Project” is a really clever film that clearly made a huge impact on the found footage genre. It’s still an incredibly influential movie, and I found it to be a genuinely unsettling watch. And now I’m really curious to see how they’re going to approach the new “Blair Witch” reboot coming in 2027.

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Alix is a Senior Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, which basically means watching the best movies and TV shows and then writing about them. It’s a dream job for someone who’s been obsessed with storytelling since she first figured out how to work a remote.

Before joining Tom’s Guide, Alix honed her skills as a staff writer with outlets like Screen Rant and Bough Digital, where she discovered her love for the entertainment industry.

She heads to the cinema every week as a tradition, no matter what’s showing. For her, movies aren’t just entertainment — they’re a ritual, a comfort, and a constant source of inspiration. When she’s not at her desk or at the cinema, you’ll probably find her deep into a horror video game on her PC.