Imagine this: it is a brisk fall day, the air is cold and crisp, the fire is crackling. You are curled up with a cozy blanket, a cup of steaming hot tea in one hand and a remote in the other. The only light in the eerie darkness is the soft glow of your TV. The only sound is the clicking of the remote in your hand because, try as you might, you can’t figure out what movie to watch…even though you seem to be in the perfect setting for a horror movie.
If you, too, are having a hard time deciding what movie to watch, I’m here to put an end to your indecision. Here, I will give you a vast variety of options that’ll be sure to satisfy your spooky movie needs and will leave you blissfully happy and warm throughout this Halloween season.
- Hocus Pocus — This Halloween classic takes place on Halloween night and stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Najimy Parker as the iconic Sanderson Sisters. During 17th century in Salem, Massachusetts, these sisters were hanged for witchcraft. Nearly three hundred years later, a group of teenagers—Max Dennison, his sister Danny, and crush Allison—stumble upon the ancient house of the departed sisters at the edge of town. In an unfortunate set of events, they accidentally bring the sisters back to life and into the world of the 90s, where they begin wreaking havoc. Max, Danny, and Allison must steal the witch’s spellbook before they become immortal and steal the souls of all the children in Salem. This classic filled with adventure, humor, and wit is a perfect movie to accommodate the Halloween season.
- Casper — Casper is a young ghost who haunts a mansion in Maine along with his three scary (and mean) uncles. Ghosts are supposedly scary and cruel…but not in all cases. Casper is a Rivendell ghost whose curious spirit usually gets the best of him. Yet though he is friendly and curious, he doesn’t have anyone to share his kindness with. That is until supernatural specialist James Harvey (played by Bill Pullman) moves to town in order to investigate the mansion, bringing his teenage daughter Kat Harvey along with him—though she isn’t as thrilled for the move as he is. As the Harvey’s move into the mansion for further investigation, Casper quickly falls in love with Kat. However, falling in love with a human while you’re a phantom isn’t as easy as it seems…
- Coraline — Coraline Jones and her family have just moved into their new home. As she explores the house, she discovers a small secret door. Behind this mysterious door is an alternate reality that is an irresistible reflection of her own life. Unable to contain herself, Coraline begins to explore this mysterious alternate reality, but things begin to go awry when she decides to return back to her real home.
- Edward Scissor Hands — After a scientist dies before he can finish his experiments, his creation—Edward, a boy with scissor blades for hands—is abandoned in a dark castle on top of a mysterious hill. It isn’t until a makeup saleswoman from a nearby town allows curiosity to get the better of her that Edward is discovered by others. Taking pity on Edward, she invites him to live with her and her family. While living with her family, Edward begins to fall madly in love with the saleswoman’s daughter named Kim, while also trying to find a way to fit in with the more “normal” people in town.
- Practical Magic — This story revolves around two witch sisters named Gillian and Sally who must break their family’s long curse that dooms any man that they fall in love with to their death. The two sisters live with their witch aunts on a small island, home to an even smaller town. Each sister lives a completely different life, but they are forced to reunite to break things off with Gillian’s abusive ex-boyfriend. However, their plan ultimately fails, resulting in the accidental killing of the boyfriend. In an attempt to bring his spirit back, the sisters bring back something evil and cursed. To the public, the death is still a mystery; however, the two sisters must face the interrogation of a detective from Tucson who is in hunt to find the ex-boyfriend and charge him with his own crimes of abuse and murder.
- Halloween Town — On Halloween night, a family receives their yearly visit from their mysterious grandmother (who nobody knows where she lives). It isn’t until the kids sneak out and escape onto the same bus as their grandmother that they realize her town isn’t in their world. Her town is in a world made up of monsters, mystical creatures, and witches. It is a Halloween town.
- Corpse Bride — When a timid groom rehearses his vows for his arranged wedding, he awakes a deceased young bride. She accepts his proposal and takes him into the underworld for their new married life. A life that the groom had never intended to live.
- Ghost Busters — After being fired from their university jobs, three supernatural professionals start their own ghost removal services in New York City. With their incredibly high-tech supplies, their business begins to boom nationwide throughout the states. San Marcos Junior Madelyn Medina states, “My favorite Halloween movie is Ghostbusters because it’s original and funny. I watch it with my Dad every year, and it never gets old.”
- Witches — After a young boy’s parents are killed in a car crash, he goes to live with his grandmother. While vacationing in a hotel with his grandmother, he encounters a ‘women’s convention” going on in the lobby. However, this isn’t just a women’s convention—it is a wicked witch convention. While trying his best to escape the convention, he is then found by the witches and turned into a mouse, which sets off a tale of adventure and suspense.
- The Addams Family — A wealthy and eccentric family—outcasted for their association and interested with anything deceased or deadly—has been on the lookout for the father’s brother for as long as they can remember. In their search for Mr. Addam’s brother, Fester, a man turns up at the home and claims to be him. The whole family is thrilled. That is, everyone except the mother, Morticia Addams, who suspects Fester is a fraud.
Whether you’re in the mood for whimsical animation, eerie comedies, or nostalgic Halloween classics I hope you were able to embark on a halloween movie watching journey throughout this list. Most of these movies can be found on Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock, Prime Video, and Disney Plus. Happy Halloween!
