As the leaves start changing colors, the weather starts turning colder, and the nights get longer, it is the perfect time to gather up all your fuzzy blankets, favorite snacks, and get in front of the TV to have a movie marathon. But if you are like me and you spend more time browsing through every streaming service’s movie collection than actually watching the movie, then having a list of movies to look at might be the solution. From date nights to Halloween parties, to when you need the best feel-good rom-coms or thought-provoking dramas, here is a list of some of my favorite movies perfect for any occasion!
Halloween Picks
With Halloween right around the corner, get into the spooky sprit early with these horror movies that have heart-racing jump scares, exciting plot lines, and twists to keep you up at night. For horror movie marathons that last until dawn, the Halloween franchise has several movies from the 70s to the 21st century to watch in chronological order or choose from at random, the Scream franchise has four movies perfect if you want a classic slasher film. Or, choose The Purge movies for something more modern that blends social and political commentary into a classic horror movie setting. If you’re just looking for one movie to get into the Halloween mood, my go-to stand-alone horror picks are Ready or Not, Don’t Breathe, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
For a Halloween-themed movie night minus the horror, turn to Disney+’s wide selection of nostalgic Halloween classics. Blast into the past with Halloween-themed films from your childhood like Twitches or HalloweenTown, or choose Frankenweenie for a pick from a more recent year. While not Disney, Coraline is another perfect animated pick (though, let’s be real, this movie had no business being so scary when it is aimed at kids).
If you dislike horror movies for their cheesy dialogues or predictable tropes though, watch the Scary Movie movies that poke fun at some of the most popular horror films from our time.
Date Nights
Take inspiration from this TikTok trend for the perfect Disney-themed date night with your boo. Basically write down several movies and food items that fit the theme of that movie and place them into a bowl, then pick one at random and whichever movie you draw is the theme for the night. It is the perfect solution if both you and your partner are indecisive over not just what movie to watch, but what to eat during a movie night as well. As a huge Disney fan, I was amazed when I first saw this idea come across my FYP and instantly wished I had a partner to plan this out with. If you have one, do this immediately. The good thing about this idea is that you can choose as many movies as you want for your selection, and then the final decision is made randomly. While you can make cards for any Disney movie you’d like, I’d recommend throwing Ratatouille in there because the themed-food options for it are endless, and who doesn’t love Ratatouille?
Feel Goods
Whether you need to decompress and watch a movie that doesn’t require much thought, or just need a pick-me up, these movies never fail to lift my mood. Watch Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, because I promise having a scream-sing along to iconic Abba music never fails as a mood booster. Some of my other favorite movie musicals that achieve the same effect are The Greatest Showman, the Pitch Perfect movies, or Grease.
If you’re looking for a comfort film, comedies are always my go-to. Ones from the 80s to the early 2000s are perfect for that nostalgic happiness, and the ones I always go back to on movie nights are Clueless, John Tucker Must Die, Legally Blonde, Heathers, 10 Things I Hate About You, or Another Cinderella Story.
To Learn Something New
While I personally love to watch movies for an escape from the real world, there are also really good documentaries out there on almost any topic imaginable that are both informative and entertaining to watch. Netflix’s new film Britney Vs Spears documents the celebrity’s conservatorship that caught the attention of millions of people worldwide, and her legal battle to escape it. FYRE is about the scandalous music festival that defrauded thousands of influencers and celebrities.
Biopics are one of my favorite types of movies because they are dramatized depictions of real people told in a movie medium. On the Basis of Sex brings Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s — the most iconic woman of our time and one of the biggest girl bosses ever — to life. Another favorite biopic of mine, though about a more notorious figure, is Molly’s Game, which is about a former Olympic Skier who ends up running one of Hollywood’s most exclusive poker games. Immediately after watching the movie, I picked up the book and finished in one sitting.
Final Thoughts..
I’ll be honest, picking the right movie to watch is always a process. Just while writing this, I was spending the same amount of time thinking over my favorite movies to include as I do picking a movie to watch when I sit down. If I included all my favorite movies for each of these, my article would be ten times longer than it currently is. But I hope this list helps you find your new favorite movie.