Fall is now upon us and with it comes the spooky Halloween vibes that many desperately await all year. For me, there is no way to celebrate fall than to curl up in bed and watch a ton of Halloween movies, whether they’re horror slashers or cozy fall comfort films.
For those of you who are looking to upgrade your fall experience, here is a list of both spooky and cozy Halloween movies that will get you into the October vibes.
Horror Movies
Let’s start with scary movies to get your adrenaline up this Halloween:
- The “Scream” Franchise
-
“Scream” perfectly encapsulates everything Halloween is about. These slashers are a mixture of ridiculous dialogue and suspenseful scenes. The “Scream” franchise is different in each movie, but it typically centers on a killer, Ghostface, who terrorizes the town.
There will be moments where you laugh, and then moments where you hold your breath and pray your favorite character survives their scene.
For my fans of spooky, but not actually scary horror movies, I definitely recommend “Scream.”
- “Get Out”
-
Another must-see film this Halloween is Jordan Peele’s directorial debut “Get Out.” Unlike “Scream,” this movie is genuinely terrifying from start to finish.
“Get Out” centers around the main character, Chris, who is invited to his girlfriend’s old home for the weekend. During his time there, Chris makes a series of very disturbing discoveries about this family and what they really want from him.
If you are a fan of psychological horror, this movie was made for you.
- “Nope”
-
Adding to our Jordan Peele films is his most recent, “Nope,” which centers around a brother and sister who are trying to capture footage of an alien in their desert town.
Although this movie is less intense than “Get Out,” there are some scenes that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
- “Halloween”
-
Is any Halloween film list ever complete without the classic “Halloween?”
For those of you who don’t know, “Halloween” stars Jamie Lee Curtis, who is being stalked by the killer Michael Myers.
It’s a classic suspenseful slasher that will get you right into the Halloween mood, trust me.
- “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II”
-
These are quintessential horror movies that belong on any Halloween movie list.
“A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II” follows a family living in a world with super-hearing monsters. One sound could determine their fate, but it isn’t always easy to keep quiet.
They’re suspenseful, stressful and downright scary at some points.
- “Cabin in the Woods”
-
Honestly, this movie goes from ridiculous to straight-up absurd, but I think it is necessary to the spooky movie list.
If you’re willing to suspend your disbelief and buy into a government conspiracy slasher, check this one out.
Cozy Movies
If you don’t like scary movies — don’t fear. Here are some chill, cozy Halloween movies I recommend:
- “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
-
This is quite possibly the coziest fall movie ever. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is a movie I could watch one hundred times and never get sick of.
This short cartoon is about Linus, who skips trick or treating to find the “great pumpkin,” who is a Santa-like figure to him. The other “Peanuts” characters are also involved in Halloween shenanigans.
It’s perfect for getting you into the Halloween spirit.
- “Halloweentown”
-
It takes place in a permanently-fall world named Halloweentown, need I say more?
- “Zombieland”
-
Though I had much deliberation about whether this movie was spooky or cozy, I ultimately decided there is just too much comedy to call it scary.
“Zombieland” is about a man who is all alone during the zombie apocalypse — and he prefers it that way. When more and more people start joining him on the road, it gets harder to stay alive.
Scaredy cats beware, but for those of you feeling a shred of bravery this season, check out “Zombieland.”
- “Hotel Transylvania”
-
This movie not only has a stacked cast of hilarious actors and actresses, but it also is one of the cutest, coziest Halloween movies.
“Hotel Transylvania” is about Dracula’s daughter, Maeve, who meets a human and falls in love with him. Because she likes a human, Dracula is completely against them dating.
“Hotel Transylvania” will definitely get you in the Halloween spirit.
- “Monster House”
-
“Monster House” is my “Coraline.”
It is about a young boy and his friend who are trying to protect the town from the house next door, which eats people and their prized possessions.
It’s a very freaky animated movie that lures you in with the Halloween vibes and makes you slightly ashamed that you were hiding under your blankets the entire movie.
- “Goosebumps”
-
“Goosebumps” is about two teenagers who release stories into the world from old copies of R. L. Stine’s books. They must figure out how to put the horrors back into the books before they destroy the town.
This movie is undeniably silly but absolutely delivers the cozy Halloween vibes you might be searching for.
- “Twitches”
-
Ending this list is a childhood throwback that many of you might have seen, but it is the perfect cozy Halloween movie.
“Twitches” is about twins Alex and Cam, who were separated at birth. On their 21st birthday, the girls are united and find out they have magical powers.
For those of you who haven’t seen “Twitches,” you definitely need to add this to your movie roster.
This mixture of scary and cozy movies will keep you occupied until Halloween. Happy watching!