One of the absolute best parts of the Halloween season is getting to rewatch all of my favorite scary or comforting movies. Nothing is better than sitting on the couch in your apartment with your friends, eating candy and watching a Halloween movie. Here is a list of my all-time favorites.
- “Hocus Pocus”
-
This has been my favorite Halloween movie for as long as I can remember. Since I was little, my mother, my brother and I have all followed the tradition of watching “Hocus Pocus” together as it gets closer to Halloween. It never fails to bring my family and me together.
This film follows high school student Max and his little sister, Dani, as they accidentally bring back three evil witches from the dead. The star-studded cast is amazing for a children’s movie, with talented actresses Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker playing the three witches. The starkly different personalities of all three witches and the humorous portrayal of these characters are what make this performance so memorable.
The bonds formed between the characters, particularly the siblings, are heartfelt to watch and are the backbone of the entire story. When Emily Binx is killed by the witches back in the 1600s, her brother, Thackery, attempts to save her, but is ultimately turned into a cat for the rest of eternity. When it comes down to it, he helps Max and Dani defeat the witches, ultimately allowing him to rest and to finally be reunited with his sister.
“Hocus Pocus” incorporates familial bonds, love and comedy into one iconic Halloween film, making it my absolute favorite film for this time of year.
- “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
-
Most of us grew up with this holiday classic and have entered the long-winded debate over whether this is a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie (it is definitely a Halloween movie). This film follows the skeleton, Jack, as he grows bored with his monotonous, Halloween-centered life. By accident, he falls into a land centered around Christmas and attempts to bring it back home, much to the dismay of his spooky community.
This film is one of my favorites for this time of year because of all of the nostalgia that it brings me. It fully encapsulates the feeling of knowing that my favorite time of the year is quickly approaching and all of the festivities that come with it. It represents being cuddled up on the couch with my family, with the Halloween lights in my living room setting the ambience for the film and the upcoming holiday.
There is truly no better feeling.
- “Scream”
-
I might get judged by some horror movie lovers, but this is my favorite horror film of all time. If I am being completely honest, I don’t enjoy being scared to death for my entertainment. The “Scream” franchise, particularly the first movie because it’s the best one, is the extent of fear that I can handle.
The film follows a small-town girl named Sydney whose community is being terrorized by an anonymous killer wearing a ghost mask and a black cloak. Sydney becomes a target of threatening voicemails, particularly in relation to how her mother was murdered not long ago. The signs are all there, but the killer is not always who you would expect.
I think the appeal of this movie for me is how it is able to incorporate elements of comedy, whether intentional or not, into the suspense that the movie is known for. I definitely prefer a little bit of suspense to the full gory type of horror. These aspects of film at the core of the movie’s plot are what make it palatable for me and, therefore, most memorable for several generations.
- “Halloweentown”
-
Everyone remembers this absolutely classic Disney Channel Original Movie. Some of my earliest Halloween memories consist of watching the “Halloweentown” movies and obsessing over this fantastical world. One could say this was my first introduction to horror, as it was definitely a bit scary to me at the time.
The Piper children are never allowed to go trick-or-treating and can never figure out why, when they overhear that they come from a long line of witches. With this new knowledge, they sneak into “Halloweentown” with their grandmother, which is a town full of monsters and magical creatures. The siblings quickly learn of someone trying to take down their family line, resulting in them having to save both their family and the whole town from evil.
This movie has always stood out to me, not just for the nostalgia that it brings, but also for the overall vibe and cinematic elements. The detailed costumes, special effects makeup and color scheme were incredibly memorable for me and truly encapsulated what I would imagine a community of Halloween creatures to look like.
- “Coraline”
-
For my final film, I thought I would include another childhood classic for many. Although I did not watch “Coraline” until a few years ago, it still gave me a similar nostalgic, gothic feel of films like “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Coraline is a little girl who has just moved into a brand new house and discovered a trap door that takes her to an alternate universe. Here, she discovers that her parents have buttons for eyes, and although they seem to give her everything she wants, she slowly realizes that this universe might not be as perfect as it seems. This movie does a great job of capturing childlike innocence and spars with one’s parental figures.
I would say that Coraline is relatively relatable for a little girl, making the film more enticing for young women. Out of the films I mentioned, this is the only one that is not centered around Halloween. Even so, it does a great job of creating a spooky and Halloween-esque vibe that makes it perfect for the season.
My favorite Halloween movies all vary in target audience, scale of comedy and medium of film, but what they all have in common are the best elements of a cozy, late-night watch in October. Whether you have seen them already or not, hopefully this list inspired you to watch some of my favorite movies for this season.