Alright witches, it’s officially fall, which means spooky season is upon us. The fall season consists of pumpkin patches, cozy sweaters and blankets, hot chocolate, but most importantly, Halloween. So, bundle up with your sweater and pumpkin spice latte because I’m about to rank my favorite ‘spooky’ movies to get you in the creepy spirit! Whether you like creepy but full of laughs or just plain scary, I’m sure there’s at least one movie on this list to send shivers down your spine.
1. Coraline: Now if you haven’t seen Coraline, than you’re in for a treat. It’s about a young girl who feels misunderstood and lonely in her new home. At night, she enters a dreamlike world parallel to her own in which she has an ‘Other Mother’ with buttons for eyes, and to stay in this paradise all Coraline must do is let the Other Mother sew buttons into her eyes. It’s a creepy and dark childlike twist on depression with an ultimate happy ending, but is one of my favorite movies to get me in the mood for Halloween.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas: I’m sure you’ve seen this one or at least heard of it. Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King, the king of Halloween, but he’s tired of Halloween and craves something more. That’s when he discovers Christmastown, and hatches up a plan to make Christmas in his world. This movie is heartwarming and charming and even though the classic debate of if it’s a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie might be had, it’s both, so I’m adding it to my list.
3. The Corpse Bride: If you can’t tell, I have a thing for stop-animation and Tim Burton. But this movie is the tale of a corpse bride and a living man. When Victor practices his vows in the woods, he unknowingly makes them to Emily, a corpse who was murdered on her wedding night. Adventure ensues in the land of the dead with a sweet ending.
4. Sleepy Hollow: It’s based off the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This version has Johnny Depp, and as problematic as you might find him to be, his movies are pretty great. Sleepy Hollow is much darker than the other movies I have previously recommended, but it is worth a watch.
5. Saw: This was hard to choose for the last one, but I do enjoy a good psychological thriller. Also, I’m not talking about the Saw franchise, just the first movie. It’s about a serial killer named Jigsaw who forces his victims to complete ‘puzzles’ to try and survive. I put it on the list because it is one of my top horror movies.
Honorable Mentions: Halloweentown (all of them), Twitches, Monster House, Sweeney Todd, Chucky, Halloween, Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, and the Craft.