Picking a movie for your movie marathon might be the scariest thing you have to do on Halloween night. The holiday has rolled out so many films over the years that it’s almost impossible to choose one. But never fear! I’ve made a list of the best movies this season has to offer. All you have to worry about is the popcorn, the Halloween candy, and the invite list. Just sit back with your friends and let this list do the rest of the work for you.
- Hallowentown (1998)
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If you’re looking for a little magic in your life, then this is the movie to see! Watching the Halloweentown series every October is an absolute necessity for me, otherwise I fear my year will be riddled with bad luck. Don’t risk the curse! Sit back with a bowl of candy and enjoy the Cromwell’s quest to save Halloweentown.
- Twitches (2005)
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Twin witches Alex and Camryn (Tia and Tamara Mowry) find out they’re twins on their 18th birthday. If they think that’s a shock, wait until they find out that they have magical powers, and they need to master them in time to defeat an evil force called the Darkness. Find out how two completely different people learn to work together and save the day. Go, Twitches!
- Hocus pocus (1993)
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Nothing puts a spell on you quite like the Sanderson Sisters in Hocus Pocus. They’ve been resurrected just in time for you to witness their hunt for children’s souls. If that doesn’t scream “Halloween,” Nothing puts a spell on you quite like Hocus Pocus. The Sanderson Sisters have been resurrected just in time for you to witness their hunt for children’s souls. If that doesn’t scream “Halloween,” I don’t know what does!
- Corpse bride (2005)
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Careful where you place your rings, or else you may end up like Victor—a nervous groom who accidentally proposes to a corpse. Find out how the land of the dead can seem so animated in Tim Burton’s famous stop motion film The Corpse Bride. It’s to die for!
- Coraline (2009)
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When Coraline makes the mistake of wishing for a better life, she’s given the chance to crawl into an alternate universe where her greatest dreams come true. But they come at a price that opens her eyes to the truth—maybe a bit literally.
- The nightmare before christmas (1993)
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Is this a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? Depends on who you ask. But why spend so much time debating the question when the solution is so simple: watch it on Halloween and Christmas! I promise Jack Skellington will be around to steal Christmas on both holidays.
- Scooby-Doo 2: monsters unleashed (2004)
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Although Scooby-Doo: The Movie (2002) is a classic, Scooby-Doo 2: Monster’s Unleashed offers a more dynamic take. It brings you along for the ride as the gang travels around Coolsville in their search for monsters while preserving everything that makes Mystery Incorporated special: sleuthing, slapstick comedy, and animal sidekicks.
- monster house (2006)
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Monster House follows three kids who believe the house across the street is actually a monster with an appetite for trespassers, and they will go to great lengths to take it down. There is definitely a lesson to be learned from this movie: never step on your neighbor’s lawn.
- hotel transylvania (2012)
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You’ll be looking to book a room at the Hotel Transylvania when you’re done with this movie. Staying at a monster-packed hotel with Johnny (Andy Samberg) and Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) sounds perfect for Halloween. Just make sure they don’t find out you’re human!
- Casper (1995)
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Casper is the right movie for anyone who’s looking for something spooky but dreads being scared. There’s a reason everyone calls him Casper the Friendly Ghost—he’s as wholesome as a Halloween character can get! Even if you’d rather watch Hilary Duff’s Casper (1998), you’ll be sure to have a good time.
- The haunted mansion (2003)
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Jim (Eddie Murphy) is a reputable salesman who takes a detour on his family vacation to make a deal with the owner of a mansion that, as they later find out, is haunted. Although Jim might have some trouble selling that house, Eddie Murphy can easily sell you this nostalgic film with his comedic performance.
- Get out (2017)
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Jordan Peele’s Academy Award-winning breakout film will lure you in and keep you guessing until the very end. Find out what this young Black photographer discovers when he goes with his white girlfriend to visit her family for the first time.
- US (2019)
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If you’re comfortable sitting at the edge of your seat, then watch Jordan Peele’s horrific film Us. You’ll be scrambling to figure out what’s going on when Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) and her family are threatened by violent doppelgägers.
- A quiet place (2018)
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Silence has never been as loud as it is in John Krasinski’s directorial debut A Quiet Place. This film is set in a post-apocalyptic world crawling with monsters that are extremely sensitive to sound. You’ll be left tiptoeing around your house by the time you’re done watching.
If you want a follow-up film that’s slightly more fast-paced, then check out A Quiet Place Part II (2021).