In my opinion, one of the best things about fall is Halloween, and nothing gets you into the Halloween spirit like some spooky movies! Although there are a lot of great Halloween movies to choose from, I tend to enjoy animated ones the best. I’ve compiled some of my favourites below.
To start, you have your classics: Corpse Bride (2005), Coraline (2009) and Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). These are the films that you must absolutely watch to get into the Halloween mood. If you want an extra spooky experience, add in Frankenweenie before you view Corpse Bride and Nightmare Before Christmas (in that order). There’s a fan theory those three films are all about the same character and his journey through life until death. The theory stems from the fact that they’re all Tim Burton films and that each character has a dog.
Speaking of dogs, you can’t go through the month of October without watching a Scooby-Doo film. There are a lot to choose from – you could just have a Scooby-Doo marathon if you can’t pick your favourite! If you wanted to just watch one, my recommendation is Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island (1998). These movies are all highly nostalgic and a great addition to your fall movie lineup!
There are also a few underrated animated films that would be great to add to your watch list, such as Monster House (2006), which tells the story of three kids who venture out into the weird house on the street. There is also Paranorman (2012), about a boy who can see and talk to the dead. This one will get you into the Halloween mood while also tugging at those heartstrings.
I do have to give an honorable mention to Over the Garden Wall (2014). It isn’t a movie (even though the creator wanted it to be) but a miniseries. It consists of ten episodes each ten minutes of length and ends up basically being the same length as a movie. Over the Garden Wall follows the story of two brothers who find themselves lost in the unknown. This is perfect to watch to get into the Halloween spirit. It’s also highly underrated, so if you wanted something new and unique to watch this is a good pick.
The best part about these films? They never get old and are suitable for audiences of all ages. Expect Coraline. That may be too scary.