Halloween movies are the BEST. I know Christmas sorta has the 'holiday movies' on lock, but really, Halloween movies are the freaking BEST!! I know last year I published Halloween Movies here but there are so many good ones, I had to do it again! The best thing about "halloween movies" is that they don't even have to be "halloweeney"; if it's frightfully fantastic, you get to watch it under the guise that "it's Halloween, we HAVE to watch something scary!" It's wonderful! You have a whole month to watch fright fest after fright fest and no one can judge you for it. (Also, you shouldn't be friends with people that would) Scary movies are the BEST movies.
And I know last year I named some of the BEST Halloween movies out there (Hocus Pocus, Sleepy Hollow, Nightmare Before Christmas, The Addams Family, Monster Squad, Beetlejuice to name a few, full list here) but don't worry, I've totally got you covered! I know ABC Family does their "13 Nights of Halloween", but within the last couple years, it's been sort of lackluster, which is disappointing. So don't fret! Here is a list of MORE Halloween movies to watch NOW! :)
[On a side note, I really *wish* I could live in Halloween Town from Nightmare... *dream come true*.]
BEST Halloween Movies, Second Edition
Scream, 1996 (or the TV show that just finished):
I mean, it's ghostface. Scream is a personal favorite of mine, and I absolutely adore Wes Craven. He is THE BEST. (RIP) I mean, I'm definitely not opposed to the whole series, since it's now 4 movies long and I loved the MTV tv series. I just love it and the nostalgia it brings. Also, I completely love I Know What You Did Last Summer and that would be a great companion movie to follow Scream with. Get you're slasher-movie on!
*Insert Your FAVORITE M. Night Movie Here*:
So, I know the last couple movies Night made weren't the greatest, but I still love him. I do. I just always will. He has a new movie in theaters as well, but for me, it doesn't get better than The Sixth Sense (1999). Because this movie SCARED THE PANTS OFF OF ME AS A KID. I mean, this movie was a game changer for scary movies. And it scared me for life. I still think about most of the scenes with the different ghosts and it STILL freaks me out. Signs and The Village are also good.
When a Stranger Calls, 2006
I love this movie even though it's like my worst nightmare. When I was like 7 or 8, a girl on my soccer team told me this urban legend and let's just say it haunted me from the time a started babysitting (like 10) until present day. Even though I don't "babysit" anymore, the premise about someone being in your house the whole time they are terrorizing you is absolutely terrorizing. But I still love it.
Edward Scissorhands, 1990
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, do I really need to say anymore than that?? I shouldn't, but I will. Sure, this movie isn't scary, but the cinematography is beautiful and the tone is perfect for a cold night in. Plus, it's Johnny Depp, in what might be his greatest role of all time. And your October HAS to include Burton, it just does. Make it a double feature and watch one of my *favorite* "Halloween" movies first, Sleepy Hollow! ;)
Monster House, 2006 (family)
As kid movies go, I like that this one flirts the line of being a "kid horror film", which is super cool. It's not scary, but the premise is definitely familiar...as in who didn't think about this as a kid??
There are two types of people in this world, Underworld people and Resident Evil people. And sure, I like both franchises, but I've always liked Underworld more. Whether you're team Selene or team Alice, Underworld is the perfect Vampires vs Werewolves backdrop for your Halloween pleasure. (No, it's NOTHING like Twilight, so don't even think of comparing it.) It's gritty, gorey, and has a lot of great action.
It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, 1966 (family)
THIS. Of course. It's not Halloween without it and somehow it was left off my list last year, so I'm rectifying my mistake. You have to watch this. EVER. YEAR.
Ghost Busters, 1984
Who ya gonna call?? This movie is a classic. And seriously, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd are HILARIOUS. Need to lighten the mood? This is a fun ghost movie and everyone can enjoy it.
Warm Bodies, 2013
Okay, I liked this movie. It's not as gory as Walking Dead or Zombieland or any of the 28 days/weeks later, but it's still a good Zombie/Romance film... There normally isn't a whole lot of "love" in Halloween movies, so this is a good mood booster if all the typical carnage starts getting to you.
Halloween Town II, 2001
The Disney Channel classic! Of course Halloween Town has to be apart of it! Last year, the first one was on my list, but the second one is just as good! #90skidsunite
This was a good scary movie. Not so bad that you can't sleep at night, but still enough to leave you jumping and holding your breath throughout. I'm a HUGE fan of ghost stories, but they're also the ones that creep me out the most. Also try Insidious (if you're brave) or any of the Paranormal Activity's.
Casper, 1995 (family)
I seriously LOVED this movie when it came out!! Again with the 90's kid business, but it's wonderful an everyone should see this movie. After all, he's a friendly ghost! Plus, Christina Ricci, who practically dominates Halloween movies! (Addams Family I & II, Sleepy Hollow)
*Your Favorite Hitchcock*
I loooooove Hitchcock. Who doesn't?? He's the absolute MASTER. We wouldn't have the films we do today without his influence. Surprisingly, there's a lot of people nowadays that haven't seen his films! SO if you don't have a favorite go-to Hitchcock, you can take mine! :) Notorious is an awesome thriller staring the gorgeous Ingrid Berman and the swoon-worthy debonair Cary Grant. But of course, the classics are great, Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Rear Window, The Birds...to name a few.
A Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984
Nightmare on Elm is a classic and again WES CRAVEN is the mastermind behind it. In a film that gave my personal favorite, one Mr. Johnny Depp his first break as Glen Lantz, this movie is cemented in film history as one of the greats. Whether you're team Freddy, Mike, or Jason (or all three, like me) you can definitely enjoy this classic, sure to bring on the nightmares. ;)
[Trivia Time: Freddy has under 7 minutes of screen time and they used over 500 gallons of fake blood to make the movie!]
TV SECTION:
The Walking Dead
The premiere of Season 6 is on SUNDAY (10/11) and I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED!! We just re-watched the whole series to get ready and it was the perfect pre-Halloween adventure. If you haven't seen it, now's the time!! All seasons are available on Netflix and they're re-showing them on FX this week to get ready for Sunday's festivities.
Supernatural (Seasons 1-3)
Supernatural used to be my favorite show, but it hasn't been as great for me for the last several years. The best seasons are 1-5, but my most favorite seasons are 1-3. Last year I watched all of season 1 in October and it was fantastic. This year, I've been going through and just picking out my favorites and using them as a break from studying. ALSO, don't forget to watch Episode 5 of Season 4, "Monster Movie" close to Halloween!! :)
Are You Afraid of the Dark? 1990-1996
Submitted for approval by the Midnight Society, I call this story... One of my favorite shows as a kid (it's no wonder I turned out the way I did...) this show was aired on Nickelodeon and it's basically a weekly horror show for kids. Seriously, it's amazing. Basically, the show is about kids who met up in the woods around a campfire at midnight and tell scary stories...each episode is a new story and it's fantastic. And it's available to stream for FREE on Amazon Prime!! Not to mention YouTube and other sources. I'm a proud member of the #midnightsociety and I even have the shirt to prove it!
