Ah, Halloween, one of the greatest times of the year. Dressing up, eating candy (especially Reese’s Cups, my favorite), drinking apple cider, carving pumpkins, and being around people you love. This time of year is great for getting cozy and getting spooky. One great way to spend this Halloween is by watching scary/spooky movies, especially on cold, rainy days. Here are some of my favorite scary/spooky movies to watch to get into the Halloween spirit (or to watch year-round if the Halloween spirit is always with you)!
Coraline (2009)
By far one of my favorite movies of all time (fun fact, I even have a Coraline tattoo!) The animation is incredible, it has a pretty awesome lineup cast (Dakota Fanning plays Coraline), whacky characters (like Mr. Bobinsky and Spink and Forcible) and a great storyline of how the grass is not always greener on the other side. It is spooky because of the claymation animation style, it includes button eyes (let’s face it, dolls are creepy), suspense, and a fantasy world that is not what it seems.
The Corpse Bride (2005)
Another great claymation style movie, directed by Tim Burton. The Corpse Bride is a story about accidentally marrying a dead woman (creepy!) and getting a sense of the other side (even more creepy). It includes actor Johnny Depp and actress Helena Bonham Carter. The dark aesthetic shows a late-1800s town in a Victorian city in England. These aspects and having Burton as a director, make this a perfect Halloween movie.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Another claymation movie created and produced by Tim Burton, this film is dually awesome because it can be watched on Halloween AND Christmas. It includes spooky characters like Jack Skellington, Sally, and really the entire Halloween village. There is even a fan theory that Victor from The Corpse Bride and Jack are the same person (as they even both have a dog, with Scrap being all bones and Zero being a ghost).
Midsommar (2019)
This is by far one of the creepiest, thrilling, movies I have ever seen. Directed by Ari Aster, Florence Pugh plays the main character Dani so well and is just a great actress overall. It does feature some disturbing parts and blood, so I wouldn’t recommend if that is something that would cause distress. It is creepy in the sense that it features a cult and cults are scary all around. However, Pugh’s flower cape and the ending is truly a work of art. I also have a Midsommar tattoo, if that tells you anything. It is also a great “good for her” movie.
Hereditary (2018)
I love scary movies, so much so that they don’t usually scare me. However, this movie kept me up the night after I watched it. Also directed by Ari Aster, this movie shows a dark matriarchal spirit. This movie also has disturbing images that some viewers may find upsetting. It stars Toni Collette and Alex Wolff (one of the brothers from The Naked Brothers Band). This movie is unsettling but truly a great scary movie.
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
This is a movie that I had seen for the first time recently, but definitely was a great watch. It also has some images some viewers may find disturbing, so watch at your own discretion. It stars the lovely Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried and delves into the lore of the succubus. It even has some comedic aspects to it. Definitely a must watch!