Boston is always filled with fun activities to do during any holiday season. As one of my favorite holidays, Halloween has a lot of particularly fun (and spooky) events this year. I love to watch movies around Halloween, and it just so happens that Boston has a lot of local theatres and franchise theaters that are screening everything from frightful classics to brand new thrillers this week. Here are some screenings you won’t want to miss out on.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – Coolidge Corner Theater will be screening the infamous classic about everyone’s favorite blood-sucking count at 11:59 on Friday. Starring none other than Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves (you bet I will be there), the film recounts the story of Count Dracula as he begins a reign of seduction and terror in Victorian London. This “After Midnight” screening is not for the faint of heart, for it contains lots of violence and gore.
Countdown (2019) – This film will be premiering on Thursday nationwide, and you can watch in nearby in Regal Fenway. Starring Anne Winters, the film follows a young woman who downloads an app that predicts the moment a person will die. When the app tells her she only has three days to live, she has to figure out how to save her own life. You can book your tickets on Regal Fenway’s website (linked above) for more information.Â
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
E.T. the Extraterrestrial (1982) – Arguably the best Spielberg movie, this cult classic will be screening on Saturday morning at Coolidge Corner Theater. This charming film follows the story of a boy Elliot who finds an alien which he soon calls E.T. stranded in suburban California. The boy hides E.T. in his home until E.T. falls ill and the government begins to look for the alien. It will be playing Saturday morning at Coolidge as a special screening for children.
Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) – Perhaps you’d like to catch another alien movie after E.T. on Saturday! If so, stopping by the Harvard Film Archive to see Plan 9 From Outer Space would be perfect for you. The plot of the film entails evil aliens putting their terrible Plan 9 into action, bringing all of Earth’s dead back to life to destroy mankind. This classic B-movie mixes classic tropes of alien movies and zombie thrillers together to get a wonderfully spooky flick, perfect for the Halloween season! You can catch it 10pm on Saturday.
Coolidge Corner Theater’s Halloween Horror Marathon – Lasting 12 hours, the theater’s annual Halloween begins at 11:59 on Saturday. They will be screening The Amityville Horror (1979), Poltergeist (1982) and many other films that won’t be revealed until the night of! And be sure to dress up, because there will be a costume contest!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
Spirited Away (2001) – Perhaps the most chilling of all Studio Ghibli films, Spirited Away will be screening on Sunday as a part of the Ghibli Fest (and just in time for Halloween). This animated feature follows the story of a young girl named Chihiro, after she gets stuck in the spirit realm and her parents get turned into pigs. Aided by the many friends she meets along the way, she has to find a way to help her parents and return to the real world before it’s too late. The film will be screening at Regal Fenway this Sunday.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 28
The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999) – This sequel to the infamous classic Carrie (1976) tracks the story of Carrie’s younger sister who has inherited her deadly powers. It follows the protagonist, Rachel, as she uses these powers to take revenge on the sexist jocks of her high school. It’s horror, feminism and high school drama all in one flick! The film screens at the Brattle Theatre on Monday night.
The Shining (1980) – This must-see classic masterpiece will be screening on Monday night at Coolidge Corner Theater. The film follows a young boy, Danny, who has a special gift called “the shining.” After his father takes a job as a watchman at a ski resort over the winter holiday, Danny starts to notice spooky happenings going on in the resort. And these spooky happenings have an effect on more than just Danny.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.Â
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31 (HALLOWEEN)
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – The most iconic cult film that you could see on Halloween will be screening at Coolidge Corner theater at 7:00pm. You won’t want to miss out on one of the best Halloween experiences. This film follows a couple who get stranded and pay a visit to the bizarre home of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Don’t forget to dress up and bring your spoons.Â
Halloween (2018) – This 2018 revamp of the classic horror flick follows the story of the original film’s survivor, now a grandmother, awaiting the arrival of the dreaded Michael Myers. Make sure to bring a friend to this film, which will be playing at the Brattle Theatre at 7:00pm on none other than Halloween.Â
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) – The premiere date of this much anticipated next in the Terminator franchise is Halloween. This film follows the famous Sarah Connor, back and badass as ever, as she teams up with a hybrid cyborg human to protect a young girl from an even more advanced Terminator of the future. You can see the film on Halloween night at Regal Fenway. Â
Celebrate the spookiest season the right way with good films, great friends, and ghoulishly good times.Â
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