‘Tis the season for spooky movies. With Halloween approaching, let’s go over the best movies to get you into the scary spirit.
Hocus Pocus
Witches and magic and spells: Oh my! Hocus Pocus, a cult classic movie set in Salem, Massachusetts, has had an avid fan base since its original release in 1993. The fall leaves coupled with the mystery of a witch invasion is all someone needs to get them into the spirit of Halloween. Viewers are hooked from the very beginning as the opening scene is a flashback to a ritual performed by sister-witches. The movie then jumps to “present day” when main character Max Dennison is exploring an abandoned house. After brushing off warnings from a local as superstition, Max accidentally releases the spirits of the sister-witches into the world. Viewers follow as Max and his friends try to capture the witches and relinquish their powers. Minimum jump scares and maximum spirit, this movie is perfect for getting you into the Halloween mood.
Halloween
The 1978 indie, horror film Halloween is a must-watch in the month of October. Widely liked and wildly scary, Halloween is centered around serial killer Michael Myers and his murderous rampage on Halloween night. The Halloween franchise is a binge-worthy masterpiece that is guaranteed to scare you and keep you on the edge of your seat.
Scream
Scream, released in 1996, is an iconic, scary movie classic that combines terror and reality as it is centered around a group of teens who are being terrorized by a masked killer. Before attacking, the masked killer torments his victims by taunting them with riddles and attempting to play deadly games. Scream has made its way back into modern day horror culture through the hard work of Tik Tok. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, it is almost guaranteed that you’ll recognize some of the most iconic lines. The movie has been parodied and referenced several times, making “What’s your favorite scary movie?” one of the most recognizable phrases in popular culture.
Monster House
Monster House is the perfect 2000s nostalgic movie to get you through a cold, fall day. Monster House is a child’s perfect introduction to horror movies as it is both scary and full of child-like humor. Viewers experience a wide range of emotions throughout the film. The emotions range from happy to scared to sympathetic. The rollercoaster of emotions is mainly caused by the film’s titular character: the Monster House. The house, at first, is seen as the villain of the film, alongside Old Man Nebbercracker. But as the film progresses, viewers realize that the house represents Old Man Nebbercracker’s late wife and viewers begin to sympathize with the fact that she was stuck in the house. The characters later set the couple’s spirits free from the constraints of the house. The film is wildly symbolic of the consequences to one’s actions and the true meaning of kindness.
NightMare before Christmas
Nightmare Before Christmas is another introduction to the world of spooky movies. While it is the least scary movie on this list, it is definitely the best movie to watch to get into the spirit of Halloween and Christmas. The split themes of the movie, Halloween and Christmas, are what make it so enjoyable to watch at all times of the year.