31 Days of Halloween Movies

October is finally here, which means Halloween is just around the corner.

If you’re like me, you like to maximize the fun and fright every single day of spooky season. I created a 31-day movie countdown to Halloween in a range of genres to do exactly that. There are slashers, psychological horrors, animated movies and cute, cozy Halloween films.

Without further ado, here are 31 days of Halloween movies.

“Scream”

We’re starting strong with a classic, and my favorite: “Scream.”

This movie follows the Ghostface killer who terrorizes a small town in California.

“Scream” is a comedic critique of slasher movies, combining genuinely funny moments with all the jumpscare horror we crave this time of year. It is the perfect movie to get you ready for spooky season.

“Scream 2”

For day two, we’re continuing through the “Scream” franchise with the sequel, “Scream 2.”

This movie follows the same main character from the first film, Sidney, except now she’s in college. “Scream 2” introduces a brand new Ghostface that terrorizes college students, including Sydney and her new friends.

“Scream 2” is just as entertaining as the first one and will surely put you in the Halloween spirit.

“Scream 3”

For day three we’re continuing the “Scream” theme.

“Scream 3” is set in Hollywood where Ghostface is killing the cast of a parody movie, “Stab.” Our main character Sidney returns to figure out who this new Ghostface is and save the remaining cast members.

“Scream 3” is one of the more ridiculous, but very fun, movies on this list. It is sure to put any watcher in a Halloween mood.

“Frankenweenie”

For those who don’t enjoy “Scream,” don’t worry, we’re taking a break from the franchise for day four. Now we have a classic animated Halloween film from Tim Burton.

“Frankenweenie” is about a young boy who resurrects his dog after its unfortunate death. When the boy’s classmates begin to resurrect other pets, chaos ensues.

This 3D stop-motion film is fun and creepy, but the story is also very sweet.

“Blink Twice”

“Blink Twice” is the only movie released in 2024 that has the honor of being on my list.

A directorial debut from Zoë Kravitz, this film is about a group of people invited to a private island owned by a tech billionaire (Channing Tatum).

When sinister clues about the island emerge, the female lead, Frida (Naomi Ackie), must find her way out of a dangerous situation.

Please check the trigger warnings online before watching this film.

“Totally Killer”

This film was released last year and quickly became a 2023 favorite of mine.

“Totally Killer” is about Jamie (Kiernan Shipka), who is transported back to 1987 after her mom is killed by the “Sweet 16 Killer,” who has been hunting her since she was a teenager. Jamie must team up with her teenage mother (Olivia Holt) to stop the killer before they can strike the first time.

Time travel movies can be confusing and a little convoluted, but “Totally Killer” is totally worth the watch.

“Disturbia”

“Distrubia” is a loose retelling of the 1954 film, “Rear Window.”

When teenager Kale (Shia LaBeouf) is placed on house arrest for punching his Spanish teacher, he makes a hobby out of spying on his neighbors. When he starts noticing strange behavior from his next-door neighbor, Robert Turner, Kale must find out how to take down his neighbor without leaving the house.

I guarantee this movie will make you hold your breath.

“Hotel Transylvania”

This fun animated movie is sure to get you in the Halloween spirit without having you on the edge of your seat.

“Hotel Transylvania” is about Dracula (Adam Sandler), who owns a hotel and is throwing a lavish party for his daughter Mable’s (Selena Gomez) 118th birthday. When a human, Johnny (Andy Samberg), shows up in the hotel for monsters, he creates chaos.

“Hotel Transylvania” has many sequels not included in this list, but feel free to check them out if you enjoy the first one.

“Nope”

Jordan Peele’s mastery of the horror genre shines in his third film, “Nope.”

This movie is about OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and his sister, Em (Keke Palmer), who discover a strange, sinister entity in the sky above their horse ranch in California. Without giving too much away, “Nope” comments on the dangers of exploiting things for money while filling the watcher with dread.

Although not overtly scary, “Nope” is the kind of horror film that has you thinking about it for days afterward.

“A Quiet Place”

“A Quiet Place” is one of my favorite horror films and definitely belongs on every scary movie watchlist.

The film centers around a family’s fight for survival when aliens with super-human hearing drop down on Earth. Although the main characters’ household is better equipped than others, even the slightest misstep can put everyone in danger.

The tension in this film is so intense you’ll be holding your breath so you don’t make a sound either.

“a Quiet Place Part II”

A sequel to the first film, “A Quiet Place Part II” follows the same family from the first film as they’re forced to leave the safety of their home.

Like the first film, everyone must remain completely silent to survive the super-hearing aliens.

The second film is just as good at building tension and captivating audiences as the first.

“Coraline”

“Coraline” is a classic animated movie that has been scaring kids and adults alike since 2009 (including me).

When a young girl, Coraline (Dakota Fanning), discovers an alternate world seemingly much better than her own, she decides to stay and relish her discovery. However, she soon finds that her alternate family is not as amazing as they first seem.

This movie’s attention to detail is unparalleled, and I notice something new every time I watch it.

“Zombieland”

“Zombieland” is a funny, quirky film and a great break from the spooky movies on this list.

When a zombie outbreak takes over the world, four completely opposite strangers team up to make their way to Los Angeles, where there is an alleged safe haven.

This film has a perfect amount of Halloween vibes mixed with dark humor.

“The Purge”

“The Purge” is about an annual 12-hour period where all crime is legal in the United States. When a gang of murderers shows up at the house of the main family, they need to try and survive until murder is no longer legal.

I feel like this movie is a classic horror film, and it belongs on any good Halloween watchlist.

“Bodies Bodies Bodies”

A24’s “Bodies Bodies Bodies” reminds me of “Lord of the Flies” mixed with a classic, campy slasher film.

When a group of friends decide to play a party game in the dark (aptly titled “Bodies Bodies Bodies”), their friend’s corpse sends them into an irreparable spiral, and they all turn on one another.

This movie masterfully makes you distrust every single character, while also delivering some hilarious moments.

“Friday the 13th”

“Friday the 13th” is about a brutal murderer who hunts down the new counselors at Camp Crystal Lake. Although this movie isn’t ~actually~ that good, it’s a classic that has to be on the list.

“Monster House”

“Monster House” is an animated chilling, creepy movie about a living house that eats kids who come onto its property. When three neighborhood kids realize that trick-or-treaters will be in danger on Halloween, they try to defeat the house before it’s too late.

“It”

Another classic horror movie everyone knows is “It.”

“It” is about Pennywise the clown terrorizing the town of Derry, Maine. A group of kids must band together to defeat Pennywise, who is preying on other children in Derry.

This movie just screams Halloween, and it will certainly leave you feeling scared.

“Scream 4”

Thought you got rid of the “Scream” franchise? Fortunately, there are three more “Scream” movies to keep you occupied this Halloween season.

“Scream 4” — my personal favorite — is about Sidney Prescott coming back to Woodsboro to do a book tour. When she returns, she brings the killer Ghostface back with her.

In my opinion, this “Scream” movie is the most fun of them all, and it really embraces the campiness of slasher films.

“Scream 5”

Although this is the weakest “Scream” movie in my opinion, it is still a lot of fun and worth the watch.

“Scream 5” introduces a new set of characters 25 years after the first Ghostface killer haunted Woodsboro. Unsurprisingly, a new Ghostface is targeting our set of main characters and trying to kill them all.

“Scream 6”

Finally, you have reached the end of the “Scream” franchise. Although you may feel compelled to skip this one, “Scream 6” is in an entirely new setting — New York City.

It is incredibly interesting to see Ghostface navigate a busy city; it is much scarier watching him kill in a densely populated area.

“Beetlejuice”

“Beetlejuice” is another Halloween movie with a large following that simply cannot be left off of a Halloween countdown.

When a couple dies in a car accident, they find themselves haunting their old home and are disturbed by the new couple who moves in and starts changing everything. The ghost couple enlists the help of a spirit named Beetlejuice, who they realize is much more dangerous than they previously thought.

“Girl Vs. Monster”

“Girl vs. Monster” is a silly Disney movie and a nice change from the horror films on this list.

This movie is about Skylar (Olivia Holt), who finds out she’s a fifth generation monster hunter on Halloween eve. She must face her fears and trap the monsters before they terrorize the town.

“Girl vs. Monster” is all about having fun and embracing the spooky spirit.

“Jaws”

Although not explicitly made for Halloween, “Jaws” is a haunting film about a killer shark hunting people in the ocean. A group of men team up to battle the shark before it takes any more victims.

“Donnie Darko”

“Donnie Darko” is a weird, eerie movie about a teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal) who sees hallucinations of a demonic bunny who tells him the world will end in 28 days.

This movie is incredibly complicated and confusing, but it definitely has peak Halloween vibes. I would recommend watching a detailed YouTube explanation after finishing the film.

“Halloweentown”

Another classic, cozy Halloween Disney movie must-see is “Halloweentown.”

This film is about a group of siblings who learn they are witches on Halloween night when they follow their grandmother home to Halloweentown. The eldest sister, Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown), must lead her siblings to save Halloweentown when evil forces threaten to take over.

“Halloweentown” is the perfect cozy movie for a night in. I wish I could live in this film forever.

“Ghostbusters”

“Ghostbusters” has been an iconic Halloween movie and an iconic Halloween costume since its release in 1984. Although there have been many attempts at recreating this film, nothing will beat the original.

For those of you who don’t know, his film is about four men who encounter paranormal activity and decide to try and capture ghosts who are causing chaos in New York City.

“Hocus Pocus”

Though not a favorite of mine, “Hocus Pocus” is too iconic to leave off a Halloween watchlist.

After moving to Salem, Max (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house and accidentally frees three evil witches who used to live there. In order to stop them, Max and his friends must steal the book of spells and prevent the witches from becoming immortal.

“Get Out”

As the month comes to an end, I chose Jordan Peele’s most chilling film, “Get Out.” This is one of the most masterful horror movies I have ever seen, and it is perfect for the end of October.

“Get Out” is about Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), who goes to visit his girlfriend’s (Allison Williams) family for the weekend. When he starts noticing small details about how people in the town, and his girlfriends parents, treat Black people, he makes a disturbing discovery.

This movie creates insane tension, and will surely have you holding your breath.

“It’s the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown”

Charlie Brown is a classic short animation guaranteed to make you smile.

This 1966 film follows Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” gang during Halloween.

As far as I’m concerned, Halloween-eve can only be spent snuggled up on the couch watching “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

“Scooby-Doo”

Happy Halloween, you have finally made it to the end of the list.

Although you may be sick of scary movies by now, I decided to end the season on a classic, campy crowd pleaser.

“Scooby-Doo” is about the mystery gang getting back together after two years apart to solve a mystery at a tropical island resort, ironically named “Spooky Island.”

Scooby-Doo and the gang are sure to lift your spirits while ensuring that you are a little spooked for Halloween.

Hopefully this movie list will keep you entertained this spooky season. Happy watching!

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