Ah yes, Halloween, the much anticipated holiday for dress-up queens and thrill-seekers alike. Many things about the holiday make it special; the free candy, the haunted houses, the costumes. However, this time of year is especially a great time for movie lovers. From iconic franchises such as “Scream” and “Halloween” to more child-friendly classics like “Halloweentown,” there is no doubt that this time of year is a great time it settle in for a movie night.
So, if you are looking for some new movies to watch this Halloween, look no further. Ironically, I am not the biggest horror movie fan, though I do love the occasional thriller, so this list may not be for you if you are into lots of jump scares.
1.) Crimson Peak
This 2015 gothic romance features Tom Hiddlston and Jessica Chasten as the Sharpe siblings who own the illustrious, but ever gloomy, Crimson Peak mansion. Mia Wasikowska stars as Edith Sharpe, a young debutante and aspiring writer who, after a whirlwind romance, marries Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddlston) and moves in with him and his slightly off-putting sister to Crimson Peak. This is a movie that you definitely don’t want to watch in the dark as the old gothic mansion holds many ghosts, both physically and metaphorically. The twist at the end of this movie will most certainly have you floored as well.
2.) Bunks
I don’t remember how I found this movie, but I always come back to it around Halloween. This is a more kid-friendly option, though it does have some jump-scares. It follows two troublesome teenage boys, Dylan and Dane, who, in an attempt to escape from a summer at military bootcamp, sneak onto a bus to the picturesque Camp Bushwhack. The boy pretend to be two camp councilors and quickly learn that there is more to the camp than what meets the eye. After one of the councilors finishes telling one of the camps oldest spooky stories at late night bonfire, something monstrous awakens to wreak havoc on the unassuming sleep away camp.
3.) Lisa Frankenstein
One of the newer movies on this list, Lisa Frankenstein came out earlier this year to some mixed reviews, but I loved this movie. It is a sort of rom-com/horror movie set in the 1980s following a girl named Lisa who has a strange obsession with the graveyard down the street from her stepmothers house. After a stormy night brings back to “life” one of her favorite dead people, Lisa ropes her new zombie friend into helping her win the heart of her school crush, in exchange for fixing him up a bit along the way.
4.) Clue
Near and dear to my heart is the 1985 film Clue, which pieces together a hilarious murder mystery based off of the iconic board game. Six strangers are invited to a mysterious remote mansion with the promise of their blackmail being solved. However, a murderer seems to be amongst them, as various guests of the house continue to turn up dead. This is one of the most iconic murder mysteries in my opinion, and though it is technically not set set during Halloween, it certainly carries enough spooky vibes to fit the bill.