If you are like me, you like to use movies to get into the Halloween spirit, but you may not always want to watch the horror classics. It can be difficult to find movies that scream “October!” without making you yourself scream and jump off the couch. Over the years, I have found several movies that do a good job of balancing the spooky with the fun. This is my list of must-watch movies for the spooky season.
ParaNorman
For the faint of heart, this may be the perfect movie for you. This family-friendly animated movie is about a boy named Norman who can see ghosts. When a witch’s curse awakens in his small town, he has to use his power in order to save the town. “ParaNorman” is a heartwarming story about friendship and compassion, and has many of the classic Halloween tropes. This movie will make you want to visit pumpkin patches, commune with ghosts or just curl up with friends and a cup of warm apple cider.
Nightmare Before Christmas
Is it a Halloween movie? Christmas? Many debate it, but this movie is my go-to for every Halloween. “Nightmare Before Christmas” is about Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween town. Jack has grown tired of haunting Halloween Town and decides to take a crack at Christmas Town instead. The movie is scored by composer Danny Elfman, who also lends his singing voice to the Pumpkin King himself. If you’re not in the mood to watch the whole movie, the music is stellar on its own and is the perfect background noise to put on for pumpkin carving and Halloween decorating.
It Chapters One and Two
A clown and a group of friends, what could go wrong? For those faint of heart, you may be wary of this duology, but trust me it’s not as scary as it seems. At its core, this movie is about friendship, finding family and overcoming your fears. Throughout the movies, the friends realize that they are stronger together and that being brave is a lot easier when you’re not alone. The movies will make you jump, laugh and cry. If you’re still too scared, find a friend to watch it with.
Freaky
Vince Vaughn switches bodies with Millie, a teenage girl and hilarity ensues as she must now convince her friends of who she is and catch the killer currently residing in her body. This film combines “Freaky Friday” energy with the classic slasher movie format. It sounds ridiculous but it works. It will definitely get your heart rate going. If a friend is wanting to watch “Halloween” when you’d rather watch “Girl vs. Monster” this may be the compromise for you.
Happy Death Day
In a similar vein, this movie is about Tree, a girl who finds herself trapped in a time loop on her birthday with each reset occurring after she gets murdered by a masked killer. Tree is forced to relive her death over and over while trying desperately to stop the murderer and figure out who they are before her time runs out permanently. This movie will make your palms sweat, but it will also get you cheering as Tree starts to fight back. This movie is a fun twist on classic horror movies like “Scream.”
Honorable Mentions (TV)
Not everyone has the time to sit down and watch a whole movie, here are two fun ways to still get in the Halloween spirit.
“Werewolf By Night” is a Marvel special that is perfect for the spooky season. It’s shot in black and white to emulate early 1900s monster movies like “Dracula” and “Bride of Frankenstein.” It’s fun and will have you quickly falling for the two main characters — Jack Russel and Elsa Bloodstone.
Another option is “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.” This anthology series allows you to pick and choose the type of story you’d like to watch. From paintings that make you lose your mind to aliens that possess your body, this show has a little for everyone. Or if you’re like me you’ll end up watching every episode.
