by Janay Davison
With Halloween rapidly approaching, the easiest ways to get into the spirit is to cozy up with a bunch of friends with the lights off. Watching these horror movies is sure to get you into the spooky spirit.
“Monster House”
A Halloween movie that might have fallen under your radar as the years passed, this animated family-friendly horror tells a story of three teens who believe that their neighboring residence is a living creature. With the anticipation of Halloween, these three are eager to find an end to the house to help save possible trick or treaters. This movie stars Steve Buscemi and Maggie Gyllenhall. It remains a memorable story to this day with great animation and plot.
“Halloweentown”
This Disney classic remains a hit, even meriting an all-day stream on YouTube on Halloween. “Halloweentown” is the story of Marnie, who follows her grandmother home — and finds out they come from a long line of witches. It follows the trope of good against evil in an must-watch way.
“Casper”
This classic Halloween movie follows the kind ghost Casper who haunts a mansion in Maine. Casper quickly falls in love with the daughter of the family who lives in the mansion. This is a light-hearted story with a spooky theme.
“Train to Busan”
A Korean film that reached an international audience. This zombie apocalypse film follows a group of citizens on a moving train as they try to find safety. The twist and turns of the story, mixed in with the excellent background acting and main cast, the story is captivating from the beginning to the end. An English dub is on Netflix.
“The Shining”
Despite the many parodies of the twin girls-in-the-hallway scene, this horror film remains a classic. Adapted from the book of the same name by Stephen King, “The Shining” tells a story of Jack Torrence who moves to the isolated Overlook Hotel with his son Danny and his wife, Wendy. This movie has many jumps and turns and deep unsettling images that will last a lifetime in your brain.
“Rosemary’s Baby”
Despite being perhaps more than four decades old, this movie remains a cult classic for many. It shows a young wife as she comes to believe that her offspring is not of this world. It remains one of the most well-known movies of both Mia Farrow’s and John Cassavetes’s career and the cinematography is striking. In order to get the full effect of the movie, the lights turned down and the sound up high are musts.
“Saw”
This film remains a cult classic to this day. If you are a thriller fan, this remains a must-see. “Saw” follows photographer Adam Stanheight and oncologist Lawrerence Gordon who are chained to pipes. They are captured by the killer Jigsaw and must complete puzzles to live. If you have not been spoiled already, the twist will have you on the edge of your seat.
“Ghostbusters”
The original, as well as its all-girl remake, is classic family fun. After a group of scientists lose their jobs, they turn to battling the supernatural to make needs meet. This film has an unbeatable soundtrack, and an unforgettable story line. Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!
“Beetlejuice”
A Tim Burton classic, “Beetlejuice” tells the story of two ghosts, Barbara and Adam Maitland, who are stuck haunting their old home. When the Deetzes move in, the Maitlands look to Beetlejuice — you’ll never forget how they summon him! — for help, and from there the fun unravels. Beetlejuice is better with friends.
And one for the movie theater.
“Joker”
Despite the many versions of this character in “Batman” movies over the years, the newest one (in theaters now!) featuring Joaquin Phoenix is a must-watch. The cinematography and storytelling remain a focal point as you watch the Joker delve deeper into madness. This one will have you on your seat as you watch his destruction.
Honorable Mentions:
- “Twitches”
- “Scream”
- “Halloween”
- “Friday the 13th”
- “Chucky”