There’s just something about Halloween-themed movies that get me excited for the holiday. I love the supernatural – ghosts, werewolves, vampires, magical powers, wizards, and witches. Aside from fear, they’ve brought me so much awe and wonder, even during my pre-teen years.
Demons and gore – not so much (unless Sam and Dean Winchester are involved).
I used to stray away from the scream-your-head-off horror movies, but after watching Annabelle, I absolutely cannot get enough of them. I look forward to seeing what’s going to appear (or disappear), guessing who gets killed off throughout the film, who actually has the logic to make it out alive, and what sadness (or annoyance) awaits me at the end of the movie.
I went a bit on a tangent.
I feel like I’ve seen too many horror movies in the past year alone to actually scream my lungs out when something “scary” happens. It’s scary. I tend to focus more now on the little things of horror films, such as the acting, visual effects, level of logic, etc. Nonetheless, there are still those rare films that get my adrenaline pumping and I absolutely love it.
-side note- Does this mean I won’t be terrified of entering a haunted house? I don’t know. I’ll see. It’s been years since I last went into a haunted house, where a werewolf patted my back because of how scared I must have seemed. Maybe things will be different now that I’m older and more well-informed about the hauntings.
Enough chatting, below are my ultimate favorite movies to watch during the Halloween holiday.
My Favorite Spooky Tales
HOCUS POCUS (1993)
This film has made a classic name for itself, in my opinion. An awkward teenage boy crushing on the popular teenage girl, the younger sister of the awkward teenage boy, three evil sister witches, zombies, and a black cat. What seemed to be a superstition in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts turned out to be a nightmare for the young adults as they do their best to keep a magical spell book away from the sister witches and get rid of them once and for all – with the help of a cursed black cat.
CASPER (1995)
I absolutely adore this movie. And when I was younger, I actually had a crush on Casper – I’m sure I wasn’t the only one! Casper is a friendly ghost boy who, along with his mischievous uncles, haunts a mansion in Maine. Then moves in a ghost specialist, and his teenage daughter, who was hired to get rid of the four ghosts. With Casper crushing on the teenage daughter, his uncles causing a riot, who would’ve known about the evil intentions of money-hungry inheritors?
HARRY POTTER SERIES (2001-2002, 2004-2005, 2007, 2009-2011)
The Harry Potter movie series is my favorite of all time. I have seen every movie when they’d first premiered, and I’m hoping to kick off my book collection with the Harry Potter book series. Hello to all my fellow Gryffindors! There are eight movies in total, and instead of providing a full-on synopsis, I just highly suggest watching the series where you get to see three individuals go through multiple trials and tribulations all the while having to be teenagers, and most of all, witches and wizards.
MATILDA (1996)
Okay. Was I the only one who, after watching this movie, tried moving things with their mind? Yes? No? This is another movie that holds a special place in my heart. I remembered looking up to Matilda and how she handled things and incorporated her knowledge and understanding of the world into my own reality. Matilda is a young girl gifted with telekinesis who grew up with a family, as well as a terrible bully of a principal, who did their best to practically make her feel like an outcast. However, she is also surrounded by caring friends and an admirable instructor who herself holds a tragic past. When she discovers her gifted ability, she uses it as a way to defend herself and those she cares about.
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990)
I initially thought that this film would lean towards a spookier vibe, but it really isn’t. I found it more emotional and touching, as I got to see more of Edward’s life and character. Johnny Depp surely has a way of giving fictional characters so much life and authenticity that anyone can’t help but love them. Edward is an animated human being who, despite his sharp intimidating features, is full of love, kindness, and sincerity.
THE HAUNTED MANSION (2003)
Eddie Murphy, a gypsy in a crystal ball, four singing busts, a possible reincarnation, and a century-long curse. I mean, what else is needed, right? Like the rest of the movies on this list, I can watch this multiple times without getting tired of it. A supernatural mix of horror, comedy, and romance is something I’m always excited to watch, especially if a possible reincarnation is up in the air.
THE LITTLE VAMPIRE (2000)
I’m proud to say that my first intel of vampires came from this movie. I even learned how to whistle in hopes that I can somehow catch the attention of one, as that’s how it was portrayed in the film (I was a child with a wild imagination, okay?). And I found Rudolph Sackville-Bagg to be quite a cute vampire. A young boy and his family move to Scotland for his father’s job. Little did he know that he’d befriend Rudolph and his entire family and save them from a vampire hunter who was dead set on annihilating the entire clan.
The tales get spookier from here, and I advise any young audience to not watch them, watch them with an adult, or prepare themselves for some terrifying events.
THE GRUDGE SERIES (2004, 2006)
Looking back, the first Grudge film was potentially the sole reason why I strayed away from horror movies for a while. After watching it, I had anxiety about being under my blanket, as well as being afraid that I’d feel hands at the back of my head when I’d shower. The movie was scarring for me, to say the least. I didn’t watch the second film until years after it was released. If you love curses and unexpected twists and turns, this movie is the one for you.
EERIE (2019)
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that the Philippines creates some of the scariest horror movies out there, and Eerie is one of them. This is one of the few movies where it’s hard to predict what will happen next and has strong elements of suspense. With the sudden suicide attempt of a student at an exclusive all-girls Catholic private school, a guidance counselor makes it her mission to figure out what has happened to her, uncovering even deeper secrets about the school.
THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT (2009)
I believe this was one of the few horror movies I watched willingly after The Grudge. I was terrified, of course, especially during those basement scenes. I’ve always known of people who conduct séances to contact the dead, so that made it worse for me while watching the movie, especially when one is actually trying to control the dead. I’ve learned that whatever is dead should stay dead *cough*Dean*cough*, and that trying to control them will only turn out deadly for the controller. Was it the same for Matt and his family as they moved into a former funeral home where séances and necromancy were occurring?
SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999)
Another Tim Burton and Johnny Depp film? YES. I don’t know how to exactly describe this film, only that you should check it out. Seriously. Johnny Depp, a headless horseman, nightly murders in a small town? Something not-so-mysterious is mysteriously happening, and I’m all for it.
CARRIE (1976, 2013)
Carrie is one of the few movies where I enjoyed watching both the original and the remake. Some backstory and tiny details not fully covered in the first film but provided in the remake helped the remake be more emotionally fulfilling, in my opinion. Carrie is a shy teenager with a highly religious mother and a recently discovered ability. With the high school bullies and prom night, Carrie seems to experience more than she ever wanted in life.
THE BRIDGE CURSE (2020)
I didn’t expect to like this more than I thought I would. The sudden twist of events toward the end is what put this movie on my favorites list. There are time skips, which may be confusing at first, but then everything eventually made sense. This isn’t your typical urban legend, hauntings, and curious university students’ movie.
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What are some of your go-to Halloween movies?
