It is officially spooky season, and with that in mind, there’s no better time of year to cozy up with a blanket and a hot drink and watch a movie (unless you’re in Shreveport, in which case, you’ll probably cozy up with a fan on the highest setting and a nice cold drink until this awful heatwave passes). So, let’s talk about some of the best movies to watch as we get closer to Halloween! -Though, one note: this list is not gonna include a lot of horror movies, mostly because a lot of them don’t actually have anything to do with Halloween, and they deserve a separate list of their own. I will be including one horror movie, just to balance out the list, but I do promise these are appropriate movies for Halloween!

I asked a lot of people their favorite movie for Halloween, and the number one answer was- unsurprisingly- The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s a classic movie to young adults, and has become widely beloved across generations for its creepy and eccentric world and story. Now, I know most of the movie takes place around Christmas, BUT, it really is a Halloween movie. The message of Christmas focuses on giving and caring and family and spreading good cheer and uh… that really doesn’t fit this movie. Halloween is a time about spooks and having fun- which definitely IS what Tim Burton’s masterpiece is all about!

Another great stop-motion movie to watch around Halloween is Coraline. Although it’s not specifically about Halloween, Coraline still embodies all things creepy and can be downright horrifying- I still get nightmares about the Other Mother! It is a whimsical world fraught with danger and terror, which is pretty Halloween-coded to me.

Another movie you may have seen as a kid that you probably shouldn’t have seen as a kid because it gave you horrible nightmares is Monster House. Unlike the previous two, this one is far less known, mostly because it was released in 2006 and competed with movies such as Cars, Open Season, Happy Feet, and other super memorable and popular movies. Monster House also takes place in the days leading up to Halloween and on Halloween, and tells the story of a kid named DJ, who notices his neighbor across the street hates kids, especially around Halloween. After he and his best friend, Chowder, witness the house come to life and try to consume them, they team up with a girl named Jenny to stop the house before Halloween comes and the house is able to have a buffet of trick-or-treaters. It’s fun, and although the animation is a bit dated, it’s a great Halloween movie that still makes me laugh many years later.

So, I know the movies I’ve listed so far are geared towards kids (y’know, despite the nightmare-inducing scenes that are in them), so if you’re in the mood to get really- and I mean REALLY scared- look no further than Hereditary. This A24 movie follows the Graham family in the wake of the death of the grandmother of the family, and the unknown terror and grief that begins to consume the mother of the family, Annie, her son Peter, and her daughter, Charlie. It is a very psychologically twisted film, and features a LOT of violence, family trauma, and a myriad of other moments that are not for everyone- so watch with utmost care.

If you’re looking for a more lighthearted Halloween movie, look no further than the classic Hocus Pocus. Not only is this movie set during the time of Halloween, but it features a fun story and of course, the iconic Sanderson Sisters, and who doesn’t love a trio of witches that are goofy and fun, yet still spooky and the embodiment of Halloween? Plus, the movie features a sassy black cat, a zombie boyfriend, AND witches singing I Put a Spell on You??? Come on, it doesn’t really get much better than that. I haven’t seen the sequel, but I have heard some positive things about it, so if you’re bewitched by the first Hocus Pocus, definitely check out the second.

Lastly, another really great Halloween movie to watch is one that isn’t centered around Halloween, but is centered around the most creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky family there is: The Addams Family. NOT the animated recent movie- I mean the movie from 1991, a true classic that is just fun! The 1993 sequel, Addams Family Values is also fun, especially Wednesday and Pugsley’s troubles at their summer camp. Both movies sees this famous family’s adventures in a not-so-spooky world, and their interactions with the “normal” people of that world. In other words, it’s hilarious, and still has a touch of the supernatural and eerie feeling that Halloween brings to us.

This probably wasn’t the list most of you were expecting, but I think that this list is a fun one that holds true to Halloween, but also brings back some of the spooky movies we watched as kids. There’s tons of Halloween/scary/horror movies out there, many that aren’t on this list, but still deserve a watch. Freeform (the TV channel) is currently hosting their 31 days of Halloween movies, and while most are kid-friendly, it is a pretty good lineup this year, so definitely check that out. As for more scary movies, anything by A24 is guaranteed to make you lay awake at night, as are the classic slasher films like Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, etc. So cozy up, pick one of the movies I mentioned (or didn’t mention!), and have a very happy fall and Halloween!

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