Halloween is officially here – almost. If you are still planning what movies to indulge in this Halloween night, take a peek at the following list, in no particular order, all are classics.
- “Hocus Pocus”:
When a virgin lights the forbidden black flame candle one fateful Halloween night, the small town of Salem, Massachusetts, is turned upside down. The candle’s flame enacts a centuries-long curse that brings back a trio of sinister witches for one night only – unless, of course, they eat the souls of all the children in the town. This Halloween classic, featuring notable actors such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler, is available to stream on Disney+, Sling TV and Amazon Prime. - “Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out?”:
Based on the R.L. Stine book, “Mostly Ghostly” the film follows the story of Max Doyle (Sterling Beaumon) who discovers two friendly ghosts living in the basement of his home. The ghosts, played by Madison Pettis and Luke Benward, familiar faces if you watched a lot of Disney Channel growing up, ask Max to help them fully crossover into the afterlife. But, some mishaps throughout their journey make them the target of an evil spirit named Phears. This movie is totally underrated and definitely worth the small fee to watch via Amazon Prime, Youtube, or Apple TV. - “Hubie Halloween”:
Who doesn’t love a Netflix original Adam Sandler movie? Hubie, the town outcast, appoints himself as the head of the neighborhood watch on Halloween night. After a series of freaky events occur that lead to several members of his community disappearing, Hubie launches an investigation to discover what secrets his little town is hiding. With fantastic comedy actresses like Julie Bowen and June Squibb, and great actors from the Happy Madison Production family, like Steve Buscemi and Kevin James, this movie is guaranteed to make you hoot and holler joyfully. - “Halloweentown” Franchise: This Disney Channel original franchise first aired in 1998 with “Halloweentown.” It featured young Kimberly Brown as Marnie Piper, a “regular” girl living in the mortal world. But, when Marnie’s grandma comes to visit one Halloween night, she begins to discover she is much more than just a regular girl. The franchise has three more films, “Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge,” “Halloweentown High,” and “Return to Halloweentown,” all available on Disney+ and Hulu.
- “Halloween”:
Possibly one of the most iconic slasher films of all time, the original “Halloween” defined “final girl” with Jamie Lee Curtis’ exquisite performance as Laurie Strode. Laurie is babysitting on, you guessed it, Halloween night, while convicted murder, Michael Myers is hatching his next plan to take the lives of innocent teenagers after his recent escape from prison. Though some of the other films in this franchise were lackluster, the original has stood the test of time. Watch this movie on AMC+, PLEX or fuboTV. - “The Curse of Bridgehallow”:
Starring sassy and funny “Stranger Things” actress Priah Ferguson, “The Curse of Bridgehallow” is sure to become a seasonal classic. Bridge Hollow newbie, Sydney Gordon, accidentally releases an ancient spirit on Halloween night that reigns terror across the small town. With her dad’s help, Sydney must capture the spirit before it is too late. This movie is only streaming on Netflix. - “The Nightmare Before Christmas” :
You can never go wrong with a Tim Burton movie during the spooky season. When Pumpkin King Jack Skellington starts to feel ennui in Halloweentown, he decides to venture to another holiday land: Christmastown. Full of inspiration and splendor from his adventure, Jack decides to rebrand Halloweentown, but realizes taking over Christmas is not as easy as he originally thought. This definitely-not-Christmas movie is playing on Disney+, Sling TV, and Amazon Prime. - “Hotel Transylvania”:
Darcula’s pride and joy is his hidden hotel for monsters, right behind his beloved daughter, Mavis, of course. But, when the safety of his guests and family is compromised by the arrival of Johnny, a not-so-scary human, Dracula hatches a plan to protect his loved ones while still providing Mavis with the best 118th birthday possible. For a heartwarming tale, stream “Hotel Transylvania” on Peacock, Amazon Prime or Youtube. - “Beetlejuice”:
Available on MAX, Hulu and YouTube, “Beetlejuice” is another Tim Burton classic guaranteed to put you in a spooktacular mood. Say “Beetlejuice” three times, and a mischievous spirit will appear to help you with whatever you desire, but at a cost. After a newly deceased couple attempts to haunt the new (alive) residents of their home to no avail, they summon Beetlejuice for help; the consequences are dire. - “Monster House”:
This 2006 animated feature directed by Gil Kenan follows the story of best friends, DJ, Zee and Chowder. The trio believes their neighbor, mysterious and creepy Nebbercracker, is evil. When they choose to start investigating his secrets, they learn his very may be evil, but his house is absolutely sinister. Check out Amazon Prime, Apple TV or Google Play to watch this movie (which should definitely not be rawted PG). - “The Addams Family”:
The 1991 rendition of “The Addams Family,” featuring Angelica Huston as Morticia, Christina Ricci as Wednesday, and Raul Julia as Gomez, is a charmingly good time. When Uncle Fester, who was missing for years, surprisingly returns, spirits begin to rise at the Addams’ home. However, Morticia has a funny feeling about Fester’s sudden re-emergence. With reclusive Wednesday and vexatious Pugsley providing an abundance of comedic relief, this is the perfect movie to watch with your family, friends, or significant other. Stream it on Pluto TV, Paramount+ or Hulu - “Totally Killer”: This Amazon Prime original has all the fixings for a classic 80s horror film, but set in the present day (but also in the 80s). A notorious serial killer is back from the past on a mission to claim one last victim. Jamie Hughes (Kiernan Shipka) comes face-to-face with the killer, in a moment of panic, discovers a time machine that takes her back to 1987. There, she meets the teenage version of her mom (Olivia Holt) and attempts to discover the killer before they can reign terror. This is an equally hilarious and terrifying film that takes the cake for a modern day “Halloween” or “Scream”.
- “Haunted Mansion”: The brand new rendition of “Haunted Mansion” was released in 2023 and has already made my Halloween movie rotation. When a mom and her son move into a, well, haunted mansion, they recruit a team of paranormal ghost experts to rid the house of miserable spirits. This movie is especially fun to watch if you are a Disney fan, as you see many parallels and homages to the Haunted Mansion rides at the Disney parks. You can watch this movie with a Disney+ or Sling TV subscription.
- “Goosebumps”:
Another R.L. Stine inspired movie absolutely had to make this list. What’s interesting about this movie is that it features R.L. Stine (Jack Black) as an actual character. Similar to the real word, R.L. Stine is a best selling author of the series “Goosebumps,” unlike the real world, his fictional monsters take on a physical form that threaten the safety of the world. To watch this movie, you must have an Amazon Prime subscription or you can pay a small fee on Youtube or Google Play. - “Casper”:
Streaming on Peacock, Sling TV, and Amazon Prime, is an adorable story about an even more adorable ghost. Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman) drags his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) out to an abandoned mansion in search of the paranormal. Thankfully, they run into the friendliest ghost to ever exist, Casper. But, the duo quickly realizes not all spirits are as peaceful as Casper. - “Twitches”:
What can I say, I grew up as a Disney Channel kid. Tia and Tamera Mowry star as long-lost twin witches in this family comedy. On their 21st birthday, which also happens to be Halloween, the sisters discover they are magical witch-princesses from another universe. When “the darkness” begins attacking their kingdom, the duo must band together to stop these evil powers from destroying everything they love. Stream this movie on Disney+, Hulu and fuboTV. - “Nightmare on Elm Street”:
Switching gears from family-friendly to quite literally nightmare inducing, give the 1984 rendition of “Nightmare on Elm Street” a try. This slasher, horror film features villain Freddy Kruger, a disfigured man-creature with knives for hands, who preys on teenagers in their dreams. Girl-next-door, Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), starts to put together the pieces of how Freddy Kruger can haunt teens in their sleep, effectively killing them in the real world. But, as she begins to lose sleep herself, in an attempt to protect against Kruger’s attacks, Nancy and her close friends wonder if her delusions of getting the best of her. This classic is available on MAX, Philo, Hulu and Sling TV. - “Scream”:
The original 1996 version of “Scream” is a must-watch classic for all horror fans. Once again, a masked killer is wreaking havoc on a small town. After claiming his first victim, Casey (Drew Berrymore), and coining the phrase “what’s your favorite scary movie,” the killer moves on to find more innocent victims. Watch “Scream” on Youtube, Hulu or Amazon Prime. - “Jennifer’s Body”:
Watch this 2009 film, starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried on Hulu, Paramount+ or Peacock. Jennifer Check is your classic 2000s high school mean girl, Anita “Needy” Lesnicki is your classic high school nerd, but the two are absolute best friends. Jennifer is always pulling Needy into trouble, like one deadly night when the pair goes to a local bar to watch an edgy rock band perform. After Jennifer exits the bar with the band, leaving Needy behind, Jennifer returns later that night in a bloody and broken state. But, to Needy’s surprise, the next morning, Jennifer is looking and acting better than ever. What’s up with that, Jennifer? - “Girl vs. Monster”:
Skylar Lewis (Oliva Holt) discovers her parents are monster hunters after accidentally releasing thousands of demons and spirits that were locked away in the basement of her home. Deimata (Tracy Dawson), one of the monsters released, is Skylar’s personal monster, meaning Deimata’s only mission is to scare Skylar into insanity. After Deimata captures both of Skylar’s parents, she is forced to act bravely and fight Deimata alone. This movie is available on Disney+, fuboTV and Hulu.
I hope you can find something on this list that you think you will love. Happy Halloween, hawks!
