With fall comes Halloween and with Halloween comes the urge to wrap yourself in a blanket on a rainy night and watch every scary or Halloween themed movie you can think of. October is the start of fall, and to me that means watching great movies that fit in with the season. Whether it’s a scary movie or childhood Halloween classic, October is the perfect time to watch them! Here are movies that must be prioritized this fall. Netflix and chill with a good thriller or Halloween classic this October.
1. "Hocus Pocus"
Starting off with an absolute and obvious Halloween classic, "Hocus Pocus," will forever be a fall must watch movie. I’d be extremely surprised so meet someone who hasn’t watched this movie or doesn’t consider it a staple during the Halloween season. An absolute classic, "Hocus Pocus" is definitely a fall movie must.
2. "Scream"
Still one of my favorite movies to this day, "Scream" is an iconic 90s scary movie. With Ghostface being a staple in Halloween costumes since ’96, "Scream" is the epitome of a generational classic scary movie. A partial-satire on scary movie plots themselves, "Scream" takes you through a story with classic thriller qualities with additional twists. It’s rare to find someone who hasn’t seen "Scream," but if you haven’t, enjoy following the thriller and trying to guess who the killer is. Every sequel following "Scream" has been equally as great, so you can make it a marathon with each film!
3. "Halloweentown"
There seems to be a Disney classic for every time of the year, and "Halloweentown" is your October/Halloween necessity. Follow Marnie and her younger siblings discover the history of their witch family and find home in a town that they never knew existed, which they now have to try and save with their newfound witch abilities.
4. "Ghostbusters"
A little comedy relief mixed with Halloween, "Ghostbusters" is technically a move suited for anytime of the year but is really great to watch in the fall. One of the most iconic movies ever made, "Ghostbusters" is a great for a chill night at home with your friends this October.
5. "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" is the perfect mix of everything great about the fall season, Christmas, and Halloween. You really can’t go wrong with a Tim Burton dark fantasy classic, making it a fall movie must.
6. "Donnie Darko"
Steering away from the lighter fall movies, there are a few scary ones that were a staple on my Halloween/Fall movie list as well. "Donnie Darko" is a great thriller following a troubled teen who receives constant visions of the world ending. Finding himself conversing with a monstrous figure in a rabbit costume presenting himself as “Frank,” Donnie sinks more into his mental issues throughout the film. The psychological thriller is just the right amount of creepy for the Halloween season, and who doesn’t love a good 21 year old Jake Gyllenhaal?
7. "Casper"
A childhood classic, Casper the friendly ghost really puts you in the Halloween mood. A feel good film following friendship, this movie is great for any age. Whether you’re young and watching it for the first time, or reliving it from over two decades ago, "Casper" is a great fall movie to watch!
8. "The Addams Family"
Perfect for the fall season, "The Addams Family" is a must watch. This dark and unconventional family will instantly get you ready for Halloween, while also being a great movie overall.
9. "Beetlejuice"
Another Tim Burton classic, "Beetlejuice" is a great movie for anyone. Following a dead couple while haunting their own house eager to get rid of the living people occupying it, Beetlejuice, a scheming ghost, is summoned to do the job.
10. "The Shining"
This probably isn’t the best movie for people who truly struggle with scary movies, but if you’re like me and love being terrified on a prime October movie night, "The Shining" is for you. One of Jack Nicholson’s most iconic performances, "The Shining" follows a man and his family, and what isolation in a place with a dark past can do to you.
11. "Halloween"
It seems only fitting to end this list with the original and most iconic scary movie there is, "Halloween." This movie is almost 4 decades old but still remains one the most classic Halloween slasher films to exist. There really is no other scary movie that tops the original "Halloween."
