(Image courtesy of Unsplash)
By Edgar Ramirez Jr, Staff Reporter
With the Halloween season already among us, it’s time for everyone to get into a spooky mood. People celebrate the autumn season in different ways such as going to Halloween attractions, attending costume parties, or even decorating their houses. One of the most famous ways is by watching movies. I decided to make a guide that includes horror, comedy, and family-friendly movies for people to watch during October. These are the best films to tune into for some spooky entertainment.
Creepshow (1982), Directed by George A. Romero
This film is an anthology, where there are five separate stories unrelated to one another all dealing with different plots. They involve zombies, monsters, and everything in between. The stories were written by the king of horror, Stephen King with practical effects from Tom Savini, a legend in prosthetic make-up. The monster effects all look great and the story always keeps you intrigued which is a great way to start the list. It can be purchased on YouTube or Amazon Prime Video.
Ghostbuster (1984), Directed by Ivan Reitman
A group of scientists start their ghost-catching business in New York City. A gateway to another dimension unleashes evil spirits throughout the city. With Bill Murry and his sarcastic dialogue as well as Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis playing off each other, it’s no wonder this movie is so funny. The characters play off each other so well that I can’t help but want to re-watch the film over and over again. The film is fun with awesome ghosts, crazy set designs, and a catchy theme song. Watch on Hulu.
It (2017), Directed by Andrés Muschietti
A small town is plagued with an evil shape-shifting clown, who feeds upon the fear of the residents. Seven young outcasts have to face their nightmares to rid their town of this unstoppable evil. The film puts the audience in the perspective of children, bringing me back to my youth when I was afraid of many of the film’s monsters. Watching Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise, the antagonist monster, is both terrifying and mesmerizing. The child actors all do a great job at bringing the characters to life from Stephen King’s novel, “It.” The movie is available on HBO Max.
Young Frankenstein (1974), Directed by Mel Brooks
In this spoof of Frankenstein, a young scientist follows in his grandfather’s footsteps in creating a monster made by his own hands. The film has Gene Wilder as Fredrick Frankenstein, and his performance is hilarious with his over the top performance generating moments of pure joy. The parody is shot in black and white which gives off the feeling of an actual Universal Monster movie from the early 1930s. If you like a more goofy Halloween film, then this is a must-watch. It can be purchased on Amazon Prime Video.
Beetlejuice (1988), Directed by Tim Burton
A recently deceased couple is stuck haunting their residence when a new family decides to move in. Unable to scare them, they turn to an over-the-top spirit that becomes too much for anybody to handle. This film is a wild ride from start to finish, where Tim Burton takes on a creepy yet comedic film. The ghost designs look creepy but whimsical at the same time. Whenever Beetlejuice actor Michael Keaton is on screen, all eyes are on him as he owns this movie—offered by YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Directed by Henry Selick
In another one of Tim Burton’s imaginings, Halloweentown’s Jack Skelington wants something fresh and new, so he decides to take over the Christmas holiday. The film was created with stop motion animation, which looks fantastic. No two settings look the same and the characters all look unique and full of personality. Since this is a musical, there are many songs within the film that are all catchy and will forever define Halloween. This movie is on the streaming service, Disney+.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) Directed by Bill Melendez
The Peanuts gang is celebrating Halloween, that’s it all that needs to be said. This special is a classic and a must-watch during the season. Be ready for this movie to take you back to memories of your childhood, a time where you used to go out with your friends and beg for candy. It’s a classic that cannot be forgotten. This classic film is available on Apple TV.
Scream (1996) Directed by Wes Craven
A masked killer stalks and murders the teenagers of Woodsboro. The protagonist, Sidney Prescott, must survive as her friends start to fall into victims one by one. Wes Craven once again makes history with his film, parodying the slasher genre that has gone stale by the end of the 1980s. The movie creates tension as well as a lot of laughs. It celebrates the horror genre as a whole. The movie is available on Sling with a premium subscription, Apple TV, or on AMC+.
Trick ‘r Treat (2007) Directed by Michael Dougherty
Another anthology film where they all center around the three rules of Halloween. The residents of a town face ghost werewolves and a trick-or-treater wanting his candy. The film’s setting is Halloween night which automatically is a must-watch during the fear season. All the stories have twist endings that are gory and brutal. In this film, the many stories are all interwoven, creating this overarching story and theme. This movie can be watched through a subscription with Hulu or HBO Max.
Halloween (1978) Directed by John Carpenter
A psychopath escapes from an asylum on Halloween night to return to his childhood town, Haddonfield. There he stalks and murders the many teenagers of the city. This film is amazing, with the famous directing talents of John Carpenter and the always terrifying slasher, Michael Myers. Donald Pleasence is amazing as Michael’s psychiatrist, delivering chilling descriptions of Michael as pure evil. We root for Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, wanting her to escape the nightmare she’s thrown into. The musical score by Carpenter is a treat to listen to, having it be as famous as the killer himself. Everything about this film screams Halloween, so that is why it’s the number one film to watch during the spooky season. It is watchable on the horror-based streaming service, Shudder.
