It is the spookiest time of the year. October contains a favorite holiday among many, Halloween. Halloween is celebrated with trick or treating, carving pumpkins, going to haunted houses and watching your favorite scary or Halloween themed movies. Here are some of the Blackman Voice staff’s favorites:
1.) Corpse Bride
“Corpse Bride” is a stop-motion animated movie musical by Tim Burton. Main character Victor, played by Johnny Depp, is arranged to marry Victoria, played by Emily Watson. He likes her, but he is a nervous wreck and messes up the wedding rehearsal. He ran off into the woods and was trying to practice his vows. He does them successfully, but he made the mistake of putting the wedding ring on a branch. The branch was the hand of the corpse bride Emily, played by Helena Bonham Carter. Victor is now caught between life and death, as well as an unconventional love triangle. It’s rated PG, and it can be watched on HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video.
2.) Coraline
“Coraline” is a stop-motion animated movie based on a novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman. Coraline, played by Dakota Fanning, moves into her new home, The Pink Palace. She was exploring her new home, and she discovered a hidden door. The door leads to a world identical to hers, except everything is better. Her other parents pay endless attention to her, and her annoying neighbor Wybie finally isn’t annoying. Although, unlike the real world, everyone has button eyes, and they want to sew buttons into Coraline’s eyes. Not only that but they want to keep her in this new world forever. It’s rated PG, and it can be watched on HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video.
3.) The Nightmare Before Christmas
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is another stop motion animated movie musical. Despite the name, the movie is just as much a Halloween movie as it is Christmas. The movie introduces Halloweentown and the Pumpkin King Jack Skellington, played by Danny Elfman. He’s bored of doing the same thing every day, and he accidentally discovers Christmastown. Christmastown is the opposite of Halloweentown. Bright lights, smiling faces, and warm spirits all surprised Jack. He now wants to take up the role of Santa Claus and control Christmas. He quickly realizes there are many problems with this idea. It is rated PG, and it can be watched on Disney+.
4.) Ghostbusters (1984)
“Ghostbusters” is a supernatural comedy starring Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and many other stars. A ghost appears in the public library causing three parapsychology professors, Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler to be fired. Following this, they decide to form a paranormal investigation service, where they capture and contain ghosts. More and more paranormal events are seen throughout New York City, making the Ghostbusters famous. An incident occurs where their equipment explodes, releasing all the ghosts they had captured into the city. It is rated PG, and you can watch it on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock.
5.) Rocky Horror Picture Show
“Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a musical cult classic. It begins with the couple Brad and Janet, played by Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon, getting a flat tire in a storm. They wander through the woods till they find a mansion, the home of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, played by Tim Curry. They are introduced to a complex and diverse cast of characters. A barrage of musical acts and dances, along with the unusual people, are different from anything Brad and Janet have ever seen. It is rated R, and you can watch it on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.
6.) Scream
“Scream” was written and directed by Wes Craven, who previously worked on “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” The film focuses on Sidney, played by Neve Campbell, and her friends. Unfortunately for them, they become the targets for a serial killer named Ghostface. Scream was able to modernize the slasher genre, as well as poking fun as the stereotypical tropes of the genre. It is rated R, and you can watch it on Paramount+.
7.) It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
“It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” is a television special based Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comics. It follows the children from the comics as they all get ready for Halloween. Linus, Charlie Brown’s friend, is convinced the Great Pumpkin would be coming to visit in the pumpkin patch. Linus decides he will spend his Halloween waiting for him. The rest of the children go trick-or-treating. Many of the children make fun of Linus, but he remains loyal to the idea of the Great Pumpkin, and nothing can dissuade him. It is rated G, and you can watch it on Apple TV+. However, it is available for non-members on Oct. 21-22.
8.) Halloweentown
“Halloweentown” is a Disney Channel original movie. Main character, Marnie, and her siblings Dylan and Sophie are not allowed to go out on Halloween because of their mom, Gwen. To their relief, their grandmother, Aggie, visits their house, and she encourages them to celebrate in the Halloween festivities. The children overhear Gwen and Aggie discussing Marnie being a witch, just like the two of them. Her mom wants Marnie to live the normal life of a mortal. After the disagreement, Aggie leaves to return to her home of Halloweentown. The children decide to follow her, and they are introduced to a unique and different world. It is not rated, and you can watch it on Disney+.
9.) Monster House
“Monster House” is a computer animated movie. DJ witnesses his neighbor, Horace Nebbercracker, steal a little girl’s bike. This isn’t a new incident, as Nebbercracker has the reputation that you don’t want to mess with him. DJ’s friend Chowder cause Nebbercracker to suffer a heart attack after trying to receive a ball from him yard. A series of terrifying events transpire from here. The two friends watch a man get eaten by the house and are attacked by the house themselves. They have to stop the house from attacking more children, while learning the sad and disturbing history behind it. It is rated PG, and you can watch it on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.
10.) Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
“Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit” is a stop-motion animated movie. It is a parody of classic monster movies and is a part of the “Wallace and Gromit” series. Wallace and his dog, Gromit, work together as pest control agents. Recently, their town has been suffering from an extreme amount of rabbits way too close to the annual Giant Vegetable Competition. An accident happens with his equipment, and he accidentally fuses his brain with a rabbit. Shortly after, a giant rabbit, a were-rabbit, begins harassing the people and their vegetables. Gromit must figure out a way to save Wallace before the Giant Vegetable Competition and before anyone figures him out. It is rated G, and you can watch it on Netflix, Peacock TV, and Amazon Prime Video.
11.) Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2
The two “Insidious” films take place back-to-back with main parents, Josh and Renai Lambert, played by Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne. They have just moved into their new house with their three children. On day, their son, Dalton, experiences an encounter with a paranormal entity. He slips into a coma, and the hospital is unable to give the parents any answers as to why. After a few months, Dalton wakes up and is taken back home. Dalton is acting weird, and they are now experiencing paranormal events. They are tormented by this paranormal activity, and they decide to call investigator Specs and Tucker, as well as psychic Elise Rainier. The paranormal activity doesn’t end at the end of the first one, with more terror to continue in the sequel. It is rated PG-13, and you can watch it on Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max.
12.) Lady in a Cage
“Lady in a Cage” is a psychological thriller movie. Cornelia Hilyard, played by Olivide de Havilland, is a wealthy widow, who just broke her hip. She installs an elevator in her mansion, so she is able to easily move between floors. Unfortunately, she experiences a power issue, which leaves her stuck between floors. She is alone in the house. The elevator does have an emergency alarm, but it only gets the attention of an alcoholic who begins stealing from her house. Everything derails from there as the man brings more people to the house, and Cornelia remains stuck in the cage like elevator. It is not rated, and you can watch it on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+.
13.) The Addams Family
“The Addams Family” focuses on an eccentric family who lives and loves all dark and macabre things. The father of the House Gomez Addams, played by Raul Julia, is shocked when a man, played by Christopher Lloyd, comes to their house claiming to be his long missing brother Fester. Gomez’s wife Morticia, played by Anjelica Huston, grows suspicious as the man does not know simple details from Fester’s life. The family goes through all sorts of kooky hijinks as the family tries to figure out what is happening with the supposed Fester. It is rated PG-13, and you can watch it on Paramount Plus and Amazon Prime Video.
There’s a Halloween film for everyone with a mixture of scares, laughs, and some light-hearted fun. Whether it is animated or live action, you can have fun celebrating the spooky season with these movies.
