This is Halloween

Fun Fact: Halloween is my second favorite holiday, next to Christmas. The evening combines candy, theatre, and the mystical all into one, sporting event. I like to think that our commercialized version was inspired by some truly spooky and other-worldly happenings. That being said, I can't just celebrate Halloween for one night. I get together multiple costumes, decorate every bit of the house and the dog that I can, and, I watch movies. Tons of movies. Here is a list of ones I've watched recently, favorites, and ones that aren't really strictly Halloweeny, but they put me in the spirit!

1. Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School (1988)
If you're also a fan of this goofy hound and his scruffy owner, I think you'll enjoy this movie. Created in 1988, the flick definitely has a nice 80's vibe going on. As it was a made-for-tv movie, there are weird fade outs at awkward parts but it adds to the charm that is obviously apparent at an all-ghouls finishing school. When the gang sign on to be fitness instructors for the school, they realize Halloween has come early.

2. Halloweentown (1998) 

Ahhhhh, when the Disney Channel still put out decent live action movies. In case you need a refresher, Marnie and her siblings secretly follow their grandma home one Halloween evening only to discover that the bedtime stories she had told them where really about her hometown. The first of the films is certainly worth your time, Halloweentown II is questionable, as is Halloweentown High. Return to Halloweentown no longer has the original Marnie, and therefore no longer has my heart. 

3. Session 9 (2001)

I normally do not like horror films and this one was no exception. I watched it with my dad but still closed my eyes for the last third of it. The plot focuses on a team of asbestos experts who are hired to clean an abandoned insane asylum in Massachusetts (which was actually a real place until they tore it down for apartments...and those apartments mysteriously all caught on fire). The pacing of the film, however, is refreshing, and leaves you thinking about the story long after it has ended. I can see why it's a cult fave.

4. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

Who doesn't like the Peanuts? This animated television special shows Linus waiting on Halloween night for the Great Pumpkin to appear. Everyone else seems to think that this fantastic gourd is a big fake. Who's right? You'll just have to watch to find out, it's only 25 minutes long.

5. The Exorcist (1973)

I don't care what anyone says, the original stills scares the pants off me every time. With the plot focusing on a young girl named Regan who has become possessed by an unknown power, the amount of anxious blanket-gripping is high for this film. It's crass, violent, and all together so much more suspenseful than the slasher films we have today. Merrrrrrrrrrinn!

6. Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)

My dad and I decided to give this one a chance post-Exorcist watching. The story takes place in Eastern Africa, with the insinuation that the evil that has begun to plague the land is from ancient Iran. This movie starts fast and has an unexpected pace, keeping it pretty spooky. All in all, not a horrible choice.

7. Hocus Pocus (1993)

I put a spell on you, and now you're mine! Does this movie even need an introduction? Hocus Pocus is the tale of three evil witches being brought back to life after a non-believer challenges the ancient spell to keep them buried. High-jinks, singing, and rad 90's fashion combine for a Halloween classic that without question deserves an annual viewing. 

8. The Wolfman (1941)

The original wolfman is a great classic to add to your collection. Classics aren't for everyone, but I love how the stories unfold. You slowly learn about the town and their superstitions which ultimately lead a non-believer right into the jaws of the beast! This is best watched with a pentagram nearby. 

9. Carrie (1976)

Scary Carrie. What a poor, misunderstood girl. The lead, Carrie, is a misfit that suddenly gets asked to prom by a super hottie and begins to realize that she has super powers. Here's a question- why do Carrie and her mother have southern accents? Some mysteries go to the grave.

10. Frankenstein (1931)

Another classic. Dr. Frankenstein is driven mad by the idea of having divine power and creates a monster with a murderous mind. The lack of humanity in this film is almost scarier than the idea of a creature made from hangmen and lab parts. Obsessed with the idea of destruction for creation, who is the monster and who is the man?

11. Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbit (2005)

The crazy duo are at it again. This time, the brits are humane exterminators that discover a monster is destroying the town's prized vegetable crops right before the annual Veg Fest. A bit of cheddar and sleuthing bring the team face to face with the critter in question. 

12. Dracula (1931)

I may or may not have thought this was scary due to my very rational fear of Vampires. We start out in a foreign land only to have the story shift to the streets of England (per usual). In no time at all the citizens of London are being attacked by an assailant that seems to just disappear into the midnight sky. If only they knew!

13. The Halloween Tree (1993)

Originally a book, this movie that Cartoon Network aired is probably (sorry, Hocus Pocus) my favorite Halloween movie of all time. Pip, the best boy that ever lived, mysteriously becomes ill on his favorite night of the year. His four friends make an unsettling deal with a sketchy old man who offers to help them find Pip while showing them the true meanings of Halloween. Whatever you do, make sure you watch this movie this year. Make me proud. 

Others to Note:

Psycho 

The Shining

Alien(s)

Young Frankenstein (a comedy with Gene Wilder)

Nightmare Before Christmas