7 Movies You Should Watch on Halloween

Grab the popcorn, dim the lights, get dressed up in your spookiest costume and get ready to watch some of the best films suited for Halloween.

I have compiled a list of some of my favourite movies suitable for Halloween, excluding horrors because they are too obvious and there are so many I think they need a list of their own.

I have chosen a range of genres, some animated, a little bit of romance, and some comedic films that are a must see.

Here are my top choices – if there’s something you love watching at Halloween let me know in the comments.

#1 The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington is beloved and admired by all the townsfolk, in Halloweentown. However, he gets bored of his annual job of frightening people once every year. He goes on an adventure and finds himself in Christmastown. He is amazed by how different their celebrations are and decides to take the lead and influence the rest of his town to join him in making their own Christmas. Unfortunately, with the town being full of ghosts and ghouls, this won’t be any ordinary Christmas and things go horribly wrong.

Why you should watch it: This Tim Burton film may have ‘Christmas’ in the title, but I reckon it is perfect for Halloween. It is an animated dark fantasy film, and also features some of the best Halloween music there is, such as ‘This Is Halloween’. (If you think that’s awesome, you should check out Marilyn Manson’s cover of it!) The film features all sorts of monsters, so it is definitely suitable for this spooky season.  They also don’t hold back on the macabre and violence, given that the main character is dead, other characters body parts falling off, and the whole town is gloomy and creepy, I think this film is perfect for lovers of the darker side of life – even if it isn’t a full blown horror movie.

#2 Hocus Pocus

After moving to Salem, Max Dennison has to take his little sister Dani out trick or treating. He comes across his school crush, Allison, and tries to impress her by taking her to the abandoned witches house. He dismisses Allison’s superstitions and lights the black candle, returning the three witches back to life. They have till sunrise to stop the witches from stealing children’s souls or else the witches will return for good and become immortal.

Photo from http://disney.co.uk/

Why you should watch it: I mentioned this film in my previous post about Halloween costumes and I will probably continue to mention this film over and over, because I just can’t get enough of it. This is a Disney film I used to watch and love as a child and I still think it it brilliant to this day. It is full of hilarious silly moments, but also contains some heartfelt scenes dotted throughout. The film also features two stunning musical numbers from the witches. I think this film is so fun I would watch it any time of the year, not just Halloween.

 

 

#3 Monster House

This is a comedic animated film about three friends who are aware that their neighbouring house is actually alive and wants to kill them. Of course no adults believe them, and with Halloween approaching they must find a way to stop it before any trick-or-treaters come to a ghastly end.

Photo from https://www.showclix.com/event/MonsterHouse

Why you should watch it: Monster House features memorable voices that fit the characters perfectly. The animations have so much personality you feel like you may as well be watching real people. The film also has a clever story line and the characters are all relatable and funny.

#4 The Craft

When Sarah transfers to a new school, she finds she isn’t the only one with supernatural abilities. Three other classmates happen to be looking for a fourth witch to help them with their rituals. When minor spells get out of hand the three witches start to go power-mad and turn on Sarah so she must find a way to stop them.

Photo taken from http://donthatethegeek.com/craft-new-movie-will-sequel/

Why you should watch it: Even if you haven’t seen the film, it’s more than likely that you’ve come across one of the main characters Nancy Downs and the quote “We are the weirdos, mister” somewhere on your travels across Tumblr. Nancy is one of those ‘goth-goal’ type characters. Other than how much this character appeals to me, its also got a pretty great story line, and has some accurate references to Wiccan practices.

#5 Zombieland

After a virus turns most of the world into zombies, cowardly Columbus is forced to join up with zombie slayer Tallahassee in order to survive the apocalypse. As Tallahassee is on a mission to find the last Twinkie on Earth, they come across two girls who have some unorthodox ways of surviving. At first they are reluctant to join forces, but the four survivors create an unlikely alliance to attempt to survive as they make their way to a rumoured safe-haven in Los Angeles.

Photo taken from https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2016/08/zombieland-writers-to-meet-with-woody-harrelson-soon-about-sequel-cast-is-excited/

Why you should watch it: This film plays well with the humour, based around Columbus’s emotional frigidity and fear of social contact. These disabilities which would have held him back in normal society are now exactly what is needed to stay alive. A very ridiculous film which is also a treat.

 

#6 Warm Bodies

An unusual zombie, named R, is out hunting for his next brain when he sees a living woman, Julie, and rescues her. Julie sees R is not like the other zombies and they start to form a bond. R starts to become more and more human bringing hope for a change to the lifeless world they know.

Photo from http://cocktailsandmovies.com/cocktails-and-movies-review-warm-bodies-warm-heart/

Why you should watch it: This film appeals to me in so many ways. For one, I have a slight obsession with zombies. Two, its got a love story to it and I can’t help being a little soppy and enjoying a romance film. Three, the main character is played by the Nicholas Hoult, and not going to lie…he looks pretty hot as a zombie! Also, I totally recommend reading the book at some point as the story line differs slightly and I found the comedy stands out a lot more in the book.

 

 

 

 

 

#7 The Sixth Sense

The child, Cole Sear, is haunted by a dark secret – he can see ghosts. He is frightened by the visits from the dead who have unresolved problems. He tells his psychologist, Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) that he can ‘see dead people’. Dr Crowe tries to uncover the truth about Cole’s supernatural abilities, but in the process he learns something far worse.

Film Still taken from https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/1667727/remember-haley-joel-osment-the-kid-from-sixth-sense-he-looks-completely-different-these-days/

Why you should watch it: Of course I had to include a film with ghosts in this list as I adore anything supernatural and this is one you must see! This movie is definitely one of my all time favourites. Even if you already know the shocking twist at the end, it is still worth a watch. It also has some brilliant acting and watching the bond between Cole and Dr Crowe develop is very sweet to watch.

 

 

 

5 Spooky Film and TV Inspired BFF Halloween Costumes

‘Everyday is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us…’ I would definitely agree with Tim Burton on this one. So when you are already spooky all year round it can be a difficult choice to decide what costume to dress in that differs from anything you wear normally.

There are so many costume ideas sometimes I don’t know where to begin. Should you dress as a vampire? Love zombies? Or just cut two holes in a sheet and be a ghost?

If you want to get your best friend involved in your costume, there can be even more creative choices.

Couples costumes can be cringe-worthy, but choosing spooky Halloween costumes with your best friend to creep everyone out can be a lot of fun. You could even get a whole group of friends involved.

So I have compiled a list of my favourite Halloween costumes inspired by spooky movies and television programmes.

#1 Sweeney and Mrs Lovett:

Photo by Walter Pellegrini.

Sweeney Todd the demon barber and Mrs Lovett, his pie-making accomplice of Fleet Street make a fearsome pair. Sweeney Todd is know for slitting the throats of his customers. With his signature white-streak in his hair, gaunt complexion, blood stained shirt and cut-throat razors, Sweeney Todd makes for a great Halloween costume. It is arguable that Mrs Lovett is even more deranged, driving Sweeney Todd to madness by lying to him about his wife’s death and coming up with the plan to hide their victims in her pies. Mrs Lovett’s clothing features Victorian Dress, curled hair, and could also be seen carrying a rolling pin or pies. Pair these two costumes together to create your own serial killing duo.

 

 

#2 Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz:

Photo from: http://www.therpf.com/gallery/groups/p4382-beetlejuice-26amp-3bamp-3b-lydia.html

It is one of my favourite Tim Burton movies so I had to include this pair on my list. Betelguese (pronounced Beetlejuice) is the crude ‘bio-exorcist’ ghost that wreaks havoc when he promises to rid the original deceased tenants, The Maitlands, of their homes new living residents. He has an iconic look with his crazy hair and striped suit. Lydia Deetz is every goth-girls goals. Lydia is ‘strange and unusual’ and loves anything pertaining to the supernatural. She is shown having jet black hair with parted bangs, a large hat, dressing all in black and carrying a camera. I think these make a fun pair and have such distinctive personalities that they would make brilliant characters if you wanted to add a little acting to your Halloween night.

 

 

 

 

 

#3 The Sanderson Sisters:

Film Still taken from: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/The_Sanderson_Sisters

I love watching this film, Hocus Pocus, every Halloween. These three witches make such great comedic spooky characters. When I was a child I wanted to grow up to be Sarah, portrayed as the most beautiful, with a sadistic sense of humour and kind of an airhead. She is a fun, lovable character who uses her singing voice to lure children back to their home. She is shown having long blonde wavy hair, wearing a tight fitted dress with lace sleeves, and when outside wears a purple cloak. Winifred is the main antagonist, who sold her soul to Satan, she is highly dramatic and vain. She keeps her other two sisters in line and uses them both to help her gain the souls of children, so she can stay young forever. Her most striking feature is her fiery red hair in a curled bouffant style. She wears a green dress, is eyebrow-less, has claw like fingers, and wears uniquely shaped red lipstick. Mary Sanderson is the third of the sisters, and is always trying her best to please Winifred. Mary is not the most cunning or intelligent, but she has a powerful sense of smell that she uses to help track down the children. Mary has dark hair twisted into a distinctive shape to look like a witches hat, wears red robes, has a mole on the side of her nose and has a habit of biting her lip. These three would make a great Halloween costume if you have two other friends you know would love to dress as these witches.

 

#4 Joker and Harley Quinn:

Photo by HydraEvil on DeviantArt

This one has gained some popularity since the Suicide Squad movie was released. However, I still always wanted to dress up as Harley Quinn at Halloween, so why not partner the costume with The Joker? Harley Quinn has appeared differently across films, television series, comics and games, so you could also take inspiration from elsewhere and put your own spin on it. She is most known for her red and black outfit and gag-themed weaponry. The Joker can also look pretty terrifying with his white makeup, huge red smile, green hair and purple suit.

 

 

 

 

#5 Doctor Who and Monsters:

Photo from: http://www.doctorwho.tv/whats-new/images/australias-first-doctor-who-pop-up-shop-opens/

My final choice for this comes from my favourite time traveller, The Doctor. This Halloween costume could have so much choice with twelve ‘official’ doctors to choose from, and also a range of villains and monsters. This offers endless possible costumes for groups of friends. There are even many Tardis outfits online if you want to dress as the time machine herself. One of my favourite monsters is the Weeping Angels, it would definitely have all eyes on you…they just got to make sure they ‘don’t blink’.

Hope this helped with some inspiration for Halloween. If you try out any of these looks please share them to our Facebook page, I’d love to see what you guys come up with.

 

 

20 Spooky Halloween Tag Questions

Since this is my first post, I figured a great way to get to know a bit more about me would be through a tag.

But not just any tag, since we are in October I thought it was a great opportunity for me to answer 20 Halloween questions.

1. Favourite horror or Halloween-themed song?

‘Everyday Is Halloween’ by Ministry
2. Have you ever played with a Ouija Board?

No, I’d be tempted to try it to see what happens, but I probably wouldn’t want to risk it. Especially since my Nanna tried one in the past, then she had to cleanse the house with sage after there were odd supernatural occurrences.
3. Favourite horror monster or villain?

This is a tricky one but my first thought was Norman Bates from Psycho.
4. If you were dared to spend the night in a “haunted house”, would you do it?

Definitely, I wouldn’t need daring to do this as it’s something I’ve actually wanted to try.
5. Are you superstitious?

Not particularly, I mean when it comes to situations like black cats crossing paths, smashed mirrors, and avoiding walking under ladders, I think it’s not something I worry myself over.
6. Do you prefer gore or thrillers?

Thrillers, although when it comes to horrors I think supernatural is always the best.
7. Do you believe in ghosts?

I’m rather sceptical about ghosts, although I have had a few paranormal experiences which I’d be happy to share in later posts.
8. Ever made a potion of any sort?

Yes, I actually practice Wicca magick occasionally, my most recent potion was for cleansing the home of negative spirits.
9. Have you ever played Bloody Mary?

No, I wind my friends up saying it twice so they freak out and tell me not to say it the third time, but honestly I wouldn’t just in case something ever did happen and I get the blame.
10. Do you believe in demons/the devil?

Again, I’m sceptical about this. But from what I heard from the bible the devil doesn’t seem much to fear. I mean if he is punishing sinners, then he is kind of doing half of God’s job, surely?
11. Would you ever go to a graveyard at night?

Yes, I have actually done this several times. The first time was when I went to do a ghostly photoshoot in a church graveyard with a friend.
12. Do you have to watch something happy after watching a horror movie so you can go to sleep?

Usually I can go to sleep fine, it’s the getting up in the night to go to the bathroom that is the creepy part because I worry some psycho is lurking at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me.
13. Are you the one who gets scared, or the one who does the scaring?

Always the one doing the scaring. I’m the type of person who will hide behind things and jump out at people.
14. What was your first Halloween costume?

Probably a witch, I always wanted to be magical and spooky, so this really appealed to me when I was a child. That’s probably another reason I grew up to be so darkly inclined.
15. What are you going to be for Halloween this year?

I’m planning on doing a Lydia Deetz inspired look, just looking for someone to be Beetlejuice.
16. If you could have a spooky halloween pet (black cat, owl, bat, rat, wolf), what would you pick?

I’m a big cat lover so it would definitely be a black cat to be my witches familiar.

17. Favourite thing about Halloween?

Definitely the amount of decor and clothing that appears in stores. Other people see it has Halloween decorations, I see it as new home decor and everyday alternative fashion. It’s like the one time of the year I can find things I love in your average stores.

18. Vampires or Zombies?

Recently had an obsession with zombies so I’d have to pick them. I kind of low-key want a zombie apocalypse to see what happens and figure out how I’d survive.

19. Favourite scary video game?

Sticking to my recent favourites it has got to be ‘The Walking Dead’ or ‘The Last of Us’ on PS3. They started my current zombie fascination.

20. Final question, best Halloween costume you’ve had?

Generally I don’t dress up much, I mean my current wardrobe is all suitable for Halloween. I tend to just go a bit more extreme and creative with my makeup.

 

Hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better through this tag. Let me know what your own answers would be in the comments section.

 

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