As the leaves slowly change from their lush green color to a pale yellow, red, and brown mixture, autumn is upon us. And, with autumn, comes Halloween trick-or-treating, horror stories, and fun with your family. With the pandemic keeping most people at home, trick-or-treating is most likely canceled out of safety precautions.
However, there are still a few ways to keep up the Halloween spirit with friends and family, with the number one option being revisiting some Halloween movie classics. Throughout this article, I will be giving you a list of the top seven Halloween movies to watch this year while you're at home.
#1 Casper
I'm sure most of you have heard of Casper the friendly ghost. It's an ultimate classic just for Halloween. After all, what's a Halloween movie without ghosts and haunted mansions? The story is about a ghost named Casper that roams around a mansion, and along the way, he meets different humans and develops a bond with them.
If you're looking to have a kid-friendly, silly movie to watch, this movie is it!
#2 Monster House
What's Halloween without a few haunted houses, or in this case, monster houses? For me, I remember watching this movie when I was in elementary school, and it will always have a place in my heart. The story follows a boy named D.J. who joins his friends on an adventure to explore his neighbor's house that just so happens to also be alive.
Though it might not be the spookiest movie of all time, this movie will bring a smile to your face and keep any younger kids engaged and glued to the screen in suspense. If you're looking for a family-friendly movie, this movie is a great option.
#3 The Nightmare Before Christmas
Despite the title, I assure you that this movie is indeed Halloween themed. The movie follows a skeleton named Jack Skellington who is in charge of Halloween. However, due to the constant same routine year after year, he wants something different. The movie is action-packed and will keep everyone in the room focused and in the Halloween spirit with skeletons, cemeteries, and more!
#4 Hocus Pocus
Witches. Every Halloween has to have some relationship with witches, whether it's a movie, spooky story, or just dressing up as one. Witches are probably one the most iconic parts of this spooky festival.
In Hocus Pocus, the movie is about a boy named Max who, in an attempt to impress a girl, lets out three witches that plan on taking over the world. Nice job Max. Between having to figure out a way to fix his mistake and learning more about the witches, viewers will follow Max on his journey, getting into the Halloween spirit in the process.
#5 The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Released in 2018, this movie is filled with magic, warlocks, and witches. The story follows a boy named Louis who goes to live with his uncle. He later finds out that his uncle and neighbor happen to be magicians. When Louis accidentally awakens the dead, he goes on a journey to fix his wrongdoing, learning many things in the process.
With brilliant cinematography, if you're looking for a recent movie perfect for your Halloween, this movie is it. You can find this on Netflix as well as rent the movie, and I promise you, you won't regret it.
#6 Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King
What's not to love about Scooby-Doo? He's funny, friendly, and engaging for all ages. In this movie, Scooby-Doo and his friends found themselves in another mystery about a goblin.
Personally, this is one of my favorite Halloween movies of all time. It has everything you could ever want in a family-friendly movie: magic, monsters, and a never-ending mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.
#7 It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Every year, this movie is broadcasted on TV. And every year, I find myself watching this movie despite having watched it every other year. By now, it's simply become a tradition for both me and probably thousands of other families around the country.
This movie follows a beloved character, Charlie Brown, on his journey through Halloween and being able to experience the joy of the holiday. If there is one movie that will bring the whole family together and draw laughter and smiles, it has to be this one. Despite the movie announced to not be broadcasted this year, people can rent out the movie to watch this beloved classic Halloween movie. After all, who doesn't love Charlie Brown and the music that follows thanks to Snoopy?
From popular movies in the past such as Charlie Brown and Scooby-Doo to more recent ones like “The House with a Clock in Its Walls,” the list of movies to watch this Halloween are endless so don't let this list be the end of your list of things to watch this holiday. If you've watched all the movies listed in this article, there's no harm in watching them again.
They'll be sure to bring up memories and fill you with nostalgia. I hope you've learned some great movie choices thanks to this article, or at least took a walk down memory lane, looking at the movies you've watched during your childhood.
Unfortunately because of the pandemic, many people won't be able to have a typical Halloween consisting of hanging out with friends to make Halloween snacks and to go trick-or-treating in their neighborhood. But even if you can't have fun outside, you can recreate the Halloween spirit at your home through these spectacular movies.
So while the cold, chilly temperatures start coming into your area, leaving you shivering when you walk outside, take a chance to huddle together with your family or gather your siblings in front of a TV to watch some classic Halloween movies to warm you up from laughing and celebrating one of America's beloved holidays while snacking on candy and drinking a warm pumpkin spice latte.
