You are surrounded by chilly weather, rustling leaves, windy nights and howling animals. Sounds a little spooky, a monster could be lurking around the corner ready to suck your brains, well, maybe not the monster, but it’s Halloween! Being a little spooked is fun! So in preparation of the upcoming holiday, APN staff decided to choose their favorite Halloween movies. The movies are rated with a scare factor of 1 to 10. One being not scary, 10 being extremely, pee your pants scary. If you’re struggling to get in the Halloween spirit, or if you’re just in the mood for some Halloween themed films, check these out!
Sarah Trafton’s Pick – It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
You can’t go wrong with a classic like Charlie Brown. Join the Peanuts gang for their Halloween festivities and Linus’ hunt for the Great Pumpkin. Nothing is quite as inspiring as Linus’ unwavering Halloween spirit. It makes you remember Halloween as a child and the spooky, fun feelings associated with it. There’s a Charlie Brown movie to become a part of your family’s tradition for every holiday, and they never get old.
Scare Factor: 1
Keely Breen’s Pick – Halloweentown
Imagine this: you have just been told you are a real life witch with magical powers, OMG what do you do next? You head to Halloweentown of course! There, you live amongst ghosts, ghouls and every mythical Halloween creature imagined. No, this isn’t a dream, it’s Halloweentown! This Disney Channel original brings all of your childhood fantasies to life, and takes you on an adventure like no other which is why it’s perfect for Halloween. It’s one of my favorites and definitely a movie that will get you in the Halloween spirit. You don’t want to miss it!
Scary Scale: 2
Deja Skipper’s Pick – Haunted Mansion
A good fun-loving spooky tale about a family moving into a mansion not realizing ghosts are among them. Eddie Murphy is the comedic relief in the movie, as he and his family experience living in a spooky mansion. This is for sure a classic halloween Disney movie. My favorite part is that the movie is only a little scary and gets your heart racing, but also has light-heartedness and comedy keeping it fun. A perfect Halloween movie for families.
Scare Factor: 2.5
Angela Lince’s Pick – Practical Magic
Descended from a long line of witches, sisters Gillian (Nicole Kidman) and Sally (Sandra Bullock) use their gifts to conquer their families’ ancient curse: Any person they fall in love with dies. With the power of sisterhood and a few teaspoons of poison, Gillian and Sally find themselves in the hands of the authorities. It’s up to Gillian and Sally to end this love battle once and for all. I love that Practical Magic incorporates romance, horror, the power of sisterhood and acceptance all in one movie.
Scare Scale: 4
Amanda Johnston’s Pick – The Sixth Sense
“The Sixth Sense” is a movie about a young boy who is haunted by ghosts. He tells his psychologist that he sees dead people, and the two struggle to explain the unexplainable. Be ready for a surprising twist at the end. This movie is always a go-to around the Halloween season. The combination of haunting ghosts and suspense is sure to keep you on the edge of the couch and might force you to turn on the lights. This movie is sure to spook you into the Halloween spirit.
Scare factor: 6
Now, grab a bowl of popcorn, or a nice big bag of Halloween candy, a fluffy blanket and turn out the lights. Sounds like it is time for a Halloween movie marathon!
APN 