With Halloween just around the corner, movie and television selections are becoming spookier. This is a nuisance for those who don’t appreciate the vast amount of horror flicks that make up October’s TV guide. Here are seven movies that will get you in the spooky spirit and still allow you to sleep at night.
1. Coraline
A photo of the title character, Coraline. Photo by Alessandro Bonvini under CC BY 2.0 liscense. No changes have been made.
In this movie, the title character, Coraline, discovers a secret door in her home that hides a parallel universe. However, this other seemingly-perfect world holds dark secrets to be uncovered. Coraline is a 3D stop-motion film that was released in 2009 and directed by Henry Selick. The movie is based off Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name. If you like the writing style of this movie, consider watching (or reading) Stardust and American Gods. Coraline is free to stream with a Netflix subscription.
2. Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Scooby-Doo is free to stream on Netflix with a subscription. Photo by Kaylee Adams.
In this live-action version of the classic cartoon, Mystery Incorporated, a mystery-solving group consisting of four people and a dog, unexpectedly reunite to solve the mystery of Spooky Island, a popular resort. This first installment of the live-action film series was released in 2002 and directed by Raja Gosnell. Scooby-Doo is free to stream with a Netflix subscription.
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is free to stream on Netflix with a subscription. Photo by Kaylee Adams.
And once you finish watching the first movie, you might as well watch the second! In Scooby-Doo 2, Scooby and the gang have to save Coolsville from an attack of previous unmasked monsters that takes place at a museum’s exhibition honoring their past cases. The second installment of the series was released in 2004 and once again directed by Raja Gosnell. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is also free to stream with a Netflix subscription.
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas can be rented for $3.99 on Prime Video. Photo by Kaylee Adams.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stop-motion animation film that was released in 1993 and again in 2000 as a special edition. The story is that of Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town, who discovers a portal to Christmas Town. However, his attempt to celebrate the holiday and introduce it to his town causes some mishaps. The movie was produced and written by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick. The Nightmare Before Christmas can be rented for $3.99 on Prime Video, or for $2.99 on Google Play and YouTube.
4. The Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion is free to stream with a Freeform subscription. It can also be rented on Amazon Video, Google Play or YouTube for $2.99. Photo by Kaylee Adams.
In this movie, Eddie Murphy plays a workaholic realtor who drags his wife a children to a mansion in Louisiana in attempt to make a business deal. The family soon realizes that the house has some paranormal habitants, and they need to make an escape. This Disney film was based off the theme park attraction sharing the same name. The movie was directed by Rob Minkoff and was released in 2003. The Haunted Mansion is free to stream with a Freeform subscription. It can also be rented on Amazon Video, Google Play or YouTube for $2.99. Be sure to check your TV guide first, as it may already be playing on the Freeform channel (previously ABC Family) during their “31 Nights of Halloween.”
5. Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween
Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween is free to stream on Hulu with a subscription. Photo by Kaylee Adams.
In this movie, Tyler Perry’s famous title-character, Madea, is entrusted to keep an eye on her niece on Halloween night, much to her niece’s dismay. Things go awry when Madea notices the teenager managed to sneak out to a Halloween party, causing Madea to battle poltergeists, ghosts and zombies. Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween is free to stream with a Prime Video, Hulu or Epix subscription.
6. Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus is a Halloween classic. The movie is featured during Freeform’s “31 Nights of Halloween.” Photo by Kaylee Adams.
In arguably the most classic Halloween movie ever, a teenager named Max accidentally awakens a coven of witches while exploring an abandoned house with his sister and friend. Hocus Pocus is a 1993 Disney film directed by Kenny Ortega. Hocus Pocus can be rented on Amazon Video, YouTube, Google Play or iTunes for $2.99. You might also be able to catch it on the Freeform channel during their “31 Nights of Halloween.”
7. Halloweentown
Halloweentown can be rented for $0.99 or bought for $3.99 on Amazon Video. Photo by Kaylee Adams.
In this 1998 Disney film, a teenage girl named Marnie discovers that she is witch and sets out to help save Halloweentown, which has become overrun with supernatural beings. This movie is the first installment of the four part Halloweentown series. The movie was directed by Duwayne Dunham and stars Debbie Reynolds and Kimberly Brown. Halloweentown can be rented for $0.99 or bought for $3.99 on Amazon Video, or bought for $4.99 on YouTube or Google Play.
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