By Sam Arseneau
Hocus Pocus, a Halloween cult classic, follows teenagers trying stop three witches from becoming immortal (photo credits: ScreenRant)
1 – The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
My personal favourite movie of all time, it’s the one that I’ve watched it every year since I was a child. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a movie that can be watched at both Halloween and Christmas (or any time of the year). The movie’s main character Jack, a skeleton, leaves ‘Halloween town’ and wanders into ‘Christmas Town’ where things are entirely different. This movie by Tim Burton takes a spooky spin on the musical genre. It’s a family-friendly movie that anyone of any age can enjoy.
2 – Hocus Pocus (1993)
This is a traditional movie that plays on TV every year. This movie follows teenagers trying to stop three witches from becoming immortal. This Disney film is popular with people of all ages and for good reason. The witches have an iconic look that has resonated with many and has inspired many Halloween costumes. This movie is a classic for people of all ages and is a go-to movie at this time of year. This movie is sure to put you in a Halloween mood.
3 – Coraline (2009)
Let me just start with the fact that a younger, more innocent me was terrified of this movie. However, now that I’m older… it still terrifies me. The storyline is about a young girl who goes into an alternate world, which appear to be better versions of the same people in her world, but with button eyes. In true Tim Burton style, these characters are eery and slightly uncomfortable to watch, but also too captivating to not watch. It is rated PG but has been known to scare younger kids. Watch the movie and decide for yourself just how scary this ‘children’s’ film can be.
4 – IT (2017)
Stephen King’s book to movie creation is popular among many people, so much so that there is now a sequel. IT surprised me, I was expecting the most terrifying clown movie I had ever seen, I instead found it less gory and more keen on jump scares. This movie is definitely one for older audiences as it is rated R due to its thriller/horror genre. Even the image of Pennywise can cause fright for some people. He is a sewer-dwelling shapeshifter that chooses to primarily take the form of a clown. So sit back and enjoy this movie, but don’t get too comfortable you’ll never know when you’ll start to float.
5 – The Addams Family (1991)
This movie was one that I would watch with my parents as a kid. I still love the dynamic relationships between the unique characters. The movie follows family drama and fraud within the Addams family and an outsider trying to steal their riches. It is a PG-13 movie, with some adult-themed references. This fictional family has made an impact on generations from their tv show to the movie, and now a second movie. However, unlike the original movie, the new movie is animated. The Addams Family is a well-known movie for many reasons, watch the kooky family in the movie to see those reasons for yourself.