Movie review: scary and not-so scary Halloween movies
With a chill in the air, and Halloween approaching October is a popular time to curl up on the couch and enjoy some movies. Here are the top 10 scary and not-so-scary Halloween movies for movie lovers.
Not Scary
Halloweentown:
Marnie is about to turn 13, which is scary enough on its own. But when she travels to Halloweentown with her grandmother, she discovers something she wasn’t expecting. Not only is her grandmother a witch, but Marnie is as well. They come from a long line of witches, now tasked with saving their town from an evil presence.
Clue:
Based on the popular board game, this film follows beloved characters like Ms. Scarlet, Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard and others as they try to solve a string of mysterious murders that take place on a dark and stormy night when they are all brought together for a dinner party. None of them know what circumstances brought them all together, but as the night unfolds, questions will be answered — with a twist at the end.
The Addams Family:
This crazy, kooky, spooky family is always a must for the Halloween season. Watch the Addams band together to save their home from con-artists who want to swindle the family out of their fortune, all while maintaining their macabre family lifestyle.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show:
Music, dancing, aliens, forbidden romance, murder, sexuality … all this and more can be found in this classic Halloween movie. This B-list movie has become a cult classic for fans everywhere and was reintroduced to the mainstream by the popular film, “Perks of Being a Wallflower.”
The Nightmare Before Chrsitmas:
This Tim Burton classic follows Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king, as he wanders from his town of Halloween to the land of Christmas. Confusion ensues when he tries to take over the winter holiday and add his own spooky twist.
Beetlejuice:
When a young couple dies in a car accident, they are stuck haunting their former home. When a new, unbearable family moves in, they try their best to haunt them out of the house, with little success. Finally, the couple enlists the spirit Beetlejuice to help them scare the family out of their home.
Ghostbusters:
After a team of scientists lose their jobs, they decide to make a bold career move by becoming “Ghostbusters” who fight off supernatural beings in exchange for money. One day, they happen upon a gateway to another dimension and release evil into New York City. Now, they have to save it.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown:
This animated classic follows the Peanuts gang as they wait for the Great Pumpkin, who is rumored to bring the Halloween spirit to the town. They also go trick-or-treating, some with great success, others receiving only rocks.
Little Shop of Horrors:
In this movie musical, Seymour makes a very interesting discovery about a bloodthirsty plant who has taken up residence in his flower shop. The community is fascinated with the new addition, but the plant has something else in mind.
Zombieland:
This movie boasts a star-studded cast featuring Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg. In this gory, zombie comedy, follow four surviving humans on their quest to Los Angeles after a plague turned 90 percent of people into zombies. Hilarious and super-gory, this zombie movie is so funny and well made that it doesn’t even feel like a zombie movie.
Scary
Hereditary:
When their grandmother passes away, the Graham family begins experiencing some rather unsettling events. As time goes on, the family begins to learn what they ancestry really is and try to outlive the fate that is to come. This is a more recent horror flick and it was was filmed in Utah. This movie left me feeling like I needed to take a shower to get all the scary vibes out of me. So seriously, if someone is looking to be confused, scared, and thrilled check this one out.
It:
Something is lurking in the sewers and it’s terrifying the town. One group of kids is about to realize that the darkness is not all that it seems. This movie touches several dark themes and brings fears close to the viewers. There is a original version and a remake. Both are equally terrifying in their own way, but the 2017 has better special effects.
The Conjuring:
In the 70s, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine are called to check out a house where a paranormal force is making its presence known. The Conjuring franchise is a fan favorite for scary movies. There is a realness to the stories that make viewers question if they should sleep with the lights on at night.
Blair Witch Project:
Three film students camp in the woods with only their videocamera to tell the story behind the legend of the Blair Witch. When looking for information about a murderer there’s bound to be trouble. The film style of this movie utilizes shaky camerawork to add to the creepiness of the movie.
Scream:
A masked murderer is on the loose and taking out every high school student that gets in his way. This movie plays on many people’s biggest fear of hearing noises and thinking people are in a house when they are home alone. The mask is iconic and surely gives viewers a sense of terror seeing it on screen.
Pet Sematary:
A family moves into a new house in Maine with a suspicious cemetery just for deceased animals in their backyard. Stephen King is really quite good at scaring the pants off the people and this tale is no different. When the pets start acting up, it’s time to run far far away.
The Exorcist:
The family of a possessed young girl requires the assistant of an expert sent in by the church to save their daughter. This movie shows how terrifying possessions can be. Floating and speaking in tongues, Regan Macneil’s character terrifies her way into the viewers’ minds. The cast of the film even believed the set was possessed.
The Shining:
While staying in a secluded hotel, cabin fever begins to take a hold on the Torrance family. It leads them to terrorize each other. This is a cult classic that will have viewers chanting “redrum” and being a little freaked out the next time they see twins.
The Silence of The Lambs:
This movie brings the audience face to face with the infamous Hannibal Lecter. This is a bit more of a psychological thriller because just thinking about a serial killer and what they have done can be scary for viewers. It is a defining movie for the 90s decade and it won best picture, actor, actress, director and screenplay at the Oscars.
Psycho:
A Hitchcock classic, this movie plunges viewers into the creepy world of the Bates motel. Norman and his mother aren’t the friendelist of hosts. The shower scene is also a classic horror film moment that has transcended time and still is referenced today.
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