Scream and Stream: Must-Watch Movies For Halloween
Ada Lambert | October 23, 2024
Hello beautiful Wilsonites,
I hope you are all safe and well. We have all been struggling post-Helene and it has been a difficult time for our community. While we have much more to say about the hurricane and will be releasing an article about it when we return to in-person class, for now, we are hoping to offer solace in trying times.
With that being said, today I will be pitching a list of lighthearted (but still spooky of course) movies that I love to watch this time of year. With Halloween quickly approaching, I thought it would be fitting to have some films featured that would be suitable for November as well. If you are a lover of the season like me, leave your recommendations in the comment section.
Let us get into it:
Two sisters, Sally and Gillian (played by no other than the lovely Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock,) know that they were born into a line of witches, but Sally is deterred from magic due to a curse that promises to kill any man the women grow to love. On the flip side, Gillian is excited by the prospect of love and takes off to find the one. Unexpectedly, Gillian contacts Sally to explain that her “cowboy Transylvanian” abusive boyfriend, Jimmy, has kidnapped her. In an attempt to save her sister, Sally slips something into his drink but accidentally causes him to overdose (whoops!) For some reason unbeknownst to me the women decide to crack open the spellbook and give resurrection a try. As we can all predict, this goes horribly wrong and the ladies bring to life Jimmy’s awful spirit. If you thought he was bad alive then get ready for the craziness that ensues afterwards. Yeah. Pretty crazy. Give it a watch.
In this 1988 comedy-horror, the bombshell baddie Elvira finds herself drawn to a small, prudish town where she has inherited a mansion from her deceased auntie, and much to her surprise, the townspeople despise her and seek to burn her at the stake (WITCH!) If you love all things camp, this is the movie for you.
One of my absolute favorites of all time! “Jennifer’s Body” is a satirical horror film about Jennifer and Moody; childhood best friends and polar opposites. After an ill-fated night out to the bar, Jennifer is kidnapped by a failed boy band who set out to sacrifice the sweet and maybe a little naive Jennifer to the forest gods for fame. But things do not go according to plan and Jennifer awakens hungry and out for blood (specifically men’s blood). With her newfound demon powers, she is determined to kill as many men as possible and goes on a spree of killing in her suburban neighborhood. Fun, right?
This is a new film but I rewatched it again and it was the perfect October watch. A group of snobby, rich young adults spends a weekend together in David’s parents’ mansion (Pete Davidson plays David, pretty iconic if you ask me). Due to a wild hurricane, the group is trapped inside and decides to play one of their all-time favorite games, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. I’m sure we have all played some variation of this game, i' is along the lines of Mafia and Assassin. Anyway, things do not go to plan. After finding David’s throat cut outside the mansion, the group is determined to figure out who killed him, and they will not stop until they find the truth. This is not what I would call a scary movie, but beware of the jump scares. This movie will have you on the edge of your seat with anticipation.
These are classics. This entire series is great for Halloween. I tend to gravitate towards campy movies rather than actual horror (sorry for all my horror lovers, I may not be of much help here) but alas, the “Scary Movie” series is hilarious and will get you in the Halloween spirit in no time.
“MaXXXine” came out this year, and if you read my Halloween list last year, you will know I’m a fan of the “X” trilogy. The third and final installment of the series did not disappoint and is a great watch. I would say it is not quite as scary as it is suspenseful. There are a couple of scenes that made my insides curdle a bit, but other than that, I recommend watching it if you have not yet!
Okay, guys, I know that not everyone will agree but personally, it is not fall without a “Twilight” marathon. Vampires, werewolves, teenage Bella “I’m not like other girls,” oh my! This series can be enjoyed year-round but something about watching them as the leaves turn just hits.
Every year I rewatch the Harry Potter movies and each time I am just as pumped as the time before. Yes, I have seen them a million times. No, I will not stop. If you do not have fifteen hours to dedicate to watching all the movies, I understand and that is okay. Here is a couple that screams spooky season if you want to jump around: “Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban”, “Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire” and “Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince.” They are simply the best of the series, you cannot change my mind.
This is another new-ish movie perfect for fall starring the brilliant Anya Taylor-Joy. This horror-comedy is about a couple who travels to an island to sample a chef’s curated feast at an exclusive gathering, invitation only. When I saw this movie, I had no idea what direction the film was heading in and I believe that is the point. Really, anything could happen, but you will only find out if you watch it! I loved this movie (and Anya Taylor-Joy was phenomenal, as always.)
That is all I have for you all! Like I said at the beginning of the article, feel free to comment with your favs below, I know there is an infinite amount of films that fit the criteria so I would love to hear what everyone else is watching.
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