Movies to get into the Halloween spirit

Ahh, Halloween.

Everyone’s favorite excuse to get dressed up in a weird costume and party, as opposed to dressing up in regular clothes and partying – that and there’s more bite-sized candy bars laying around everywhere. Let’s look at some movies to get you into the proper Halloween spirit.

The Harry Potter Movies

Providing your parents aren’t still banning you from seeing them, the Harry Potter franchise might be the best shot at getting you ready for Halloween. Witches and wizards, magical spells and potions, bad guys without noses – it has everything you need to get yourself prepared for trick or treating. The first few films go well with more innocent fun, while the latter movies are for viewers who are looking for something a little bit darker. Try not to get too immersed however, or you’ll spend the whole night mumbling to yourself about those silly muggles.

Halloween

This one seems a little obvious, but of all the classic Halloween villains (“Freddy Krueger,” “Jason Voorhees,” apples instead of candy) the original “Michael Myers” may be the best. Seemingly invincible and silent behind his mask, Myers keeps coming with horrifying relentlessness that will have you looking over your shoulder long after the movie is over. The simplicity of his character also adds to the scary factor. This isn’t some creature or over-the-top villain with an evil plan, it’s a bad guy who simply wants to kill and won’t stop until he does. Don’t watch it alone.

The Exorcist

The granddaddy of all horror movies, The Exorcist is so good and so well-made that it became the first horror film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Its legacy has somewhat hindered its impact on viewing, as with each parody or rip-off of its most famous scenes (the possessed girl/demon talking to the priests or the head twisting around, for instance) it lessens those now-iconic moments. But don’t worry, they still pack enough of a punch that you’ll keep every light on after watching.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

You can’t have a proper Halloween without this stop-motion classic. Featuring catchy songs and a fantastic lead character in “Jack Skellington,” The Nightmare Before Christmas is original and fun, a nice change of pace from the gloom and doom of other Halloween movies. The movie is a cult classic for good reason. It’s a celebration of holidays and the traditions that go along with them. Not only will it put you in the Halloween spirit, it’ll get you excited for Christmas as well.

Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus is pretty much the reason for this list. There’s perhaps no better movie than this 90’s era Disney classic to put you in the Halloween mindset. From the color scheme featuring predominantly oranges, reds and blacks to classic holiday staples like witches, potions and of course trick or treating, there’s lots of scenes everyone can relate to. The movie has the rare ability to transport audiences back to a time when they were little kids excited about getting spooked and how much candy they could fill their bags with. Less spooky and more fun, Hocus Pocus is a Halloween tradition and should continue to be for years to come.