Boo!
Halloween this year is going to unlike any other since we are dealing with COVID19 therefore most of us will not be going out to parties and kids won’t be trick or treating. I have always enjoyed Halloween dressing up and watching the movies. Generally, getting into the autumn season is fun. The candy doesn’t hurt either. Since we won’t be doing the usual I thought I would create my list of favorite Halloween themed movies while we stay inside. Most are kid/family friendly movies. Heads up I do not care for horror movies I find them clichéd and not that scary, but that’s just my opinion. Now on to the list!
Halloweentown
It’s a classic for me and a great way to start off the festivities. It’s funny, has magic, and a whole world of supernatural creatures. The story itself is interesting and enjoyable. A young girl finds out her family has magic and her grandmother decides to teach her magic while trying to help save Halloweentown from evil forces. Halloweentown II and III aren’t bad either, but the original is the best. The first ones usually are. There is a fourth movie called “Return to Halloweentown” if you wanted to watch. It’s not the same actress so it’s different.
Hocus Pocus
I mean how can I not have this movie on the list? It is a requirement as soon as October hits. The premise of the movie if you don’t already know takes place on Halloween night when new kid to town Max accidentally awakens three witches who have been dead for 300 years. Add in a crush, a little sister, and a talking cat and the foursome work together to defeat the witches from magical mayhem. Watch out for those Sinister Sisters!
Harry Potter
I am a Potterhead (fan) so of course Harry Potter is on the list. The first one is of course a quintessential to the series and the start to it all. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite of the series so that would be another one I would recommend. If you haven’t watched or read the series you are missing out. Also, if you have been out of society for a few decades the Harry Potter series is based on the book series by J.K. Rowling. There are eight movies in total following the seven books that you can watch to follow along to see Harry learn about the magical world, make friends, and defeat the antagonist (Voldemort). The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios is a place you should check out if you like the series. If you would like to have more of the magical wizarding world there is the prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find movies to watch.
The Mummy and The Mummy 2
A mummy is just right for Halloween. I love the Mummy movies starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz and watch them whether it’s Halloween or not. The movie is filled with history, adventure, and of course a mummy. There’s also a third Mummy movie, but I prefer the first two. The Mummy series is a horror-adventure about a mummified ancient Egyptian priest who is accidentally resurrected, bringing with him a powerful curse, and the ensuing efforts of heroic archaeologists to stop him.
Monster House
Spooky house with trespassing kids trying to get their ball back what could go wrong? A funny and on theme cartoon mystery movie for all. The movie focuses on three kids and a haunted house across the street that kids around the neighborhood are afraid of. They come to find out that the house is alive while trying to get their ball back that they had previously lost. Along the way they discover how the house came to be alive and if it’s possible to defeat it.
Hotel Transylvania
You have your Dracula, Frankenstein, werewolf, and mummy. All of your Underworld types are in this movie plus more. It’s a good cartoon movie with a spin on your typical characters that people loved so they ended up making three of them. Watch any of the three for the Halloween vibes. The first movie starts with Count Dracula operating a high-end resort away from the human world. He has a daughter that he is very protective over and thinks he must protect her from the outside world especially when a human boy discovers the resort and falls for the count's teenaged daughter.
Tower of Terror
A thriller movie about a struggling Uncle taking care of his niece find they have a mystery on their hands with a deadline to meet. Five people disappeared in an accident aboard the elevator of a luxury hotel and it’s up to the Uncle and niece duo to help them out. Watch the movie to see them figure out the curse and try to save the ghosts stuck in the hotel. By the way, I love the ride the ride at Disney World although now it’s called Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout.
Underworld Series
Four of the five movies follow the vampire Selene and her journey to learn the truth while trying to stay alive. The fifth movie is a prequel to the series. The very first Underworld starts off telling the story of Selene (Kate Beckinsale) a Death Dealer bent on destroying the Lycans (werewolves) who allegedly killed her family. She discovers that the Lycans are pursuing a human, Michael Corvin, for experimentation; Selene captures Michael herself to find out what the Lycans are up to. Along the way, Selene not only discovers a mutinous plot to destroy the vampire Elders, but also a shocking revelation about her father figure Elder, Viktor. From there the story continues.
Twitches and Twitches Too
Actresses from the show Sister, Sister that I grew up watching are more grown up and in movies together playing witches. The newly found twin sisters (sound familiar) in the movies find out they are twin witches (twitches) and must fight the darkness or else. Watch the movies to see them learn about their family and their powers.
The Little Vampire & The Scream Team
The Little Vampire is a comedy horror film based on the children's book series of the same name by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg. It is about a boy who befriends a vampire boy and tries to save his family from a ruthless vampire hunter. It’s a fun adventure to watch.
Hunting down ghosts your idea of a good time? Then Scream Team is the movie for you. I had forgotten about this one, but thanks to Disney+ I found it again. The movie is about a recently passed grandfather’s grandchildren trying to save his soul from the town’s bad ghost while fighting off their own live bad guy thanks to the help of some good ghosts.
Practical Magic
A movie depicted as a romantic comedy fantasy following two sisters (Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman) who are raised by their aunts. The aunts and the sisters are witches and a not very good boyfriend of one of the sister’s dies and the other sister comes to the rescue. A cop investigates the boyfriend and the sister’s have to try to not get charged with murder. Throw in some spooky magic along the way and you have your Halloween movie.
Goosebumps
I love books and their ability to transport you into a different world. This movie actually brings that world of books out into the real world well all the monsters at least. After the monsters get released the scheming and hunting is on to put them all back into the books before time runs out.
Mom’s got a date with a vampire
The kids want a night off from Mom so they set out to have her go on a date. It turns out that the date is a vampire and the kids end up spending the night trying to save their before it is too late. The aunt from Sabrina the teenage witch, the dad from The Nanny, and the dad from Lizzie McGuire star in this movie.
So there you have it. Under Wraps and Don’t Look Under the Bed are some honorable mentions. Those are some of my top movies to watch for the month of October. I hope you like some of them as well. There are also some shows to watch as well. Television wise I really enjoy watching Halloween Wars, Outrageous Pumpkins, The Big Bake Halloween, and Halloween Baking Championship on Food Network along with The Munsters, My Baby Sitter’s a Vampire, and Supernatural are also good shows that sticks to the Halloween theme.
Have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
