As leaves change and pumpkins begin to adorn doorsteps, you know that Halloween is in the air. However, it isn’t really spooky season until you turn on a time-tested, classic Halloween movie. Whether you want a film fit for the whole family or a nightmare-inducing thriller, keep reading for the perfect movies to get you into the Halloween spirit. So grab the popcorn and a pumpkin spice latte, and snuggle up with one of our favorite movies that just scream Halloween.
This clever-yet-scary slasher movie/black comedy stars a variety of big stars, from Courtney Cox to Drew Barrymore, and continues to be a fan-favorite hit.
This new-ish movie quickly became a horror classic. The Jordan Peele-written and directed feature follows a Black photographer going home with his white girlfriend for the first time. Shrouded by casual racism, the dynamics get eerier and eerier as the film progresses.
This Tim Burton horror/comedy follows a ghost couple who haunt their prior home, alongside, of course, a devious poltergeist named Beetlejuice. Watch for the laughs and THE famed striped suit.
Few movies are as appropriate for Halloween as, well, Halloween. The slasher movie stars Jamie Lee Curtis and follows a mental patient and murderer who escapes a sanitarium and returns to his hometown to stalk innocent passersby.
Another Tim Burton masterpiece, Edward Scissorhands traces the unlikely love story between a man with scissor blades for hands (Johnny Depp) and a suburban teenager (Winona Ryder).
For another family friendly option, stream the Halloween comedy classic, Ghostbusters. But, be warned, you may not be able to get the jingle out of your head for days.
If you don’t find prom scary, you clearly haven’t seen Carrie. The Stephen King novel adaptation has become a cult classic, and remains one of the all-time creepiest teen movies.
You can’t call yourself a scary movie buff unless you’ve seen The Exorcist. This horror favorite follows the demonic possession of a young girl, and her mother’s attempts to save her through—you guessed it—exorcisms.
You can’t go wrong with Hocus Pocus. The family friendly comedy stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy star as three Salem, Massachusetts witches, resurrected just in time for Halloween.