With fall and Halloween right around the corner, now is the time to start sorting through all your favorite in-season movies to get you prepared for the spooky season.
Let’s start off with a Halloween and Christmas classic, Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Although some consider this movie an oldie, it’s definitely a classic. There is a debate about whether this movie is a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie, but I think this movie gets you into the Halloween mood more than Christmas mood because of its style and the fact that everyone in the movie is dead. Not only does Burton’s style of animation get you in the fall mood, but the songs do as well. They are well-written and catchy, with each one having a chilling undertone.
The film follows Jack Skellington, Halloween Town’s beloved Pumpkin King, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the “real world.” When Jack accidentally tumbles into Christmas Town, he gets a new lease on life and plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role as the jolly old elf. He enlists the citizens of Halloween Town to help him create their own version of Christmas.
However, as Christmas night goes on, Jack realizes that what he’s done is wrong and that he loves being the Pumpkin King. He decides that he can keep himself from getting bored of Halloween by creating new, fun ideas. This movie is the perfect mix of funny and spooky, an excellent choice for all ages
Next is another classic from 1993. Kenny Ortega’s “Hocus Pocus” is a long-time fan favorite. This movie takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, where teenager Max Dennison, newly arrived from California, explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani and their new friend, Allison.
After claiming that a story Allison tells is nothing more than superstition, Max accidentally frees a coven of evil witches (the Sanderson Sisters) who used to live in the house. They then have to trap the witches, with the help of a magical black cat, by stealing the witches’ book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal. This film really gets you into the Halloween mood since it’s set on Halloween. Additionally, the decorations, costumes, and setting all really set the spooky mood.
Most of these movies are going to be classics because, in my opinion, older Halloween movies are better. “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” is one of my all time favorites to watch during the spooky season. “Prisoner of Azkaban” is the third movie in the “Harry Potter” series. The story takes place during Harry’s third year as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is forced to uncover complex and painful secrets of the past, including details of the night when his parents were murdered by the evil Lord Voldemort.
Parts of this movie are darker than the previous two, especially the scenes with the genuinely terrifying Dementors. It definitely earns its PG rating. Additionally, this movie is the third in a series, so watching the previous two is highly recommended. Overall, this movie has just the right mix of eerie and awesome to make it a spectacular Halloween movie.
All of these movies are available on Max (“Harry Potter”) and Disney+ (“Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Hocus Pocus”). They are great for getting in the seasonal mood and bringing a sense of nostalgia. Be sure to check them out next time you need a Halloween movie.
