Our top picks to get your teeth stuck into this Halloween!

This year we’ve been ever so generous as to compile a list of our all-time favourite films to celebrate the holiday. From comedy to the classics, we’ve got you covered; so, grab your favourite snacks and get ready to see our top picks for Halloween 2023!

Comedy

Let’s start with an original (book and film) of The Witches, 1990, with the option of also watching the modern remake made in 2020. With the original cast of Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling and Jasen Fisher they all provide a thrilling version of the classic Roald Dahl book in this 91-minuet easy watcher! When Luke (played by Jasen Fisher) overhears a conversation involving the witches, he is then forced to flee before the dreaded witched turn him into an experiment! Say no more…

Another thriller-comedy which we LOVE, is Zombieland! Made in 2009 the all-star cast of Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin, brings a laugh in their fight to survive mission in , literally, aa “Zombieland’. Whilst venturing on a road trip across America, the four main characters must fight their way against the biggest threat they have in a post-apocalyptic world – ZOMBIES!

Classics

The film you MUST see from the beginning... Or not at all!... Alfred Hitchcock's greatest shocker Psycho, the classic film produced in 1960 is still to this day one of the Halloween classics! With the story line following Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) who strives to follow a new path in her life, she heads to California. But tired after a long drive and weather taking a turn for the worst, she pulls into the Bates Motel. The motel is managed by a quiet young man called Norman who seems to be dominated by his mother…

Other classics that fit into our Halloween Classics category is ANY Stephen King film! With such a varied selection that have been made, and remade, the list of Stephen King classics is a great one to hit on of a movie marathon this October! With the selection of: IT, Pet Cemetery, The Shinning, Carrie, Firestarter… the list goes on! With over 40 of his novels made into films (with more to be produced) Stephen King’s collection is a great way to settle into a haunting selection on your screen!

Modern Horror

With cinematic revelations coming into play post-2000 with CGI and special effects really booting off the horror scene for cinema, Paranormal Activity is a fantastic watch to see how special effects can really play with your emotions and give you the feeling of fear just from your own television screen! In the original 2009 Paranormal Activity, a young couple move into their first home, wanting a fresh start and to settle down, however they become increasingly disturbed by an unknown presence that may in some way be evil and it certainly likes to come out to play at night… A jump-scare to make anyone’s bottoms lift off the sofa!

From the director of the Conjuring Series, David F. Sandberg, produces another frightening watch for all of us thrill fright-seekers! Lights Out, made in 2016, is an effectively scary watch and explores deeper meanings to the storyline – touching on the dark matters associated with mental illness and family issues, which is never something that follows a classic horror. The storyline follows a girl called Rebecca who needs to unlock the supernatural experiences within her family, bringing her face to face with a demonic spirit attached to someone in her family… need we say more?

Non-Traditional Films

So, let’s debate this The Nightmare Before Christmas – Halloween or Christmas film? Well whichever category you think this fall into, ’Oogie Boogy’ man will have you shivering through your bones – oh, the irony! The 1993 film, although it doesn’t feel like it was made then, has Tim Burton’s imagination screaming ever so cleverly with the juxtapositional storyline of this fantastic 6-time winning Oscar film! We frantically fall in love with Jack, the King of Halloween Town, and Sally’s relationship as he hunts to discover the magic of Christmas Town! With the help of his fellow ghastly goblins and ghouls, Jack tries to get the town to help him bring Christmas to the haunted Town of Halloween – however, for some reason, he just can’t get it right.

Sticking with animation, yes there’s a theme here, we have Coraline – scaring all shapes and sizes in this spooky motion picture made back in 2009. Mistakenly thought of as a Disney film, Coraline will creep onto your screens and provide you with 100 minutes of scary animation that you may not have experienced before! Introduced to us as a lovely 11-year-old girl who has a curious mind, Coraline comes across an alternative world that is a strangely idealized version of her life – however, idealism for Coraline isn’t always singing and dancing, with some sinister secrets Coraline must discover what is actually the truth versus what is a lie in a rush to find her way back home.

With a selection to cover all Halloween vibes this year, you will either be jumping off your seat or having a belly laugh this holiday as you prep yourself and your spooky thoughts for the upcoming holiday!

Tag us in your Halloween Movie marathons and let us know what you think of our top picks this year.