Ultimate Spooky Season Movie Watchlist
As spooky season comes closer and the days get colder, the best way to spend the day is to stay inside. And what's better than watching a movie?
Animated/Claymation
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" (PG 1993 1h 16m)
In this Disney-animated classic, Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved king, accidentally discovers Christmastown and tries to take over Christmas. He soon learns that things were better the way they were.
"Casper" (PG 1995 1h 40m)
An afterlife specialist and his daughter move into an old mansion in Maine and are shocked to meet an exuberant ghost named Casper. Casper falls in love with the daughter, Kat, and together they get into mischief under the watchful eyes of Casper's "uncles".
"The Corpse Bride" (PG 2005 1h 17m)
Victor and Victoria are betrothed to be married. One night when Victor is practicing his vows, tragedy strikes. He is dragged to the underworld by Emily, an undead bride, and must escape before Victoria is forced to marry Barkis Bittern.
"The Halloween Tree" (G 1993 1h 13m)
Based on Ray Bradbury's story, "The Halloween Tree", four friends, Tom, Jenny, Ralph, and Wally plan to meet up with their friend Pip to go trick-or-treating, but he is snatched away by mysterious forces. The friends then travel through time and space to save him, all the while learning about the history of Halloween.
Bingeable
"Alvin and the Chipmunks meet the Wolfman" (G 2000 1h 17m)
After a vivid nightmare, Alvin becomes convinced their neighbor is a werewolf. Alvin's brother, Theodore, was cast in "Dr. Jekyll and Hr. Hyde" and begins to act strange, so Simon and Alvin race against the moon to figure out what's wrong with Mr. Talbot, their neighbor.
"Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein" (G 1999 1h 18m)
Alvin, Simon, and Theodore get a job at a theme park and wander around the grounds. They come to the most popular attraction, Frankenstein's Castle, where they see a mad scientist bringing Frankenstein to life. The boys eventually meet Frankenstein and learn the the monster isn't mean, just misunderstood.
"Insidious" (PG-13 2010 1h 43m)
After moving into a new home, a young boy named Dalton becomes comatose. After many mysterious hauntings Elsie, a paranormal investigator, reveals that Dalton himself is haunted because his soul is stuck in a realm called the Further. Elsie attempts to save Dalton but is lost in the attempt.
"Insidious: Chapter 2" (PG-13 2013 1h 46m)
Dalton's family believes that everything has returned to normal, but they do not realize that their son Josh is also haunted. Eventually, Lorraine Lambert and her friends have to delve into the past to save her family.
Horror
"The Possession" (PG-13 2012 1h 32m)
A young girl name Em buys an unsuspecting wooden box from a yard sale and becomes increasingly unstable. Her dad discovers that the box contains an evil spirit, a dybbuk, that haunts, then devours its human host. Her dad Clyde and his ex-wife team up in attempt to free their child.
"The Ring" (PG-13 2002 1h 55m)
Supposedly, there is a video tape that causes the viewers to die exactly seven days after watching it. No one takes it seriously until four teenagers mysteriously pass one week after viewing it. Reporter Rachel Keller becomes entranced and watches the video. She has seven days to unravel the mystery and save herself.
"The Grudge" (PG-13 2004 1h 31m)
An American family making a new life in Tokyo move into a house haunted by a supernatural curse. The curse causes a person to be filled with rage, eventually leading him/her/them to die. The family members are all infected and a caretaker investigates the cause. She discovers that the house is haunted and burns it down, hoping she is quick enough to save the life of her boyfriend, Doug.
"The Skeleton Key" (PG-13 2005 1h 44m)
A nurse from New Orleans quits her job to work for an elderly couple, one of whom suffered from an untimely stroke. As she begins to explore their house on the Bayou, she learns about the home's mysterious past. She soon discovers that her employers are lying about the cause of Ben's stroke.
Classics
"Hocus Pocus" (PG-13 1993 1h 36m)
In an attempt to impress a girl, Max manages to revive a trio of centuries old witches. These witches are intent upon finishing a spell where they use the souls of children to become immortal. Max, Allison, the girl he likes, and his little sister must destroy the witches before they can finish their spell.
"Ghostbusters" (PG 1984 1h 45m)
A trio of recently unemployed scientists become "ghostbusters" so they can be handsomely compensated to fight supernatural forces in New York. In this battle, they stumble upon a gateway to another dimension and must fight to protect New York from the evil forces that threaten them.
"Haunted Mansion" (PG 2003 1h 28m)
A workaholic real estate agent takes a vacation with his family, who he has been neglecting to spend time with, and on their way, they stop at a mansion he has been asked to sell. He gets trapped inside and discovers that it is haunted by many ghosts who need his help being freed from their curse.
"Tower of Terror" (PG 1997 1h 29m)
A disgraced journalist and his helpers investigate a 60 year-old mystery in which five people disappeared from a hotel elevator.
For All Ages
"The Witches" (PG 1990 1h 31m)
While a young boy named Luke is staying in England with his grandmother, he stumbles upon a a convention of witches. The witches are planning to turn all the children into mice but Luke overhears. The witches learn this and test the potion on Luke. With the help of his grandmother and the hotel manager, the "mouseified" Luke must fight the witches.
"Wolfman" (PG 1979 1h 42m)
Simply put, a man who has newly become a werewolf uses his powers to avenge his father who was murdered by an evil minister.
"Young Frankenstein" (PG 1974 1h 46m)
Dr. Frankenstein's grandson inherits his grandfather's property in Transylvania. He discovers the process used to reanimate a dead body and, with the help of his assistants, creates a new monster. This eventually complicates matters with his fiancée when she arrives at the castle.
"The 'Burbs" (PG 1989 1h 42m)
Ray Peterson is settling down for a vacation in his neighborhood when the new family on the cul-de-sac starts acting suspicious. He sends his family away as he and his neighbors investigate. When a neighbor disappears, Ray and his friends risk their lives to save their neighborhood from evil.
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