Mix and match these beloved movies to create the perfect marathon for a stay-at-home Halloween weekend

From apple picking to trick-or-treating, fall houses a variety of beloved traditions. One of my oldest friends and I have a long-running tradition of spending Halloween together. When we were younger we used to go trick-or-treating together, but in more recent years we’ve stayed in, baked and watched movies. Neither of us is a scary movie fan by any means so we’ve gravitated towards the more wholesome Halloween movies.

While many things have changed this year, we are still able to stay in and enjoy some good Halloween movies. With the holiday falling on Saturday, it’s the perfect night to stay in and enjoy a good film. Here’s my list of the top 10 wholesome Halloween movies.

The Addams Family, 1991 or 2019

Just from reading this line you probably can already hear the theme song playing in your head. Join this spooky family with their pet hand as they navigate the tribulations of family dynamic when their long lost uncle mysteriously shows up at their house one day. On the other hand, you can watch the recently animated version of the film that is sure to bring a smile to your face with its outlandish humour. The animated film is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Ghostbusters, 1984 or 2016

A favourite of my younger sister, these uplifting supernatural comedies are centred around the adventures of a group of ghost-catchers. The 1984 film details the origins of the original ghost-busting business and the professors-turned-ghosthunters exploits leading up to the team’s confrontation with an otherworldly, demonic threat. The more recent 2016 follows the formation of a new, all-female team of Ghostbusters, including a paranormal researcher, a physicist, an engineer and a subway worker. Both are available on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.

Halloweentown, 1998

A favourite for students who grew up in the early 2000s, Halloweentown is truly one of those movies that scream a Halloween classic. A story about curiosity and exploration into family heritage, join Marnie as she adventures to her grandmother’s mysterious town where ghosts, goblins, ghouls and witches live in harmony amongst themselves. If you like this movie, you’re in luck as there are also three additional films in the franchise. All are available on Disney+.

Hocus Pocus, 1993

What would happen if witches from Salem were brought back from the grave today? With an all-star line up playing the Sanderson sisters, the three sisters witches are looking for vengeance on Halloween night. This movie is definitely a cult classic and it is sure to put a spell on you. Currently available on Disney+, a sequel was just confirmed featuring the original cast.

Hotel Transylvania, 2012

In the late 1800s, Count Dracula opened a luxury hotel for monsters, to provide them with a reprieve from humans and to create a safe environment in which he can raise his daughter Mavis. Now approaching her 118th birthday, Mavis is eager to leave and explore the world to the great concern of her father. To make things even more complicated Jonathan, a human backpacker, discovers the resort just before the birthday celebration starts. Available on Netflix, this adorable and comical movie puts a twist on familiar Halloween figures, including Frankenstein and his bride, werewolves and mummies as well as the usual vampire love story.

It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, 1966

No list would be complete without this classic short. This movie is another one of my personal favourites. I often end up watching it once with my family in the week leading up to Halloween and then again with my friend. A lighthearted and uplifting Halloween special shows the Halloween preparations of the Peanuts gang, including Linus’ time staking out the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin to the exasperation of the rest of his friends, all leading up the big night of trick-or-treating. Available on Amazon Prime Video.

The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993

This eerie and entertaining film, with the music to match, is centred on Jack Skellington, the King of “Halloween Town.” Bored with what he sees as the monotony of yearly Halloween, he wanders off and stumbles upon  Christmas Town. Excited by this new holiday, he attempts to not only bring Christmas to Halloween Town but also usurp Santa Claus. Available on Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, this is a perfect film for those who are just waiting until Halloween to be over to start playing Christmas music (or who have already started!).

Over the Garden Wall, 2014

One of my younger brother’s favourites, this is a spooky, but also very sweet mini-series. The story follows two half-brothers — worry-prone Wirt and happy-go-lucky Greg — as they try to find their way back home through deep dark woods. On the way, they cross paths with the mysterious Woodsman, the feisty bluebird Beatrice among many, many more fantastical beings, all with their own reasons for being in the woods. Available on Amazon Prime Video.

Scooby-Doo:

The mystery-solving adventures of four meddling kids and their dog could almost be a marathon on its own. The franchise is a long time favourite of my family; we’ve seen just about all of them, from the original 1969 Scooby-Doo: Where Are You? TV show to the more recent movies. Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost and Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy are among some of the obviously Halloween-themed films, but all of the series offers a nostalgic, wholesome and comically spooky narrative, so you can pick and choose your favourites from the 30 plus films and 14 television series, many of which are on Amazon Prime Video.

Twitches, 2005:

Based on the book series of the same name, this Disney Channel original movie is centred around twin sisters, Alex and Camryn. Born in the magical realm of Coventry, they are brought to Earth in order to be protected from the evil entity, the Darkness and go on to be adopted by different families. The two sisters don’t meet again until their 21st birthday when their magical history is revealed and they are given the responsibility to save their home realm. This fantastical, lighthearted movie along with its sequel are both available on Disney+.

The Grudge

The year of my brother’s twelfth birthday was the year that stole my horror movie virginity. I was ten years old, and very eager to watch whatever family-friendly film our mother had taken us to the theatres to see. Plot twist number one:a it was sold out. Plot twist number two: my brother was pretty content to see The Grudge as a backup.

If you’ve seen The Grudge, you know that it is arguably one of the worst horror movies to watch if you’re trying to ease a fragile ten-year-old mind into the genre. Minimal plot, maximum jump-out scenes, and this awful tendency to totally deprive the characters of safety (that creepy little girl would show up in the shower, the bedroom, the attic, the stairwell).

Needless to say, I was horrified. I had scratches along my hairline from watching the entire movie through cupped hands. The worst part is that it didn’t start until 10 p.m., so we came home to a pitch-black and empty house. I remember staying up for another hour reading Garfield comics with the lights on. Here’s to my brother for probably taking a year or two off my life.

Brody Weld

 

The Mummy

When I was in grade 3 my friend Jennifer invited me over to watch a scary movie. My mum tried to warn me. “Are you certain that you’re ready?” she said.

Sure, I still closed my eyes when Itchy and Scratchy came on the Simpsons; sure, I still couldn’t watch the part of Pinocchio where he goes inside the whale; okay, I still got afraid of sharks when I went swimming ever since watching Jaws. But I was definitely ready.

I arrived at Jennifer’s house and out came a VHS of The Mummy, starring Brendan Fraser. Almost right away a scarab beetle crawled under a man’s skin and started eating his flesh. I felt a little uncomfortable, but I could deal, at least for the moment.  I huddled with one of Jennifer’s six cats (which is too many cats; what was up with that?).

The rest was a blur. There were sand storms, insects flying out of mouths, and ancient pharaohs with skin missing. I don’t remember everything, but I was legitimately terrified.

I tried to play it cool when I got home, but when my dog brushed my leg I jumped three feet in the air, which may have given me away.

“I told you …” said my mum. Thanks, mum.

Isabelle Dobronyi

 

It

It won’t be that scary, they said.

October is a time of year where people look for any opportunity to watch a good ol’ scary movie. I, on the other hand, go to great lengths to avoid such movies. You see, I’m not the biggest fan of scary movies. In fact, I hate them.

Let me take you on a trip to my aunt’s house back in 2001 where my sister and my cousin thought it was a good idea to watch the movie It with me. I was six. As you can imagine, six-year-olds and Stephen King storylines don’t go very well together. If you don’t know, the movie is about a crazed clown named Pennywise (I know, even its name is scary) who transforms into the fear of its victims. Long story short, I was extremely spooked and I have not seen a single scary movie since that day (does Scary Movie 3 with the Wayans Bros. count?).

So now you know why I’m not the biggest fan of scary movies, but if you like them then great! Just know that I’ll be here, still changing the channel every time a commercial for Paranormal Activity comes on. Happy Halloween!

Justin Jairam

 

Scary Movie 3

My scary movie experience may seem pathetic to you, and perhaps in many ways it is. But I will stand by my belief that I had a totally legitimate reason to be afraid of this movie. It was late at night and I was sitting in my cousin’s cottage when we watched it. They laughed and joked at the characters flickering on the screen while I watched in mute fear. And what is this horrific movie?

Scary Movie 3.

Yes I can hear you laughing. But I was terrified! I mean, they parody The Ring. I haven’t even seen The Ring; I’d probably die of fright if I did! I don’t care if Scary Movie 3 is a comedy, any creepy girl crawling out of a T.V. is horrifying.

Sarah O’Conner

 

Ghostbusters

Everyone has a memory of the first  movie that made them feel shit-your-pants scared and that every other horror film was a joke (or at least not nearly as frightening). Oddly enough, the first movie that brought me to that level of terror was the original Ghostbusters. This requires a little back-story.

As a three-year old I was really terrified of the boogieman. I thought that he lived at the end of a long, dark hallway in a terrifying laundry room in the basement.  My dad had the bright idea to watch Ghostbusters with me in the basement, and he ran upstairs  right before the opening scene where the ghostly librarian scares the crap out of the Ghostbusters. She scared the crap out of me too, and I ran as fast as I could up the stairs only to be stopped by a stupid child-proof door block. Fuck those things. That was the worst. I didn’t sleep for days.

Kyle Fisher

 

101 Dalmatians

When I tell people that the movie that scared me msot as a child is 101 Dalmatians, I usually get either laughed at or a wedgie (though, come to think of it, I tend to get those even when I don’t mention that fact...). However, with another Halloween rolling around, it is time to own up.
I was about three or four years old when there I was, watching 101 Dalmatians, and the nightmarish face of the evil Cruella De Vil appeared on screen, and I lost it. Glenn Close has never looked scarier (except maybe when she isn’t wearing makeup). Crying as though the NHL was in lockout (oh wait) I proceeded to flounder about the floor, shrieking and pleading for the TV to be turned off.
A few days later, I was walking through a Wal-Mart with my dad when the unthinkable happened: I saw Glenn Close! And she looked back at me! In full Cruella De Vil gear! From the cover of a 101 Dalmatians DVD! Transfixed, I stared at it until my dad, realizing I was paralyzed with fear, told me to punch the box. This, he reasoned, would eliminate my fear of the vile witch character and release me from her Medusian clutches. Digging deep, I pulled my arm back, clenched my fist, and slammed it right into Cruella De Vil’s face. Ever since then, I have found her laughable rather than pants-pissable.

So remember, kids: punch stuff! It helps!

Alex Sallas

 

1408

I can barely watch as the film reel tells its story. In a pin-droppingly silent movie theatre, I sit clutching my chest in anticipation of something popping out at me. Wedged between two of my older cousins, it is of utmost importance to prove that I’m not scared of the room on the 13th floor. John Cusack isn’t afraid and he’s in the damn room, so why should I be? I decide to get up and feign going to the washroom to avoid any potential embarrassment. The eeriness of the music rises, and I quicken my pace down the stairs of the theatre. I turn the corner while looking back at the screen to ensure nothing is about to startle me. Without looking, I stick out my hand to push the door open. Instead of being met with the cold, hard metal of the door my fingertips feel the flesh of someone’s arm. I instinctively jump and yell. The sound of my voice fills the silent movie theatre, and I hear what feels like a million people laugh. My scream startled a poor girl opening the door and caused her to drop her popcorn. Speeding out of the theatre, I apologize profusely to her in absolute embarrassment. I haven’t seen a scary movie in theatres since.

Jasper Johar