Riley Peru, Staff Writer
Halloween is right around the corner, and what better way to get into the spirit by watching a movie to get the blood pumping! Everyone likes different things and has different preferences, therefore creating a list of the best movies to watch based on the mood you are in. Each movie can be found on popular streaming platforms.
If you want something classic: Hocus Pocus is the way to go. Following a family new to the Salem area, teenager Max accidently awakens three witches who were executed in the early 17th century. He then has to come up with a way to send the witches back where they came from without ruining Halloween. This film is light hearted and fun, good to watch for all ages. No jump scares, no scary images, and no brutal deaths. Always a good choice to watch during the spooky season. You can find Hocus Pocus exclusively on Disney Plus
If you want something gory: Terrifier is your movie. A killer by the name “Art the Clown” preys upon two girls after their night out on Halloween. The girls do everything in their power to try to escape the wrath of Art. This film is for mature audiences, and it is extremely gory and violent. This is a movie you watch if you are specifically looking for blood, guts, and all kinds of messed up murder. This movie will definitely get your heartrate up. Terrifier is streaming on Peacock, Tubi, and Prime Video.
If you want a psychological thriller: The Shining will do just the trick. In this movie, a family moves into a hotel for a couple of weeks to watch it over during the off season. Only to discover the hotel isn’t entirely what it seems, driving father Jack into a psychological breakdown. This is considered a classic movie, and the film speaks for itself. There are a couple jump scares
and nudity, but overall meant for older audiences. This movie will mess with your head if you watch it carefully. The Shining is streaming exclusively on Max.
If you want something funny: The Scream Franchise pokes fun at the classic slasher-horror genre. With a total of six films in the franchise, Scream is going to keep you occupied. These films are easy to follow and extremely unique, very entertaining to watch by yourself or with a group of people. The first film follows a girl a year after her Moms death, when she discovers a masked killer is hunting her every move. There are intense moments, some mild gore and violence, but overall meant for older audiences. Definitely a fun movie marathon if you have nothing to do. Scream 1-3 is streaming on Max, Scream 4 is streaming on Peacock, and Scream 5-6 streaming on Paramount Plus.
If you want a true horror film: The Conjuring will check all the boxes. Set in the 1970s, paranormal investigators are called to a farmhouse to deal with a dark and evil presence in the house that is terrorizing the family that had just moved in. The plot is well written and the movie has a fair amount of jump scares as well as gruesome images that will bring goosebumps to your skin. The Conjuring is the start of The Conjuring Universe, and it connects to other films such as Annabelle and The Nun. You don’t need to watch the other movies to appreciate the film, as it is a great movie in itself. The Conjuring is exclusively streaming on Max. There are many more great films not in this list that are fantastic to watch for the Halloween season. Some honorable mentions include The Nightmare Before Christmas, Practical Magic, The Halloween Franchise, and The Saw Franchise. These films are guaranteed to keep you entertained and get you ready for the Halloween season.
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