The Top 10 Best Halloween Movies
5. Gravy
The only thing better than a horror movie is a good horror comedy. While Tucker and Dale vs Evil might be my all-time favorite, Gravy is also in my top 5 of all time. The film centers on a trio of cannibals that traps the workers of a restaurant inside after hours on Halloween. What comes next is a hilarious game of cat and mouse featuring the likes of Michael Weston and Jimmi Simpson. While this might not be a big-budget film, it falls back on the comedic dialogue and the actors manage to deliver near-perfect performances. Best of all it’s got plenty of horror elements with just a touch of gore, so if you’re not a big fan of scary movies, then this Halloween flick might just be perfect for you. Hell, this is a fun movie to watch even if it isn’t Halloween.
4. The Guest
Taking a step back from a lot of the traditionally scary movies on this list, we’ve got the psychological thriller The Guest. I’m kicking myself for not seeing this movie sooner because its simply incredible! It tells the tale of a mysterious man who shows up on a families doorstep claiming to have served alongside their deceased son in the military. They let him in and their lives slowly get turned upside down as it becomes clear that he’s far from the kind young man he initially seemed like. The Guest features an amazing soundtrack, brutal scenes filled with violence, and a compelling performance from Dan Stevens (who recently appeared in Netflix’s Apostle). If you’re looking for a Halloween movie that offers something a little different, then this is one I wholeheartedly recommend you watch.
3. Hocus Pocus
Looking for a movie even the little ones can enjoy? Then you’re in luck because Hocus Pocus is one movie the whole family can enjoy. I feel like everyone has probably seen this movie at least once given its nearly cult-like following that emerges this time of year. You can’t throw a rock without finding a venue offering a special screening every Halloween and there’s a good reason for that. Hocus Pocus tells the tale of 3 witch sisters who return to the small town that banishes them after stealing the youth of a young girl. The sisters (played by Better Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker) are some of the best witches I’ve seen on the big screen, but aren’t so scary that they’ll give little one’s nightmares. If you haven’t seen Hocus Pocus yet, you’re seriously missing out and should make a point to watch it with the kids in your life.
2. Monster Squad
The Monster Squad is a staple of my childhood. It’s The Goonies meets classic movies monsters like the Wolf Man, The Mummy, Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Gill-man. Basically, a bunch of kids who are huge horror fans realizes that something foul is afoot in their small town and set out to save the world from a group of monsters. The thing is that a bunch of middle schoolers might not be up to the challenge of taking on some of the most feared legendary monsters of all time, but when no one believes them they’ve got no choice but to spend their Halloween fighting the forces of evil. It’s a bit of a dated 80’s classic, but it’s one that I absolutely love and always watch this time of year. This might be a little too scary for kids under the age of 8, but your kids will love seeing these big screen heroes as much as I did growing up.
1. Halloween
Whether you watch the 1978 classic or the 2018 sequel, you can’t go wrong with Halloween. Michael Myers might not be my favorite of the unholy trinity of slashers (the other two being Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees), but I’ll be damned if I don’t have a soft spot in my heart for this masked killer. Of course, things went downhill for the franchise after the second film, but the first two films and the most recent are horror masterpieces. Myers is the Boogeyman incarnate and silently rips his way through the sleepy town of Haddonfield, Illinois. If there’s ever a time to watch this series it’s this time of year. That being said, try to avoid the Rob Zombie remakes which turn Myers into a white trash monster. Despite how bad a lot of the Halloween movies are, they’re still some of the greatest horror movies ever to take place on this fateful holiday.
Honorable Mention: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
I’ll admit the grand finale takes place on Halloween in this sci-fi classic. If you thought kids looked goofy in costumes, then you’re n for a real treat when this waddling alien gets dressed up as a ghost. But this is a better alien movie than Halloween movie.
Those are my 10 personal favorite Halloween movies of all time. There are plenty of others out there though and If you have one you love that didn’t make the list, make sure to comment below. I’m always going to be updating this list as newer and better Halloween movies show up on my radar. So be sure to check back every once in a while to see the updates. In the meantime, have a safe and happy holiday!