As the famed night of Halloween fast approaches, there can be many ways people get into the holiday spirit this fall. Whether it is decorating, carving pumpkins, or indulging in candy, anything to get you in a spooky mood works, with another effective way being to sit down and watch a Halloween movie. With so many good Halloween-themed and horror movies available to watch, it can be difficult to just choose one. Here are five essential Halloween movies that should definitely be considered for your film of choice on the night of fright. 

1. “Halloween” (1978) – It’s in the name. Set on the night of Oct. 30th in the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois, John Carpenter’s thrilling slasher should keep you on the edge of your seat for its entire duration. With the excitement of every encounter of the famed killer Michael Myers, the classic horror film is a clear cut choice for a Halloween movie to watch. Everything about the movie, from the shots of Michael Myers around the town during the day, concealed yet obviously present, the plot, and the action scenes are all very engaging. (Available to stream on: Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube, Crackle, Plex, Philo, Redbox, Google Play Movies and TV)
2. “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966) – Although only 25 minutes in running time, this short movie embodies the spirit of trick-or-treating and the childhood excitement of candy. Most people can recount this movie as a part of their childhood. The iconic character of Linus, who is always carrying his blue blanket, waits for the “famed” Great Pumpkin while everyone else trick-or-treats. This becomes a clear embodiment of the Halloween spirit with his character, even if his belief is a little far-fetched. Having the main story going along with an interesting and action-packed Snoopy sub-plot, the culmination of “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is well worth its short screen time. (Available to stream on: Apple TV+)
3. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) – A blend of both Christmas and Halloween, the creative animations and numerous songs make this Henry Selick (director) and Tim Burton (producer) film a must watch during either season. The Halloween aspect is much more prevalent throughout the film, making it much more suitable for fall, but it can be seen as a Christmas movie as well. (Available to stream on: Disney+, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Vudu, Apple TV, Google Play Movies and TV)
4. “Beetlejuice” (1988) – Combining a little spookiness with a lot of laughable and comedically entertaining scenes, “Beetlejuice” is a great Halloween movie for the whole family. An interesting plot with an ill-intentioned yet likable antagonist of Beetlejuice, the concept of ghosts and afterlife plays well into the ghoulish part of Halloween. With spooky yet comical hauntings, extravagant special effects, and a star-studded cast, “Beetlejuice” is an already classic movie that can be a great watch during Halloween. (Available to stream on: Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Vudu, Google Play Movies and TV, Apple TV, Redbox)
5. “Friday the 13th” (1980) – Another classic slasher film, “Friday the 13th”, although not actually set during Halloween, is usually present in people’s minds when thinking of the scarier aspects of Halloween. With Jason Vorhees’ famed hockey mask always making an appearance during trick-or-treating and the popularity the movie still garners, it is another horror film always good to watch in October. The gruesome yet creative victim scenes were well ahead of its time during the movie’s inception in 1980. Also present a young Kevin Bacon, playing a camp counselor in the movie, a recognizable face just starting his career in acting at the time. These defining elements together make “Friday the 13th” a worthwhile watch. (Available to stream on: Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play Movies and TV, Apple TV, Redbox, Vudu)

Whatever way you want to celebrate Halloween, whether it’s handing out candy or even walking around and getting some yourself, a movie is a great day to unwind after a busy night of trick-or-treaters. There are tons of great options for Halloween movie night and these are just a few. But just make sure if it’s a scary one, like “Halloween”, you can fall asleep after!