Spooky movies to watch this Halloween
It’s a rainy weekend here in Auckland, the perfect weather to watch a spooky movie or two. I asked for your recommends on Instagram, and you delivered! Here is a list of wonderful, weird, cute, angsty, frightening films that you can watch this dreary weekend. Happy Halloween!
I didn’t grow up participating in Halloween (heyo fellow Christian kids) but I’ve always loved creepy, macabre, spooky things. Mostly of the family friendly variety – think Casper the friendly ghost, dressing up, ghost stories told at sleepovers or camps. For me, the aim isn’t to be scared or frightened, but just to feel a bit spooked. To feel the goosebumps rising on your skin, to shiver just a little. I guess that’s why I enjoyed studying the Gothic genre at university so much. It wasn’t about torture or blood, violence and death (although it did feature it), but it dwelled in the shadows, mystery, drama and the unknown. Think Mary Shelley and her friends writing horror stories by a lake during a storm rather than a horror house full of clowns.
Particularly during lockdown, I’ve found that I’m increasingly seeking ways to mark the time or create novelty in an otherwise pretty unending sameness. Every day can feel much and much the same, so I like the idea of having something to look forward to or a tradition to uphold. Despite us having limited or no opportunities to gather or to participate in something like Halloween like we usually would, I enjoy almost the challenge of discovering new ways to create traditions and to make memories together.
One way to get into the spirit of things so to speak is to watch movies based on those themes. I ventured out on Instagram and asked you what your favourite Halloween watches were and have put together a list so we can enjoy some of the shows together. I think I’ll maybe update each title with some my thoughts after I’ve watched it, so feel free to keep checking this post periodically. Some of these are probably not for kids if you have ’em, but some definitely are cough Spooky Buddies.
Hocus Pocus (trailer)
Jawbreaker (trailer)
Spooky Buddies (trailer) – I think my friends watched this a couple of years ago and I was too busy trying to make a Japanese strawberry cake? Anyway, puppies!
Practical Magic (trailer) – I remember this being much scarier than the trailer makes it out to be… looking forward to watching it again!
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (trailer)
The Addams Family (1991) (trailer) – Absolute fav!
The Witches (1990) (trailer) – I watched this for the first time the other night. It is so much weirder than I thought it would be! I feel a bit bad that I found the boy more compelling as a mouse.
Beetlejuice (trailer)
Twitches (trailer)
The Craft (trailer)
Heathers (trailer)
The Witches of Eastwick (trailer)
The Corpse Bride (trailer)
Casper the friendly ghost (trailer) – The day I realised it was possible to have a crush on a ghost. The special effects and set design in this movie are A++.
