Halloween Won't Be Complete Until You Watch These Spooky Movies

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There's nothing better than a spooky movie to commence the Halloween season, right? The minute the leaves start to fall, you better believe that we're throwing on just about every classic Halloween movie, especially the scary ones! (We'll even make an exception for those comedic Halloween flicks for when we're getting a little too frightened.) Either way, you get the point! But in case you didn't, we curated a list of the best Halloween movies to watch in 2023.

Many of the classic Halloween movies on this list fall in the "horror" or "thriller" categories (they may be best suited for the adults in your house), but you can still get your little ones in on the fun with one of the more family-friendly Halloween movies. After all, you’re never too old for Disney Halloween movies, like Hocus Pocus, or the newly released Hocus Pocus 2! And to ensure we’ve covered the best Halloween movies of all time, we've included a healthy mix of timeless gems and modern classics. Remember the first time you saw The Shining? There's a good chance you’ll be just as creeped out by recent hits like A Quiet Place.

So, what are you waiting for? Put on your Halloween pajamas, make some popcorn (or a delicious Halloween dessert), and pick one of these spooky flicks for your next scary movie marathon!

Knock at the Cabin

A family thinks they'll enjoy some relaxing time at a cabin for a few days. It all goes horribly wrong when they receive some unwanted visitors who have come to them with a grueling task.

The House With a Clock In Its Walls

Lewis is sent to live with his uncle when tragedy strikes his family. Almost right away, Lewis begins feeling like something is up. He starts to investigate around the new house, which is when he finds out his uncle is involved with some unearthly things.

Sinister

It can't get more sinister than a movie titled Sinister. 😂 We thought we'd get the laughs out now, because this movie starring Ethan Hawke is straight up terrifying.

Under Wraps

Harold is by far the sweetest mummy you'll ever meet! So when a group of unruly kids accidentally wake him up, they realized how lucky they were as things could have gone way worse.

Boo! A Madea Halloween

Anything with Madea in it can't be too scary. Watch as the hilarious character fights off some ghosts that have suddenly decided to conquer her home.

All Hallows' Eve

A serial killing clown was nothing more than an urban legend in this small town. But when a kid and their babysitter find tapes inside their home proving otherwise, things change become a whole lot more eerie.

October Kiss

Rule number 1 that every nanny should follow: Do *not* fall in love with the parent of the kids you babysit. Breaking it would be scarier than any horror film out there! (Oh, who are we kidding—this sounds like a dream!)

Life After Beth

A young guy hardly has the time to grieve the loss of his girlfriend when he stumbles upon her again, just in zombie form. He's not quite sure how this happened, but he's going to love her anyway. Cute, right?! 😬

Don't Look Under the Bed

It's never a good feeling to be thrown under the bus for something that you didn't do. But when you finally find out that it's the boogey man behind your consequences, you might not know how to react.

Fear Street Part 1: 1994

This three part series on Netflix tells the heartbreaking, but intriguing story of a curse that has followed a town for over three generations. Watch as the kids of the modern day finally try to defeat it.

Coraline

Coraline is tired of the same-ol' routine her life brings her. Plus, she's really annoyed at her strict and boring parents. She has a change of heart when she steps inside of a world just like her own, just a bit more evil. Has she been living a good life after all?

Cabin Fever

Water is good for you, until it causes you to start experiencing symptoms of a rare, flesh-eating virus—essentially ruining your cabin getaway.

Fright Night

Vampires are no match for teenage Charley Brewster and his new vampire-hunting pal! Watch as the unlikely pair take down the most witty creature of 'em all.

The Munsters (2022)

Even the most spooky figures deserve love! Watch the initial love story between Herman and Lily Munster unfold in this quirky flick.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy lives an ordinary life by day. At night, however, she's the worlds best vampire slayer! She single handedly saves the city of Los Angeles from the world's most evil beings.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter as a franchise just screams Halloween! A movie marathon featuring the young wizards is absolutely perfect come October!

Trick 'r Treat

If a demon tells you not to do something, you better listen. Because getting on its bad side means you'll end up in any of these five horror (slightly comedic) stories, that are somehow all connected.

Dracula

Dracula might just be the classic Halloween story. He's the vampire of all vampires, so his origin story is a must-watch this season.

Hocus Pocus

Don't let these witches fool you! They may be hilarious, but they have nothing but bad intentions. Can a young group be the ones to stop them from spreading havoc?

Scream

The infamous story of a group of teens who are being tormented by a vicious killer, who just may be closer to them than they thought! Piece of advice: Don't trust anyone.

Halloweentown

One of our favorite Disney Halloween movies ever, Halloweentown follows a teen who's just found out she’s a witch—and now has to save her grandmother’s magical town before it's destroyed forever.

Ghostbusters

Sure, Ghostbusters is a great pick for an October family night, but we’d consider it one of the best '80s movies of all time as well.

Halloween (2018)

Flash forward to 2018, where Jamie Lee Curtis is back again as Laurie Strode, who’s ready to take on Michael once and for all.

Beetlejuice

Honestly, this outrageous comedy is worth watching just to see how wild Michael Keaton looks.

Practical Magic

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play two witch sisters who accidentally kill and subsequently bring back a dangerous ex-boyfriend.

Get Out

Jordan Peele's award-winning thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end as you watch a young man try to escape a literal house of horrors.

The Exorcist

Loosely based on real events, The Exorcist follows a girl who's believed to be possessed by the devil.

Young Frankenstein

The grandson of that mad scientist visits Transylvania, where he figures out how to revive a dead body. Seems like trouble runs in the family

Goosebumps

Jack Black and the rest of the cast bring R.L. Stine’s hit novels, and their most terrifying characters, to life.

Casper

There is such a thing as friendly ghosts, and Casper is out to prove it to his new human roommates.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

You may never want to sleep again after tuning in to Wes Craven’s hit horror flick about Freddie Krueger, a monster who can attack you in your dreams.

The Addams Family

Meet the most famous eccentric family of all time in the 1991 release starring Anjelica Huston and Christopher Lloyd.

The Shining

Do the words “Here’s Johnny!” still terrify anyone else? If you don’t know what that means (or if you’re a glutton for punishment) then settle into Stephen King’s tale of how one haunted hotel ruins a family.

The Witches

A boy accidentally stumbles upon a witches convention, where he overhears their plans to turn children into mice.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington just wants to bring a little Christmas cheer back home. But that's no easy feat for the king of Halloweentown.

Double Double Toil and Trouble

How cute are a young Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen? Here, they play Kelly and Lynn Farmer who encounter lots of magical mayhem as they try to save their parents.

The Haunted Mansion

Eddie Murphy and his family come across a real-life haunted house in this Halloween movie based on the popular Disney ride.

The Craft

A group of teen witches gets just a little carried away after finding out how powerful they really are.

Hotel Transylvania

All ages will be delighted to meet a nicer Dracula, who just wants to keep his daughter from dating a human.

Carrie (1976)

Carrie tells the story of a paranormal teen who gets her revenge on the town that shows no mercy to her. Prom night will never be the same!

Monster House

Are you brave enough to take on a house that’s actually alive? These three teens are.

The Sixth Sense

We’re still not over the twist at the end of Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment’s award-winning thriller.

E.T.,The Extra-Terrestrial

Does a more classic family Halloween flick even exist? Steven Spielberg’s beloved ‘80s movie goes great with popcorn and mini chocolate bars, we’re just saying.

Sleepy Hollow

Ichabod Crane is back to take on the Headless Horseman once more. Trust us, this legend is way spookier on screen!

Frankenweenie

A boy tries to bring his beloved dog back to life. We bet you can guess how well that goes...

The Monster Squad

A group of monster fanatics have to put their obsession to the test when Dracula and his creepy crew invade their town.

Scary Movie

Don’t let the title fool you: This adults-only favorite is far from scary.

The Witch

A farmer and his wife suspect something sinister when their youngest son vanishes.

Teen Wolf

Michael J. Fox’s character is just trying to make it through high school, and finding out that he’s a werewolf isn’t helping.

The Ring

The words “seven days” still give us chills. You’ll understand why after watching the horror flick about a mysterious video tape that causes the viewer’s death a week later.

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride

The Corpse Bride is another Tim Burton favorite about a young groom who accidentally marries a woman from the beyond.

The Conjuring

A family who lives in the middle of nowhere, a pair of paranormal investigators, and a haunted farmhouse? Yep, this has all the qualities of a movie that’s sure to give us nightmares.

Addams Family Values

You can never have enough of the Addams Family. This time, they’re trying to keep Uncle Fester safe from a suspicious love interest.

The Amityville Horror

Ryan Reynolds usually heads up romantic comedies, but in The Amityville Horror he’s living in a very haunted house with his new wife—and there’s nothing funny about it.

Little Shop of Horrors

If you’re a musical lover, then Little Shop of Horrors will definitely speak (or shall we say, sing) to you.

A Quiet Place

Come to see John Krasinski and Emily Blunt together on screen, stay for the terrifying experience of watching a thriller in near-complete silence.

IT

We’ll be honest: We can’t handle It. But many people consider this one of the best horror movies ever made.

Scooby-Doo: The Movie

Stock up on the Scooby snacks for the live-action version of everyone’s favorite dog detective.

A Haunted House

Sometimes you feel like laughing between screams, and A Haunted House is a horror-comedy that will make you do just that!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

There are lots of wild twists in this cult classic movie musical.

The Babadook

An eerie kids' book takes over the lives of a single mom and her child, who are already dealing with the tragic death of their husband and father.

The Little Vampire

A little boy finally makes a new friend after moving to Scotland. Trouble is, he’s a vampire!

The Blair Witch Project

Three students go missing while trying to document a mysterious Maryland forest. Don’t worry—they left their footage behind for us to find.

ParaNorman

Norman, a young boy who can communicate with the dead, has to save his town after his late uncle issues a warning about a centuries-old curse.

The Silence of the Lambs

An FBI agent seeks the help of notorious killer Hannibal Lecter in order to track down another murderer on the loose.

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity was all the buzz back in 2007, when the way-too-real story about a demonic presence in a couple’s house was first shared with the world.

The Invisible Man (2020)

They say remakes are never as good as the original, but the 2020 release starring Elisabeth Moss is a must-see.

Clue

When there's a death at a dinner party, everyone is wondering the same thing: Whodunnit?! For extra spooky fun, play the board game when you're done watching!

A Haunted House 2

A follow up to A Haunted House, this crazy cast of characters is just as hilarious the second time around.

Ernest Scared Stupid

This family-friendly flick from the early '90s will scare your kids just enough to get them in the holiday spirit.

Pet Sematary

You can't go wrong with a movie crafted by horror master Stephen King, and this classic is among his most terrifying.

Poltergeist

What do you do when your dream home turns into a nightmare? One family is confronted with that decision after a ghost starts communicating with them through the television.

Rosemary's Baby

Pregnancy is difficult enough without having to worry about an evil cult trying to steal your child!

Freddy vs. Jason

A terrifying crossover between A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th pits two of the horror genre's most feared villains against each other.

The Last House on the Left

This remake of the famed 1972 horror movie might be even scarier than the original. Yes, we said it!

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