Hocus Pocus

A poster advertising the classic Halloween film: Hocus Pocus

For most, Halloween is a time to bring out life-size skeletons, carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns, string spider webs across the yard, and put styrofoam graves on the lawn. It is a time to be frightened and get a good laugh out of frightening others. Of course, it is always fun to dress up and get in the Halloween spirit. Naomi Peralta (12) claims that “baking is one of [her] favorite things to do for Halloween.” One way to get into the spooky mood this season is to bring out the Halloween movies. Here are some of the best movies to enhance the Halloween ambiance and prepare you for the holiday.

First up is The Nightmare Before Christmas. This movie follows the character of Jack Skelington, the so-called “pumpkin king” of Halloween town. He has begun to get bored of Halloween and attempts to add Christmas Joy to the holiday. He kidnaps Santa Clause and attempts to take over the holiday. Now, I understand this isn’t the type of movie to make you jump or scream. However, it is a great family movie and will ignite a spark in every Halloween lover’s heart. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Tim Burton classic that many people I know watch yearly. It is extremely popular, and the Hollywood Bowl played the movie annually until a few years ago. The stadium would be packed with people in costumes holding bags of Halloween Candy. The songs are also nostalgic and enjoyable.

Next, Hocus Pocus is a great movie to get you into the Halloween spirit. In this movie, a couple of teenagers attempt to test an old myth that sets free a coven of evil witches. It follows their attempts to get the witches to disappear once again. Again, it’s not a scary movie, but it is a classic that many people love to watch during this time of year. This movie is spooky and has sparks of humor, which leaves the viewer with a feel-good attitude by the end. If you haven’t seen it already, I would say that this movie is worth the watch. 

Another quality movie is It. The film follows a group of bullied kids attempting to fight a dangerous monster, disguised as a clown. This is one of my favorite horror movies because there is a good balance between the storyline and the actual scary parts of the movie. This film is likely to make you jump and get your heart racing. In case you didn’t know, the movie is about a killer clown, so if you’re sensitive to that subject matter, you might want to think twice before diving into this movie. It’s relatively new, so the CGI looks natural and is effective. This movie is worth watching, and though the sequel is good too, it is not as good as the first. 

The last movie worth mentioning is Scream. This movie is about a “ghostface” murderer that is going on a killing spree across town. The murderer is not revealed until the end of the movie, so it’s bound to leave you suspicious and untrusting through the movie. This movie is older, so don’t expect it to look genuine or be that scary. However, it is a classic that everyone should see. The movie has a cast with many stars and is entertaining to watch. Ghostface is one of the most popular costumes that you are bound to see each year on Halloween night.

I hope that you watch these movies and find one that you enjoy. Have fun during the Halloween season, and most importantly, on Halloween night. Have a spooky Halloween Mustangs!