Highlights
- Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) on Max: A Studio Ghibli classic that serves as a perfect transition from summer to fall, featuring an iconic witch and an idyllic seaside town.
- Don't Look Under The Bed (1999) on Disney Plus: This Disney Channel Original walks the line between a children's film and one suited for teenagers, inspiring viewers to face their childhood fears.
Along with pumpkin spice lattes and fluffy sweaters, the autumn season hails everyone’s favorite creepy holiday, Halloween. On top of carving pumpkins, hanging up fake spiderwebs, and playing “Monster Mash” for the twentieth time, seeing Halloween reflected on the silver screen is a great way to get into the spooky spirit.
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Whether viewers are looking for lighthearted scares, sinisterly charming visuals, grim horrors, or nostalgic throwbacks, here are ten amazing films to watch this Halloween and where they’re available to stream, so viewers don’t have to cross their fingers that the film they want to watch has been uploaded to Youtube.
Nightbooks (2021)
Based on the children’s horror novel of the same name, Nightbooks concocts a whimsical yet still spooky tale that those of all ages can enjoy. A modern and colorful spin on the story of Hansel and Gretel, the film follows Alex, a young boy, and former scary story writer, as he tries to escape the enchanted apartment of a children-snatching witch.
Stuffed with stylish costumes, bewitching set designs, and Alex’s “nightbooks,” this movie captures the quirkiness and occasional (but fondly looked upon) campiness of Halloween.
Nightbooks is currently streaming on Netflix
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
For viewers who want a taste of Halloween but are still not ready to accept that summer is over, throw on this Studio Ghibli classic.
Intertwining one of cinema's most iconic witches along with her quintessential flying broom, a black cat, and an idyllic seaside town, the film makes for a cinematic perfect transition between the summer and the fall. The movie is actually an adaptation of an eponymous children’s novel and has a live-action adaptation.
Kiki’s Delivery Service is currently streaming on Max
Don’t Look Under The Bed (1999)
This Disney Channel Original actually had its reruns terminated after parental complainants poured in, complaining that the film was far too scary.
While Don’t Look Under The Bed may not phase the average horror movie watcher, it does walk the line between being a children's film and being more suited to teenagers, which interestingly lines up with the movie’s themes about growing up. Featuring the infamous Bogeyman as its villain, the film inspires viewers to face their childhood fears lest they fester and haunt them into adulthood.
Don’t Look Under The Bed is currently streaming on Disney Plus
Halloween (2018)
John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic Halloween is the film that got to the holiday's name first. The original is an obvious choice to watch while carving pumpkins, but Michael Myers’ frequent returns to Haddonfield complicate things.
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David Gordon Green's Halloween knocked out the convoluted continuity by rebooting the franchise back to the original film. It's a simple success that takes the slasher back to basics as he catches up with Jamie Lee Curtis’ famous Final Girl, Laurie Strode. Freed from the sibling dynamics that have been wiped from continuity, it’s a modern and brutal catch-up with the great slasher boogeyman made even better by Carpenter’s return to revitalize the most famous theme in horror.
Halloween is currently streaming on Peacock Plus
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022)
Released as a standalone sequel to the adored Bhool Bhulaiyaa and 15 years after its debut, this horror comedy only shares a (remixed) song and the story concept of a vengeful female ghost haunting a lavish mansion with its predecessor.
Although Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 didn’t manage to bewitch audiences to the extent Bhool Bhulaiyaa did, the successor was still entertaining, with its humor, acting, and cinematography being major highlights. And, of course, it must be mentioned that the film’s version of “Ami Je Tomar” is absolutely heart-wrenching.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is currently streaming on Netflix
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
If viewers are in search of a more horror-filled experience this Halloween, there’s nothing like this indie film classic. The story of a documentary gone horribly wrong is notorious for its subtle scares, slow build-up, revitalizing the found-footage genre, and an ad campaign convincing people that the film’s trio actually went missing.
Although no witch makes an onscreen appearance in the film, “Blair Witch” is a name that nearly every horror movie lover knows, and for good reason. This movie will make viewers happy to be at home, watching from the safety of their couches.
The Blair Witch Project is currently streaming on Hulu
Corpse Bride (2005)
Co-directed by the man who defines the spooky film genre, Tim Burton, this stunning stop-motion musical is a must-see for not only Halloween fans but anyone who can appreciate an incredible film.
The songs are catchy, the story is moving, the characters are charming, and the visuals showcase the otherworldly beauty of stop-motion animation. The only question that should be asked regarding Corpse Bride during the spooky season is where can it legally be viewed.
Corpse Bride is currently streaming on HBO Max
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark (2019)
Based on the eponymous beloved collection of scary stories that were mainly drawn from folklore and urban legends, this PG-13 horror movie brings the unnerving tales to life in its endearing late '60s setting while preserving its young audience orientation.
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Rather than manifesting as an anthology film, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark centers on a group of teens who, on top of their daily struggles, must contend with a wronged woman’s bitter curse. A sequel is currently in development.
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is currently streaming on Hulu
M3gan (2022)
Blumhouse has an impressive track record in reviving dormant horror franchises and finding new ways to tell familiar stories. In M3gan, it hit on a modern update to the classic talking homicidal toy sub-genre, with a bit of Frankenstein thrown in. Megan is the advanced robotic companion that inevitably goes wrong when her programming tells her she can protect her best friend, orphaned Cady, better than her creator and Cady’s aunt, Gemma.
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Unlike other possessed puppets prone to slashing, she earns her iconic place in horror by disconcertingly passing for a child. But with a PG-13 rating, a predominantly female-led cast, and a superb soundtrack, it’s a brilliant gateway into the revitalizing horror universe of Blumhouse.
M3gan is currently streaming on Prime Video
Hocus Pocus (1993)
​​​​Hocus Pocus took a while to find the ingredients for its cult movie potion. However, recent years have seen belated sequels, a LEGO playset release, and a return to cinemas to celebrate its 30th anniversary. It’s an early-90s spooky classic that has found a magical new lease of life, thanks to streaming.
The tale of the resurrected Sanderson sisters terrorizing Salem, Massachusetts, is a jewel in Disney’s Halloween crown. Joining Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, it's no surprise that oldest sister Bette Midler contributes some music to the impressive soundtrack and score from composer John Debney.
Hocus Pocus is currently streaming on Disney Plus
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Simultaneously one of the most iconic Halloween and Christmas movies in film history, it’s difficult to enter the spooky season without remembering The Nightmare Before Christmas. This film is worth putting on just to hear “This is Halloween” blast throughout your home.
Though they aren’t on this list, if viewers particularly enjoy the film’s whimsically eerie nature, be sure to check out other Tim Burton projects with similar aesthetics, such as Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is available to rent or buy on Prime Video