Halloween Month (2024)

October is the month for scary movies and candy. Hopefully, I indulge more in the former and less in the latter. However, I’m not a huge fan of scary movies. I’ll watch films that are maybe a little eerie, absurd, or fun but I generally avoid slashers and the deeply disturbing. The occasional thriller isn’t bad. Just like movie selections for Christmas, there will always be default choices. At any rate, let’s get on with the list.

Default Choices

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a family staple, it’s not unheard of that it’s watched more than once during the Halloween season (and again for Christmas). Beetlejuice is also a film that will commonly reoccur for Halloween because it’s a fun movie, especially for us GenXers.

Speaking of GenX movies, Gremlins is usually a default choice for Halloween but it didn’t make the list this year. As Halloween gets closer the days get busier. Be that as it may, let’s cover the other “non-default” selections for Halloween month 2024.

Stephen King’s It (1990)

When I think Pennywise I think Tim Curry. I have not seen the more recent remake of this movie/mini-series. I had hoped to have time to watch it but I never got around to it. Besides, it’s difficult to believe that anyone can top Tim Curry.

Speaking of the cast I had forgotten some of the familiar faces that are in this film/series. For example Harry Anderson and Seth Green play the old and younger versions of Ritchie (respectively). Seth Green was only 15 years old at the time. This film also has Jonathan Landis (Ladybugs), Tim Reid (WKRP) and the late great John Ritter.

I almost wish I could make this a default choice if it weren’t so long.

Army of Darkness

Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Bruce Campbell

This is another film I might make a default choice for every October. Bruce Campbell is known for the Evil Dead franchise and B-movies and I think this is my favorite of his. It’s so campy and over-the-top but that’s what makes it so great.

I also find myself quoting it quite a bit and most people probably have no idea that I am. This movie is not for everyone, it takes a dark and twisted sense of humor to enjoy. If that describes you then we should be friends (if we’re not already).

Psycho (1960)

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles
My Rating:

This movie is fantastic. I never knew how good this movie was and now I think this will also be a Halloween/October staple movie. It’s obvious why the attempted remake in 1998 bombed, nobody can top Anthony Perkins’ performance, not even Vince Vaughn. It’s not just the suspense and Perkins creepy acting but also the soundtrack that makes this movie so good. Nobody will ever forget the infamous shower scene and the music that accompanies it. This is definitely worth watching.

The Mothman Prophecies

Directed by: Mark Pellington
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney
My Rating:

This movie is based on actual events that took place in West Virginia. The first time I saw this film I was in college and I watched it alone, at 10:00 a night. After watching the movie I occasionally would see a flash of the Mothman when I blinked thus startling me. I don’t know if that was intentional by the filmmakers or just a fluke side effect. No other movie has ever done that to me. This year was the first time I have watched it since then and that effect did not reoccur. This may not be a movie everyone likes but I enjoy it nonetheless.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega
My Rating:

Tim Burton and Michael Keaton come back to bring us a second Beetlejuice movie. Granted a sequel probably wasn’t necessary and it did not quite live up to the original. I still enjoyed it but not quite as much as the original. Tim Burton keeps to the quirky, doesn’t take itself too seriously storytelling the first film had. He also throws in a few twists which I won’t divulge here so you can be surprised when you watch the film. If you were a fan of the original then I’d say give this a shot and keep an open mind.

Bonus and Special Event Movies

I’ve added a new “special event” movie to the roster and for the month of October, “Back to the Future Day”. If you have seen the Back to the Future films then you may already know that October 21st is the day Marty and Doc go into the future to help Marty’s kids in Back to the Future Part 2. I love that there is a day of the year now for this film franchise. They are also classic GenX films I enjoy rewatching.

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