With Halloween just a few days away, people are buzzing with excitement about all things spooky, including cuddling up at home with a cozy blanket and some horror movies. Unfortunately, for people like me who are not usually drawn to scary movies, finding something to watch that isn't completely terrifying but still allows us to tap into the Halloween spirit can be a challenge. Here are five movies that might be worth a watch this Halloween, even for non-horror people.
'Coraline' (2009)
Some may argue that this animated movie, directed by Henry Selick and based off of Neil Gaiman's 2002 book, is not a horror movie. To them I say: Imagine being led by mice through a portal and into an alternate world with better parents and a better life. There is one catch: Everybody has buttons for eyes. Just as things are picking up in this alternate dimension, your real parents go missing. Pretty scary if you ask me, and a great pick for fall ambiance.
Coraline is available for streaming on Tubi and Pluto TV.
'The Black Phone' (2021)
This movie, directed by Scott Derrickson, is perfect if you want horror without much gore. The Black Phone follows young protagonist Finney (Mason Thames) who is abducted in a black van and held captive in a basement with a black phone that rings periodically. It is so captivating. Truly, The Black Phone is the ideal film for anyone who wants to be on the edge of their seats but still wants to sleep that night.
The Black Phone can be found on Starz and through Hulu.
'Scream' (1996)
While Scream might be the scariest movie on this list, the comedy and “romantic†aspects of this slasher film prevent it from being too horrifying. Directed by Wes Craven, Scream is about teenager Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) who is chased by a local serial killer. It does have gore and some jump scares, but it also has all the elements of a romance movie — including boys climbing through bedroom windows.
Scream is available on Hulu or Amazon Prime.
'The Others' (2001)
I’m sure to a horror buff, The Others is a walk in the park, but to me, a rom-com girl through and through, it’s terrifying. The twists and turns, Alejandro Amenábar’s directorial choices, the visuals — all of it makes this movie worth the entire 1 hour, 44 minute run time. In The Others, a family comes to work as live-in employees for a mom of two kids who are extremely sensitive to sunlight. Because of this, the house has to be dark at essentially all times, which makes for an interesting and visually appealing watch, and invites paranormal activity.Â
The Others can be found on Amazon Prime.
'The Corpse Bride' (2005)
The Corpse Bride may not be considered a horror movie, but director Tim Burton 100% understands what I want when I ask for a Halloween movie. The animation and the color of his movies bring a very gloomy feel to the worlds Burton immerses us in, and The Corpse Bride is no exception. The gothic-style musical follows Victor, a man in 19th century England who is facing an arranged marriage, but he accidentally marries a corpse bride instead.
The Corpse Bride is available on Max.
Elizabeth Nickell is a freshman at New Mexico School for the Arts. Contact her at elizabethgennext@gmail.com.
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