Besides being a month for seniors to stress too much about college applications and other high-schoolers to make more money for the testing industry… I mean, get important practice with standardized tests, October is also the month of Halloween, or as some stores call it, time to start selling Christmas decorations. From dressing up to taking aesthetic pictures of your pumpkin spice latte, Halloween season has many fun traditions to participate in. One of my favorites is watching Halloween movies. Here are a couple movies I’d recommend watching to get ready for Halloween.

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Coraline (2009)

1. Coraline (2009)

In Coraline, the titular character finds a portal to another world inside the house she lives in. The other world is like her own, only better—her other parents aren’t apathetic and distant, the other neighbor boy, Wybie, doesn’t talk, and her other flatmates are entertaining instead of weird old people. There is one other big difference in the other world—everyone there has black buttons sewn over their eyes. Controlling this world is the Other Mother, who is just like Coraline’s real mother but without her flaws. Of course, the Other Mother ends up having nefarious intentions, and Coraline must save herself and her family from her. The intricate stop-motion animation perfectly portrays the contrast between the Other Mother’s enticing web and the real world. Despite being a children’s movie, Coraline is enjoyable—and even a little scary—for all ages.

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Another kid’s movie, because why not. Again, this movie has stunning stop-motion animation. The plot revolves around Jack, the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, who is tasked with getting ready for Halloween every year. Unfulfilled by his lot in life, Jack sets out exploring and finds Christmastown. Becoming obsessed with Christmas, Jack decides that he will also be in charge of Christmas this year. The movie has an excellent soundtrack to get into the Halloween spirit with. There is some debate as to whether The Nightmare Before Christmas should be considered a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie. Although I would say that aesthetically it’s more Halloween, I don’t see why it has to be one or the other. It’s a good enough movie to watch twice a year anyway. 

3. Beetlejuice (1988) 

This classic spooky comedy features  a stellar cast including Winona Ryder, who some may remember as “the mom from Stranger Things,” Catherine O’Hara, the mom from Home Alone, and Jeffery Jones, the principal from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. In Beetlejuice, recently deceased couple Barbara and Adam Maitland try and fail to kick the Deetz family out of their old house, eventually being manipulated by Beetlejuice in the process. Beetlejuice is a funny dark comedy to watch when you want something not exactly made for children but not too scary. The surreal set designs add to the fever dream feel of key parts of the movie, in particular the sandworms and the wedding scene. Despite containing several curse words and overt sexual content, the MPAA gave Beetlejuice a rating of PG. The 80s were a different time.

4. Us (2019) 

Us is a horror film that follows Adelaide and her family going on vacation to a place she visited as a child. Without spoiling too much, while there, the family finds that everyone has a “tethered” clone who has been tortured for the last several years. The Tethered seek to kill their doppelgängers, and Adelaide must help protect her family and confront her past surrounding the Tethered. Us uses a mix of the macabre and humor to unfold a captivating story with underlying themes including class relationships.

There are, of course, many more good movies to watch on Halloween, but these are a selection of some of my favorites. If you haven’t seen one of these, I recommend checking it out.