Top 5 Halloween movies
Lights off, candy bowl out. These five go on rotation every October, from family-friendly to sleeping with the lights on.
Ranked by "must watch every October"
Halloween (1978) — Rated R
The film that turned the holiday into a genre. It has a tiny budget, a piano theme you can't shake, and Jamie Lee Curtis in her first film role.
Watch it if: you want the real scare.
Hocus Pocus (1993) — Rated PG
Three witches, one virgin candle and a talking cat. It flopped in theaters and became the most rewatched Halloween movie ever.
Watch it if: the kids are up.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) — Rated PG
Jack Skellington's identity crisis is still the finest-looking stop-motion film ever made, and it covers two holidays.
Watch it if: you want style and songs.
Beetlejuice (1988) — Rated PG
A haunted house told from the ghosts' side. Michael Keaton gets about 17 minutes of screen time and steals every one of them.
Watch it if: you like your horror funny.
Trick ’r Treat (2007) — Rated R
Four linked stories on one Halloween night, connected by Sam, the little burlap-masked rule enforcer. It's the cult pick horror fans swear by.
Watch it if: you've seen the classics.
The short version
Real scare: Halloween. Family night: Hocus Pocus. Something new for horror fans: Trick ’r Treat.
Your turn
What's on your screen tonight?
Runtimes and ratings are from the original theatrical releases.