A cold chill fills the air, candy wrappers are blown across the street, and the neighborhood fills with the chants and squeals of excited children. Rather than trick or treat, or join in on frightening kids, you decided to stay inside this spooky holiday,  so, why not treat yourself to some fun Halloween flicks? 

The films below are the perfect combination of fright and fun, for all movie-lovers. So settle in, turn out the lights, and enjoy! 

• HALLOWEEN (1978)

For any fans of classics and horror movies, John Carpenter’s 1978 film is a must-see for this time of the year. Halloween perfectly encapsulates the midst of fright and unease surrounding the holiday, all summed up into one, terrifyingly silent killer – the shape of a human called Michael Myers. Watch as Myers mercilessly slaughters the youth of Haddonfield, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. Disregarding its sequels, what makes Halloween scary is its simplicity in nature. Haddonfield is just another smalltown, filled with everyday innocent people whose lives are invaded upon by evil itself. Such as Laurie Strode, a simple highschooler who finds herself victim to Myers’ rampage. Backed up by Carpenter’s legendary soundtrack, over 40 years after its release, Halloween remains one of the greatest horror and Halloween movies of all time. So this Halloween, lock your doors and turn out the lights – this is the night he comes home.

• THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993)

On a lighter note, for anyone seeking to stay away from scares, The Nightmare Before Christmas is the perfect movie to watch during the season. Unlike Halloween, The Nightmare Before Christmas shows the audience how much fun you can have with the holiday. Sing along with Jack Skellington and the lovely monsters of Halloween town as they prepare to spread the ‘joy’ of Halloween on Christmas. Immerse yourselves as Skellington and Sally search for purpose in the beautifully animated, yet still unsettling, world they call home. Nightmare cements itself as a classic for both holidays, so watch or rewatch it if you haven’t already, because this is Halloween! 

• TRICK ‘R TREAT (2007)

Next up, we have a lesser known flick to check out this season. Trick ‘r Treat is a perfect love letter to the night of fright. Watch the four stories of unfortunate souls who find themselves hunted by killers, werewolves, and scary principals! Be impressed by the unique style and direction Trick ‘r Treat takes on approaching Halloween, and creeped out by the various monsters presented in the film. So why not take a chance on ancient tradition with Trick ‘r Treat this Halloween? It could just save your life. 

• HALLOWEENTOWN (1998)

Halloweentown brings you into the charming and cute world that isn’t anything like the town from Nightmare Before Christmas. Venture with the Cromwell’s as they train the youth and race to stop the wicked forces of evil from taking over their quaint town. At the center of Halloweentown is the theme of growing up, but what makes the film so enjoyable is that it is a celebration of the holiday itself. So for any lovers of the season itself, Halloweentown is the movie for you! 

• SAW (2004)

For all those who loved ¨Squid Game¨ and mystery, Saw is the right flick for you! Squeal and squirm at the sadistic games of death various victims are forced through, and watch as two strangers unfold the mysteries that have brought them to their incarceration, as well as the identity of their captor, the jigsaw killer. This serial killer isn’t an unstoppable killing machine, instead, jigsaw is a frighteningly intelligent, delusional madman. Besides the games themselves, what will surely creep the audience out is what Saw excels at – the unknown. Saw frequently leaves the audience with their wandering minds to determine what happens on screen. Witness the cult classic that launched a franchise that took over Halloween for seven years, so why not play a game with jigsaw this season? After all…¨If it’s Halloween, it must be Saw.¨ 

With that conclusion, dear readers, are the five best flicks to watch during this spooky season. Check them out, and have a happy Halloween!

Halloween is rated R for violence, sex and profanity.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is rated PG for some scary images.

Trick ‘r Treat is rated R for violence, profanity and nudity.

Halloweentown is rated PG for some mildly scary scenes.

Saw is rated R for graphic/bloody images, constant peril, and profanity.