If any holiday seemed made for movies, it's definitely Halloween.
Think about it: The lights are already dimmed. The weather's perfect for curling up on the couch. And, you've already got that big bowl of candy.
Of course, you need to pick the right flick. Something with atmosphere, a little nail-biting suspense, and at least one moment where you get that creepy chill that squirms its way up your spine. Families with older kids — even the ones who think they're too cool for costumes — will get more than a kick out of these 13 spooky-ooky picks (plus one TV show we couldn't leave out).
These choices are for advanced trick-or-treaters, so if you're looking for movies for younger children or just worry about monsters under the bed yourself, check out 13 Not-So-Scary Halloween Movies. And, while you're planning your spooky movie night, don't forget to make one of these terror-ific treats.
All these freaky flicks are hits but check out the spooktacular skull rating key at right to see how they stack up against each other.
Does your family have a fave freaky film that's a Halloween must-watch? Share your spooky choice and why you love it by logging in and commenting below.
"Addams Family Values" (1993)
Here's a sequel that bests the original. In this colorful movie version of TV's "The Addams Family," a gold-digging woman (comedienne extraordinaire Joan Cusack) convinces Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) to marry her, much to the gloomy family's dismay. The flick also stars Anjelica Houston and Raul Julia as the amorous Addams mom and pop but the real scene stealer is Christina Ricci as morbid Wednesday Addams — in this tale, she torments summer camp counselors with her weird ways. MPAA Rating: PG-13
Buy it here.
"Beetlejuice" (1988)
"Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!" Say his name three times and the "ghost with the most" — played to awesome gross-out effect by Michael Keaton — will be at your service. Well, kinda. Director Tim Burton's tale of a haunting-in-reverse follows a recently deceased couple who wants to spook their country home in peace and quiet until a living, breathing city family moves in.MPAA Rating: PG-13
Buy it here.
"The Birds" (1963)
No Halloween is complete without a little Hitchcock. In "The Birds" — a flick that critics initially dismissed — the master of suspense fuses just the right number of quiet, too-calm moments with heart-pounding, from-the-sky bird attacks. (Warning: This one might prompt you to carry a sturdy umbrella while trick-or-treating!)MPAA Rating: PG-13
Buy it here.
"Dracula" (1931)
Often remade. Frequently duplicated. Never equaled. This 1931 masterpiece features Bela Lugosi as the finest incarnation of Count Dracula to ever grace the screen.MPAA Rating: Not rated.
Buy it here.
"Frankenstein" (1931)
The original story of a mad scientist and his abominable creation, Mary Shelley's tale of science and terror brings to the screen an unforgettable performance by Boris Karloff as the monster. Fantastic make-up, excellent production design, and terrific storytelling bring this classic to life.MPAA Rating: Not rated.
Buy it here.
"Gremlins" (1984)
Keep them out of daylight. Don't get them wet. And the most important rule? Never, ever feed them after midnight. Joe Dante's dark comedy packs laughs and some scary stuff when a teen boy inadvertently breaks the rules of caring for an adorable mogwai and creates a veritable army of, well, malicious gremlins that wreak havoc wherever they're found.MPAA Rating: PG-13
Buy it here.
"Monster House" (2006)
Don't let the fact this one is animated fool you: It's out-and-out spooky, especially if you live in a neighborhood with that one creepy, looming house on the block. Fortunately, on your block, that house probably doesn't eat people!MPAA Rating: PG
Buy it here.
"Monster Squad" (1986)
Finally, this cult kid classic is available on DVD. A product of "The Goonies" era of kid adventure films, this flick follows Sean Crenshaw (André Gower) and his friends — a monster-obsessed crew of outcasts. The ragtag kids put themselves in harm's way when they find a talisman that happens to be an object of world-dominating importance to the classic monsters — Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Wolf Man and Gill Man (okay, mostly classic monsters). MPAA Rating: PG-13
Buy it here.
"The Others" (2001)
Nicole Kidman plays Grace, a mother of two waiting for her husband to return from World War II. The kids have an affliction: Neither one can come into contact with direct sunlight and must constantly stay in the dark. When three servants arrive, they seem to have other plans for the family in this frightening tale.MPAA Rating: PG-13
Buy it here.
"Poltergeist" (1982)
Scarefest 101 for kids. (In fact, this writer still has a hard time trusting her childhood doll collection.) Youngsters will be glued to the TV screen saying those familiar words, ""They're heeerrre!" when poltergeists visit the Freeling family. At first, the noisy ghosts appear friendly, but things take a turn for the worse when daughter Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke) is "kidnapped."MPAA Rating:PG
Buy it here.
"The Sixth Sense" (1999)
Even if you know the twist ending, this flick packs healthy doses of thrills and surprises all the way through. Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is a 9-year-old boy who claims to see dead people. Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is trying to help Cole with his terrifying visions but Crowe has problems of his own. This ultra-watchable ghost story is one-of-a-kind and will stick with you for days.MPAA Rating: PG-13
Buy it here.
"The Witches" (1990)
Based on a Roald Dahl book, this wildly entertaining flick unites the right mix of laughs and genuine scares. Orphaned Luke (Jasen Fisher) is staying at a ritzy English hotel with his grandmother, where a coven of witches holds its annual convention. (Yes, even witches have annual conventions.) The Grand High Witch (Anjelica Huston, in her usual scene-stealing mode) decrees that all children in England must be turned to mice. Jim Henson's creature shop takes charge of the kid-into-mouse special effects in this enchanting tale. MPAA Rating: PG
Buy it here.
"Young Frankenstein" (1974)
"It's alive!" This classic Mel Brooks comedy will make you cry "It's alive! It's alive! It's alive!" with nonstop hilarious spoofs of creature features from yesteryear. A young neurosurgeon inherits the castle of his grandfather, the infamous Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. The top-notch cast of Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, and Teri Garr combined with the black-and-white cinematography makes this flick a must-see for you and your family.MPAA Rating: PG
Buy it here.
Honorable Mention: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Halloween" (TV Episode, 1993)
Fine, so it's not a movie. No need to be snobby about it. The genius show about a petite blond with supernatural vampire-dusting abilities did one official Halloween episode (Season 2, Episode 6) and in it, the entire town of Sunnydale becomes their costumes. Buffy goes from tough chosen one to damsel in distress (and a hoop skirt!), leaving her friends and the town in peril when a pack of vampires show up.TV Rating: TV-PG (show may contain material unsuitable for young children)
Buy it here.
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