From: The Scene Blog
5 Halloween movies to watch this weekend
MOYAN BRENN, FLICKR
As Halloween weekend quickly creeps up on us, there are a multitude of movies to watch before the Christmas season invades television. Below, five films to watch this weekend as you munch on candy treats.
“Beetlejuice”
This movie is definitely an acquired taste. “Beetlejuice” is a simultaneously quirky and wonderful tale of a couple (Geena Davis, “Thelma & Louis” and Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”) who die in their home. The deceased couple hires a “bio exorcist” (Michael Keaton , “Batman”) to scare off the horrendous new occupants of their home. Beetlejuice is undeniably strange, with sand worms from Saturn and books entitled “Handbooks for the Recently Deceased.”
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
In what other movie can you say you saw Johnny Depp (“Edward Scissorhands”) get sucked into a bed? This movie is about teenagers who are stalked and murdered in their dreams. While some of the special effects are notably horrible, it’s a slasher horror classic and well-regarded for its time. If anything, some of the more ridiculous scenes are just all the more enjoyable. If you aren’t too squeamish and wish to take a gander, check out this scene featuring Johnny Depp, a bed and a whole lot of gore.
“Scream”
The opening scene of this film lives up to its name. The “Scream” series delights at killing off multitudes of major Hollywood actors, thus supporting the idea that no one is safe. The movie revolves around a girl named Sidney (Neve Campbell, “Party of Five”) who finds herself pursued by a masked figure whose hobby is offing her friends in the most gruesome of ways. “Scream” is guaranteed to make you jump in your seat, but it’s also a good choice for people who aren’t traditionally horror film fans.
“Halloweentown”
“Halloweentown” is a Disney Channel original. It’s also pretty ridiculous. Nonetheless it holds a special place in many people's hearts. Something about watching young Marnie (Kimberly Brown, “Low Winter Sun”) discover she’s a witch and the wild world her family belongs to is heart warming. Watching “Halloweentown” brings out the child in us all, no matter how silly.
"Hocus Pocus"
“Hocus Pocus” is a Halloween staple for many 90s kids. This movie revolves around three kooky witch sisters (Bette Midler, “Beaches”; Sarah Jessica Parker, “Sex and the City”; and Kathy Najimy, “Walle”) that come back to life for one last hurrah. Their mission? Suck the life out of all the little children in Salem, Mass. No worries, “Hocus Pocus” newbies - this film is a tame one with no real spooks or terrors, rather just an onslaught of laughs and snorts. You can find “Hocus Pocus” on TV on essentially any night in October.
