The time is here, the Halloween and horror movie world is finally awakening after the hiatus of great movies. With so many iconic movies coming out this year, I have to give my best recommendations for snuggling up in your dorm and lighting candles around you for the best spooky feel. Obviously, we have our classics like the “Scream,” “Halloween” and “Chucky” franchises who have all made modern versions of their originals. But we also have gotten some great movies this year and the past few years that are just as great.
This year, Jenna Ortega has been the star in a few new movies including the newest take on “Scream.” The modern version takes place 25 years after the last attack, and the killer is on the hunt to kill someone new. This movie features the original cast who try to stop the killer once and for all. Jenna plays Tara, the girl being targeted and barely survives being stabbed by Ghostface at the beginning of the movie. While in the hospital, she is met by her sister who she hasn’t even spoken to in years. As the movie continues she gets suspicious about why she chose now to come back into her life even though she expresses how much she loves her sister. Over time, she begins to think her sister is the one trying to kill her.
If you want a Halloween movie that actually takes place on Halloween, “Trick ‘R Treat” is your go to. This movie stars Sam, the three-foot killer who haunts his neighborhood. This movie is made up of five spooky stories made into one movie: a killer principal trying to hide everything from his son; a college virgin looking to have a fun Halloween night with her friends; a group of teenagers that play a terrible prank; a Halloween-obsessed husband and his Scrooge wife; and a grumpy old man who is visited by a special trick-or-treater.
Of course, I have to recommend my favorite and the classic “Halloween” with Michael Myers. If you don’t know the story by now, I’ll tell you. Michael Myers killed his sister when he was only five years old. He was immediately put into a psych ward and over 40 years escaped and killed numerous teenagers and babysitters in Haddonfield. But one he could never kill was Laurie Strode.
If you’ve seen the original, I recommend one of the more recent versions of “Halloween” which came out in 2018. Although there have been multiple movies made after 2018, they were not as good or good at all in my opinion.
“Halloween” (2018) takes place 40 years after Michael tried killing Laurie. Now she has her own family, but has ruined her relationship with them by being so paranoid and locking herself away. In this slasher, Laurie is ready for revenge.
“Monster House” is great for someone not looking to see someone being slashed on their screen and just wants a silly Halloween movie. Two best friends notice that their neighbor across the street has been acting strange and start to set out a stakeout to see if anything happens. Later they meet a Girl Scout and tell her what’s going on. They all begin to think the house is haunted and with their neighbor in the hospital they go investigate. They soon discover the house is alive and it’s actually the neighbor’s wife, which is a little confusing when first watching as a kid. But anyway, by the end of the movie, the house has fully risen and is trying to kill the kids while their neighbor tries to stop his wife. While this is the only animated movie and non-horror film on the list, it’s definitely a classic to watch to get you in the spirit of Halloween.
Lauren Flynn-Miller is a second-year interdisciplinary studies major with minors in American Sign Language and journalism. LF954013@wcupa.edu