As we move through fall, students may be interested in watching seasonal movies. From horror films and thrillers to family-friendly classics, here are eight spooky movies for your viewing pleasure.
“The Conjuring” (2013) is a supernatural horror-thriller. Filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, it centers around paranormal investigators who are asked to help a family whose house is haunted. “The Conjuring” is directed by James Wan and stars Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor. And, perhaps even more frightening than the plot itself, this movie is loosely based on real events.
“The Sixth Sense” (1999) is also considered a horror-thriller film classic, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Haley Joel Osment, Bruce Willis, Toni Collette and Olivia Williams. “The Sixth Sense” is about a young boy who is able to see ghosts. I personally enjoyed the suspense and unexpected plot twists in this story.
“Parasite” (2019) is a thriller film, directed by Bong Joon-ho and stars Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong and Choi Woo-shik. The story follows two families and portrays a chilling representation of class dynamics. I found that “Parasite” held my undivided attention from the beginning, with many surprising moments.
“A Quiet Place” (2018), directed by John Krasinski and starring John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, follows a family who has to live in silence to avoid being hunted by creatures with a heightened sense of hearing. “A Quiet Place” is more thrilling than scary 一 the interesting plot and action-packed scenes make it very entertaining.
“Us” (2019) is another horror-thriller movie, written and directed by Jordan Peele. “Us” centers around a woman and her family who are attacked by their doppelgangers. It stars Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex. This movie was really engaging because of its unique concept.
Although there are many horror movies that have a spooky fall theme, there are also some more light-hearted autumn classics that may interest some students.
“Halloweentown” (1998) was released on Disney Channel and was directed by Duwayne Dunham. It is considered a family-friendly movie about a family who travels to a supernatural town and discovers that they are witches. It stars Kimberly J. Brown, Debbie Reynolds, Judith Hoag and Robin Thomas. I find this movie to be extremely cozy and nostalgic.
Another family-friendly option celebrating Día de los Muertos is Disney’s “Coco” (2017). Directed by Adrian Molina and Lee Unkrich, this film follows a young boy who dreams of being a musician as he visits the Land of the Dead. It stars Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía and Edward James Olmos. I personally enjoyed the powerful theme of family.
Last but not least, and although it is a television series, “Only Murders in the Building” is a mystery-comedy that has an autumn aesthetic. Released in early August 2021, the show follows three protagonists who are obsessed with true crime podcasts and try to solve a murder in their own apartment building. It stars Selena Gomez, Martin Short, Steve Martin, Aaron Dominguez and Amy Ryan. The show was created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman with new episodes released every Tuesday. I think “Only Murders in the Building” has a great cast and is very funny while also having an unpredictable, gripping mystery.
