Poppin' Off- Halloween Movie Picks

I'm not big on scary movies. When I was little (like around five), my mom and one of her friends took me and my brother to a drive in to see a double feature- The Fly  and The Fly II. I guess they figured that since it was late we would fall asleep and never see the movies, or just get bored and play on our own. But we didn't fall asleep. I saw them. And it terrified me. I haven't been able to watch scary movies since. So these movie picks might be a little (very) tame for some of you, but here are my recommendations for movies to watch this Halloween season.

1. Hocus Pocus. You knew this was coming, didn't you?  Its forever number one on my list.I just love everything about this movie. There's lore, witches and black cats, the whole picturesque East Coast backdrop. And its especially good if you have children, you can watch it and not worry about anything too scary or inappropriate popping up onscreen.

2. Scream and Scream 5. Now you might be thinking, "Didn't she just say she doesn't like scary movies?" And the answer to that is still yes. But its not scary to me in the same way The Fly is. I think these are the best two of the series, but its always fun trying to figure out who is wearing the mask, don't you think?

"Do you like scary movies?"

3. The Craft. Modern day witches, doing what they do. Fairuza Balk is crazy in this movie, her performance made the movie to me. Think of it as a Gothic Mean Girls. What would The Plastics be like with dark powers? Like these ladies. 

"We are the weirdos, Mister."

4. Casper. I loved this movie when I was younger. Christina Ricci was one of  my favorite actresses at the time. The movie is kinda sad, but its a ghost story you can watch and not need to sleep with the lights on for days after.

5. Twilight Saga. For some reason, when I think of fall, Twilight pops into my head. I think it has to do with the way the movie was marketed (always came out around Thanksgiving), plus the way the films were shot (always dark, with the characters wearing darker neutrals). These movies are good for people who want to do Vampires and Werewolves without the gore. 

6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So much sass and humor, this movie is great. Hands down a classic. Buffy is a typical Valley Girl cheerleader who finds out that hey, shes also a vampire slayer. My favorite part is when Pike is dying and it takes forever.

7. Practical Magic. I liked this movie for a lot of reasons, but the witchcraft wasn't a main draw for me like it is in The Craft. I love the East Coast setting, and I really enjoyed the bond that each set of sisters had. I thought it was cool that there was always one dark haired one, one red headed one. One serious one, one crazy one. And Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman were perfect for their roles. 

8. Teen Witch. Another oldie but a goodie, this movie used to come on a lot on Saturday afternoons and I would always watch it. Something about a girl with witchy powers, I've always been drawn to those types of stories. And maybe it was all those musical numbers....Anyway, Louise is a basic nobody until she hits sixteen and finds out shes a witch. Then she makes herself uber popular, then realizes its not so great....typical teen movie stuff. The best part of the movie though, is when Louise's friend Polly rap battles her crush Rhett in the street. Classic 80's randomness!

What are your must watch movies around Halloween time?


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