By: The DSJ Staff
Ever wondered just how many Halloween cinematic masterpieces there are? Well have no fear! The DSJ staff is here with our personal Halloween movie picks!
The Silence of the Lambs - Abby Paras '24
Photo Courtesy of IMDb
If you’re more into thriller than horror and are looking to capture 90s fall fashion at the same time, this movie is perfect for you. With absolutely stellar performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster and fantastic use of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “American Girl”, this movie is definitely creepy, but a great Halloween watch.
Scream - Abby Paras '24
Photo Courtesy of IMDb
The meta-horror movie to end all meta-horror movies. Scream captures 90s teen culture and makes fun of all the classic horror movie tropes while weaving a fantastic story of its own. It’s great for a scary-but-not-too-scary movie night with all your friends.
Monster House - Jin Xie '24
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An incredibly nuanced animated film that constantly tugs at your wits and heartstrings, Monster House follows the antics and adventures of three young children as they navigate the challenges of a sentient haunted house bent on destroying them at all costs. A cinematic blend of Home Alone for Christmas and whatever comes to mind when you think of haunted houses, Monster House will for sure bring you lots of laughs (both humorous and horrifying)!
The Blair Witch Project - Damanpreet Lobana '25
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The film that pioneered found-footage horror, The Blair Witch Project describes three high school teenagers who disappeared after investigating an urban legend about the fabled Blair Witch supposedly haunting the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland. The movie has been shot through old VHS Camcorders, adding to the murkiness when it comes to visually deducing the unknown. Despite the supernatural landmarks that they come to discover, what makes this movie my favorite is the fact that often what you don’t see in the footage terrifies you the most, credited to some of the noises captured on that video camera. This sincere adaptation of low-quality camerawork would be enough to convince you to notice everything that goes bump in the night.
Halloween - Dounia '23
Photo Courtesy of IMDb
With great suspense and a likable main character, the movie is a classic, and the iconic score is not outdated at all.
The Nightmare Before Christmas - Abby Paras '24
Photo Courtesy of IMDb
For those who scare easily, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a great option for a fun, family-friendly movie night. With great songs, iconic animation, and a plot that makes it relevant for either Halloween or Christmas, this is a great movie to watch for a lighthearted Halloween movie night.
Nope - Sage Futrell '26
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The main thing you should know before watching Nope is that it is about the idea of “spectacles.” This terror movie pays homage to some of my favorite media (Indiana Jones, Evangelion, The Thing, and more) while exploring the history of race in Western cinema. If you’re a fan of Jordan Peele and genre-bending, artsy movies, this is a must-watch.
Hereditary - Sage Futrell '26
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Hereditary is one of A24’s biggest hits and a twist on the classic “family moves into haunted house” trope. It’s strange, it’s off-putting, and it will have you asking “WTF did I just watch?” multiple times throughout the film. This is another movie I recommend going into blind, but it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on Ars Goetia beforehand.
The Lost Boys - Rose Caisley '26
Before there was Buffy, Elena Gilbert, or even Edward and Bella, the teenage vampires of The Lost Boys were the first of their kind. The film follows brothers Michael and Sam Emerson as they move with their mother to their new home in Santa Carla and discover the cute Californian town is not what it seems. While Sam becomes fast friends with two comic book-loving brothers named Edgar and Alan Frog, Michael falls in with a mysterious boy named David and his friends, who just so happen to be a local gang of vampires. If you love vampires and teen movies from the 80s, you won't want to miss this cult classic!
Knives Out (2019) - Lena Smith '24
Photo Courtesy of IMDb
A witty and exciting whodunnit that, in addition to its murder-mystery core, has a rich aesthetic perfect for the autumn season. The suspects wear charismatic cool-weather clothing (i.e. Chris Evans’ cable knit sweater), and the main setting is lush with mahogany and warm colors that feel cozy even in light of the thrilling crime. A great choice for those of us who can’t stomach horror, but want an exciting movie with seasonal imagery.
Any of the Scooby-Doo! Movies - Rose Caisley '26
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Well zoinks, I think it goes without saying that no Halloween is complete without watching at least one Scooby-Doo Movie. If you're looking for some mid-2000s kinder camp awesomeness, look no further than the live-action movies starring Sarah Michelle Geller, Freddie Prince Jr., Linda Cardellini, and Matthew Lillard. If you’re looking for a trip down memory lane, dial up one of the old direct-to-DVD movies like Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase, Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders, and the ever-classic Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. And if you're feeling very nostalgic you can always go back to the original Hanna-Barbara TV show Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! Jinkies, that's a lot to choose from!
The Fear Street Trilogy - Crystal Wang '25
Photo Courtesy of IMDb
Think of all the horror movie tropes you’ve become accustomed to, now make it gay. That’s the Fear Street Trilogy. It is not incredibly scary though it definitely counts as a horror series. Each movie is set in a different year (1994, 1978, and 1666), following residents of Shady Side as they deal with the curse that was cast on their town. This series loves twists and turns, shocking audiences by never directly stating the people the characters are talking about or leading audiences to make assumptions only to pull the rug out from underneath us. Though it is technically one long story, each movie is unique. They don’t blur together but they still contain a homogeneity. The most genius thing about the trilogy is that they use every single horror trope in the book (jump scares, gory violence, teenagers making out at inopportune moments) while still subjecting all of those tropes with their twists and turns.