The air becomes crisper, and the need for everything and anything pumpkin-flavored approaches us as the fall season begins. With that being said, here are five must-see Halloween movies to satisfy that cozy and enchanting film craving.

Coraline

Coraline brings out the spooky side of fall that will have you hooked. Henry Selick brings us this film that gave me nightmares as a child but is incredibly enjoyable and nostalgic to watch now. Dakota Fanning voices Coraline, an enthusiastic 11-year-old girl yearning for an adventure. Her curiosity takes her to another world where the characters have buttons in place of their eyes. The other mother (Terri Hatcher) connects with Coraline in hopes that she will stay in her world forever and leave her own family behind. Will Coraline escape and live in her world or fall victim to the other world’s tantalizing appearance of perfection? The movie has you hanging on the edge of your seat, watching every move that Coraline makes. Coraline is a wonderfully chilling film that everyone needs to watch to complete their Halloween.

IT

IT is the perfect movie to watch with lots of snacks and friends by your side. The Andy Muschietti directed film delivers plenty of fear and jumpscares as well as comedy and romance. Watch as a psychedelic clown (Bill Skarsgard) terrorizes a group of middle schoolers who call themselves The Losers Club. After the death of his little brother, Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Martell) rallies up his friends and finds the courage to go after the mysterious beast that has claimed the lives of many children in their town, Derry. Each pre-teen is forced to face their greatest fears, both physically and mentally. The comedy and relatability of this film will force you to forget the horror that occurred in the scene before. Just remember to leave the light on when going to sleep that night! 

Edward Scissorhands 

Who better to turn to this Halloween than the phenomenal director, Tim Burton. With a large selection of Tim Burton films to watch from, such as Corpse Bride and Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands is equally intriguing as it is peculiar in the best way possible. Watch Edward (Johnny Depp), a man left with scissors as hands after being the victim of an unfinished science project, make his way into a suburban lifestyle after being sheltered from society. A kind woman named Peg (Dianne Wiest) takes Edward in as her own, where he falls in love with Peg’s teenage daughter, Kim (Winona Ryder). While Edward is gentle and soft-spoken, he is judged by his differences and finds it hard to fit in. Edward Scissorhands is the quintessential Halloween movie to give you an offbeat story that leaves you uncovering a more meaningful message in the end. 

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Coraline. Photo Credit: Wired

Scream

If you are longing for a 90’s horror movie filled with dramatic irony and plot twists, Scream is the way to go. Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is a teenage girl mourning her mother’s death, whose murder is still being investigated. A year later, more murders occur, creating fear and chaos throughout the town. After the killer’s costume is discovered, they earn the name Ghostface. Sidney, her friends and her boyfriend, Billy (Skeet Ulrich), are forced to cope with the deaths in their own ways as the killer creeps ever nearer. To make it even more interesting, Sidney is being followed by a news reporter, Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), who is intent on seeing an end to her story. This film will have you cringing in anticipation, and the end does not disappoint when Ghostface’s identity, as well as the murderer of Sidney’s mother, is exposed. 

Halloweentown

Teleport back to simpler times with Disney’s Halloweentown that, along with its many sequels, will give you every bit of Halloween nostalgia you desire. Follow Marnie Piper (Kimberly J. Brown) and her siblings as they find out their grandmother (Debbie Reynolds) is a witch and lives in a mysterious place called Halloweentown. Marnie and her siblings sneak past their mother (Judith Hoag) and follow their grandmother to this strange town, where they find other creatures living there. Everyone there is kind, despite their bad reputations and appearances. When villains take over the town, it’s up to Marnie and her siblings to defeat them and save the town along with their grandmother and mother. The film is sweet and will provide you with all the Halloween spirit for a spectacular fall season.

These films are the perfect pick-me-up and will inspire you to indulge in other fall activities, including pumpkin carving, costume making and walking through haunted houses. Get into the Halloween spirit with these five spectacular movies!