Top 5 Movies To Watch On Halloween Night

Sitting down with a bag of popcorn to watch a fun scary movie is a perfect way to spend Halloween night. With all of the streaming services available, Lynden Burton and I have put together a list of five of our seasonal favorites and where you can watch them.

Charlie's List:

1. Halloween (1978)
Where to watch: Sling, FuboTV, AMC
Halloween may be a terrible slasher franchise, but it all started with John Carpenter's 1978 classic. Made on a miniature budget, Halloween was a massive success when it came out, and it's not hard to understand why. This movie is a master class in suspense and horror. Michael Myers, an iconic horror villain, is just a completely terrifying presence in this film, but the strength of this movie is the soundtrack and realism. With all of these factors combining with the story taking place on Halloween night in 1978, Halloween is the best option for a film to watch on Sunday night.

2. Trick r' Treat (2007)
Where to watch: HBO Max
Trick r' Treat would be my number one on this list if Carpenter's 1978 classic didn't exist. This movie is a horror anthology with multiple stories each happening on Halloween night. I'm honestly surprised it doesn't have a sequel yet. It seems like there are plenty of great horror shorts that could be set on Halloween night to put together more anthologies. Plus, Sam the sack puppet would work really well as a Halloween mascot alongside other horror icons, mostly of the slasher genre. Ultimately, Trick r' Treat is an underrated horror flick that fits the Halloween season like a glove.

3. Over the Garden Wall (2014)
Where to watch: Hulu
Taking the spot as the only show on this list, Over the Garden Wall is a 2014 Cartoon Network animated miniseries. Consisting of 10 episodes that are about 11 minutes each, Over the Garden Wall effectively works as a movie. This is the first family friendly recommendation on the list, and, even though it has its share of scares, it's definitely a fun adventure for all ages. I don't want to spoil much about this miniseries, but it's an enjoyable ride from start to finish and I highly recommend it for Halloween.

4. The Thing (1982)
Where to watch: Hulu w/ Starz add-on
Funny enough, when making this list, I didn't even realize I put two Carpenter flicks on it. Carpenter's 1982 sci-fi classic is a phenomenal horror movie. If you are one of the few people that have never heard of this film, it follows a group of researchers in Antarctica that are trapped with a strange alien lifeform that can take any shape- even disguising itself as other researchers. It's full of tension as the crew tries to find, and kill, the alien before it gets them. The practical effects are still amazing and disgusting nearly 30 years after the film's release date. If you haven't seen The Thing, check it out and experience one of the best horror films ever made.

5. Monster House (2006)
Where to watch: Netflix
Another family friendly option on this list, Monster House combines comedy with mystery and adventure. The writing in this movie is definitely its strength, as the characters are all distinct and enjoyable. Somehow the writers took an idea centered around a sentient scary house and made it into a fun Halloween flick. It's a great option for the season if you have Netflix.

Lyn's List:

1. Scream (1996)
Where to watch: HBO Max
Scream is a game changing movie! It reinvents the slasher film genre in such an innovative way, and it has solid jump scares. Scream is easily my favorite movie to watch on Halloween.

2. Midsommar (2019)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Midsommar is just a mind blowing movie. It's super creepy in the way that makes you feel uncomfortable. The movie has characters you can love to hate and some you hate in the best way possible. Florence Pugh is absolutely amazing in this movie. I definitely recommend it for your Halloween viewing.

3. The Conjuring (2013)
Where to watch: Netflix and HBO Max
The Conjuring is probably the scariest movie on my list. I definitely think it’s well directed but if you want to be genuinely scared, this is the movie that will do it.

4. Child's Play (1988)
Where to watch: Hulu
I wanted to give you a movie on all the major services. And Child’s Play has to be my Hulu choice. Chucky is an iconic Halloween villain. The humor that is in this movie is pretty solid and the jump scares aren’t bad either. I’d say this is the choice I’m not as high on, however, if all you have is Hulu, it’s a great Halloween movie to watch.

5. What We Do In the Shadows (2019)
Where to watch: Hulu
Okay, I cheated with this choice. This is not a movie, it's a tv show on Hulu. I had to put it last because I cheated and put a tv show. But it’s Halloween so there needed to be a trick. This show is incredible. It’s a comedy about vampires in the parks and rec documentary style. I would’ve put this number 1 because it gives you all the Halloween feels with some of the best humor I’ve seen in a long time. I highly recommend this on Halloween night!