Films to watch this Halloween

AMMAN — Halloween is back, and spooky costumes, sweet treats, and scary movies are again in the spotlight. If you're looking for ways to enjoy the fright that comes with Halloween, here are some of our movie recommendations to help you enjoy this spooky day.اضافة اعلان

Halloween history


Halloween movies are known to be box office hits and are frequently re-screened in some movie theaters in October. (Photo: Pixabay)

Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Sunday marks Halloween of 2021. Halloween evolved from the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, a tradition that aimed to celebrate the start of winter. The practice consisted of feasts to celebrate the end of the harvest season and costumes around a bonfire to ward off evil spirits. 

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III announced November 1 as a day to honor all saints, and the night before was known as All Saints Eve, the day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. Over time, All Saints Eve became known as All Hallows Eve and later evolved to Halloween.

More recently, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, costume-wearing, festive gatherings, and carving pumpkins. 

Halloween movies


Halloween movies are known to be box office hits and are frequently re-screened in some movie theaters in October. (Photo: Pixabay)

Halloween movies are known for being box office hits. The classic "Halloween" franchise, based on the 1978 original film, inspired many similar genre (slasher) films to be produced. But, even beyond the franchise, here are some of our recommendations to help you get into the spooky spirit.

"Practical Magic" (1998)

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play non-practicing witches who try to use their hereditary magical gifts to fix their love lives.

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975)

This musical is about a couple, played by Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick, who is forced to the door of a wacky scientist, played by Tim Curry, after their car breaks down. The movie is a must-watch for the soundtrack and costumes alone.

"The Addams Family" (1991)

A movie that Anjelica Huston was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Morticia. This film follows a group of con artists who try to scam a famously eccentric family.

"Hocus Pocus" (1993)

An unsuspecting teen brings back three evil but comical 17th-century witches, played by Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker. 

"Scream" (1996)


(Photo: IMDb)

This slasher film was directed by Wes Craven. It gave the genre a new life when it came out thanks to its revolutionary meta — a self-aware depiction of the horror genre rules — attitude toward horror cliches coming to life in the movie.  

"The Omen" (1976)

Gregory Peck and Lee Remick star in this demonic film. Mia Farrow plays a young woman whose husband makes a deal with the devil without her knowledge.

"Candyman" (1992)

Starring Virginia Madsen as a graduate student who dares to trace the legends of Candyman, a tortured soul, who is summoned by saying his name five times, shreds his victims with his hook for a hand.

"Psycho" (1960)

The movie breaks all the rules of the genre while writing its own all-new guidelines. Janet Leigh, in the first half of the film, masters suspense building and delivers two stories in one — a mini-double feature that belongs to neither of the blonde leads, but rather Norman Bates, as the reclusive hotel manager who wields a very sharp knife.

"Hotel Transylvania" (2012)


(Photo: IMDb)

Count Dracula, played by Adam Sandler, is the proud owner of a popular resort for monsters and other spooky creatures that promises a relaxing human-free environment. That is, until an unsuspecting traveler, played by Andy Samberg, finds himself at the resort and catches the eye of no other than Dracula's daughter, Mavis, played by Selena Gomez. 

"The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia" (2013) 

Andy and Lisa Wyrick move into a rural home after receiving a deal from the bank with their daughter Heidi, only to discover the haunting secrets of the house.

"The Hunt" (2020)

12 strangers wake up in an empty forest. They don't know where they are, or how they got there, and more importantly, why they are there. Following a terrifying series of unfolding events, with a heaping side of gore and violence, the reason of why is discovered and compromised. 

"The Night House" (2020)

The frights delivered in David Bruckner's chilling movie are not amateur scares. The ominous atmosphere set under a dense layer of lakeside fog, and the vast darkness behind our scream queen, played by Rebecca Hall, subtly shifts and moves before our very eyes — as she uncovers her late husband's disturbing secrets.

"Fantasy Island" (2021)

A group of strangers attempt to find their way back home after they uncover that the reality of what they believed was the vacation of their dreams turned out to be their worst nightmares. 

"Train to Busan" (2016)

South Korean Director Sang-ho Yeon launches his harrowing zombie horror-thriller that follows a group of passengers as they fight their way against a national viral outbreak while trapped on a blood-stained bullet train ride to Busan, a southern resort city that has managed to hold off the hordes of zombies, or so they hope.

"Us" (2019)

A family vacation turns sinister when a group of doppelgängers suddenly attacks a family with mysterious motives.

"There's Someone Inside Your House" (2021)

Based on Stephanie Perkins' best-selling novel, this Netflix original shows a masked killer who is torturing high school students by revealing their darkest secrets, while a group of outsiders teams up to stop him.

"House of the Witch" (2017)


(Photo: IMDb)

A group of teenagers go to a Halloween party at an abandoned house, only to find themselves trapped by a murderous witch.

"Sinister" (2012)

Washed-up true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt, played by Ethan Hawke, finds a collection of Super 8 films, which reveal that the murder he's currently looking into is the work of a serial killer whose work dates back to the 1960s.

"Sinister II" (2015)

A young mother and her twin sons move into a rural house and experience a series of demonic supernatural occurrences.

"Polaroid" (2019)

High school loner Bird Fitcher finds a Polaroid camera and soon discovers the deadly fate of those who have their picture taken using it.

"It Comes at Night" (2017)

Written and directed by Trey Edward Shults, this film oozes paranoia, authenticity, and fear as two families learn to trust each other in a post-apocalyptic future so that they can survive outside threats.

"Midsommar" (2019)


(Photo: IMDb)

A group of young graduate students travel to Sweden, and things get disturbing as they uncover the reality of the commune a couple of them went to research.

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