Halloween this year may look different to most people. Some people may still do their ritual trick or treat. However, to prevent the risk of catching COVID-19, watching Halloween movies could be the way to go. Here are some Halloween movie reviews you should read before watching them: 

Beetlejuice

One of the classics, Beetlejuice has been enjoyed by people of all ages. The plot, characters and the acting is what makes the movie so enjoyable. 

Firstly, the plot is not your typical Halloween plot. The souls of Barbara and Adam want to scare the soon-to-be owners of their house. However, their attempts have failed. Their efforts attracted a disorderly spirit named Beetlejuice. Soon, his assistance became dangerous and risked the lives of the soon-to-be owners and their innocent child. Considering how this movie was released in 1988, it is no surprise that the story line is so creative. 

Along with the story plot, the characters are also what makes the movie fun. Known for his gothic movies, it is very predictable how Tim Burton decided to make his characters uniquely eerie yet fun. 

Part of the fun characters comes from the amazing acting. Michael Keaton, who plays Beetlejuice, made the character very memorable. Keaton seems to really go over the top in his acting in order to portray the weird, but exciting character. Similarly, all of the other actors and actresses seem to be really deep into the characters in order to produce a pleasurable movie. Overall, this movie is definitely a must watch for the Halloween season. 

Rating: 9/10

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Unlike Beetlejuice, A Nightmare on Elm Street may not be enjoyed by people of all ages. However, this is a classic for those who thoroughly enjoy horror movies. As a horror fan, this movie does not scare me that much, but for those who are sensitive to slasher, this movie may be a pass. The major reasons why A Nightmare on Elm Street may be so scary is because of the story line, the violence, and the characters, mainly, antagonist Freddy Krueger. 

The story line of this movie is very creative and has inspired other movies with this story line. The plot is about an evil killer who hunts teenagers in their dreams. When the killer, Freddy Krueger, kills the teens in their dreams, the teens would die in real life. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen, begin to unravel this mystery, even though this secret has been kept by her parents and her parents’ friends. This creative story line has led to a whole franchise, with a whopping 7 movies in it. 

The violence in the movie plays another important factor in attracting those who love horror/slasher films. I would not say that this movie is hardcore violent, but there are some scenes where I would turn away.

Lastly, the characters, specifically Freddy Krueger, is what makes this movie so frightening. Actor Robert Englund really played a terrifying character despite all the makeup in his character. Other than Englund, the other actors and actresses were average. They did not impress me that much with their characters. Aside from the acting, the story line, violence, and Englund’s acting as Freddy Krueger really made A Nightmare on Elm Street a scary Halloween classic.

Rating: 8/10

The Addams Family

The Addams Family has been an adored movie after years upon its release. What makes the movie so good? Firstly, the plot of the movie is hilarious. Secondly, it’s a movie fitting for all ages. There are barely any curse words, nor are there inappropriate actions. Lastly, the characters have it’s own unique characteristics that make fans adore them. 

The story line of this movie just screams; fantastic comedy. The movie is about The Addams Family lost brother, Fester. He returns to the house after 25 years. However, things started to get suspicious when Fester could not recall family memories shared between his brother, Gomez Addams. With the help of the family lawyer Tully Alford, Fester manages to get the family evicted from their own house. Gomez realizes what was going on and must challenge his “brother.” The movie may have very rich comedy in it, however, is it too rich? In my opinion, this movie may be a little cheesy. Coming from a person who has seen more mature comedy, the humor of this movie may be a little childlike. But the childlike humor does help the movie with being appropriate for people of all ages. 

The Addams Family movie was made so that people of all ages could watch it. Even though the characters of the movie are based on The Addams Family tv show from 1964, director Barry Sonnenfeld decided to make this movie a family movie so that it would be entertaining for the whole family to enjoy without worrying about any inappropriate language. 

Even though the characters are based on the TV show, The Addams Family movie characters made this movie loved by everyone. Raul Julia, who plays Gomez Addams, played his best role (in my opinion) in all of his career. Versatile actor Christopher Lloyd plays Uncle Fester, acted fantastically. Considering his other well known movies like the Back to the Future franchise and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, it’s really not surprising that he did a good job playing that role. And lastly, how can we forget Christina Ricci, who plays Wednesday Addams. She may not have acted as much as Julia or Lloyd, but her monotone, yet charming personality makes her my favorite character in the movie. In conclusion, The Addams Family is a fantastic movie to watch this Halloween because of its cheesy humor, the family fun movie, and it’s characters. This is definitely a must watch. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Recap

In my opinion, these are my top three favorite movies… for family movies. However, for those who are willing to venture out into scarier movies, here are my top picks. These movies are also for mature audiences so maybe reconsider watching this with younger viewers.  Beware, these movies will make you sleep with the lights on! 

• The Exorcist 
• The Sixth Sense
• Rosemary’s Baby
• Get Out
• The Ring