There are a few guarantees when October rolls around each year, pumpkin spice lattes, sacks full of candy, and horror movie marathons. From John Carpenter's Halloween to more recent hits like The Conjuring franchise, some fright fans spend the entire month leading up to Halloween watching their favorite scary movies.
Of course, slashers and supernatural shockers aren't to everyone's taste, and some movie lovers will look elsewhere when it comes to their Halloween films. Just like when choosing a trick or a treat, everyone has their preference, these are a few alternatives to watch whilst the jack o' lanterns flicker in the background.
10 Willy Wonka Brings All The Chocolatey Goodness When It Comes To Halloween Treats
For many, Halloween is all about the candy, and when it comes to candy on the big screen, no movie matches up to the movie adaptation of Roald Dahl's wacky adventure. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is one of cinema's finest when it comes to musical fantasies and makes for a perfect watch for anyone with a particularly sweet tooth.
The film's song "The Candy Man" has also gained some seriously sinister tones after being featured in the hit horror Candyman in 2021, so even fright fans who are used to a little more scares in their Halloween viewings can find something to love in this Mel Stuart classic.
9 The Ice Storm Is A Fantastic Drama Best Viewed Before The Holiday Season Gets Into Full Swing
Ang Lee's 1997 drama may be set during Thanksgiving, but the film's depressing tone and adult subjects make this film a far more fitting viewing for early autumn than during a holiday focused on spending time with loved ones.
The Ice Storm examines two upper-class families and their struggles dealing with everyday life in the 1970s. Alcohol, death, adultery, and sexual experimentation all play their part in the tale, and stellar performances from Sigourney Weaver, Tobey Maguire, and Kevin Kline ensure that this devastating drama is an excellent watch all year round.
8 Ghost Proves The Supernatural Doesn't Always Have To Be Scary
The Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg starring classic has a title that may insinuate scares, but this heartwrenching romance would be nowhere to be seen on any list of scariest movies.
The spooky spirits are a frequent sight around Halloween time, though Ghost portrays them in a vastly different light, making it a touching movie more concerned with love and loss, giving audience members a different reason to cling to each other tightly into the night.
7 Coco Takes Viewers To The Land Of The Dead Without The Usual Horrors That Come With It
Lighthearted and utterly heartbreaking at the same time, Disney Pixar's Coco is simply great enough to stand toe to toe with any of the studio's phenomenal hits. A coming of age story set during the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, Coco fits right at home amongst many family-friendly Halloween flicks.
Unforgettable music, lovable characters, and imagery just creepy enough to give the little ones spooks rather than scares, Coco is not only a great choice for Halloween, it's arguably a must-watch for the festival of fright.
6 Role Models Is A Step Above Simply Dressing Up For Halloween
Cosplaying and Halloween dress-up is essentially a form of role-playing, and if you're looking to take your game to the next level then LARPing might just be the ticket. Live-action role-playing may be a niche interest, but it does have some rather hilarious representation when it comes to the big screen.
Role Models is the story of two sleazy energy drink salesmen who find themselves enrolled in a big brother program, and this all leads to them discovering the wonderful world of LARPing. Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd star, and this is one movie that will certainly inspire when it comes to Halloween playtime.
5 Booksmart Is Parties And Pranks Perfection
Halloween is often a time for rule-breaking and pulling pranks, it's also a time for parties, and Olivia Wilde's comical 2019 hit Booksmart passes all the tests in this regard.
It's hailed by some as the female Superbad, and even features an exceptional performance from Beanie Feldstein, sister of the one and only Jonah Hill. The high praise that Booksmart received is well deserved, Wilde's movie is an unforgettable coming-of-age comedy that really captures what it is to be a young, naive, and misunderstood high school student.
4 The Skin I Live In Is As Haunting As Any Halloween Horror Movie
Horror will always have its place in Halloween movies, yet, at times, a psychological thriller can offer up more scares and leave an audience feeling far more disturbed than a typical slasher movie.
The Skin I Live In is the story of a talented plastic surgeon and his demented attempts to create synthetic skin using an innocent woman as his guinea pig. Nothing is as it first seems in this Spanish language hit. Pedro Almodovar has a long history of exploring gender and sexuality, yet the acclaimed filmmaker has rarely done so in such a thrilling manner as he does in The Skin I Live In.
3 Planes, Trains And Automobiles Will Get You Ready And Waiting For Winter
Another thanksgiving heartwarmer, Planes, Trains and Automobiles makes for perfect late October viewing as the classic buddy picture centers around one man's desperate journey to make it home in time for the big turkey dinner. Written and directed by comedy mastermind John Hughes, the film is as heartfelt as it is humorous.
Many of the laughs to be had are thanks to legendary performances from Steve Martin and John Candy, so if you're not feeling up for some scares, Planes, Trains and Automobiles can really set the holiday mood and have you looking forward to those winter months ahead.
2 Infinity War Provides Ample Inspiration When It Comes To Costume Choices
A culmination of a lifetime's work on the comic book page and later on the big screen, Avengers: Infinity War is arguably the finest superhero ensemble movie ever put to film, and therefore qualifying it as a perfect selection for some Halloween costume inspiration.
The big guns are all out, from Iron Man to Thor to The Incredible Hulk, anyone young or old that's stuck for outfit ideas could have a costume-fitting field day after watching this Marvel masterpiece.
1 Dead Poets Society Is Perhaps The Finest Autumn Movie Ever Made
Set against a backdrop of the golden leaves of a New England autumn, Dead Poet's Society is an engrossing and heartwarming tale of an English teacher as he goes to great lengths to inspire his students.
The incomparable Robin Williams gives one of his greatest performances along with Kurtwood Smith and a young Ethan Hawke. A frequent sight on "Best Autumn Movies" lists, Dead Poet's Society is an excellent choice for a break from the horrors of Halloween.