With Halloween only a couple of weeks away, it’s time to settle down for some spooky films to kick off the howling holiday spirit. Here, the Daily Lobo editors have listed our favorite Halloween flicks so that you can start celebrating this spine-chilling holiday a little early.
Shelby’s pick: “Fear Street Part 3: 1666” (2021)
Reader, beware: you’re in for a scare. Based on the “Fear Street” book series by R.L. Stine, the third installment of the “Fear Street” trilogy on Netflix is a must-watch. Directed and co-written by Leigh Janiak, it perfectly mashes up its period piece setting with both new and classic horror elements.
Its themes of queer love transcending time and women getting justice for being wronged by the world of men around them resonated with me more than any other horror film. If you’re looking for something scary, new and entertaining, I highly recommend you watch the whole trilogy, but especially savor the richness that lies within “1666.”
Zara’s pick: “House” (1977)
“House,” directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, is a Japanese film that follows main character Gorgeous and her fellow nominatively determined friends as they visit her aunt’s villa. Unfortunately, they are greeted by vengeful spirits and demonic appliances who wish to consume the girls.
This movie is not scary by any means; it is, however, a delightfully absurd haunted house movie with outstanding visuals and an overwhelming amount of heart behind its eccentric surface. It’s less than 90 minutes, it’s currently on HBO Max and it's a wild ride from start to finish — everyone should experience it.
Matthew’s pick: “Addams Family Values” (1993)
The film “The Addams Family” (1991) was an effective enough reboot of the franchise that has been around since the late 1930s to remind the world about “The Addams Family,” but it took a sequel for director Barry Sonnenfeld and screenwriter Paul Rudnick to craft the ultimate culmination of what “The Addams Family” was always about: a skewering satirization of American values and domesticity.
While other adaptations always center the Addams family in a fish out of water narrative to make them more palatable to a mainstream audience, the original “Addams Family Values” fires them like a precision-strike missile directly at the lying, superior facade of ’90s America, taking down bald eagles, Thanksgiving and Disney along the way. It’s hilarious and dark. It also has Joan Cusack in her best performance, as well as Angelica Huston, Raul Julia and Halloween queen Christina Ricci. Do yourself a favor and watch this classic.
John’s pick: “Videodrome” (1983)
Released two years after director David Cronenberg’s cult classic “Scanners,” “Videodrome” follows slimy television producer Max Renn, played by a career-best performance from James Woods, who is looking for better and more violent programming for his adult television channel. He stumbles upon a show called Videodrome, which is a show that only consists of people being graphically tortured. His obsession leads him down a dark path full of Cronenberg’s usual body horror delights and unexpected plot twists.
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The film was arguably years ahead of its time with its themes on mass media and our dependence on different forms of entertainment being extraordinarily timely in today’s world. It’s a perfect mix of ’80s nostalgia, disgustingly impressive makeup effects and a hauntingly relevant message. I couldn’t recommend it enough.
Emma’s pick: “Coraline” (2009)
I’ve probably seen this movie more times than any other film, and that’s for good reason. Directed by Henry Selick, “Coraline” explores an amazing, magical new world that suddenly turns into a nightmare. The film is a stop-motion masterpiece that glides through scenes like jumping mice and glowing gardens.
“Coraline” was introduced to the world as a children’s movie, but I’ve found that it’s a scary watch for people of any age. Selick is a master at his craft and, in case you didn’t know him as the director of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” of which directorial credit is often mistakenly attributed to Tim Burton, “Coraline” is certainly the right movie to view his undisputed filmmaking skills.
Grab your popcorn and a blanket to hide under as you watch our favorite spooky movies of the season. Under the darkness of the night, nothing will match the chills you’ll get after watching our picks.
Shelby Kleinhans is the multimedia editor at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @BirdsNotReal99
Zara Roy is the news editor at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @zarazzledazzle
Matthew Salcido is the sports editor at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @baggyeyedguy
John Scott is the photo editor at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at photoeditor@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Jscott050901
Emma Trevino is the culture editor at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @itsemmatr
