It’s finally that time of year; leaves are falling, pumpkin spice lattes are steaming, and our favorite Halloween movies are streaming!! From cute classics to bone chilling thrillers, fall is the season of some of the best movies ever made.
Arguably one of the biggest movie releases of the year Beetlejuice Beetlejuice just came out on September 6th, 2024. Starring actors like Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Jenna Ortega, and directed by the legendary Tim Burton. The original Beetlejuice came out March 30th, 1988, and was a complete box office hit, making 8 million in its opening weekend. Recently I had the pleasure of seeing the new spin off, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and in true Tim Burton fashion, the movie was hilarious and strange but had an amazing story. In an interview with Mrs. Truszkowski, who recently saw Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, I got to hear what she thought about the movie. Mrs. T was 10 when the original movie came out and she said it was her absolute favorite movie, and she used to rent it for her sleepovers with friends. She described the spin off as theatrical, hilarious, and nostalgic. In Mrs. T’s opinion, the second movie paid homage to the original by keeping the same characters and actors, continuing the same lighthearted and funny tone to the movie, and by using older-looking CGI to help it fit with the original. Mrs. T also noted that the movie attracts a wide range of age groups, her generation is targeted because they grew up with the original. But kids and teens are a target audience because of the casting of Jenna Ortega, and the fact that going to see Halloween movies during the fall season is super popular among younger generations. Mrs. T said that in the theater with her, on one side was an older couple in their 60’s, but on the other side was a mom with her elementary school aged son, so the movie is great for any age group to enjoy! We both highly recommend Beetlejuice Beetlejuice because it is hilarious and goes so perfectly with the original film!
On the topic of classic spin offs, last year on September 30th the Sanderson sisters returned with the release of Hocus Pocus 2. The film was a wonderful blend of old and new, and had a very captivating plot. Starring the original actors of the Sanderson sisters, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. Vanity Fair wrote that Hocus Pocus 2 is the most-watched movie ever on Disney+ and has broken a Nielsen record for a streaming movie in its debut weekend with 2.7 billion minutes (about 5,100 years) of views. Hocus Pocus 2 will return to theaters this year on October 18th, so be sure to check it out, and Walt Disney pictures president Sean Bailey recently announced that a Hocus Pocus 3 is in the works! The release date is to be decided, but make sure you keep an eye out for the release of what we hope to be another great movie!
Some other recent releases were Disney’s Haunted Mansion (July 28th, 2024) which was a spooky but family friendly film. One of the coolest aspects of the movie is that it’s closely related to the beloved haunted mansion rides in Disneyland California and Tokyo, and Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. It is a super fun watch that can put anyone in the Halloween spirit!
Finally, just like every year, a handful of terrifying horror films have been or are being released this fall. Some big ones are Speak No Evil, Here After, Apartment 7A, Azrael, Bagman, don’t move, and Carved, to name a few. If you are looking for hair raising horror films, be sure to add some of these new releases to your watch list!
The Halloween season is filled with such great movies, with family favorites, classic remakes, and terrifying horror movies; there is something for everyone to love! So, make sure you check them out to make your season spooktacular!
