Not until my college years is when I started to embrace my love for Halloween. My first year of college was in Massachusetts and I was able to go to Salem to help celebrate, and it made me fall in love with the holiday. My mom wasn’t into any holidays as I look back, she would buy me costumes occasionally, and I don’t think she was too keen into the idea of trick or treating…I can’t remember too many memories of them. I do remember my excitement of being able to look inside people’s homes while trick or treating (I was weird as a child) but I probably only went a couple of times. It just wasn’t a big deal around our house, and that applies to most major holidays (I never knew Christmas jingles until I was in High School).

Over the years, I have grown to enjoy all things Halloween, mostly the movies (I’m not much of a fan of candy so I can do without them). From the family-friendly to the creepy ones, to even the odd ones, I find them so much fun to watch. Here are some of my favorite films to get me in the Halloween Spirit.

The Craft

4 High School Students learning how to use their magical powers and not for all the right reasons…sign me up. I remember going to camp and trying light as a feather stiff as a board…it didn’t work.

Practical Magic

I always felt Practical Magic got lost in the Halloween cult classic. However, it’s a great film about sisterhood.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2: The Next Generation

This one is possibly one of the worst movie of the franchise and probably on this list, but I can’t help but love how ridiculous and campy it is. Plus, you see a pre-fame Renee Zwelleger and Matthew McConaughey

Scream (the entire franchise)

There is something so classic and perfect about each of these films. They give the perfect amount of fright with a dab of camp and fun.

Elvira: The Mistress of the Dark

As a kid, I was so fascinated with Elvira. I probably wasn’t old enough to watch any of her movies, but I found her hilarious, sexy and fun.

The Hunger

A B-List film that’s incredibly underrated vampire flick, and it stars David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve, Bowie plays a vampire that believes he'll live forever. However, he got the wrong vampire blood.

Vampire in Brooklyn

I mean… what would you expect from a vampire in Brooklyn? There are no many decent Black horror films, but this one is fun. It stars Eddie Murphy and Angela Bassett, and you can’t go wrong with that.

The Strangers

Technically not a favorite, but I still get nightmares from it. So, it deserves mention.

The Invitation

It’s a slow burn, but it’s incredible suspense about a group of friends attending a dinner party that goes awry.

Jennifer’s Body

Hands down the best feminist horror film that should be required watching in all Women & Gender Studies introduction courses.

What’s your favorite scary movie?