With the semester flying by, October brings us midterms and confusing weather patterns that are sure to leave every commuter with a too-thick jacket by the afternoon. These phenomena can only be a sign of one thing–fall. Yellow, orange and red leaves, crisp apple pies, pumpkin coffees, and movies. If your October isn’t filled with movie nights and TV show binges, is it even October? Whether it be Halloween scare nights or festive fall films, October is all about the movies.
To get it out there immediately, let’s start with the Halloween classics. “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “Matilda,” “Hocus Pocus,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and every “Ghostbusters” movie are just some of the Halloween necessities.
“Beetlejuice,” “Scream,” “The Addams Family” (1991), “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) are great for horror fans. All types of slasher films—a horror genre where a large group of people get murdered—and any movie based on a Stephen King novel are other good options for horror lovers.
But, what is almost undoubtedly the most underrated genre of Halloween movies, is stop-motion films. Stop-motion movies are an unconscious staple of Halloween. “Coraline,” “Corpse Bride,” “Frankenweenie,” “Monster House,” the aforementioned “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “ParaNorman,” “Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” are all stop-motion, and are some of the best Halloween movies out there.
“Coraline” is arguably one of the most iconic non-Halloween Halloween movies, and for good reason. Its impressive attention to detail and intriguing lore, paired with the fact that it scared so many of its viewers as children make it a fall favorite. The movie focuses on Coraline, a young girl who’s just moved to a new and slightly off town with her family. She forms a relationship with an alternate version of her mother, who doesn’t have Coraline’s best interests in mind. It’s a puzzling and alluring film that has captivated audiences since its release.
Although Halloween certainly dominates October’s festivities, classic fall should not be forgotten about. For fall vibes that aren’t holiday related, you might love “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “Good Will Hunting.” None of these movies are directly Halloween or fall-related, but all take place during those seasons and may provide you a fun way to get into the fall vibes without all the holiday stuff.
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” is another wonderful stop motion film. Although fit for any time of year, the warm orange tones and cozy outfits worn by the critters makes this movie feel especially Fall-like.
“Good Will Hunting” takes place here in Boston and follows the young Will Hunting as he works through the traumas of his past and tries to create a better life for himself. “When Harry Met Sally” is a Fall set romcom that explores love in relationships. Either of these movies may be a welcome break from the rest of any horror-themed marathons.
For those who prefer TV binges over movie marathons, “The X-Files” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” are two TV shows fit for the season. “The X-Files” follows two FBI agents, Mulder and Scully, on their quests to investigate unexplained phenomena including alien abductions, government cover-ups and some incredibly mysterious deaths. With different episodes touching on myths and mysteries like El Chupacabra, Frankenstien, sentient computers and telepaths, every season of this show will scratch the spooky itch.
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” details the life of high schooler Buffy Summers while she fulfills her destiny: slaying vampires. Throughout the show, she learns to embrace her “vampire-demon and other dark-force slaying” ways, defeating enemies left and right. Both “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “The X-Files” have seven or more seasons that will carry viewers through all their October binge sessions and beyond.
When squished between Boston’s hot summers and often cold winters, fall can feel a little short. But, what Bostonians may miss in enjoyable fall weather, they get back in awesome fall films.