Prepare for Halloween with these must-watch movies

Spooky season has finally arrived. There’s nothing like looking at the calendar and seeing that it’s October to get in the mood for Halloween. Many people feel nostalgic when they are reminded of the excitement that Halloween brought in their childhoods. Whether one wants to reminisce, get into the fall spirit or enjoy the horrors of Halloween, these eight movies are perfect for the season.

“Hocus Pocus” (1993)

This ‘90s Halloween classic fuses comedy, imagination and terror as Max Dennison, his sister Dani and their friend Allison move to Salem, Mass., where they discover an abandoned house. Three hundred years ago, three witches known as the Sanderson sisters were executed for practicing witchcraft after a boy tried to stop them. The boy was turned into an immortal black cat, and the witches have been stuck in that abandoned house ever since. Now, the three witches are revived, and they have limited time to secure immortality. The cult classic has also been reimagined by Disney as a TV movie, slated for release later this year.

“Halloweentown” (1998)

In this Halloween fantasy, 13-year-old Marnie discovers that she is a witch. She finds a concealed portal that leads her to Halloweentown, a place where warlocks, ghouls and witches live isolated from humanity. The surprises and adventures Marnie faces in Halloweentown spurred a thrilling series.

“Ghostbusters” (1984)

A popular classic comedy, Ghostbusters delivers plenty of laughs with a side of the supernatural. Three investigators lose their jobs at Columbia University and decide to create their own business, the Ghostbusters. When they discover a portal that unleashes pure evil in New York, they work to save their city from chaos and destruction.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)

Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town,  is bored with the annual tradition of scaring humans on Halloween. In search for a new holiday, he discovers Christmas Town — a place united by holiday spirit, cheer and love. Jack decides he wants to be the king of Christmas, so he kidnaps Santa Claus in order to assume his role and tries to bring Christmas to his town in this Disney classic.

“Beetlejuice” (1988)

In this horror-comedy flick, a couple goes to Connecticut for vacation and end up falling in love with a country home, where they decide to move permanently. One night, the two get into a car accident and somehow end up back in the house, unaware that they have died. A new family moves into the home, and the couple does everything they can to scare the new family off.

“The Craft” (1996)

Sarah, a teenage girl, and her family move to Los Angeles to start a new life, and she transfers to a Catholic high school. When she enrolls, she befriends three girls who practice witchcraft. Each comes from a troubled past, and together they find curses and spells to take revenge against their classmates.

“Halloween” (1978)

Released Halloween night in 1978, the plot centers on 6 year-old Michael Myers, who was found guilty of murdering his 17-year-old sister. After Myers’ 15-year imprisonment, he is released from a mental hospital on Oct. 30 and escorted to his court date. He manages to escape, stealing a car and returning to his hometown where he begins to kill again. The latest installment of the “Halloween” series is slated for release on Oct. 19.

“The Exorcist” (1973)

Based on William Peter Blatty’s novel of the same name, “The Exorcist” has reinforced itself as a cornerstone of the modern horror genre. A young girl named Regan starts to act strangely and her worried mother tries several different medical treatments to help her daughter, but to no avail. Soon, she visits local priests for help, and they discover that the little girl is possessed by the devil. “The Exorcist” was also the first horror film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.