Easily scared? We got you! These Halloween movies are perfect for if you want a ~spooky~ movie marathon but also want to be able to sleep at night.
Related: This Halloween, Watch These Filipino Horror Movies Starring These Young Stars
Some of us can stomach scream-inducing horror films and watch them by the dozen. Some of us can queue up the entire Paranormal Activity franchise or the Shake, Rattle, & Roll movies (which are all available on YouTube, by the way) and spend the whole night faced with murderous creatures and terrifying situations and still sleep good at night.
On the other hand, some of us (me, and I’m assuming, you) simply cannot deal with anything scary or surprising. One jumpscare and we’re awake and jumpy the whole night. But do we still want to get into the Halloween vibes and spend our October days curled up watching movies? Absolutely. The local and Western films below offer diverse stories spanning different genres, from comedy-horrors to fantasy-romances. They’re mostly cheesy and ridiculous, but we’re not talking about nominees for an Oscar or a FAMAS here. Simply, if you’re a scaredy-cat who just can’t handle the intensity, or if you just want to try out something new, then these movies are for you.
TWITCHES (2005) / TWITCHES TOO (2007)
The underrated duology of Disney’s Twitches make for the perfect Halloween watch as they feature nostalgia, fantasy, family, fighting evil, and pretty exciting stakes and plot twists. Personally, my favorite is the sequel and my favorite sister is Alex (Tia Mowry). It’s a fun a way to start your Halloween movie marathon—by chanting “Go Twitches, go Twitches!”
DOTGA: DA ONE THAT GHOST AWAY (2018)
Laughter’s the best way to offset abject terror. And who doesn’t love a ridiculous little comedy-horror? DOTGA: Da One That Ghost Away is a Ghostbusters-inspired movie that sees Carmel (Kim Chiu) and her best friend Jeje (Ryan Bang), along with their rag-tag group of friends, try to get rid of the ghosts haunting rich architect Jack’s (Enzo Pineda) home.
MAGANDANG HATINGGABI (1998)
This 90’s anthology film features three “episodes” as stories told by the Fatman (Noni Buencamino) to a group of friends and a whole slew of Filipino superstars like Angelica Panganiban, Jericho Rosales, Jaclyn Jose, Eula Valez, Marvin Agustin, Diether Ocampo, and more. Comedy, creatures, and horror run abound in stories of a killer van, a woman with a dark secret, and a haunted house in which the group of friends find themselves trapped in.
GOOSEBUMPS (2015)
Based off hit book series Goosebumps by R.L. Stine, this 2015 adaptation follows “Stine” (Jack Black) as he reveals to his daughter Hannah (Odeya Rush) and our protagonist Zach (Dylan Minnette) that all the creatures in the stories he wrote like the Abominable Snowman of Pasadena and Slappy the nightmare-inducing dummy were true—and that they just set a few of them loose. With plenty of creatures, references, and twists and turns, Goosebumps, like the novels it was based on, can easily become a good addition to your Halloween film rotation.
MONSTER HOUSE (2006)
Did you already see this in another list? Yes. Does it belong on both? Absolutley. Monster House takes “haunted house” to the next level as it plays on kids’ imaginations and classic Halloween and horror tropes to deliver a fun jaunt and a pretty compelling story.
ISPIRITISTA: ITAY, MAY MOOMOO (2005)
One thing about Filipinos—we know how to make comedy-horrors. Mourning widower Victor (Vic Sotto), who’s raising his son Tom Tom alone, tries to make money by pretending to be an ispiritist or a fake medium. But things get real spooky when he suddenly finds himself dealing with actual spirits.
HALLOWEENTOWN II: KALABAR’S REVENGE (2001)
The entire Disney Halloweentown series is a staple in Halloween movie watchlists. Halloweentown II, specifically, is a great watch as we journey with young witch Marnie back to Halloweentown, which has been mysteriously transformed into a gray, dreary place. She and her grandmother Aggie have to get to the bottom of things before Halloweentown and the mortal world are destroyed.
READY OR NOT (2019)
This surprise hit that came out of 2019 stars Samara Weaving as Grace, a woman who thinks it’s about to be the happiest day of her life, until she finds out she has to survive the night—literally. In a strange family tradition, she has to play hide and seek with her fiancé’s family. If they find her, they kill her. Ready or Not, while wild and intense and could be a little scary, is more clever and thrilling, with great performances and a whole lot of fun.
TIKTIK: THE ASWANG CHRONICLES (2012)
This action-adventure with fantastical and horror elements was lauded for being unconventional, fun, very Filipino, and very entertaining. Dingdong Dantes stars as Makoy, who, upon returning to the province to make amends with his pregnant girlfriend Sonia (Lovi Poe), is faced with having to battle a group of tiktik (a kind of aswang) and protect his family and the humans in the village.
WARM BODIES (2013)
Of course we had to get a zombie movie in here—and not just any zombie movie! One of the pioneers of the zom-com genre, the fun and existential Warm Bodies is a hit for a reason. The Romeo and Juliet-esque romance, Nicholas Hoult’s performance as R, and a climactic, heartwarming ending makes for a perfect spooky night treat.
CORALINE (2009)
Some people are terrified by Coraline, but whether you’re a scaredy-cat or not, it still deserves a watch for its groundbreaking animation, unique characters, and genuinely eerie story of an evil being taking on the form of a caring mother that seeks to trap children in a different dimension forever. This one’s a classic.
Continue Reading: 9 Horror Movies That Will Keep You Up All Night on Halloween
