Halloween movies are an interesting breed in the pantheon of holiday-themed cinema. To be considered a Thanksgiving or Christmas movie, the events must explicitly take place during the holiday itself. However, most ooky spooky cinema can be assimilated into the Halloween canon with little pushback, no matter the time of year they’re set in, allowing a wide berth of movies to qualify. However, that lax categorization means that films explicitly concerning the Halloween holiday get lost in the shuffle. Where’s the love for those titles that dare to actually focus on this beloved time of the year?

The 12 best Halloween movies of all time (chosen and ranked per this author’s personal opinions) are an eclectic bunch that show the artistic possibilities that come from directly incorporating Halloween imagery and customs into a cinematic experience. These titles range from quiet indies to superhero blockbusters and, of course, horror films where masked killers imaginatively murder teenagers, among other ventures.

Even though a wide array of movies qualify as “timely viewing” for Halloween, these dozen films are great examples of specifically Halloween-centric cinema and all the creativity that this holiday inspires.

After that original 1978 film, the “Halloween” franchise has never returned to its original artistic glory. Even the David Gordon Green-directed sequel trilogy only saw its initial 2018 installment register as decent, while the latter two released between 2021 and 2022 were dismal disappointments. However, in the pantheon of “Halloween” sequels, one has to give it up to “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” for trying something radically new. This entry ditched Michael Myers in favor of a standalone yarn about Dr. Dan Challis (Tom Atkins) stumbling onto a tremendous conspiracy involving the Silver Shamrock corporation, its must-have Halloween masks, and, naturally, Stonehenge.

While the supernatural would rear its head in later “Halloween” outings, “Season of the Witch” really leaned into the paranormal to realize a story about wild scientists and their masks that turn people’s faces into a pile of bugs and mush. While not exactly scary, the consistent imagination on display separates it from anything else in the “Halloween” canon. The actors exude conviction to the madness, including Dan O’Herlihy as the central villain, Conal Cochran.

Normal “Halloween” fare? Certainly not. However, “Season of the Witch” has enough charms to make it a passable autumn diversion.

Cast: Tom Atkins, Stacey Nelkin, Dan O’Herlihy

Director: Tommy Lee Wallace

Rating: R

Runtime: 99 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to stream on Peacock

Anthology movies have certain downsides, like the inevitable presence of underwhelming segments in between the masterpieces. However, a grimly fun confection like “Trick ‘r Treat” is a reminder that this cinema mode has plenty of advantages when done right. Chiefly, anthology films give viewers a chance to absorb a variety of creative impulses all in one package. In this case, writer director Michael Dougherty delivers a handful of stories that focus on elements ranging from serial killers to werewolves to vengeful ghost kids, all connected through the recurring appearance of a youngster in a burlap sack named Sam.

This approach renders the movie a delightful grab-bag of spooky aesthetics. No matter what style of horror makes your spine tingle, “Trick ‘r Treat” has something you’ll enjoy. Each segment’s more compact storytelling sensibilities (stemming from the limited runtime of each section) also ensures that no one narrative overstays its welcome and no weak elements become overbearing. Dougherty’s love for macabre humor also produces some gnarly yet darkly amusing imagery that feels like a precursor to the memorably warped slayings from the “Terrifier” movies. Even those wary of anthology films will find lots to love in “Trick r’ Treat.”

Cast: Dylan Baker, Brian Cox, Anna Paquin

Director: Michael Dougherty

Rating: R

Runtime: 82 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV

Growing up through the horrors of puberty is already challenging enough without throwing werewolf-based peril into the mix. That’s, unfortunately, what befalls “Ginger Snaps” protagonists Brigitte (Emily Perkins) and Ginger Fitzgerald (Katharine Isabelle), the latter becoming more violent as she transforms into a creature of the night. Now it’s up to Brigitte to find a cure for her sister while keeping Ginger’s condition a secret, which becomes tricky as folks start dying around the pair.

Director John Fawcett and screenwriter Karen Walton work wonders bringing “Ginger Snaps” to life, depicting the angst of their teenage heroines with real gravitas rather than aloof mockery while bringing unnerving chops to the werewolf-centric sequences. If there are any artists involved in “Ginger Snaps” that really rise to the occasion, though, it’s Perkins and Isabelle, the anchors of the entire movie. They’re both exemplary in their irony-free performances, a welcome trait that makes it even easier to fall into their respective characters. From the rich portrayal of its captivating leads to the ubiquity of its dutch angle cinematography, “Ginger Snaps” exudes captivating creative confidence.

Cast: Emily Perkins, Katharine Isabelle, Kris Lemche

Director: John Fawcett

Rating: R

Runtime: 108 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to stream on AMC+ and Shudder.

In 2014, indie auteur Adam Wingard and frequent screenplay collaborator Simon Barrett hit a creative peak with “The Guest.”  In this feature, mysterious, hunky stranger David Collins (Dan Stevens) shows up in the lives of the Peterson family claiming to be a friend of their deceased son as Halloween descends upon the world. Though a seemingly upstanding guy, grisly murders and similar happenings keep tracing back to him.

Halloween is a time of the year for playful atmosphere and antics, whether it’s haunted houses or harmless pranks pulled on friends. “The Guest” keeps that spirit alive with its jovial ambiance without devolving into self-parody. The tension and stakes here are immensely tangible, but Wingard also infuses the proceedings with a zippy, darkly humorous touch bursting with personality. Within these tonal confines, Stevens ramps up the charm in one of his most enjoyable and unpredictable lead performances. Supporting performers Maika Monroe and Lance Reddick are also indispensable in their profoundly compelling work. David Collins may be a terrible house guest, but “The Guest” is a movie worth inviting into your home this Halloween season. 

Cast: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Lance Reddick

Director: Adam Wingard

Rating: R

Runtime: 100 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV

After years of performing side-splitting acts together on “Saturday Night Live,” the prospect of Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig vanishing into siblings for the movie “The Skeleton Twins” sounds impossible. Yet this Craig Johnson directorial effort (which heavily involves Halloween) pulls off that magic trick effortlessly, following siblings Maggie (Wiig) and Milo (Hader) who reconnect following each’s near-death experience

There’s a simultaneous tenderness and rawness to Johnson and Mark Heyman’s screenplay in exploring the messiest corners of these two people. Maggie and Milo are not just torn up about who they love, but also struggle over whether or not they want to be alive. “Skeleton Twins” handles that weighty material with deftness and tonal complexity in large part due to Hader and Wiig’s fantastic performances. The autumn and Halloween backdrops provide the perfect melancholy visual extension of their psychological states. If you’re searching for Halloween fare that’s a little more grounded in reality, then “The Skeleton Twins” is a tour de force and a shining showcase for Hader and Wiig’s acting chops.

Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson

Director: Craig Johnson

Rating: R

Runtime: 93 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to stream on Tubi

While Laika’s most famous movie remains “Coraline,” the label’s second feature, “ParaNorman,” also deserves some love as a very special kind of animated family movie. This stop-motion yarn about a young boy named Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who can talk to the dead is a Halloween-set delight that happily tackles weighty material about prejudice, vengeance, and society’s dangerous definitions of “normalcy.” The subject matter is handled with grace while never overwhelming the surface-level entertainment value. It’s all brought to life with moments of genuinely chilling tension, helped by the stunning stop-motion animation that lends immediate tactility to the movie’s many intense set pieces.

The cast of characters are also a riot in their designs alone and each is brought to life with lively vocal performances from the likes of John Goodman and Anna Kendrick. Halloween is typically thought of as a holiday for society’s outsiders and oddballs. What better way to celebrate the season than a movie like “ParaNorman” that functions as a love letter to both those same very same souls and classic horror cinema?

Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck

Director: Sam Fell, Chris Butler

Rating: PG

Runtime: 92 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV

What Halloween season would be complete without a visit to Halloween Town? “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” directed by stop motion legend Henry Selick and based on a story by Tim Burton, is a movie that practically needs no introduction. The saga of Jack Skellington taking over Christmas has seeped itself into every crevice of modern culture and for good reason. 

It’s a spectacularly entertaining feature, especially from a visual perspective. The grotesque Halloween Town inhabitants and their expressionist domiciles are already plenty wondrous to look at on their own. Contrasting that with the vibrancy of Christmas Town, though, ensures that “Nightmare” remains a feast for the eyes throughout.

The film also astounds as a great musical, with tunes like “Oogie Boogie’s Song” and “What’s This?” full of lively and memorable lyrics. While many modern animated musicals opt for songs that sound like pop radio hits, the various “Nightmare Before Christmas” ditties are macabre creations incredibly specific to its world. It’s impressive how much entertainment and artistry Selick and company cram into a 76 minute runtime. “Brevity is the soul of wit,” as they say, and that compactness only amplifies the endless charms of this rightful Halloween classic. 

Cast: Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, Ken Page

Director: Henry Selick

Rating: PG

Runtime: 76 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to stream on Disney+

Everyone knows Cary Grant as the master of screwball comedies. However, he doesn’t get enough credit for expanding that skillfulness to the world of Halloween cinema with Frank Capra’s 1944 film “Arsenic and Old Lace,” an adaptation of the 1941 Joseph Kesselring play of the same name. Taking place during the Halloween season,  the film follows skeptical theater critic Mortimer Brewster (Grant) discovering that his aunts, Abby (Josephine Hull) and Martha (Jean Adair), have been killing single elderly men. Brewst must contend with this while dealing with all kinds of issues relating to the woman he married that morning. 

It’s a wacky ride full of misunderstandings, corpses, and a divine comedic performance from Cary Grant. All these outsized characters are brought to life through an incredibly game cast, while Capra and cinematographer Sol Polito are masterful in executing visual gags. Plus, all the chaos Brewster endures on Halloween could be oddly reassuring for viewers experiencing their own tumultuous holiday. 

Cast: Cary Grant, Raymond Massey, Jack Carson

Director: Frank Capra

Rating: PG

Runtime: 118 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV

Horrors exist everywhere. “The Exorcist” is an ingenious manifestation of that reality with its story about a young girl, Regan (Linda Blair), becoming possessed by a Satanic spirit. Rather than a far-off castle or ramshackle house isolated from the rest of Texas, the nightmare here occurs in a typical Washington D.C. suburb. Juxtaposing that backdrop with a Satanic force controlling the youth provided powerful and eerie dissonance, captivating moviegoers both in 1973 and today.

What else would you expect from a ’70s cinema master like William Friedkin (who would later deliver quintessential suspense experiences like “Sorcerer”)? His keen sense of timing for realizing haunting images or upending normalcy keeps this exorcism yarn consistently blood-curdling. Even the smallest details reflect impressive levels of craftsmanship, like the Oscar-winning squirmy sound design. Then, of course, there’s the legendary performances from the likes of Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn, ensuring tangible humanity in this saga no matter how outlandish the supernatural elements get.

Though its plot may only briefly intersect with Halloween, that’s enough to qualify “The Exorcist” as a must-watch seasonal staple. After all, what Halloween would be complete without the presence of one of the most impactful horror movies ever made?

Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb

Director: William Friedkin

Rating: R

Runtime: 122 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV

The events of “The Batman,” specifically the carnage enacted by Edward Nashton (Paul Dano) on corrupt, wealthy Gotham citizens, occur during the Halloween season. A Halloween-themed greeting card is even left at one of his earliest crime scenes for Batman to find, immediately instilling the film with an ominous air. Given that Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” is all about danger lurking in shadows or the caked-in deception suffocating Gotham, it’s no surprise that the film uses Halloween as a springboard for its story, with its material feeling like it came straight out of a horror movie at times. 

Whatever time of year you watch this superhero film noir, “The Batman” resonates as an outstanding feat. A three-hour runtime moves like a breeze thanks to the strong filmmaking on display and the compelling performances from the ensemble cast, exemplified by Robert Pattinson’s off-kilter take as the Caped Crusader. It’s also fun to witness the combination of a tactile world with unabashedly outlandish elements of the classic Batman mythos, like Edward donning green outfits to commit his crimes. “The Batman” isn’t just a sublime Halloween-themed blockbuster, but a terrific motion picture for Batman fans and film geeks alike.

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano

Director: Matt Reeves

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 176 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to stream on HBO Max

The entire American film industry is living in a post-“Blair Witch Project” world. This micro budget production redefined how horror films could be marketed and the kind of minimalist stories they could tell, with countless other movies, and at least two direct sequels, trying to recreate that “Blair Witch” magic. But each time has proven that you just can’t crank out something this good on an assembly line. A seemingly simple plot about three film students who get lost and lose their minds in the woods while searching for the fabled Blair Witch masks a found footage horror movie immensely intricate and precise in how it doles out frights.

“The Blair Witch Project” doesn’t need gallons of blood or traditional cinematography to exude an ominous atmosphere. The scares instead come from eerie sound design representing off-screen frights and how quickly people turn against each other in times of turmoil. Capturing everything through a camcorder accentuates an intimate quality that amplifies that fear — we’re in the same room as these characters and their ceaseless nightmare.

Happily, “Blair Witch Project’s” story purportedly occurs in October 1994, which means it qualifies as a Halloween film. Carve out some time each October to revisit this horror masterpiece and see how less is more when it comes to horror.

Cast: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard

Director: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez

Rating: R

Runtime: 81 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV

There have been way too many “Halloween” movies, most of them subpar. But few would deny that 1978’s “Halloween,” even if it didn’t make as much money as some later entries, was anything less than an absolute masterclass in chilling cinema. Director John Carpenter, still relatively new to his filmmaking career, demonstrated the chops of a seasoned master in executing tension through even the tiniest elements. 

Even decades later, it’s thoroughly impressive how much suspense “Halloween” pulls simply from brief glimpses of Michael Myers lurking in the background. Even when not butchering someone, the masked entity exudes an ominous air you want to avoid like the plague. Playing opposite this slasher icon is Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence as Laurie Strode and Dr. Loomis, respectively. Both are almost as entertaining as “Halloween’s” central villain, with Pleasence exquisitely lending urgent paranoia and gravitas to every scene Dr. Loomis intrudes on. Curtis, meanwhile, exudes an instantly endearing everyday person quality, making for a chilling contrast to the abnormal manifestation of terror that is Michael Myers.

Unlike every other film here, “Halloween” arguably helped shape its film’s titular holiday for good, with October 31st forever being associated with Michael Myers’ unforgettable theme music. Luckily, “Halloween” remains so outstanding that this inescapable intertwining is no problem.

Cast: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nick Castle

Director: John Carpenter

Rating: R

Runtime: 92 minutes

Where to Watch: Available to stream on Shudder and AMC+