The West Bend Current

Now that October has finally rolled around, spooky season is within reach. Put aside the fact that it’s 80 degrees every day and the leaves have only just started to change, and focus on the scariest, screamiest and best holiday: Halloween. And what would Halloween be without the movies? We don’t want to know. So, as a special treat for our readers, the Current has painstakingly compiled a list of 10 movies to perfectly complement every moody kid’s favorite time of year. So put on a cozy sweater or a bloodstained plastic mask and curl up on the couch with some cider and popcorn and enjoy the definitive list of the season.

Halloween (1978)

Let’s start with the most obvious pick of the list: “Halloween.” This film was so important that it had a whole holiday named after it. The movie follows Jamie Lee Curtis in her star-making debut as final girl Laurie Strode and Donald Pleasence as the benevolent Doctor Loomis as they are stalked by masked murderer Michael Myers. Even though Myers is only able to move in slow motion, the heroes of the movie still find it impossible to defend themselves from his brutal onslaught. “Halloween” is one of the most immediately iconic slasher movies of all time and propelled Jamie Lee Curtis into the Hollywood stratosphere (where she eventually reached her career peak in camp classic miniseries “Scream Queens”). All in all, “Halloween” has everything the season needs: blood, jack-o’-lanterns and dead teenagers.

Beetlejuice (1988)

“Beetlejuice” holds a special place in the Current’s heart. One particularly handsome reporter dressed as the titular character about seven times throughout a three-year period. And with the success of last year’s sequel, the cleverly named “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” it’s safe to say the public regards Beetlejuice as highly as we do. And for good reason: “Beetlejuice” is a perfect blend of surreal comedy and grotesque horror. Featuring a stacked cast of Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Geena Davis and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as the movie’s leads, “Beetlejuice” follows a dysfunctional family who have just moved into a beautiful house in upstate New York. The only problem? The previous owners of the house tragically died–and now they’re stuck inside forever. Wacky and terrifying hijinks ensue as moody teenager Lydia teams up with the ghosts and eventually the comically evil bio-exorcist Beetlejuice to rid the house of her family. Even with the horribly dated animation and puppetry, “Beetlejuice” stands nearly 40 years later as a classic.

Goosebumps (2015) 

Based on the blockbuster book series of the same name, “Goosebumps” is a classic with a cult of one. In this loose adaptation, Zach (Dylan Minnette) moves to a sleepy town and falls in love with Hannah (Odeya Rush), the mysterious girl next door. Unfortunately, her father (Jack Black) is extremely protective of Hannah, keeping her locked inside all day. Zach and his new best friend, Champ (Ryan Lee), learn that Hannah’s father is a writer of horror novels whose monsters literally leap off the pages and hold the town under siege. The trio fights valiantly to suck the creatures back into the books from whence they came. While not particularly scary, the film is great family entertainment and holds a nostalgic place in the Gen Z Halloween canon. It may also be noted that Dylan Minnette looks very handsome in the movie. Next!

Suspiria (1977)

If you ever wanted to join a dance academy, watch cult classic “Suspiria.” You will no longer want to join a dance academy. This Italian masterpiece follows a young American dancer, Suzy (Jessica Harper), as she heads to a prestigious German dance academy. After a string of brutal murders and maggots falling from the ceiling (both equally terrible), Suzy begins to realize that the school  is run by a coven of witches. With necromancy, outstanding jumpscares and some of the best lighting and color schemes in film history, “Suspiria” is a Halloween must-watch.

Nosferatu (2024)

While any iteration of this classic and highly influential film would fit right in on this list, we must go with the most recent version due simply to having Nicholas Hoult. “Nosferatu” is the original vampire film. First a silent movie in 1922 with subsequent remakes in 1979 and 2024, the story follows a seductive vampire, Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard), and his attempts to win the love of noblewoman Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) in 1830s Germany. Orlok summons Ellen’s husband, Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), to his castle in Transylvania under the guise of a business deal. Thomas narrowly escapes with his life after Orlok drives him mad and attempts to murder him. When Thomas returns home to find his wife ill, he sets out to defend Ellen from Orlok’s advances. “Nosferatu” is eerie without being over-the-top, beautifully shot and well-acted by every member of the cast. Any self-respecting Halloween list would be remiss not to include some iteration of this film. And it’s on our list, too.

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

George Romero’s zombie classic holds the rare distinction of having a My Chemical Romance song written about it, and really, what’s more Halloween-y than that? 

Scary Movie 2 (2001)

Ignore the reviews. The Current has the definitive take on this movie. “Scary Movie 2” is the “Citizen Kane” of horror spoofs. Much like “Citizen Kane,” this gorgeous work of cinema was robbed blindly of the Oscar for Best Picture. We don’t think it would be outrageous to say that the Wayans brothers are the Orson Welles of this millennium. If you have a joyful and whimsical soul, this movie is for you. If you don’t, just keep scrolling. And what are you doing here anyway? “Scary Movie 2” is a parody of supernatural horror that ends up being light years better than its predecessor. The scariest part of this movie is how much fun you’ll have watching it. 

The Witches (1990)

Based on the Roald Dahl novel, “The Witches” is probably the scariest movie to watch as a small child. The plot revolves around Luke (Jasen Fisher), a young boy staying with his grandmother at a hotel. After some brief spying, Luke uncovers a convention of witches, led by the Grand High Witch (Anjelica Huston), meeting at the hotel to plot their world takeover. After the witches find Luke, he has to fight tooth and nail to defeat them and save the hotel’s populace before he gets turned into a rodent. The horrifying witches are depicted as the most bone-chilling thing a person can be: bald. There are a lot of rats.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

Television peaked in 1966 with this autumn blockbuster. Featuring Charles Schulz’s iconic Peanuts characters, “Great Pumpkin” revolves around Linus Van Pelt’s quest to find the titular vegetable by hiding out in pumpkin patches. Once the Current thought we saw the Great Pumpkin, but it was actually just yo mama in an orange dress. Snoopy also stars as a World War One flying ace in a plot more harrowing than “Saving Private Ryan” and with flight scenes more breathtaking than “Top Gun.” To round out the plot, the rest of the gang trick-or-treats, with poor Charlie Brown receiving only a rock (the Current feels deeply maternal for him). Once airing on network television every Halloween, this special now is only available to watch on Apple TV+ thanks to the evils of capitalism. Thanks Obamacare. (Alternate ending: Charlie Brown provides redemption to bald people everywhere.)

Practical Magic (1998)

Another witchy cult classic. Hold your applause till the end, please. “Practical Magic” will put a spell on you. Any movie with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as sister witches is bound to be monumental. This feminist romp through genres follows Gillian and Sally Owens (Kidman and Bullock) as they come to terms with their generational gift of magic. Blending rom-com, procedural, drama and the supernatural effortlessly, the story’s love and sorcery cut through the darkness of the Owens’ lives. Despite negative-to-mixed reviews, “Practical Magic” is an unmissable Halloween classic.

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(Photos are official publicity material.)