For many, celebrating Halloween can feel like a bit of childhood regression, complete with dressing up, carving pumpkins, eating candy, and watching scary movies on the couch with your loved ones. As odd as embracing your inner child may seem, it actually makes a lot of sense for us to do so. Studies have shown that there is a significant psychological reward for dabbling in nostalgia, from easing our anxieties to offsetting our concerns about the present. That’s why we at Think Glamor have curated a list of nostalgic Halloween movies to watch while staying in this year. So kick back, relax, and grab the candy corn, because we’re harkening back to the comfortable familiarity of the past to soothe over the anxieties of this year—at least for one spooky movie night.
Practical Magic
First on our list is the 1998 film Practical Magic, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. This romantic comedy is all about sisterhood, love, curses, and feeling like the odd one out in a small town. Set in village on a U.S. coastline, this film comes complete with scenic views of the protagonists’s home overlooking the ocean and charming shots of small-town scenery. Laugh, cry, and squirm as the family of witches navigate their life together and try to overcome the messes that magic makes for them.
Watch Practical Magic (click here)
The Addam’s Family and Addam’s Family Values
This double feature suggestion is all about the creepy, kooky, and altogether spooky Addam’s family. These films are the predecessor to the 2019 reboot—but are also reboots in their own right, from the the 1950s Addam’s family television series. If the success of the Addam’s family story throughout the years isn’t enough to make you want to watch, then the monster imagery riddled throughout the film is surely a selling point for this Halloween. Join Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday, Pugsley, and the rest of the Addam’s family gang this holiday as they take you on wacky adventures, from Camp Chippewa to a monster ball.
Watch The Addam’s Family (click here) and Addam’s Family Values (click here)
Twitches
Sister act Tia and Tamera Mowry starred in Disney Channel’s Twitches in 2005 as twin sisters Alex and Camryn, who were spilt apart at birth and reconnect on their 21st birthday. Follow this comedic duo on their journey to figuring out their destiny, from navigating life in suburbia to battling evil in fantasy landscapes. Feast your eyes on all the early aughts fashion inspiration packed into this heartwarming film about sisterhood and witchcraft. The Mowry sisters will be sure to have you cheering Go Twitches, Go Twitches by the end of their daring adventure.
Watch Twitches (click here)
Scream
The original Scream debuted in 1996 and changed teen horror movies forever. Its self-aware, tongue-in-cheek nature, peak 90s fashion, and iconic line: “What’s your favorite scary movie?” makes it a must-watch during the month of October and a go-to for Halloween. Starring Courtney Cox, Drew Barrymore, Rose McGowan, and many more, this film follows Sidney and her friends as they band together to try and stay alive long enough to figure out who is behind that Scream mask (from the eponymous painting by Edvard Munch). This classic horror movie is ideal for a night on the couch with your closest friends—just make sure not to overdo it with the popcorn, or else you’ll be sweeping it up off the floor after all the jump-scares in this movie.
Watch Scream (click here)
Casper
The Universal Studios film Casper is a 1995 adaptation of the cartoon series Casper the Friendly Ghost. The film follows a young girl called Kathleen, portrayed by Christina Ricci, and her father Dr. James into the mansion of Carrigan Crittenden, where Kathleen’s dad is meant to exorcise the mansion of its undead inhabitants. This plan changes when Kathleen becomes friends with Casper, who proves to her and Dr. James that not all ghosts are bad. Some are, in fact, quite friendly.
Watch Casper (click here)