Top 5 Halloween Movies: A good Halloween movie is a must for Halloween. But what if you could enjoy a fantastic Halloween movie to commemorate the arrival of pumpkin and spice season? Only programs that are available for streaming on paid services like Disney+ and HBO Max, or on free services with advertising, like Pluto TV, were included in our list. If you just want to watch a single movie and don’t want to subscribe to a streaming service, we’ve also included links to rent the individual movies on Amazon. On Rotten Tomatoes, an aggregate website for movie reviews, entries are ranked according to their individual scores. The total number of critic reviews used to determine each title’s grade broke ties.
Here’s a countdown of the 5 best Halloween movies of all time.
Halloween
Published in 1978. For one of the greatest Halloween films ever made, revisit the original Jamie Lee Curtis slasher classic. Halloween opens with a creeper peering out of windows, walking into a house, and stopping in the kitchen to pick up a large carving knife. Fearful yet? If not, you soon will be! One of the greatest films ever made is one you won’t want to miss.
The Exorcist
Released in 1973. There were lineups around the block for this 1973 Oscar-winning bone-chilling film about a possessed girl at movie theaters. But how does “The Exorcist” hold up for modern Halloween viewers? Fico Cangiano of the CineXpress podcast says that it does. “Eerie back then, eerie even now,” the critic concluded.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
This 93’s beloved cult classic manages to convey Halloween’s enchantment and sinister vibe while maintaining its cuteness. This whimsical, amiable fairy tale about holidays and the creatures in charge of them, like the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, who gets into trouble when he tries to take over Christmas, was penned by goth master Tim Burton. Not to mention, Halloween bingo or party games are perfect with The Nightmare Before Christmas playing in the background!
Psycho
Published in 1960. The greatest suspense thriller from renowned director Alfred Hitchcock will spice up Halloween. Psycho essentially created the genre of slasher films and cinematic screaming. It’s still the best Halloween movie ever made, and the reason for that is that it’s the benchmark for really scary movies that will give your night a spooky feel.
Beetlejuice
Released in 1988. A family-friendly horror movie directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice follows a couple who are trapped in the afterlife, haunting their home. It’s one of the rare films where you actually feel like the ghosts haunting the house.