PARANORMAN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Not all Halloween-themed films have to be horrifying features, full of violence and gore and only suitable for older viewers. Like a lot of animated films have proved, such as Monster House, Frankenweenie and Coraline, they can be scary but still suitable for the whole family. The same can be said for Paranorman, a dark, animated feature released in 2012.

A small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he'll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst, of all, grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.

When this was first released over five years ago, I didn't bother watching it as I passed it off as a 'silly children's film'. However, I've since released that not all animated features are aimed solely at children, a lot of them can be suitable for the whole family. This includes Paranorman. It's dark tone and the zombies may scare younger viewers, however, it never loses its humour and, because of this, keeps everyone entertained throughout its 93 minute runtime. 

When we first meet Norman, we can instantly see that he is very lonely and is isolated from his family and, even worse, is bullied at school. This is because he talks to the dead and everyone else thinks he's weird and crazy for doing so. However, it's Norman's rare gift that will eventually save the world from a curse that wakes up the dead. The writer, Chris Butler (who also co-directed with Sam Fell), has succeeded in creating a likable character. Despite his loneliness and the constant bullying, he doesn't stop being who he is. And, of course, he gets scared when he hears of the curse from Mr. Prenderghast (John Goodman) who has recently passed away. However, he soon develops into a brave protagonist towards the end of the film. His loneliness soon fades away when he develops a friendship with Neil (Tucker Albrizzi) who is also bullied, due to him being chubby. However, he has an upbeat personality and doesn't let the bullying get him down. He's the perfect friend for Norman as he stands by him and helps him stop the curse.

The voice cast is effectively chosen and features recognisable names such as Anna Kendrick as Norman's older sister, Courtney, Leslie Mann and Jeff Garlin as Norman's parents, John Goodman as Mr. Prenderghast and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Alvin, the school bully. All give solid performances, however, the stand-out is Smit-McPhee as Norman. He doesn't just read his lines, he says them with honest emotion which makes Norman seem like a real character. 

Because of its 93 minute runtime, Paranorman moves at a brisk pace and is never anything less than a thoroughly entertaining feature. I think that this is the type of film that will appeal to older viewers, as the jokes are aimed at them. However, if you have a young child who doesn't mind a scare every now and then and can handle zombies, then I highly recommend giving it a watch. Directors Butler and Fell wanted Paranorman to appeal to most viewers and, with that, they have succeeded. 

What stood out to me the most about Paranorman was its visually impressive animation. The level of detail in each frame such that you'll inevitably miss masses, but what you won't miss is the sense of this as a rich, three-dimensional world that you fully believe in, despite the outlandish extremes it's frequently taken to. It's because of this that Paranorman was nominated for an Academy Award in 2013. 

The narrative may be nothing we haven't already seen or heard of before, however, it's entirely worth watching if you're looking for a very entertaining and funny film with a dark and creepy tone to watch a Halloween.

7/10

FRANKENWEENIE REVIEW

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Many of us will have had pets at some point in our lives and will understand the special relationship that the main protagonist in Tim Burton's animated feature, Frankenweenie, has with his dog, Sparky. This is based on Burton's short feature which was released in 1982 and starred Shelley Duvall and Daniel Stern. I hadn't seen the short prior to watching the animated feature so I had no idea what to expect.

After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor (voice of Charlie Tahan) harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life-with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor's fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new "leash on life" can be monstrous.

The tone of Frankenweenie is similar to that of Burton's previous animated feature, Corpse Bride, so those who liked that film will most certainly find something to enjoy here. The plot will also resonate with anyone who has ever lost a beloved pet as we will understand Victor's decision to bring Sparky back to life. While his decision results in him reuniting with his dog, it turns out to be disastrous for others, including Victor's classmates who also want to resurrect dead animals in order to win a trophy at the science fair. This leads to a Godzilla-like climax as a giant turtle, a vampire cat and many other creations storm into the fair. While this is an animated feature that is suitable for the whole family, younger children may find certain scenes too scary. 

Like the film's title, Frankieweenie has many references to Frankenstein and many other classic horror stories. The young boy is based on the mad inventor, he lives next door to a girl named Elsa Van Helsing (Winona Ryder), her pet poodle ends up having a hair style similar to that of The Bride Of Frankenstein, a creepy young kid is named Edgar (which sounds like 'E' Gore), another resembles Frankenstein's monster and one of the dead pets is named Shelly (after Mary Shelly, who wrote the novel, Frankenstein). There are plenty more references featured that you'll notice if you watch the film. 

As I previously mentioned, the tone is similar to Corpse Bride, however, I recently discovered a theory regarding Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride and Henry Selick's 1993 animated feature, The Nightmare Before Christmas. In Frankenweenie, the young boy is named Victor which is the same name as the main character in Corpse Bride. And if you compare the two characters, they look the same as they both have sleek, black hair and similar expressions. Victor in Corpse Bride also has a dog who died, however, he is reunited with him after he ends up in the land of the dead. And Jack's ghostly dog in The Nightmare Before Christmas looks very similar to Sparky as they both have a pointy nose. It's an interesting theory, however, Burton hasn't confirmed this. 

Because of the dark and creepy tone of Frankenweenie, it's one of the best films to watch during Halloween. It's thoroughly entertaining throughout its 87 minute runtime. It moves at a brisk pace and it doesn't take long for the film to establish just how much Victor loves his pet dog. The opening shows Victor and his parents watching a film that he made that features Sparky. Sparky's death also happens very suddenly, however, Burton knows not to show it as it could upset those who have lost pets. 

To voice his characters, Burton has chosen a recognisable cast whose voices are all suitable to the characters they're playing. Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short are the voices of Victor's parents, however, they also provide the voices of other characters as well. Ryder reunites with Burton to voice Victor's neighbour, Elsa Van Helsing and the late, great Martin Landau, who sadly passed away earlier this year, voices the science teacher, Mr. Rzykruski. Charlie Tahan is great as the young Victor.

Overall, Frankenweenie is an energetic stop-motion horror movie spoof with lovingly crafted visuals and a heartfelt, oddball story that will resonate with those who have ever had a beloved pet. 

7/10

ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES REVIEW

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Based on the 1964 TV series of the same name, The Addams Family was a successful feature film adaptation when it was released in 1991. It thoroughly captured the tone of the original series and was very entertaining throughout so it's not surprising that a sequel was soon released two years later. However, a lot of sequels tend to be money-grabs that involve lazy filmmaking. Can the same be said for Addams Family Values?
It's love at first sight when Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) welcome a new addition to the Addams household - Pubert, their soft, cuddly, moustachioed baby boy. As Fester (Christopher Lloyd) falls hard for voluptuous nanny Debbie Jilinsky (Joan Cusack), the two older children, Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) discover she's a black-widow murderess who plans to add Fester to her collection of dead husbands. The family's future grows even bleaker when the no-good nanny marries Fester and has the kids sent to summer camp. However, Wednesday has a thing or two up her sleeve.
Those who enjoyed the first Addams Family film will love this sequel. In many ways, it improves on its predecessor including the acting and the comedy. There's not a bad performance to be found in this sequel. As the loved-up couple, both Julia and Huston manage to recapture the chemistry they shared previously. The late Julia was perfect as the charismatic and eccentric Gomez and I think it's the role he'll be remembered for. Also returning are Ricci and Workman as the siblings, Wednesday and Pugsley. The two have a great brotherly-sisterly relationship and Ricci's comedic timing is perfect and she has plenty of one liners. I think that her role as Wednesday is why she's still a successful actress working today. Many people may associate Lloyd with his role as Doc Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy and as the villain in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? however, I think that his performance as Fester is one of his best. He is almost unrecognisable underneath all the make-up and costume. Cusack has given great supporting roles in films such as School Of Rock and many may know her from voicing Jessie in the Toy Story films, however, she gives a memorable performance as the evil Debbie who, at first, seems sweet but we soon learn that she has a darker background. Throughout the film, she tries to come up ways to kill Fester which all hilariously fail with Fester remaining unharmed. Each actor gives a performance that contributes the overall entertainment of Addams Family Values.
For the majority of the film, each member of the Addams family is split up into three different narratives: Gomez and Wednesday trying to convince Fester to come home after his marriage to Debbie, Debbie's attempts to kill Fester and Wednesday and Pugsley's stay at summer camp. Out of the three, I'd say the latter is the most entertaining as it's funny to see Wednesday and Pugsley out of their comfort zone. Here, we see Wednesday fall in love for the first time with a boy, Joel Glicker (David Krumholtz), who was also forced to attend summer camp. However, Wednesday, Pugsley and Joel soon come up with a plan that involves setting fire to the camp's Thanksgiving based musical. This is one of the best sequences in the whole film.
The plot, written by Paul Rudnick, is consistently entertaining and features a twist involving baby Pubert who, after Fester, Wednesday and Pugsley all leave, soon becomes a rosy-cheeked baby, much to Gomez and Morticia's dismay. Granny Addams (Carol Kane) soon reveals that the only way to reverse this curse is to reunite all members of the Addams family. If they fail to do so, the curse could be permanent and Pubert could grow to become a lawyer, an orthodontist or, even worse, the President. Seeing Gomez and Morticia react to this is very funny as they truly believe this is the worst thing that could happen.
After her latest failed attempt to kill Fester, Debbie breaks into the Addams household and plans on killing them all by strapping them to an electric chair. In this scene, by using a slideshow, Debbie explains how she became the psychopath she is now. As a child, her parents got her the wrong Barbie for her birthday so she returned the favour by setting their house alight. She then had several husbands who, when they couldn't commit to Debbie, were murdered. Most films don't bother giving their villain a backstory so it's good that Rudnick gave an understandable explanation to Debbie's murderous nature.
Overall, Addams Family Values is one of those rare sequels that is an improvement on its predecessor. It's also a great film to watch during Halloween due to its dark tone.
7/10

MONSTER HOUSE REVIEW

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​Despite being aimed at children, Monster House is probably one of the scariest films I've ever watched. It was released when I was nine years old and I remember covering my eyes during the scariest scenes. Fortunately, now that I'm 19, I can enjoy it without being scared. I do think it's one of the most underrated animated films, if I'm honest.

A teenager, DJ (voice of Mitchel Musso) is observing his neighbor Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi) on the other side of their street in the suburb that destroys tricycles of children that trespass his lawn. When DJ's parents travel on the eve of Halloween and the abusive nanny Zee (Maggie Gyllenhaal) stays with him, he calls his clumsy best friend Chowder (Sam Lerner) to play basketball. But when the ball falls in Nebbercracker's lawn, the old man has a siege, and soon they find that the house is a monster. Later the boys rescue the smart Jenny (Spencer Locke) from the house and the trio try to convince the babysitter, her boyfriend Bones (Jason Lee) and two police officers that the haunted house is a monster, but, unfortunately, nobody believes them. The teenagers ask their video-game addicted acquaintance Skull (Jon Heder) how to destroy the house, and they disclose its secret on the Halloween night.

No, the animation isn't spectacular but it doesn't need to be. The story is entertaining enough that we soon forget about what the animation looks like. However, it does feature some dark visuals to give the film its creepy atmosphere. 

The three main protagonists (DJ, Chowder and Jenny) all come off as brave and likeable especially when they come up with a plan to destroy the literal 'monster house'. Despite being a PG, there are small references to sex as the main characters are going through puberty. These references will go over children's heads but will entertain older viewers including a line from Chowder who gets confused when he think that it's a 'girl house' when Jenny points out the uvula.

The film includes recognisable names such as Buscemi who plays the owner of the house. For the majority of the film, he's portrayed as a truly terrifying character as he's always running out of his house to chase people away. However, in the film's climax, we see a different side to him.

The 'monster house' is as scary as the title suggests. At various points in the film, it does 'eat' people. These are probably the scariest parts of the film. However, to keep the PG rating of the film, these characters were shown leaving the house during the end credits. The climax of the film is very tense as the trio try to destroy the house. 

Two of the executive producers are Robert Zemekis and Steven Spielberg, who are, currently, two of the biggest filmmakers in Hollywood. It was their job to make sure that this film was made within its budget, agreed to technical and artistic standards and completed on time. If it can get both Zemekis and Spielberg's seal of approval, then it's definitely worth a watch.

Monster House is similar to Caroline and Corpse Bride as they are all just as scary yet entertaining. If you enjoyed the latter films then there's no reason why you won't like this film.

If you're looking for a film to watch this Halloween that's both scary and funny, this is one of my favourites.

7/10

CORALINE REVIEW

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Fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas are likely to enjoy watching Coraline, which is director Henry Selick's take on Neil Gaiman's book of the same name. Both films are made using stop motion animation and feature interesting characters.

When Coraline (voice of Dakota Fanning) moves to an old house, she feels bored and neglected by her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman). She finds a hidden door with a bricked up passage. During the night, she crosses the passage and finds a parallel world where everybody has buttons instead of eyes, with caring parents and all her dreams coming true. When the Other Mother invites Coraline to stay in her world forever, the girl refuses and finds that the alternate reality where she is trapped is only a trick to lure her.

The visuals, especially in the beginning of the film and in the parallel universe, are really impressive. After Coraline moves into her new house, she decides to explore outside. In this scene, because she's wearing a bright yellow raincoat and has blue hair, she stands out in the dark and gloomy setting. However, after she ends up in the parallel universe, she fits in as the colours are all a lot brighter leading Coraline to believe she's in a world where everything is perfect.

When we first meet Coraline, she is bored and fed up of her new house which leads to her finding the parallel world and she soon develops into a brave and likeable protagonist. I think that a lot of young children will be able to relate to her as she wishes she had different parents but this film teaches us that having perfect parents isn't always a blessing. Coraline is also very similar to Spirited Away's Chihiro as they both end up in new worlds and must find ways of escaping. However, she isn't alone. Shy and awkward neighbour Wybie (Robert Bailey Jr.) becomes Coraline's friend and a small, talking black cat (Keith David) helps her out in the parallel universe.

I put this film off for a long time because I was worried it'd be too scary but, after watching it, I soon realised I'd been silly. Some scenes may be too scary for young viewers and the film does feature two female characters who, at some point in the film, dance in some very risqué outfits.

The voice casting is great. Fanning makes Coraline her own and, despite only her voice appearing in the film, portrays her as a brave and fierce protagonist. Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders provide comic relief as Coraline's neighbours, Miss Miriam Forcible and Miss April Spink.

I doubt fans of Gaiman's book will be disappointed with this film. I haven't read his book but, judging from this film, I'm sure it's a great read.

The story gets more interesting as it goes on. Because I hadn't read Gaiman's book, I had no idea how it was going to end but the climax is an exciting watch and kept me on edge.

This is a great film to watch during Halloween and, if you liked Selick's The Nightmare Before Christmas, I'm sure you'll enjoy this film.

7/10

CORPSE BRIDE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Director Tim Burton is known for creating fantasy films that are filled with interesting characters and a unique narrative. Corpse Bride is certainly no different.
Burton has used stop motion animation to tell the story of Victor (voice of Johnny Depp) and the result is stunning. This isn't the first time Burton has used stop motion animation, he used this technique in his 1993 film, The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Set back in the late 1800s in a Victorian village, a man and woman by the names of Victor Van Dort and Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson) are betrothed because the Everglots need the money or else they'll be living on the streets and the Van Dorts want to be high in society. But when things go wrong at the wedding rehearsal, Victor goes into the woods to practice his vows. Just as soon as he gets them right, he finds himself married to Emily (Helena Bonham Carter), the corpse bride. While Victoria waits on the other side, there's a rich newcomer that may take Victor's place. So two brides, one groom, who will Victor pick?
Most of Burton's films are aimed at an older audience, however, Corpse Bride is a PG (aimed at children 8 years and up). While this isn't a horror film, I'd suggest watching it before showing it to children as there are a lot of dead characters but they're mainly portrayed in a comedic and friendly way. I was 8 when this film was released and I was a bit scared when I first watched it but it's now one of my favourite films.
The voice casting includes Burton's (now ex) girlfriend, Helena Bonham Carter, who is the perfect choice for the title character. In the beginning, we are scared of her but we soon warm to her as the story goes on and we learn about how she died.
Depp is, as usual, unrecognisable as Victor, a man who is frightened of his own shadow but is kind hearted and always tries to do the right thing.
Watson provides the voice of Victor's bride, Victoria, who is sweet and warms to Victor when they first meet.
Other voices include Joanna Lumley and Albert Finney as Victoria's parents who are the complete opposite of their daughter. They don't care about what their daughter truly wants, they only care about solving their financial problems which make them instantly unlikable.
The main antagonist is Lord Barkis (Richard E Grant) who wants to marry Emily. In my opinion, I'd say he's Burton's answer to Gaston from Beauty And The Beast as they're both selfish, vain and will do whatever it takes to get the girl.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Burton film without some music from his frequent collaborator, Danny Elfman. His songs are really catchy and the score is haunting which is perfect for the film.
Not only is this one of Burton's best films but it's the perfect film to watch during Halloween.
7/10

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS REVIEW

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Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is, not only one of his best films, but a great film to watch during Halloween. This is because it's original in terms of its characters and the story and is also a visually delightful work of stop-motion animation.

Jack Skellington (voice of Danny Elfman) is the pumpkin king of Halloweentown but is bored with doing the same things repeatedly every year for Halloween. One day, he stumbles into Christmas Town and is so taken by the idea of Christmas that he tries to get the resident bats, ghouls, and goblins of Halloween town to help him put on Christmas instead of Halloween but they can't get it quite right.

The film is aimed at viewers of all ages, however, young children may be frightened by some of the characters that feature in this film. Of course, this being a Halloween film, there are a few minor scares, some of which comes from the film's villain, Oogie Boogie (Ken Page). If you're concerned about your child watching this, I'd advise watching this film beforehand so you can decide for yourself if it's too scary.

This is, by far, one of the most original Halloween-based films I've watched. I can't believe that I had this DVD on my shelf for years and didn't watch it until a few years ago because I was worried it'd be 'boring'. The characters, songs and visuals are where the film succeeds the most. Of course, the character that stands out is Jack and, the scene where he discovers Christmas Town is one of my favourites as he sings 'What's This?' which is an original song by Elfman. We, as an audience, already know about Christmas but it's fun watching him learn about the festive holiday and we chuckle when he mistakenly refers to Santa Claus as 'Sandy Claws'. Another character I enjoyed watching was Sally (Catherine O'Hara) who is in love with Jack but rarely gets noticed by him and is forced to work for an Evil Scientist (William Hickey) who treats her really badly. This makes her sympathetic and we want her to end up with Jack as we can clearly see how much she loves him.

Stunning visuals are important when making a successful Halloween film. Halloween is all about scares and the atmosphere being dark. Fortunately, The Nightmare Before Christmas' visuals are perfect. The colours used are mainly dark blue, black and grey to emphasize the darkness surrounding Halloween town. This is a complete contrast to Christmas Town which is full of festive colours including red, blue and white. 

Elfman is known for writing and scoring a lot of Burton's films and that's no different here. Not only is he the voice of the main character but he wrote the songs that are featured in this film too. I loved the film's opening song 'This Is Halloween' and 'What's This?' as they're both catchy but the song that stood out to me is 'Sally's Song' which is perfectly sung by O'Hara as you can really hear the emotion in her voice and made me feel sadness during this scene.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a perfect Halloween film as it succeeds in every aspect including its characters, story, visual effects and songs.

8/10

HOCUS POCUS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

​It's been over two decades since its release yet Hocus Pocus is still one of the most popular Halloween films today. In my opinion, I think that's mainly because of the performances from the three leads, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, who play the three witches, Winifred, Sarah and Mary.

After being accidentally awakened 300 years after their execution, a teenage boy, Max (Omri Katz), his younger sister, Dani (Thora Birch) and crush, Allison (Vinessa Shaw) must team up together with the help of a mysterious talking black cat, Binx, to stop the three evil of witches in succeeding in their plan of sucking the souls from every child on Halloween.

Despite being only 96 minutes long, it doesn't take long to set up the premise. We see the three witches being executed (off screen) and we cut to present day (or 1993, when this film was released). We meet the main protagonist, Max, who is an ordinary teenager that's recently moved to a new school. We immediately feel sympathy for him as we see him being bullied and is isolated. Fortunately, on Halloween, his crush, Allison, joins him and his sister to go visit a haunted house.

The three protagonists all give great performances, especially Birch as 9 year old Dani. Most girls her age would be terrified of witches but Dani is brave and even funny at times with her one liners, especially when Max and Dani are at Allison's house and Dani tells her that Max likes her 'yabos'. Yes, this may be a Disney film but it's not without its hints and implications of sex to entertain older viewers.

The film is worth watching for its performances from the leads, Midler, Jessica Parker and Najimy. Put simply, the film wouldn't be as half entertaining without them. Milder gives the best performance as she is almost unrecognisable underneath all the incredible makeup and costume. She portrays Winifred, the leader of the witches, with humour and has hilarious one liners. She also performs a song called 'I Put A Spell On You' at one point in the film which was one of the highlights of the film. Both Jessica Parker and Najimy give just as funny supporting performances as the two other witches.

When this film was being produced, it was originally going to air on the Disney Channel but, due to its popularity, it was released in cinemas in October 1993.

It's not hard to understand why this film is still popular today, it's funny and entertaining.

If you, like me, aren't a fan of gory horror films and would like to watch a Halloween-themed film, look no further than Hocus Pocus.

7/10

THE ADDAMS FAMILY REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

​At first glance, The Addams Family looks like it could've been directed by Tim Burton because of its dark setting and interesting characters. However, it's directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (who also directed Men In Black). Sonnenfeld's motion picture manages to capture the look and feel of the classic TV show of the same name from 1964.
The Addams Family (based on Charles Addams' characters) consist of: Morticia and Gomez (Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia) and their children, Wednesday and Pugsley (Christina Ricci and Jimmy Workman). Gomez also has a brother Fester (Christopher Lloyd), who, unfortunately, disappeared over 20 years ago. However, things take a drastic turn when a man turns up at their house claiming to be Fester. This turns out to be the work of some con artists who are planning to steal the Addams family's money but could Fester really be Gomez's brother?
I was never a fan of the original TV series or the animated show from 1973 so when I first watched this, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. The film is entertaining throughout and features plenty of laughs.
Huston is perfect as Morticia, it's like this role was written for her. The late Julia is brilliant as Gomez and the two share undoubtedly a lot of chemistry as one of Hollywood's most iconic couples.
Ricci also brings comic relief with her deadpan performance as Wednesday. Despite only being 10 at the time of filming, she shows how talented she can be.
Lloyd is brilliant as Uncle Fester. He is best known for portraying Doc in the Back To The Future trilogy and I doubt many people will recognise him underneath all of his makeup and costume.
I know that many people will be apprehensive about watching this but if you like films such as Beetlejuice then I'm sure you will enjoy Sonnenfeld's motion picture adaptation of Charles Addams' iconic family.
Because of its box office success, a sequel was released in 1993, Addams Family Values, which, in my opinion, is an improvement on its predecessor as it's funnier.
This is one of the best films to watch during Halloween.
7/10

MY 5 FAVOURITE HALLOWEEN FILMS

Since it's Halloween, I thought I'd tell you my Top 5 Favourite Halloween Films.

While I'm not a fan of horror films like Insidious or gory movies like Saw, I still like watching scary thrillers. This list includes 3 animated and 2 live-action films. Yes, I'm 18. Yes, I still like watching animated films. Anyway, these are my favourite films to watch during Halloween.

5. Monster House (2006)

I was only 9 when I went to see this at the cinema and I remember being absolutely terrified of this film. Even now, almost ten years later, I still find it scary. Like the title suggests, this is about a teenager, DJ, who is shocked to discover that he is living across from a house that has human-like abilties. He tells his friend, Chowder, and crush, Jenny, and they try to tell the police but they don't believe them so it is up to the trio to try and discover the meaning behind this literal 'monster house' and how they can destroy it, all during Halloween.

When I was 9, I didn't think I would ever enjoy this film but now, aged 18, I love this film. It has everything that a Halloween film needs: it is set during Halloween; it's scary; has a great, unique story and has funny and likeable characters. The animation isn't bad but it's not exactly Disney or Anime but that doesn't matter as it is a great film.

4. Hocus Pocus (1993)

This is a classic Halloween film. If, like me, you're not a fan of horror and would much rather watch a comedy, then I would definitely recommend this. It's a Halloween film but it's not scary and is really funny. The story is about three witches who, after three centuries, are accidentally brought back to life on Halloween. Their plan is to stay youthful by stealing the lives of hundreds of children and it is up to two teenagers and a young girl to try and stop them with the help of a black cat. 

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are hilarious, and at times scary, as the three witch sisters, Winifred, Sarah and Mary. Winifred (Midler) is clearly the leader of the three and will stop at nothing to achieve her plan of staying youthful; Sarah (Parker) isn't the brightest witch but she makes up for it with her flirtatious skills and Mary (Najimy) is probably the least scary of the three but still goes along with her sister's plans.

The three protagonists are likable too: the main protagonist is a boy named Max who after reading out a curse accidentally brings the three witches back to life and is determined to stop them; his crush, Allison, who, after leaving her Halloween party, helps Max to get rid of the witches and Max's 11-year-old sister, Dani, who is brave and isn't afraid of the witches.

If you haven't seen this film, then I'd definitely recommend it. It is suitable for all ages, even adults, and is one of the funniest Halloween films ever.

3. The Addams Family (1991)

Some people may find them annoying, some people may find them funny. I am the latter, They are one of the most famous families in the world (excluding the Kardashians/Jenners), they have had different adaptations: an 1960s live-action TV sitcom; two animated series (in 1973 and in 1992); three live-action films (in 1991, 1993 and 1998) and even a musical (in 2010). My favourite adaptation, though, is the live-action film that was released in 1991. Like Hocus Pocus, it is more funny than scary but it is still a great film nevertheless. 

This gothic family consists of: Morticia Addams; her husband, Gomez; their daughter, Wednesday; their son, Pugsley; Gomez's brother, Fester and a creepy hand known as Thing. They're far from being the perfect family but what makes them so likable, in my opinion, is that they don't strive to be perfect. They know that they're different but won't change for anyone. 

I loved the actors in this film as well: Anjelica Huston is amazing as Morticia Addams, it's like she was born to play her; the late Raul Julia plays her on-screen husband, Gomez, who shows his love and passion for his wife and family in his own unique way and Christina Ricci is amazing as Wednesday, she is an 11-year-old creepy sadist which makes her hilarious to watch.

2. Corpse Bride (2005)

It's hard to believe that this film was released a decade ago. I remember watching this in the cinema and being surprised at how much I enjoyed it as I noramally didn't like watching this kind of film. Stop-motion is one of my favourite types of animation and director, Tim Burton, uses it in a really effective way. 

The story is about Johnny Depp's character, Victor Van Dort, an awkward and shy man, who is engaged to Victoria Everglot, (Emily Watson) and can't remember his wedding vows so, to help him practise, he runs away into the forest and comes across a stick in the ground. He decides to use this stick to practise his wedding vows and places the ring on the stick but, as it turns out, it is not a stick but the finger of a literal 'corpse bride' (Helena Bonham Carter) who has mistaken his vows and now believes that they are married, much to Victor's horror. He then becomes caught up in the world of the unliving and must find a way to end his 'marriage' to the Corpse Bride so he can marry Victoria, his 'true love'.

This is one of Tim Burton's best films. If you like Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas, then I can guarantee that you'll like this. It's scary, sometimes funny and has some of Burton's best characters, including the Corpse Bride herself. Of course, no film would be complete without a score by Danny Elfman, who also sings as Bonejangles, one of the skeletons in the world of the unliving.

Of course this includes voices from friend Johnny Depp and, back then, partner Helena Bonham Carter, but also includes voices from: Joanna Lumley who is the voice of Victoria's mother, Maudeline; Albert Finney who is the voice of Victoria's father, Finis; Richard E. Grant as the voice of Barkis Bittern, the villain of the film, who wants to marry Victoria and the late Christopher Lee as the voice of Pastor Galswells.

With a great range of characters and voice acts, musical numbers and a brillaint story, this is definitely one of my favourite Halloween films and one of Tim Burton's best films.

1. Coraline (2009)

I only watched this film a couple of months ago and, it's safe to say, I loved it. I was always put off by it because I thought it was too scary for me but I was wrong. Yes, it is scary, but that's why it's the perfect Halloween film. The stop-motion animation is amazing. 

The story is about Coraline, voiced by Dakota Fanning, who, with her parents, has just moved house and soon becomes bored and starts to feel neglected by her parents who are too busy with their new house and jobs to spend time with her. She discovers a door that leads to a parallel world where everyone has buttons for eyes. Coraline finds her mother, known as the 'Other Mother', who, unlike her real mother, spends time with her and cherishes her. Coraline thinks she's happy in this parallel world but it's not long before things get scary. The 'Other Mother' becomes obsessed with keeping Coraline and sowing buttons onto her eyes and Coraline must escape into the real world. 

This film is similar to Spirited Away, one of my favourite Anime films, as they're both about young girls ending up trapped in a new, unusual world. While I would say that Spirited Away is my favourite of the two, Coraline is still a brilliant film. While it is mainly scary, there are plenty of humorous moments. Coraline is a great character as she is brave and determined to go back home. After living in the parallel world, she soon learns that everything is not what it seems and that she should be careful for what she wishes for.

This is directed by Henry Selick who is best known for directing the classic stop-motion animation film, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) so if you liked that I can guarantee you'll like this.

So, those were five of my favourite Halloween films. I'd definitely recommend them if you are looking for something to watch this Halloween season.

Thank you for reading my blog and Happy Halloween!