Culture & Living
Stay in, get the popcorn, turn the lights down, huddle up together and watch these spooky movies for all ages
It's that time of year when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest and things that go bump in the night get bumpier. Yes, we're talking about All Hallows Eve, popularly known as Halloween. In a normal year, all of us would have put on our spooky outfits and would be headed to the nearest Halloween-themed house party. Things are different in the year of the pandemic when all of us have been spooked for the better part of the year—for different reasons. But, it is time for some happy stories, with an element of the supernatural, that you can even binge-watch with your kids. Here's a list of all those classic Halloween films you can watch with humans of any age group.
This classic from 1996 is finally on Netflix and tells the story of a girl who never gives up. Starring Mara Wilson and Danny DeVito—also the director of the film—Matilda is based on Roald Dahl's book of the same name. Extraordinary little Matilda is mistreated by her entire family and school principal when she develops psychokinetic abilities, and what follows is her attempts to set things right.
Streaming on Netflix
Produced by Fox Star Studios and Anushka Sharma's Clean Slate Films, directed by Anshai Lal, Phillauri is the story of ghost bride who harbours a sad tale. Anushka Sharma plays Shashi, the ghost who suddenly finds herself homeless as the tree she haunts is cut down. Haunting a young groom, Phillauri's story will move you. Gear up for lots of laughs, love and some tears.
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
The latest Adam Sandler film, Hubie Halloween is set in the infamous Salem of Massachusetts. Still living with his mum, Hubie is a volunteer who is in charge of safe trick-or-treating and suddenly finds himself in the middle of unusually creepy happenings as people who have been rude to him start disappearing. Watch as some of the biggest names in American comedy come together for this 2020 Halloween offering.
Streaming on Netflix
Academy Award winner Jordan Peele hosts a reboot of Rod Serling's original 1959 anthology sci-fi series. Starring Morena Baccarin, Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Chris Meloni, Jenna Elfman, Topher Grace, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Tony Hale and Billy Porter, this is a modernised version of the classic anthology series featuring various tales of science fiction, mystery and horror.
Streaming on Voot Select
Directed by the king of macabre, Tim Burton, Frankenweenie pays a sweet homage to the 1931 film Frankenstein (based on Mary Shelley's novel of the same name). The film centres upon a boy, Victor, who is immensely saddened after his beloved dog passes away due to an accident. When little Victor learns about electrical impulses in class, he successfully revives his dog, aptly named Sparky. Thus begins the saga of angry mobs who set fire to Frankenstein's monster. But it all still ends well.
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
An experimental horror-comedy, Stree turned out to be a refreshing watch and complete entertainment when it hit the theatres. Offering lessons in gender sensitivity and feminism in a small town, Stree stars Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi in lead roles. With a delightful plot, crisp performances, witty dialogue and foot-tapping music, this one doesn't disappoint.
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
The second Tim Burton offering on this list, Dark Shadows is goth suburbia at its best. Starring Eva Greene, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Michelle Pfeiffer, the film is a quippy watch about vampires, witches and werewolves. With astonishing visuals and a packed performance by the cast, this film will keep you laughing to the next day.
Streaming on Netflix
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