It’s that time of year again, the spookiest time of year!HBO Max has you covered if your family is ready to have some All Hallows’ Eve fun. Each year, Disney+ offers a selection of best Halloween movies, including Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimi in the 1993 picture Hocus Pocus. The family favorite Halloweentown, and Tim Burton’s stop-motion classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. Other goodies, such as the terrifying talking puppies of Spooky Buddies, are also on the list. Did I say terrifying? Adorable was my intention.
Fans of scary films, take note: HBO Max offers a premium collection of the scariest, creepiest, and spookiest films available. The streaming service is a one-stop shop if you’re searching for a Halloween movie night to haunt your nightmares. Moreover, if you’re brushing up on your cinematic history. It includes classics such as Poltergeist and The Shining, as well as current remakes and sequels such as Doctor Sleep and Annabelle: Creation. HBO Max is the home of horror, from slashers like Saw to more lighthearted films like Scream and The Witches of Eastwick. Here are 7 of the most terrifying films available on the platform.
List of 7 Best Halloween Movies
The month of October has here, as has the Halloween season. There are plenty of horror movies available for those who prefer the comfort of staying at home as Michael Myers makes his return to theatres in Halloween Kills. Furthermore, Edgar Wright makes his theatrical entry into the genre with his horror drama Last Night in Soho. It’s a huge comfort to be able to go to the restroom whenever you want, especially when a scare could happen at any moment.
When things get stressful and suspenseful, pausing the movie to switch on the lights is another option that a movie theatre can’t provide for the more squeamish. That isn’t to say that true horror aficionados can’t enjoy an best halloween movies at home. From a slasher murdering sorority sisters on a college campus one by one to a horror rom-com that will both satisfy zombie fans’ wishes. Moreover, warm anyone’s heart to the return of everyone’s favorite fear-mongering alien clown terrorizing the town of Derry, Maine, HBO Max has a wide range of best spooky movies to watch this Halloween season.
Black Christmas (2019)
This 2019 remake of the 1974 slasher film is about a group of young women at a college. They are stalked and murdered by mysterious perpetrators throughout the holiday season (there was another one in 2006). While the adaptation follows a similar plot, Sophia Takal, the director and co-writer, wanted to adapt Black Christmas’ feminist ideas for a current audience. The novel takes on a more critical look at the kind of poisonous situations. Furthermore, toxic people grow on college campuses and in Greek life, so this spin on the Black Christmas mythos is purposeful.
House of Wax (2005)
Another remake on the list, House of Wax (2005), is based on the 1953 slasher film of the same name. Aside from the title, however, the 2005 picture deviates significantly from the original tale and characters. House of Wax, like most horror movie remakes from the 2000s. It is about a group of adolescents on a road trip who become stranded in the middle of nowhere. The selection of CW stars Chad Michael Murray, Jared Padalecki, and Paris Hilton as some of the ill-fated youngsters reveals the show’s target demographic of young adults.
Bo and Vincent Sinclair (Brian Van Holt) are frightening twin brothers who have built up wax figurines and operate the town’s wax museum in an abandoned village. House of Wax improves on the horrors and awful images of melting wax. Especially, with the advancements in special effects since the original. However, it’s perfect for people who just want to watch adolescents make stupid decisions in the middle of nowhere while being murdered off one by one.
Corpse Bride (2005)
Considering films like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, Tim Burton has always been associated with the Halloween spirit movies, and Corpse Bride is no exception. Burton’s experienced actors, Johnny Depp as Victor Van Dort and Helena Bonham Carter as Emily, the eponymous Corpse Bride, star in the stop motion animated musical. After unintentionally placing his wedding ring on the Corpse Bride’s finger, Victor has whisked away to the world of the dead. Furthermore, the rest of the film follows Victor’s quest to reunite with his true love, Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson). Emily, rather than the villain, is the true protagonist of the film, and her own tragic and vengeful story. Therefore, told in the song “Remains of the Day” — is equally as captivating. Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride is a must-see on any Halloween movie list. Consequently, thanks to its macabre animation and Danny Elfman’s hauntingly beautiful score and music.
It: Chapter 2 (2019)
It was no simple challenge to follow up 2017’s It, the first part of the most current adaptation of Stephen King’s novel. Therefore, it became a global sensation not just because society was infatuated with murderous clowns, but also because of the cast of children’s eccentricities and charm. It: Chapter Two had to not only live up to expectations as a sequel to the first film’s popularity, but it also had to nail the adult counterparts of the child actors. Thankfully, director Andy Muschietti was successful in finding actors. They could convincingly portray their characters’ younger selves, particularly with James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader.
The Losers Club, summoned to Derry by the suicide of a comrade, must, as adults. And finally put a stop to the creature from their past and release the town from its terrifying grip. Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, and Finn Wolfhard, who played children in the film. Further return in flashback form, but with some odd de-aging special effects (it is funny just how fast child actors age within two to three years between films, especially as young teenagers). Of course, the appeal of It has always been Bill Skarsgard’s portrayal of the iconic clown from outer space, which is both amusing and frighteningly creepy at the same time.
Warm Bodies (2013)
This zombie rom-com, released during the height of pop culture’s zombie frenzy. Furthermore, offered something different from the genre’s usual blood and guts action. Warm Bodies, based on the book series of the same name. It is a fascinating young adult take on a post-apocalyptic world overrun by the undead, and it was published in the same year as the Brad Pitt-led adaptation of the novel World War Z. The fact that we get access to one of the zombie’s inner thoughts sets this narrative apart from other zombie movies.
This zombie rom-com, released during the height of pop culture’s zombie frenzy. It offered something different from the genre’s usual blood and guts action. Warm Bodies, based on the book series of the same name, is a fascinating young adult take on a post-apocalyptic world overrun by the undead. Furthermore, it was published in the same year as the Brad Pitt-led adaptation of the novel World War Z. The fact that we get access to one of the zombie’s inner thoughts sets this narrative apart from other zombie movies.
Orphan (2009)
Children may be creepy, and Orphan takes full use of this anxiety. Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John (Peter Sarsgaard) are orphanage parents who adopt a daughter. They pick Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), who at first appears to be a charming and educated young lady. However, the more time Esther spends with her new family, the more suspicious Kate and John become of her. Orphan contains some very creepy and haunting passages, with Isabelle Fuhrman’s portrayal of Esther at the heart of the terror. Fuhrman will reprise his role in the sequel, which is now in the works. Orphan: First Kill, billed as a prequel, has already concluded production and will be released by Paramount Pictures.
The Invisible Man (2020)
After Universal Studios’ plans for shared monsters, the universe fell apart after The Mummy (2017)’s underwhelming box office, writer-director Leigh Whannell stepped in to direct The Invisible Man with the help of Blumhouse Productions. Whose low-budget horror films have been critical and popular successes. Whannell brings the Universal Monster into the present period, focusing on a woman’s anguish as a result of domestic abuse by a former boyfriend. As Cecilia, Elizabeth Moss gives an outstanding portrayal as a traumatized woman. Moreover, whose concerns and pain are ignored by people closest to her. An experience of gaslighting that resonates with the real-life horrors that many abuse victims face when they find themselves in toxic relationships.
The film’s use of quiet and negative space heightens the suspense, putting us, the audience, in Cecilia’s shoes, not knowing where the Invisible Man (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) might materialize at any moment. The Invisible Man, more than any other film on our list, benefits the most from a home viewing experience. The film is a psychological horror that induces a sensation of dread and claustrophobia thanks to its intimate quarters, hallways, and bedrooms settings.
BONUS: Cats (2019)
Cats (2019) is a bit unusual to watch on Halloween. However, if you want to squirm in your seats out of sheer discomfort and see some horrifying and unsettling sights. Cats are the stuff of nightmares, directed by Academy Award winner Tom Hooper. They also directed the smash film adaptation of the musical Les Miserables. Prepare to see Dame Judy Dench and Sir Ian McKellen, as well as Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, and Jason Derulo, act like their real cats in CGI-created cat costumes. It’s a great example of how certain stage musicals don’t need to be converted into movies. Nonetheless, Cats’ music and singing are some of the show’s saving graces. But there’s no rescuing this film from being one of the most gruesome films ever made.
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Conclusion
It’s that time of year when you’re on the lookout for scary movies to watch. HBO Max has a number of excellent Halloween films. If we’re being honest, there’s a long list of Halloween movies on HBO Max. It will get overpowering after a while, which may cause worry. Someone will be able to assist you in selecting the optimal viewing options.