1. Beetlejuice
So good they even made a musical out of it, Beetlejuice is a cult classic packed with well- known actors such as Winona Ryder, Micheal Keaton, Catherine O’Hera, Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin. The movie proposes an interesting outlook on the human afterlife, following a couple’s “after death process” and the new family that moves into the house they haunt. This movie became the jumping-off point for many of the actors careers, as well as the song “Jump in the Line” by Harry Belafonte, which is played in the iconic ending scene where Winona Ryder is shown floating in the foyer and dancing to the song.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas
A Tim Burton movie will surely never fail to bring unique animation, creepy characters and a strange plot, such as seen in the 1993 movie The Nightmare Before Christmas. The catchy songs and characters voiced by people such as Catherine O’Hara (again) and Danny Elfman have been the source of halloween costumes and spirit throughout the years, with some parents (such as my own) thinking it to be too young for child viewers, making this movie for a “teenage audience”. The film is thought to be Christmas and Halloween themed with the storyline involving a lonely skeleton wanting to make the Christmas holiday his own, but I consider it mainly Halloween due to the creepy characters and darker motives.
3. Coraline
With more hidden messages than a Taylor Swift album, Coraline doesn’t disappoint with its colorful tones, clay animation and creepy antagonist. Although the plot and characters feel like something out of Alice in Wonderland, the unpredictability adds to the uneasiness that makes this movie a “dark fantasy horror film”. There were many underlying themes such as finding happiness in the mundane, things aren’t always as they appear, and never taking anything for granted. These themes as well as the eerie setting and classic black cat sidekick are what earn Coraline a spot on this list.This movie adaptation of Neil Gailman’s novel involves a young female protagonist who is tempted with everything she could ever want by a second family in a world where everyone has buttons for eyes.