October Watchlist

Who's ready for some spooky season fun!!!

Here at W Spotlight, we, like most of you, have films that are must-watches during Fall and Spooky Season. In case you’re looking for inspiration or new films to watch during this time of year, we have curated a list of our favourites along with a little blurb about each film! 

Let’s start with one 99% of people have watched, at multiple times during the year, but just fits perfectly for October. If you haven’t yet guessed, the film is Twilight (Hardwicke, 2008). Two members of the W Spotlight team chose Twilight as one of their spooky season films and here’s why:

Lara R: Every once in a while I enter my nostalgic Twilight era and visit Forks through the movies. Whether you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob, no one can deny it is one of the biggest love stories of our generation. The soundtrack is also perfect to get you in the Fall mood. (Letterboxd Review)

Maps: The modern classic. No better way to start the season than listening to hoa hoa hoa hoa hoa. Bella Swan moves to the small town of forks, falling in love with a 108 year old vampire. A forbidden love and a lot of obstacles to overcome. Bella proves herself to be the right person for Edward. (Letterboxd Activity)

Another set of films you can watch all year but also feel even better when you watch them in October is the Harry Potter franchise. Iykykn by Lara D, the Harry Potter films are in her seasonal watchlist every year. So much so that it has become a tradition. It is the ultimate fall marathon for the ultimate cosy feelings. Iykyk… which most people do.

We all tend to love, or at least suffer through, franchises, with the original typically being the best out of the lot. That is why Hailey suggests Scream (Craven, 1996) as one of her spooky season film suggestions. It is very difficult to find good horror films these days, sometimes some might seem like they’re on the high path and then fall down hill when buckets upon buckets of blood show up on the set. Wes Craven’s Scream does nothing of the such. In fact, he plays on the ‘scary movie’ genre and teases what typically happens in horror films before they happen in Scream. You also have the incredible casting of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy, and David Arquette. (Letterboxd Activity)

Changing it up a bit from the spookier films, for the fall weather, why not try Fantastic Mr. Fox (Anderson, 2009). Wes Anderson’s first animated film, Fantastic Mr. Fox is warm, soft and tender. Giorgia believes that it is a film that feels like a long walk in the rain, when the leaves have just started to fall: you can feel them under your boots, as raindrops are falling over you, but you’re covered in your raincoat so you feel safe. it’s all dreamy, but you’re alive. (Letterboxd Activity)

Another fall film, chosen by Kenza, is Autumn Sonata (Bergman, 1978). It is in the title. It is in the shades of orange and brown of the poster. It is in the colour palette of the film. Everything from Autumn Sonata screams autumn. Featuring probably some of the best performances in the history of cinema from Liv Ullman and Ingrid Bergman, Ingmar Bergman takes us to places in the human psyche that very few do. It is brutal and excruciating but my god, what an experience. Autumn Sonata is full of layers, peeled one by one, through stares, watches of mouths and eyebrows, music played, truths revealed and reconstruction of them. We are thrown into a dissection of a relationship between a mother and daughter that is naked, and becomes so raw at times that you simply can’t breathe nor move. (Letterboxd Activity)

Sticking with the fall vibes, Mar has chosen Stepmom (Columbus, 1998) and Far From Heaven (Haynes, 2002). Chris Columbus’ Stepmom is the ultimate fall movie because it perfectly captures life’s bittersweet changes - just like autumn’s colourful transformation! Maybe it’s the fading sunlight, (thanks vitamin D shortage!), but there’s something about this time of year that makes sad movies feel like the perfect pairing. Centred around family, love, and change, Stepmom dives deep into meaningful themes, making it an ideal watch as the days get shorter and we cozy up at home. It’s a heart-wrenching yet feel-good movie, with Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon delivering performances that wrap you in comfort, much like a warm blanket on a crisp fall day. Mar has been watching it every year for as long as she can remember - definitely one of her all-time favourites growing up! (Letterboxd Activity)

With Far From Heaven, Mar believes it is a masterpiece of autumn cinematography, bursting with rich, warm hues that perfectly encapsulate the season - so much so that the visuals had her in tears the first time she watched it! Once again, we find that sad movies and fall make the perfect pair. If the stunning colour palette doesn’t sweep you off your feet, the film's compelling themes and remarkable cast surely will (let’s be honest, there’s something undeniably comforting about Julianne Moore). (Mar's Letterboxd Review)

If you want some films pre-90s, or even pre-1985, Andie has got you covered. The Hunger (Scott, 1983), The Trouble with Harry (Hitchcock, 1955), and Wait Until Dark (Young, 1967) are her watchlist suggestions for fall and spooky season. Directed by Tony Scott, the appeal of The Hunger, an eighties vampire flick, lies almost entirely in its star-studded cast: with Catherine Deneuve, Susan Sarandon, and David Bowie appearing in a love triangle, what more could you ask for? Featuring a cello-playing Bowie, a love scene between Deneuve and Sarandon, and some very stylish sunglasses, it’s no wonder the film has gained cult status in the years following its release (Letterboxd Activity). Though undeniably a comedy, this quirky Hitchcock story remains a perfect film for the fall season. The Trouble with Harry is set during autumn in rural Vermont, there is no shortage of coloured leaves or golden sunlight in this film. Plus, it stars Shirley MacLaine in her film debut (Letterboxd Activity). And lastly, Wait Until Dark stars a brilliant Audrey Hepburn as a blind woman caught in the web of criminal activity, this thriller takes the home-invasion genre to another level. If you’ve seen the film, you’ll understand why Hepburn’s performance earned her an Oscar nomination. If not, then take this as your sign to watch it in the darkest room possible (trust me) (Letterboxd Review). Thank you Andie for reminding us of the “classics”!

Before returning back to the spookies, Maps and Lara D remind us that there is more than just spooky season in the fall. Coco (Molina & Unkrich, 2017) is not exactly a halloween movie but is perfect for the season with día de los muertos. Un poquititito loco. Miguel wants to pursue his music career despite his family disagreements. To prove himself, Miguel takes us to a wonderful and colourful journey (showcasing the perfect fall colours) (Letterboxd Activity). Then, like many of us into reading and watching, Lara D chooses You’ve Got Mail (Ephron, 1998). The movie basically represents her dream life. Living in New York, and owning the coziest and warmest little street corner bookstore at the start of the 2000s.

Flipping it back to the spooky films, Hocus Pocus (Ortega, 1993) must be on every Disney nerd’s watchlist this time of year. Lara R currently lives in Florida, and the only way to get in the Fall spirit is through movies. The first movie to get her ready is Hocus Pocus. It is a must-watch every single year because it’s the perfect combination of what you need for Fall and Spooky season.  After all, the Sanderson sisters will never disappoint.

Lara R must appreciate witch sisters as her final film suggestion is Practical Magic (Dunne, 1998). She admits that she hadn’t watched Practical Magic in a 'hot minute', but when she did, she remembered why it’s one of the best witchy movies ever made. It explores magic just as much as the love between sisters, and it does it perfectly. Once again, a great option to get the Spooky and Fall vibes going.

The W Spotlight ladies must LOVE witches. Giorgia gives us another witchy movie with another one of her suggestions. The Witches of Eastwick (Miller, 1987) stars Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon, Cher and Michelle Pfeiffer. In Giorgia's opinion, when Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer meet in a parallel universe where they are all hot single witches who come back together to cast spells on the most miserable man ever seen...needless to say, you're already seated (and if not, you should be) (Giorgia's Letterboxd Review). 

Speaking, once again, of witches, Halloweentown (Dunham, 1998) is another Disney kid must watch. Maps and Hailey have chosen it as one of their spooky season film suggestion. The vibe, the comfort, the ambience. This was probably one of her childhood favourites. 13-year-old Marnie discovers she’s a witch. Along with her siblings, they follow their grandma home just to discover a whole new world of magic and fantasy. What more could you want as a kid watching the movies, what a thing to dream about. As for Hailey, watching Halloweentown and the films of the franchise had her believe it was possible to have magic, what imagination can do for a child to lift their spirits (Hailey's Letterboxd Activity).

Two films that have become cult classics, Giorgia suggests Beetlejuice (Burton, 1988) and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Sharman, 1975). Two films that are pre-90s and still stay iconic today. Beetlejuice is a never ageing classic. with a whole setting directly from the 80’s, costumes, humour, music, and GOTH Winona Ryder… this movie truly has everything! and what better time of the year to watch (or rewatch) it, if not now that its sequel has just come out? run - or even better, dance - to theatres, kids! (Letterboxd Review). With The Rocky Horror Picture Show, take some chaotic spooky vibes and a bunch of freaky queers who can also sing and dance, bring them together and you’ll get this: an absolute banger - and a true milestone in gay history (Letterboxd Review)

Spanning from ‘freaky queers’ to spooky beings, Kenza’s next pick is all about the possessed. She says it is probably her favourite horror film. In Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession (1981) a couple played Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neil are going through a rough patch, especially since the wife has started disappearing for a while. The husband first suspects an affair, but we soon find out the real reason behind her strange behaviour. Żuławski forges an unconventional approach to the intricacies of marriage in a way Kenza had never seen before and she doesn’t think can be replicated. Even though the body horror and Isabelle Adjani’s performance are monumental strengths of the film, it is the screenplay that so brilliantly weaves parallels between the evolution of the couple’s dynamics and the growth in intensity of what’s keeping the wife occupied that captivated her. The subtext is enormous, impossible to catch all in one viewing, but the ferocity of love, arousal and violence pours out of the screen and will make an unforgettable experience (Kenz' Letterboxd Review).

Ouuu, another spooky film that follows a married couple is Hailey’s suggestion Rosemary’s Baby (Polanski, 1968). Though you could watch this film anytime of year, and Hailey first saw it mid summer, there’s nothing better than – like we’ve all been saying – watching a horror film in October. Rosemary’s Baby follows young couple Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavetes) as they move into an infamous New York apartment building – known for its frightening legends and mysterious events – with the hopes of building a family. More like a cult film than a horror story, it explores faith versus satanism. Using incredible costumes, eye-catching cinematography and a stellar score, Rosemary’s Baby might just be able to convince us that the devil is real. And let’s not forget Mia Farrow’s performance as Rosemary herself (Letterboxd Review).

Let’s check out Mar’s last suggestion, a stop-motion animated movie that screams spooky season, Coraline (Selick, 2009). For Mar, Coraline is the ultimate spooky movie - it strikes the perfect balance between creepy and dark while being an absolute delight to watch! Like all great Halloween stories, it weaves childhood innocence with the perfect amount of dark fantasy. There's something truly timeless about this film; it appeals to audiences of all ages (says the girl who was absolutely terrified of the Other Mother when she was ten… but who wasn’t?). And we can’t overlook Mar’s lifelong obsession with stop-motion animation! Coraline just nails that technique in one of the most brilliant ways! Not to mention, it had its 15th Anniversary this year! (Letterboxd Activity)

Lara D’s last film suggestion for spooky season, another animated film, is one that could also work for the Christmas watchlist. Did you guess it? The Nightmare Before Christmas (Selick, 1993) has the perfect mixture of Halloween and Christmas and just makes it so enjoyable. The visuals are classics on their own. 

Think of little Zero in The Nightmare Before Christmas, now think again. A Ghost Story (Lowery, 2017) doesn’t have the same type of ghost, but it does make for a good fall watch. For Kenza, this film is the perfect embodiment of fall. Viewers follow a woman M (Rooney Mara) who has very recently lost her partner C (Casey Affleck). It is through C’s eyes who transform into a white-sheeted ghost that we witness her grief and how her life and the life of the home they shared passes by. It is a particularly slow movie, but the stillness of it reminds Kenza of a perfect autumn day, where it is quiet enough to hear the tree cracks and the leaves falling delicately. While the grief and despair take over the space in the 93-minute runtime, she ends up finding it profoundly warm as it offers a breach into human soul, and the love that can consume a person whole, even when being aware that nothing is eternal (Letterboxd Review)

Mar and Hailey just HAVE to finish off this list with a Meryl Streep movie. In today's terms, this film would most likely be classified as camp. Death Becomes Her (Zemeckis, 1992) stars Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis in this spooky comedy. Broadway actress Madeline (Streep) and author Helen (Hawn) are rivals and spend time fighting over Ernest (Willis). Things take a turn for the worst when the two women drink a potion to stay young, not realizing that it also gave them immortality. Time has sure passed since the release of Death Becomes Her, however, it still remains a semi-classic to this day. And with the recent release of The Substance, Death Becomes Her can also allude to the feeling women have when age begins to set and they want to remain young (Mar's Letterboxd Activity and Hailey's Letterboxd Review).

We at W Spotlight hope you watch some of these films, if not all of them, and get some spooky season entertainment out of them! Let us know what films you watch during fall, or leading up to Halloween. Is there any new releases your excited for that fall into spooky season? Perhaps we forgot something that's on your list, let us know and maybe we'll end up adding it to ours!

We've curated our films into a lovely Letterboxd list so you can add them and log them as you watch them (if you use Letterboxd). Click here!

Photo credits to IMDb, Harry Potter WikiFandom, The Criterion Collection, and Rotten Tomatoes.