My Top 10 Movies to Watch This October

Hey everyone, so as I mentioned in my first post that I love horror movies and really Halloween in general.  I don't know why, but I love the adrenaline that I feel when I watch a horror movie.  For this reason I have been called weird, and a freak.  I don't really care though.   My wife on the other hand hates my horror movie craze because that means she either has to watch them or go to bed alone while I watch them by myself.  For these reasons I have decided to provide you with my Top 10 Horror/Halloween movies that I know I will watch and I think if you can handle it you should watch this October.

10. Hocus Pocus (1993)
MPAA Rating: PG for some scary sequences, and for language
Ok, now I know this isn't a horror movie, but no Halloween movie is no more fun than this film brought to us by Disney.  Hocus Pocus is about the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy), who are brought back to life 300 years after their death, thanks to spell that was spoken accidentally by Max, new-kid-in-town.  Now it is up to Max, and his new friends to stop the Sanderson sisters from using their witchcraft to destroy Salem and to take revenge on the ancestors that killed them so many years ago.
This film is one of my favorites and it is a film that the whole family can watch.  This film has a lot of humor and really has a lot of life lessons to be learned throughout the film.  It is definitely one that should be watched.  This film is usually played on the Disney Channel or on ABC Family during the month of October.

9. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
MPAA Rating: PG for some scary images.
Once again I know this isn't a horror movie, but for some reason I love it.  I used to have a tradition of seeing this film every October in IMAX until they stopped providing it.  This film is also brought by Disney from the great mind of Tim Burton.  This film is about Jack, the Pumpkin King, who lives in Halloween Town, a place where some Halloween is every day and the monsters that kids dream about live..  While he is trying to find the meaning of his life and how to make his life more purposeful.  During his journey he finds his way into Christmas Town where he learns all about Christmas and believes that if he brought Christmas to Halloween Town life would be better.
This film is amazing.  The animation is spectacular and it is just enough weird that I like it.  This film is for all ages, but does have some scary moments so if you are watching it with little kids I would be cautious.  This film is usually played on the Disney Channel or on ABC Family during the month of October and December.

8. Final Destination (2000)
MPAA Rating: R for violence and terror, and for language
Ok, now this is a horror movie and if you can't handle some violence or gore, I really would be cautious about it.  The film is about Alex, a high school age boy who while boarding a plane with his high school class on their way to France, has a premonition of the plane crashing upon take off.  When he suddenly realizes what is going to happen, he makes a big scene and eventually get himself and a few others kicked off the plane prior to takeoff.  When the plane finally takes off, Alex and the others see the plane crash just as Alex said it would.  Thinking that they had escaped death they try to live their lives knowing that they should have been on that flight.  Suddenly the people that got off the plane are dying one by one and if the others can't figure out what is happening they may be next on Death's list.
This film is an intriguing one.  There are multiple sequels to this movie and if you like this one I definitely recommend watching those.  I recommend this one because it is so creative.  There is a lot of gruesome deaths in this movie so I would be cautious if you don't like that kind of stuff.  It is great though and definitely worth a watch this October.

7. When a Stranger Calls (2006)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense terror, violence and some language
For anyone who babysits or who has babysit this film will scare you.  Jill Johnson (Camille Bell)
believes that her parents signed her up for a routine babysitting job when she is forced to babysit at a big house all by herself.  The parents have already put the children to bed and say that she is free to whatever she wants in the house.  Time passes by, but eventually she receives a phone call and all she hears is breathing on the other end.  This happens multiple times until finally the voice on the other end asks, "Have you checked the children?".  It is then up to Jill to protect the children and protect herself from the psycho that is on the other end.
My wife and I for as long as we have known each other have watched this show every October and every October my wife gets scared at the exact same parts.  This film definitely hits close to home for a lot of people and is definitely a good one to watch.

6. Friday the 13th (1980)
MPAA Rating: R
No list can be complete without the infamous Jason Voorhees.  He is the hockey-masked killer of the Friday the 13th franchise and has been an Halloween icon since the original was released in 1980.  What most people don't know however is that in the original film he was only briefly mentioned, but it was actually someone else who began terrorizing campers.  The film is about campers and camp counselors at Camp Crystal Lake who are trying to get past the horrible incident that happen a year prior when one of the campers drowned in the lake.  Eventually the campers begin to be terrorized by someone who kills them without any notice or reason.
Though Jason Voorhees only has a brief role in this film he still makes the most of it.  It is his role in this film that many have come to say is the scariest moment in all of the franchise.  Though there are many sequels and a remake, nothing quite beats this original, but the 2009 remake is definitely close.  This franchise is definitely a can't miss this October.

5. Halloween (1978)
MPAA Rating: R
Once again, this list wouldn't be complete without the man who started it all Michael Myers.  The Halloween franchise is what really revived the horror movie craze here in America.  It was the first original American made horror film and so many directors have tried to mimic what made Halloween so great.  The film is about Michael Myers, a man who was institutionalized when he was a child who escapes on Halloween night and begins terrorizing babysitters in his hometown.  As he continues on his rampage, his doctor, Dr. Loomis, is trying to find him and capture him before his patient kills any more people.
The Halloween franchise was supposed to be a anthology franchise which was supposed to be released every year with a new terror being presented each year.  After this movie was released and Michael Myers became such an icon the plan was destroyed and this began the blooming franchise that still continues today.

4. Darkness Falls (2003)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for terror and horror images, and brief language
I have to admit when I first heard about this movie I was a little wary about how good it was going to be.  I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw in this film and it definitely has some great scenes that will terrify anyone who watches it.  This film follows Kyle who all while growing up hears stories about the Tooth Fairy.  People always told him, "Don't Peek," or else he wouldn't survive the night.  When the night comes when he loses his first tooth, he places it under his pillow.  During the night he hears the Tooth Fairy and he accidentally takes a peek.  He somehow survives the night, but he has never been the same since.  Now years later, the Tooth Fairy is back for revenge trying to take another kid's life.  It is now up to Kyle, the only person to ever survive the Tooth Fairy's attack, to confront his worst fear and save the town he loves.
This film is actually really good and definitely a good one to watch if you are into the whole horror thing.  It definitely takes a new spin on a childhood tale that will make you wonder what is real and what is fake.

3. Insidious (2010)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
This film is scary.  For me, a person who doesn't get scared, I was even on the edge of my seat during this film.  It has so many elements that work for it, that it seems so original.  This film is about a family whose son Dalton falls into a coma.  No one can really understand how it started and no doctor can cure him.  Eventually the family requests the services of Elise, a psychic/ghost hunter, who tells the family that their son has become lost in the Further, a place where demons hide and try to take over unsuspecting human bodies.  It is now up to Elise and Dalton's family to enter into the Further to retrieve Dalton before the demon that is trying to enter this world through Dalton can accomplish it.
This film has a lot of great elements that you want in a horror movie.  It has originality and scares that could terrify anyone who watches it.  In 2013 they released a sequel to the film which was equally as great.  If you like this film I definitely recommend seeing the second one.  A 3rd film in the franchise has been announced and is set for release in March of next year.

2. The Conjuring (2013)
MPAA Rating: R for sequences of disturbing violence and terror
This film came out last year and took the country by storm.  It was the first horror film to be released in the blockbuster-heavy summer and this one held its own.  It debuted at #1 in its weekend and had an incredibly strong box-office run.  The film is based on a true story and is about Carolyn and Roger Perron who move into a new house with their children.  Not long after moving in the children begin seeing things and hearing many strange noises throughout the house.  Eventually they receive the help from Ed and Lorraine Warren, ghost hunters who have a track record of success.  Soon things become even worse and it is up to the Warrens to stop this presence from not only attacking the Perrons, but also their family as well.
This film is one of the best haunted house stories to come around in ages.  It is creepy and definitely worth a watch.  The film was such a huge success that it is receiving a sequel sometime next year and has spawned a spin-off Annabelle which will be released in theaters October 3, 2014.

1. The Ring (2002)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements, disturbing images, language and some drug references
This film was the first horror movie that I ever watched and has stuck with me all these years.  The film is based on the popular Japanese film Ringu and follows Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) who is investigating a videotape that caused the supposed death of her niece.  As Rachel continues her investigation she realizes that the videotape has a haunted history and if she doesn't figure out how to stop the videotape she may become the next victim of its reign of terror in 7 short days.
Like I said, this film was the first horror movie I watched and it is really what hooked me to them.  I definitely recommend this film to anyone who wants to be scared.  The sequel is just as good and just as creepy.  It was announced just a month ago that there will be a Ring 3 that supposedly will delve deeper into how the cursed videotape got made.

Well there you go.  I hope this helps.  Once again if you have any questions or concerns just let me know.