My 5 Favorite Halloween Movies

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My 5 Favorite Halloween Movies

Here's a little horror movie fun fact to kick off your week: Did you know that John Carpenter composed the music to many of own films? It's amazing. The high-pitched synths and wailing guitars in Halloween, They Live, The Fog, Escape from New York, and many more Carpenter classics all come from the mind of the horror director himself. So, I couldn't have been more excited to see Carpenter in a haunted New York City warehouse venue called the Knockdown Center this past weekend, where the 77-year-old put on a concert to celebrate some of his iconic scores.

At the end of the night, the director joked that we should all drive home safely because he heard that Christine—the killer car from his 1983 Stephen King adaptation—was roaming the streets. After all these years, Carpenter hasn't lost an inch of cool.

If you're thinking about watching something thrilling this Halloween, Carpenter's films are an amazing place to start. I'm sure you'll still see a fair share of Michael Myers masks this holiday season—if people even trick or treat anymore—and I haven't even mentioned The Thing, Prince of Darkness, or In the Mouth of Madness yet. All hits! We're also coming up on the release of two back-to-back Frankenstein movies: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein with Jacob Elordi (in select theaters this weekend) and Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! with Christian Bale (early 2026). I'm excited for both, as well as the upcoming It: Welcome to Derry spin-off series (premiering on HBO on October 26).

Now, I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to horror movies. So, when I list out some personal recommendations to add to your Halloween watchlist below, you won't find any Hereditary's or Conjuring's among them. (Both good films!) For true horror junkies, we have a separate list of the 100 scariest movies of all time. The handful of recommendations below are for those who just want a little scare this Halloween season, as well as a primer on what to watch so that you're fully read up on what's coming out this fall. Enjoy, and don't blame me when you need to sleep with the light on.

Halloween (1978) - It's in the name, but I rewatched this one after the John Carpenter show and it still holds up! The '70s slasher was one of the director's earliest films, starring Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut and introducing the deranged Michael Myers as a knife-wielding sociopath. Carpenter's films just have this amazing campy and practical quality to them. No jump scare is ever so terrifying that you'll never fall asleep again, and every rising moment of tension holds that classic popcorn blockbuster feeling. You know what I mean.

Frankenstein (1931) – Before Frankenstein movies are absolutely everywhere, I recommend turning back the clock to 1931 and revisiting Jame Whale's original black-and-white classic. Following Mary Shelley's groundbreaking horror novel, it was the Boris Karloff-starring film that became the blueprint for one of the most famous Hollywood monsters of all time. Although I'm excited to watch what del Toro and Gyllenhaal have in store, it's going to be difficult to best the original excitement of Colin Clive's Dr. Frankenstein screaming, "It's Alive!"

It (2017) – If not solely for Bill Skarsgård's absolutely unhinged performance as Pennywise the Clown, this modern Stephen King remake joins the list as another scary film that had a lot of fun with practical effects. I didn't catch this one for quite some time after it released, and I was pleasantly surprised that the Andy Muschietti-directed film didn't rely so heavily on CGI as many other recent horror films have. The famous town with the creepy clown is also set to receive a spin-off series later this month on HBO.

Signs (2002) – Signs is a personal favorite. Not just because M. Night Shyamalan filmed this horror movie in the town where I grew up—Bucks County, PA—but because it's one of the best films ever made about an alien invasion. If you're enjoying Task, I'd recommend putting this crop circle thriller on your TV this Halloween. There's a surprising amount of depth to Signs's mystery that covers faith, destiny, and the ol' Pennsylvania charm.

Scream (1996) – Almost more of a comedy than a horror film, Wes Craven's Scream is a satirical slasher that remixes many of the genre's cliches established in Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Psycho. It's one of the most inventive and hilarious commentaries on horror tropes, tackling everything from heavy breathing over the phone to outlining "the rules" characters need to follow if they want to stay alive. Much like the entertaining Final Destination series, the Scream franchise's first three films are perfect movies to watch with friends this Halloween.

Martin Scorsese in Mr. Scorsese / Apple TV

Mailbag!

Apple TV is releasing a five-part documentary series on Martin Scorsese this Friday. The legendary director will talk through his entire filmography alongside interviews with Robert de Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Steven Spielberg, and many more, as director Rebecca Miller pairs clips from his celebrated films with select moments from his life.

I talked to Miller for an interview about the documentary that I'm excited to show you later this week. Until then, let me know your favorite Scorsese film at josh.rosenberg@hearst.com.

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The Continuing Adventures of the Esquire Entertainment Desk

Fabien Frankel and I had another great conversation over some beers for Task episode 6. The actor behind Anthony Grasso talked about his character's duplicitous twist, filming House of the Dragon season 3, and downing Yuenglings with Mark Ruffalo. Read the interview here.

Veteran entertainment journalist Anthony Breznican spoke with Derek Cianfrance, the director of Roofman starring Channing Tatum. The film follows a real-life thief who earned his name by hiding in fast-food joints and department stores after-hours. Tatum and Cianfrance's take on the tale is light and full of heart. You can read the story here.

I also talked to Colin Hanks—you may have heard of Tom, his father—about his new documentary on the late comedian John Candy. He got started on the film following a cold call from Ryan Reynolds, which he told me all about in an interview here.

Fabien Frankel for Task / photo by: Eli Schmidt

The Cliff-Hanger's Winners and Losers of the Week (All Losers Edition)

Loser: Tron: Ares

Not only did this sci-fi film bomb at the box office by only making $60 million worldwide on opening weekend despite a $180 million budget, but it didn't even have Tron (the character) in it!

Loser: Kevin Costner

A new report from The Hollywood Reporter detailed an alleged fight on the Yellowstone set between Costner and actor Wes Bentley, further dampening the Dutton family patriarch's reputation behind the scenes of the hit TV drama. If Costner keeps up these feuds, who will be left to fund the release of Horizon: Part 2?

Loser: Saturday Night Live

Every year, Saturday Night Live makes a big hoot about all their new cast members. Then, the season begins, and they refuse to put them on screen?! I love Kenan Thompson but let me see the new kids in action!

Loser: Jonathan Lithgow

The actor playing the next Dumbledore stood out on some beach draped in what looked like over a hundred pounds of heavy robes in leaked images from the new Harry Potter TV series. With all this mess around J.K. Rowling making headlines every month, I just feel so bad for all the actors who will be forced to address it nonstop once the show airs. Those poor kids.

Loser: +

Apple's streaming service dropped the "+" from its name. From now on, the streamer will simply be referred to as "Apple TV." Whatever it's called, I just hope Tim Cook doesn't make me wait another three years for Severance season 3.