General

Beetlejuice is a 1988 American gothic dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, with a screenplay by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren based on a story by McDowell and Larry Wilson. The film stars Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse, alongside Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder.

The plot follows a recently deceased couple who find themselves trapped in their own home as ghosts. Desperate to scare away the new living inhabitants, they turn to Betelgeuse — a sleazy “bio-exorcist” — to do the dirty work. The movie blends Burton’s signature gothic visuals with quirky dark humor and famously features Harry Belafonte’s calypso music, including the unforgettable “Day-O” dinner scene.

Now for a confession: I wasn’t the biggest fan of Beetlejuice when it first came out. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t think it was bad — it just wasn’t really my thing at the time. What kept me watching was my love of Geena Davis (and by the way, if you haven’t seen The Long Kiss Goodnight with her, you need to — it’s one of my all-time favorites).

Part of it, I think, was that I just wasn’t into Tim Burton’s style back then. He’s always had a very unique, exaggerated, gothic-quirky approach, and for younger me, it didn’t quite land. Add in the fact that life was weird for me during that time, and Beetlejuice just didn’t click.

But over the years, I’ve grown a much stronger appreciation for it. My wife has always been a huge fan, and through her love of the film (and countless re-watches together), it’s now become a regular part of our Halloween watchlist. It’s fun, it’s weird, and it absolutely deserves its status as a cult classic.

Comedy vs. Horror Balance: Definitely more on the comedy side — but with just enough creepy Burton flair to keep it spooky.

Rating: 💀💀💀💀 out of 5 Skulls

Re-Animator (also known as H. P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator) is a 1985 American comedy horror film loosely based on the 1922 H. P. Lovecraft serial novelette Herbert West–Reanimator. Directed by Stuart Gordon and produced by Brian Yuzna, the film stars Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, a brilliant but unhinged medical student who invents a serum capable of reanimating the dead. He and his classmate Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) test the serum on corpses, only to unleash chaos and attract the attention of the sinister Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale), who has his own twisted agenda.

I distinctly remember first seeing this one as a rental from the video store — and my reaction was twofold: This is great! and WTF did I just watch? Jeffrey Combs’ performance felt completely over the top at first, but somehow it works perfectly here. In fact, it was the beginning of my appreciation for him — I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve seen him in since.

Part of what gives Re-Animator its strange, theatrical energy is the fact that it was originally conceived as a stage production before being adapted into a film. You can feel that influence in the performances, the pacing, and the way scenes play out almost like exaggerated vignettes.

This collaboration between director Stuart Gordon and Combs also led to another wild but wonderful Lovecraft-inspired film I absolutely love: From Beyond. I don’t know why I didn’t include it in this list as well, but trust me — if you enjoy Re-Animator, you should absolutely check out From Beyond.

Re-Animator is gory, weird, funny, and unapologetically over the top. It’s a cult classic for a reason, and a must for fans of splatter horror.

Rating: 💀💀💀💀 out of 5 Skulls

Bonus Watch: From Beyond (1986) — another Stuart Gordon and Jeffrey Combs collaboration that dives into mind-bending Lovecraftian horror.

“If it’s in a word, or if it’s in a book, you can’t get rid of the Babadook.”

The Babadook is a 2014 Australian psychological horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent in her feature debut. The movie received critical acclaim, holding a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and being ranked among the best-reviewed horror films of its decade. Critics praised it for relying on real psychological horror rather than cheap jump scares, and for weaving in a heartfelt, genuinely moving story about grief and motherhood.

Oh man, do I love this movie. I remember seeing the trailer, instantly tracking down a way to watch it, and being hooked. The concept — a children’s pop-up book that manifests into something far darker — was unlike anything I’d seen.

And speaking of the book… shortly after the film’s wider release, a crowdfund campaign was launched to produce an actual Babadook book for fans. You better believe I jumped on that! I paid $80 and waited what felt like forever (nearly 3 years!) for it to be produced and shipped. When it finally arrived, it became one of my prized items in my collection. In fact, I just saw a copy pop up on eBay going for around $1,000 — and mine is in prime condition, only removed from its container once or twice. I really should have it officially appraised.

Back to the film itself: The Babadook is a bit of a slow, surreal burner — and I love films like that. The tension creeps in quietly, blending the supernatural with raw psychological themes. It’s disturbing, emotional, and absolutely one of the best supernatural thrillers I’ve ever seen.

Rating: 💀💀💀💀💀 out of 5 Skulls

Young Frankenstein is a 1974 American comedy horror film directed by Mel Brooks, with a screenplay co-written by Brooks and Gene Wilder. Wilder also starred as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the grandson of Victor Frankenstein, determined to distance himself from the family legacy — until he inevitably embraces it. Peter Boyle plays the monster, with a supporting cast stacked with comedy legends: Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Richard Haydn, and even Gene Hackman in a surprise cameo.

My father took us to see this one, and I went in thinking it was going to be a terrifying, serious horror movie. I wasn’t versed enough in the Mel Brooks universe yet to know what to expect. But what I got was something completely different — and I loved it. It quickly became one of my favorite movies, not just for Halloween but in general.

It’s also one of my wife’s favorites, as she’s a huge Gene Wilder fan. We even watched it together remotely during our dating years, syncing up scenes and laughing at the same moments over the phone. Sharing a comedy horror classic like this only deepened our connection — and to this day, quoting it together still brings us joy.

And speaking of quotes, this is easily one of the most quotable films of all time. Lines like “Put the candle back!” and “It’s pronounced Fronkensteen!” are part of pop culture history. Brooks and Wilder crafted something timeless — a film that manages to honor the Gothic look and feel of the old Universal monster movies while satirizing them brilliantly.

What makes Young Frankenstein so special is that it works on two levels. If you love classic horror, it’s a gorgeous homage shot in black and white with all the atmosphere of a 1930s monster flick. But if you’re here for laughs, it’s one of the funniest comedies ever written. Few films manage to strike that balance, and even fewer hold up nearly 50 years later.

For me and my wife, Young Frankenstein isn’t just a movie — it’s part of our shared story, a film that connects childhood memories, family, dating, and now our Halloween traditions.

Rating: 💀💀💀💀💀 out of 5 Skulls