Halloween movies for the scared-y cat

10/31/07 - Ghouls and goblins, witches and black cats: all of the things that make Halloween the scariest day of the year. And while many of us do not believe that ghosts exist, or that evil monsters sleep under our beds at night, classic scary movies that portray these particular things come out to play, if you will, during the Halloween season. One of the best Halloween movies, in my opinion, is Hocus Pocus, starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. The tale brings us back to a time where the idea of witchery is shunned. The Sanderson sisters though, are actual witches who want to be young and beautiful again, so they steal the souls of little girls in order to regain their beauty.

The movie then shifts to the present day, where the Sanderson sisters are brought back to life and try, once again, to capture their youth through little girls. We follow a young boy, his little sister, his crush and a 300-year-old black cat, as they try to bring the sisters down and destroy them forever.

Hocus Pocus is not your typical scary movie, as it does not have chainsaws and bloody scenes. However, if you are looking for a laugh and some wicked fun, watching the tale of the Sanderson sisters is quite entertaining.

Casper, however, is more of a love story than anything. With a young Christina Ricci as the leading lady and Devon Sawa as the on-screen actor for the Casper character, how could this movie possibly be anything but cheesy and cute?

The story line follows a young girl (Ricci) and her father (Bill Pullman) as they move into a creepy and haunted old house where mischievous spirits and ghosts have lived for years. Ricci meets Casper and befriends him, and believe it or not, actually falls in love with him.

How sweet. But aren't ghosts supposed to be scary Casper?

Now, if you're in the mood for a little fright, check out the movie, The Village. Writer, M. Night Shyamalan, knits a scary story of an isolated village where the inhabitants believe that the mystical creatures that live in the nearby forest are trying to get them.

The creatures are dressed in red capes and many of the villagers are frightened by the color red. Because of the mystical creatures, no one dares to leave the borders of the village for fear that they may never return. However, when one individual decides to test the waters, the picture-perfect community is never the same again.

But if you're not into being scared to your wits end - The Village tends to be a nail biter - ET is the perfect family movie for Halloween night. Who can resist seeing an alien interact with a bunch of kids? I know - it's heart warming.

While these movies are not scary like the Saw series or Scream, they are quite entertaining and a good option for those who may not be into scary movies.

Halloween is supposed to be a spooky night, so why not add some movie magic to your evening of trick-or-treating, apple bobbing, costume wearing and candy-eating night?