By Nicole Wiesenthal
Freshman, Journalism major
Clammy hands, a racing pulse, dilated eyes. The killer, shining knife in hand, creeps up behind the young woman. He raises the silver blade above her head and—nope. No thank you.
Scary movies aren’t for everyone; we understand that. So we’re counting down a list of G and PG rated films that will get you in the mood for Halloween… without giving you the feeling that you’re going to be possessed, murdered, or abused during the late hours of the night.
5. Monsters Inc.
This movie is about an entire universe full of monsters. Enough said.
But in all seriousness, the movie is about monsters who scare children for a living. A young child accidentally winds up in their world, which changes the lives of two monsters who were set on becoming the top scare team.
4. Spirited Away
This Studio Ghibli film not only employs masterful animation, but also tells an interesting story of a young girl who is forced to face the different spirits of her homeland. Not all of the spirits are kind, and the tale is somewhat frightening because the girl is forced into a world that is not like her own, a world where human beings are not accepted. If she is found out, she might lose her life.
3. Coraline
Coraline may only have scored a PG rating, but that does not mean it isn’t scary. The movie follows a young girl into a world full of puppets where she finally feels like she belongs. Coraline learns the hard way that everything is not always as it seems.
Freshman history major Kamran Ali said, “It was fantastic. I saw it a while ago, but it was good. I just remember it being somewhat creepy and disturbing. Still, it was a captivating story with a nice balance of adult and childhood themes.”
2. Monster House
Monster House is a classic Halloween tale about a boy who gathers up his friends to save the neighborhood from the man across the street and his evil possessed house, which swallows up everything that touches his property. They only have until Halloween night to stop the madness.
1. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Of course, at the top of our list has to be The Nightmare Before Christmas. What screams Halloween more than a story of a skeleton man called the Pumpkin King who attempts to take over Christmas with the help of his town of ghouls and ghosts?
Freshman microbiology major Brandon Corder ranked this movie among his favorites for Halloween. At Halloween he’ll gather together some of his close friends, grab a bowl of candy corn, and watch the film. “It makes me feel like a little kid again,” Corder said.
So what are you waiting for? Halloween is almost here. Gather up some friends, break out the candy, and put on one (or more) of these films so you can relive the past and get into the holiday spirit.
UF PRISM 