Halloween is just around the corner, and horror film afficionados are rubbing their hands with glee. This is definitely the time of year to indulge your taste in all things spooky, gory, or just generally weird. Not only are you less likely to attract strange looks from less ghoulishly-minded friends, but many film studios time the release of new thrillers and supernatural dramas to coincide with the creepiest time of year – as well as the ever-popular Halloween-themed cartoons that bring out the big trick-or-treater in all of us. Here is our list of the top Halloween-themed films currently in UK cinemas or coming very soon:
Paranormal Activity 4
For those who adore supernatural suspense, this one is a must-see. True, parts 2 and 3 didn’t capture the imagination in quite so powerful a way as did the original’s shocking final scene, but the franchise is sufficiently intriguing and the films laced with enough genuinely shivery moments to keep part 4 firmly on our list. Plus, Paramount has already announced that Paranormal Activity 5 will be haunting our screens next October, so we need to keep up to speed with the latest developments.
Sinister
Sinister was actually released at the start of the month, but if you haven’t caught this eerie thriller yet it’ll definitely fit the mood this Halloween. Reviews have been generally positive for this tale of a struggling writer (Ethan Hawke) who moves into an old house with his young family, only to discover footage of a gruesome murder that took place in the property shortly before strange things start to happen. The film may not forge any new ground, but it’s a solid and enjoyable effort nonetheless and should satisfy your cravings for something creepy.
Hotel Transylvania
On a lighter note, here’s one that’ll appeal to junior audiences far more than their parents. The premise here is that Dracula (voiced by a rather strangely cast Adam Sandler) decides to open his castle as a holiday resort for all kinds of supernatural creatures – no humans allowed. However, a hapless human backpacker (Andy Samberg) pitches up at the castle looking for a room, and soon falls for the count’s plucky daughter (Selena Gomez), much to Dracula’s dismay. While reviews haven’t been overly enthusiastic for the rather unambitious story, it certainly has enough seasonal appeal to entertain your little spooks for a spell.
Frankenweenie
No one captures the twin streams of scariness and fun associated with Halloween quite the way Tim Burton does, and his newest film offering seems set to take its place alongside such classics as The Nightmare Before Christmas (although there’s still considerable debate over whether that’s actually a Halloween or Christmas film – but I digress…). Frankenweenie is a feature-length, stop-motion, black-and-white reworking of a short film Burton directed for Disney at the very beginning of his career. It recounts the charming and cutely ghoulish story of young Victor Frankenstein, who seeks to reanimate his beloved pet dog when it dies. All is well until the other children at his school find out what he’s done, and want their very own undead pets… If you’ve made it through Hotel Transylvania with your kids, definitely reward yourself with Frankenweenie – it’s a Halloween film that will appeal to the entire family.
Silent Hill: Revelation 3D
To be honest, I wrestled a bit with the decision to include this film on the list. The original Silent Hill film was not widely lauded or particularly memorable, although some felt that it was one of the more effective video game adaptations out there. Still, its release in the UK (26th October) is perfectly timed for the Halloween crowd, and there does seem to be some buzz over it – possibly due to the fact it’s been filmed in 3D. It may be worth a watch for that reason alone, if it manages to make good use of the medium to up the scare factor.
ParaNorman
Again, this film actually came out last month, but if somehow you’ve missed it with your kids (or just haven’t seen it yourself), it’s definitely worth catching this Halloween. This stop-motion animated delight traces the story of young Norman (voice of Kodi Smit-McPhee), who can see dead people – much to his parents’ dismay. Then Norman gets drafted in to using his skills to save his town from an evil curse, with results that are both hilarious and terrifying in equal measure. This is another spooky film offering that will please the old and young alike in the audience, and is surely destined to be a Halloween classic.
Which film are you most looking forward to seeing this Halloween? Are you going to check out one of these new releases, or stick to the Halloween classics?
