Whether a film has the power to make one laugh, scream, or suffer from nonsensical phobias, celebrating Halloween night with a movie is a classic tradition.  To avoid the generic selections offered on ABC Family or other television channels, consider what Vernon Hills High School students and staff have to recommend for movies ranging from light-heartedly amusing to traumatizingly terrifying Halloween delight.

Scare Rating:  *  –  *****

[REC], Rated R

*****

When a camera crew documents the typical night shift at a fire station, an unexpected call invites the firemen into a tenement building ready to erupt into a nightmarish hellscape under siege.  Much like the gritty style of The Blair Witch Project, [REC] is a successful and original addition to the found footage genre.  To this extent, the film exhibits realism even out of supernatural moments of gore and suspense to prove that fear is all in the imagination.

The Babadook, Rated R

****

Upon the appearance of a disturbing storybook called The Babadook, a mother struggles to calm her son who is plagued by hallucinations of a monster detailed by the book.  The Babadook brings pride to modern horror films by straying away from cheap jump scares and returning to a climactic storyline much like in the tone of cult classic predecessors.  The uniqueness of the film strongly shows in it’s Australian actors’ performances and stylistic editing to create an authentic story of fear and unexpected love.

It Follows, Rated R

****

It Follows tells the story of a paranoid teenager suffering from hellish visions of an unknown being in constant pursuit for her life.  With such an ambiguous synopsis, this gives reason to partake in a viewing of It Follows.  “This isn’t your basic ‘hack and slash poorly placed jump scare’ film.  It’s an intense and suspenseful flick that will make you always look over your back and fear anyone that simply walks or does not speak,” said Brandon Fisher (12).

Halloween, Rated R

*****

Director John Carpenter is the king of horror films, as illustrated in his other works such as The Fog or The Thing.  Halloween arguably earns the title of being Carpenter’s best achievement when the introduction of serial killer Michael Myers unknowingly launched a franchise to still stand the test of time.  In fact, the film was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress.  Better yet, this film has Assistant Principal Mr. Stilling’s approval: “It’s an all time classic.  I screamed like a little girl, but in fairness I saw the movie when I was ten.”

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Rated PG

***

The normalcy of a suburban town creeps into menacing territory when a health inspector discovers that his neighbors are slowly being taken over by aliens.  In this science-fiction thriller, Invasion of the Body Snatchers captures big-budget fun of the seventies at it’s best.  It’s sleek special effects and intelligent writing validates an old relic to carry on enough cinema swagger into the twenty-first century.

28 Days Later, Rated R

***  

Set in a barren London, a man wakes up to find himself alone amongst a city infested with zombies.  Danny Boyle, director of Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting, took a crack at a zombie movie.  To audiences delight, the film surpasses supposed capabilities of how horrifying one can present a zombie apocalypse to be.  The trick: alluding to jump scares within every dingy corridor this man travels through.  “It’s a very freaky, yet good, movie.  Not like your average ‘child possessed by a demon’ or ‘axe murderer’ type of scary movie,” said Mary Gheysen (9).

Shaun of the Dead, Rated R

**  

Much like 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead also honors zombies hordes in England, but in a different light.  Director Edgar Wright’s zombie flick satire integrates both cheeky humor and moderate scares of equal panache.  It is especially the director’s distinct style, heavy on visual comedy, that finds humor in unconventional areas, including morning routines, daytime pubs, and bloody good cornettos.  Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s power couple performance too is the cherry on top.

Halloweentown, Rated G

*

By a staggering amount of requests, Halloweentown is a certified must for Vernon Hills High School students.  Perhaps it is the borrowed story elements from the Harry Potter franchise that helped carry this Disney Channel feature onto three more whimsical additions.  The first Halloweentown movie will remain a stand out of the series; a childhood token filled with family fun and a taxi-driving skeleton for kicks.