Jordan Orlando — Coraline (2009): The reason I’m choosing this film is not that it is necessarily the scariest movie I’ve ever seen (it is PG after all) but because it is one of my favorite films, especially to watch during this time of year just because of how atmospheric and eerie it is. Though there is no gore or jump scares, I do truly believe this movie is effective as a horror film. Not just with the atmosphere, which gets horrifyingly bleak and cold in the second half when the illusion vanishes, but also with the ideas the film explores with the button eyes, missing children, morphing characters, and Coraline having to be on her own in the end to rescue her parents. It’s not just the more horrifying, mature elements that make this film one of my favorites to this day, but also the beautiful stop motion animation, great writing, great voice acting, and great characterization, especially for Coraline herself. I honestly believe that this film will become a classic in the same vein as The Nightmare Before Christmas.

The Shining (1980): This is another one of my favorite films, in addition to being one I love to watch this time of year. Likewise, I do think this film genuinely terrifying. I think this film is a master class in slow-burning horror, as we watch a man slowly descending into madness, and horrors from the past come back to haunt the entire family. The long takes and subtle use of music really help to build atmosphere and tension. The film also climaxes perfectly with the entire family being isolated in the hotel during a snow storm and the father completely succumbing to madness. That’s also nothing to say of the incredibly acting from the entire cast and some of the most memorable lines/sequences in cinematic history.

Alex Howard — My two favorite scary movies Halloween (1978) and It Follows. I also enjoy watching The Shining October and I’ve discovered a lot of new horror that I love this year.

Gabrielle Burton — With spooky season coming to a close and the pandemic giving us a real-life horror to live through, I find myself binging a few films (BeetleJuice, Coraline, and  I know What You Did Last Summer) and shows (R.L Stine’s Goosebumps),  to distract from the chaos and reminisce on all the things that make Halloween one of my favorite holidays. A few of my favorite Halloween Classics are definitely Wes Craven’s Scream (1996) and James Wongs’ campy 2000s horror franchise Final Destination.  Scream is one of my all time favorites! Matthew Lillard steals the show and my heart in this Slasher. Coincidentally, James Gunn’s Scooby Doo (2002) was a close third place contender in the line-up. What I love about both of these films is the hyperbolic-realism. These are all people like you and me, put in insane situations. I love the ensemble for both films. The cast is iconic and made the films what they remain today. I love how campy the scares and gore are in Final Destination and Scream. It’s entertaining to watch. Finally, the films are iconic. I can’t drive on a highway behind a truck with Tree trunks without thinking my time is up. Scream is so quotable (“Do You Like Scary Movies?”) and characters like Dewey and Stu really give the film their class act status. If you haven’t seen these films I recommend you do.