31 nights, 31 movies: a full October schedule.

The rule of the schedule: October is a dimmer switch, not a light switch. Week one is for everyone at the dinner table; week two turns the lights lower; week three lets the classics in; the final stretch belongs to Haddonfield. Ratings are the internet's, not ours. Swap any night freely — the double-feature ticket on the homepage re-rolls forever.

Week one — everyone stays in the room (Oct 1–7)

Oct 1 · It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) · ★ 8.1 — Start where the season starts. Sincerity is the whole point.

Oct 2 · Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest (2013) · ★ 7.0 — For the smallest viewers — legend of No Noggin included.

Oct 3 · Disney's Halloween Treat (1984) · ★ 8.4 — The vintage compilation special — the highest-rated thing on this whole schedule.

Oct 4 · The Halloween Tree (1993) · ★ 7.7 — Bradbury's history-of-Halloween adventure. Sneaky educational.

Oct 5 · Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005) · ★ 6.3 — Zero scares, maximum comfort.

Oct 6 · Raggedy Ann & Andy: The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile (1979) · ★ 6.8 — A 70s hand-drawn gem most people have never met.

Oct 7 · Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! (2020) · ★ 6.2 — The gang plus Elvira. First week closes with a mystery.

Week two — the lights go lower (Oct 8–14)

Oct 8 · Halloweentown (1998) · ★ 6.5 — The Disney Channel monument. Grandma Aggie forever.

Oct 9 · Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktakular (2003) · ★ 6.6 — An internet-beloved oddity with real charm.

Oct 10 · Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space (2009) · ★ 6.3 — Killer produce. A palate cleanser.

Oct 11 · Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001) · ★ 6.3 — Weekend double-tap with the first one if you missed it.

Oct 12 · It's Grinch Night (1977) · ★ 6.3 — Yes, a Halloween Grinch special exists. October's strangest footnote.

Oct 13 · The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976) · ★ 6.8 — Variety-show chaos featuring KISS. Best watched with snacks and disbelief.

Oct 14 · WNUF Halloween Special (2013) · ★ 6.3 — A fake 1987 news broadcast gone wrong — found-footage for people who don't like found-footage.

Week three — the classics arrive (Oct 15–23)

Oct 15 · Hubie Halloween (2020) · ★ 5.3 — Soft comedy before the turn. Salem scenery does half the work.

Oct 16 · Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) · ★ 5.6 — Gateway spooky for the almost-teens.

Oct 17 · Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One (2021) · ★ 7.3 — The holiday as noir. Gorgeous and moody.

Oct 18 · Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two (2021) · ★ 7.2 — Finish the case.

Oct 19 · Tales of Halloween (2015) · ★ 5.5 — Ten quick tales, one town, one night — anthology warm-up.

Oct 20 · Trick or Treat (1986) · ★ 5.9 — Heavy-metal horror camp. The 80s at full volume.

Oct 21 · Pumpkinhead (1988) · ★ 6.2 — A proper creature feature — practical-effects royalty.

Oct 22 · The Haunted History of Halloween (1997) · ★ 7.5 — The documentary night: where all of this actually came from.

Oct 23 · Trick 'r Treat (2007) · ★ 6.7 — The modern anthology classic. Sam is the season's true mascot.

The final stretch — Haddonfield (Oct 24–31)

Oct 24 · Halloween (2007) · ★ 6.1 — Rob Zombie's brutal remake, for contrast with what's coming.

Oct 25 · Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) · ★ 5.8 — The best of the late-80s sequels.

Oct 26 · Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) · ★ 5.8 — Laurie fights back, twenty years on.

Oct 27 · Halloween (2018) · ★ 6.5 — The modern reunion — forty years of dread paid off.

Oct 28 · Halloween Kills (2021) · ★ 5.5 — The loud one. Manage expectations, enjoy the chaos.

Oct 29 · Halloween Ends (2022) · ★ 5.0 — The curveball. Watch it knowing that and it plays better.

Oct 30 · Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) · ★ 5.2 — Mischief night belongs to the Silver Shamrock jingle — the only franchise film about the holiday itself.

Oct 31 · Halloween (1978) · ★ 7.7 — The night itself gets the original. Lights off. Door locked. Obviously.