Before I experienced Halloween in the US, I imagined trick-or-treating as something like the Christmas caroling we did as children in the Philippines. You went from house to house, knocked on doors, and hoped to come away with something.
Swap the Christmas songs for “Trick or treat!” and the coins for candy, and I thought I had the general idea.
The excitement started with choosing costumes. Would it be a classic monster or fairy, a favorite character, or something completely unexpected? Deciding what to wear was already an event before anyone collected a single piece of candy.
Walking around with them brought back memories of our own childhood rounds, including the familiar “Patawad po!” that sometimes greeted our Christmas songs. Here in the US, some households even left bowls of candy outside for the children to help themselves. No song number required.
What stayed with me was how much fun it was to join in with my apos. I had seen trick-or-treating in movies for years, but accompanying them gave me a Halloween memory of my own.
This year, that has me thinking about another way to enjoy the occasion together: a Halloween Watch Party at home. The costumes can stay on, the candy can become movie snacks, and everyone can settle on the couch for something a little spooky.
Choosing what to watch, however, takes some care. A funny-looking monster might delight one child and frighten another. For a family watchlist, I’d want a mix of laughs, magical adventures, and scares that parents can judge for their own kids.
With an HBO Max Standard subscription included in PLDT Home Fiber Unli All Plan 1499, there are so many titles to choose from. So to help you prepare that movie night list, here are some Halloween viewing ideas, along with what parents should know before pressing play.
Halloween Watch Night: From Family Frights to Late-Night Screams
A look through HBO Max’s movie and series lineup gave me plenty of ideas for our Halloween watch party. Some bring the monsters, others bring the magic, and a few let us enjoy the season without anyone having to hide behind a cushion. Here are seven family viewing picks, followed by three to save until the little ones are asleep. As always, check the age rating and think about what your own children are comfortable watching.
1. Start with witches and wizards: Harry Potter
What would Halloween be without witches and wizards? For a generation of readers and moviegoers, Harry Potter made a school full of moving staircases, floating candles, and magical creatures feel like somewhere we wanted to visit. Sharing the films with children gives parents a chance to introduce that world all over again.
Start with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, also known as Philosopher’s Stone, which follows Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts and the beginnings of his friendship with Ron and Hermione. Beyond the spells, there is plenty to talk about: finding friends, standing up for someone, and being brave even when you are frightened.
Treat the series as something children can grow into. The later films become darker and deal more directly with death and loss. Even the first has frightening scenes, so there is no need to turn one Halloween evening into an eight-film marathon.
2. Reunite with those meddling kids: SCOOB!
Those meddling kids have been getting into spooky trouble for decades, and SCOOB! takes us back to how it all began. We meet Shaggy and Scooby before they become inseparable, then see how Fred, Daphne, and Velma join the group.
The adventure eventually involves a plot to unleash Cerberus, the monstrous three-headed dog. There are chases and creatures, but friendship gives the story its heart. For parents familiar with Scooby-Doo, it is a chance to introduce the gang to another generation.
This is a lively mystery adventure with spooky elements rather than a dedicated Halloween special. Younger viewers may still find the monster scenes intense.
3. Keep it short with spooky cartoon episodes
Sometimes, one episode is all everyone has energy for after an evening of walking. It is handy to have cartoons such as Adventure Time, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Steven Universe in HBO Max’s lineup when a full movie feels like too much.
Adventure Time has spooky stories such as “The Creeps,” while The Amazing World of Gumball’s “Halloween” takes Gumball, Darwin, and Anais to a haunted-house party with Carrie. Steven Universe’s “Horror Club” begins with a gathering to watch scary movies at a lighthouse before the trouble becomes considerably closer to home.
4. Meet
It is hard to resist Gizmo’s face, but his world comes with a few rules. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai follows young Sam Wing in 1920s Shanghai as he meets the little creature and tries to keep him out of dangerous hands.
The animated series combines magical creatures, adventure, and the kind of trouble that makes “please follow the instructions” sound like excellent advice. Parents who remember Gremlins get a familiar character, while children can discover Sam and Gizmo’s story.
5. Follow a spooky fairy tale: Over the Garden Wall
For something with a stronger Halloween atmosphere, try Over the Garden Wall. Brothers Wirt and Greg find themselves lost in a strange forest, meeting curious characters as they search for a way home.
The miniseries mixes humor with an eerie fairy-tale mood. It is a good option for children who enjoy a mystery unfolding, and the relationship between the brothers gives families something to follow beyond the scares.
6. Let the Halloween treats do the frightening
Halloween Wars and Halloween Baking Championship offer another way to get into the season. Instead of following characters through a haunted house, the family can watch competitors create elaborate Halloween displays and desserts.
Halloween Wars brings together pumpkin carving, cake artistry, and sugar work. Halloween Baking Championship puts the focus on bakers and their themed creations. Everyone can choose a favorite and argue over which entry should win, preferably with something less terrifying to eat.
Some designs are deliberately gruesome, so these are not automatically scare-free choices. Still, for families interested in baking or decorating, they offer a different kind of Halloween viewing.
7. Take a break from the scares: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Mario remains one of gaming’s most recognizable characters. If you missed The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in theaters, its HBO Max premiere recently gives you another chance to make it a family movie night.
This is the pick for anyone who would rather have an adventure than another ghost story. Its game-inspired fantasy world also gives parents and children who know Mario something familiar to enjoy together.
Think of it as a change of pace in the Halloween lineup. There is no rule that every movie after trick-or-treating has to frighten somebody.
Three picks for when the kids are asleep
Once the little ones are tucked in, Mom and Dad can choose something considerably scarier. These next picks are for adult horror fans; older teens should meet each title’s age classification. Keep them separate from the family watch party.
1. Scream and Final Destination: Familiar names, fresh reasons to scream
For parents who grew up watching Scream and Final Destination, Halloween is a good excuse to revisit the kind of horror that had us shouting advice at the screen. One franchise makes you suspicious of everyone; the other makes you suspicious of everything around you.
HBO Max’s Philippine lineup includes Scream 7 and Final Destination Bloodlines. In Scream 7, Sidney Prescott must protect her daughter when Ghostface returns. Bloodlines follows college student Stefanie as recurring nightmares draw her into a search for a way to save her family from a deadly fate.
Pick Scream if you enjoy trying to unmask a killer, or Final Destination if spotting the next disastrous chain reaction is your idea of fun. Both bring graphic violence, so these are strictly for the later viewing session.
2. IT and IT: Welcome to Derry: A return to Pennywise’s hometown
If a red balloon is enough to make you nervous, this part of the watchlist is doing its job.
IT follows a group of young friends confronting the shape-shifting terror haunting Derry, while IT Chapter Two brings them back as adults to face Pennywise again. The friendship gives the films an emotional thread, but having children at the center of the story does not make this children’s entertainment.
The prequel series IT: Welcome to Derry takes the story back to 1962, exploring an earlier chapter of the town’s horrors. Start with the films if you are new to this screen version of Stephen King’s world, then try the series for more of Derry’s disturbing history.
Expect frightening imagery, violence, and children in danger. This is a watch-together choice for grown-ups who actually want to be scared.
3. Strange: Junji Ito’s Tales for Sleepless Nights: Something unsettling before bed
After the masked killers and Pennywise, Strange: Junji Ito’s Tales for Sleepless Nights offers a different kind of horror. The live-action Japanese anthology adapts stories by horror manga creator Junji Ito, bringing his surreal nightmares into the real world.
The anthology format makes it an option for parents who would rather choose a story than begin another movie franchise. Its disturbing material also earns it a firm place in the adults’ portion of the list.
The title does rather undermine any promise of a peaceful bedtime. Perhaps this is the one to start while someone else is still awake.
BRING THE WATCH PARTY HOME
PLDT Home Fiber Unli All Plan 1499 includes an HBO Max Standard subscription, bringing home connectivity and entertainment together in one plan. Whether your family chooses a magical movie, a short cartoon, or a Halloween baking competition, the watchlist can fit the evening you want to have.
To apply and check the plan’s current terms, visit PLDT Home. Make the Smart Choice, Get More For Less.
As for our Halloween watch party, I have one rule: whoever chooses the scary movie cannot complain when someone asks to keep the lights on.
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