As Halloween quickly approaches, it is time to enter my favorite part of the month: Monstober. Monstober is a time in October when Disney Channel premieres its Halloween-inspired episodes and original movies.
A memorable part of spooky season growing up was sitting in front of my TV and preparing to see whatever spooky episode or movie would be on next. Here are the best Disney Channel Originals to watch this Halloween.
1. “Girl vs. Monster” (2012)
This may be biased considering this is my favorite Halloween movie of all time, but the number one spot on this list has to go to “Girl vs. Monster.” Starring Olivia Holt and Luke Benward, this film is filled with silly one-liners and the iconic song “Had Me at Hello.”
There is not a Halloween that goes by without this pop tune resurfacing on TikTok to remind everyone how good this movie is. It’s enjoyable to watch, or rewatch, Holt battle monsters with epic gear that I wish I owned.
2. “Hocus Pocus” (1993)
“Hocus Pocus” earns the second spot on this list thanks to the comedic charm of the Sanderson sisters, played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. These actresses work together to portray a trio of witches hunting for immortality. The iconic scene depicting their performance of “I Put a Spell on You,” bewitches the entire town of Salem as well as audiences on the other side of the screen.
This movie holds a strong sense of nostalgia and comfort of settling down on the couch to watch a funny, yet scary, Halloween film with family and friends.
3. “Halloweentown” (1998)
“Halloweentown” is the perfect example of an epic Halloween tale. From witches to monsters to ghouls, this film doesn’t miss. It keeps viewers entertained as the Cromwell siblings travel to a mysterious town with their grandmother to fight against an evil force. It is a short yet sweet movie of a family coming together in the spirit of Halloween.
The only faults with “Halloweentown” are the characters’ subtle flaws. Marnie’s overeagerness to be a witch often gets annoying and her little brother Dylan is a know-it-all and tries to crush the spirit of Halloween.
4. “Invisible Sister” (2015)
“Invisible Sister” premiered during the tailend of what many people call the “good” Disney Channel. Honestly, this film is neither impressive nor unimpressive as Cleo (Rowan Blanchard) accidentally turns her sister Molly (Paris Berelc) invisible. Audiences find themselves watching a family film rather than a Halloween movie.
This film could’ve dealt more with the spooky elements of Halloween but instead focused on the race against time to make Molly visible again. That being said, I still wish I could put pink streaks in my hair just like Cleo.
5. “Under Wraps” (2021)
The kids at the summer camp I worked at are the only reason I watched this movie. “Under Wraps” is filled with lackluster acting and scares as a group of kids try to put their new mummy friend back to his resting place before midnight on Halloween.
This film is rather forgettable, other than the excellent mummy costume. It’s a great watch for young children, but for those of us looking to reminisce on childhood memories, it falls short.
