Halloween is slowly approaching, but it doesn’t feel like the spooky season.

Balancing a job and school on top of a pandemic has made it harder for students to relax. Sometimes it’s OK to sit back and get into the Halloween spirit with some movies.

Here are some classic Halloween movies that, while they can give students a much-needed break from homework and study.

Hocus Pocus 

Hocus Pocus begins in 1693, where three witches, called the Sanderson sisters, spend their days draining the life from children. Before their execution, they vowed to return and resume their wicked ways. 300 years later, a boy named Max succeeds in bringing them back by lighting the Black Flame Candle. The movie follows Max, his sister, Dani, and his crush, Allison, as they attempt to undo what Max has done. 

This movie is a classic. Dani makes for an adorably sassy sidekick, and the plot is fast-paced and entertaining. This flick is perfect for any Halloween night binge. 

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas is technically a Halloween movie and a Christmas movie. There aren’t any other movies that can claim the same thing. 

The movie is about Jack, the pumpkin king of Halloween, feeling dissatisfied with his holiday. Upon exploring the woods, he finds doors that lead to other holidays. After going through one, Jack finds himself in Christmas Town. 

There, he discovers a world that’s the exact opposite of his own. He then decides he wants to steal Christmas and replace Santa Claus. While this goes just about as well as expected, the movie also has a nice lesson on being grateful for what you have. 

Halloweentown 

Halloweentown follows the story of a young girl named Marnie who loves Halloween despite her mother’s insistence against the holiday. However, Marnie and her siblings soon discover their family’s dark secret; they come from a long line of powerful witches. Marnie and her siblings follow their grandmother to Halloweentown, a magical town where monsters are free to be themselves and it’s Halloween every day. 

Unfortunately for the siblings, they soon discover that all is not as it seems in this happy little town, as great darkness resides in the shadows, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. As its power grows stronger, the family must come together in order to stop it and save their new world.

All three of these movies can be found on Disney Plus.

This Halloween will be unlike any other. Due to social distancing protocols, staying in and having a movie night might be your best bet.