Witch, Please: Must-See Films for a Magical Fall

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Toronto MU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

As fall has officially started, we are all getting in the mood for pumpkin-spiced drinks and sweater weather. For me, fall starting means Halloween is near, and as a die-hard Halloween and movie lover, there’s nothing I enjoy more than combining the two and watching my favourite witch-themed movies in October.

While I absolutely love slashers and scary movies, nothing gets me feeling the magic like a female-led witchy movie! So, if you’re looking for something more than your usual Halloween flicks like Scream and Halloween, I’ve got you covered.

For all the witchy girls, I recommend…

This 1996 cult classic was the film that first sparked my love for witchy movies. The Craft follows the story of Sarah, a high school newcomer and a natural witch, who falls in with a clique of three teen witches. These four outcasts each represent an element of nature and together find their strength in their shared magic.

That strength quickly turns dark as they begin experimenting with black magic, and eventually attempt a ceremony to the deity Manon. This movie even had a real-life witch on set who made sure all the rituals and spells were actually correct. It’s practically a manual for embracing your inner darkness. 

One of my Halloween costumes last year was based on this cult favourite, The Love Witch. Complete with Elaine’s iconic blue eye shadow and retro 60s hairstyle, this movie is a must-watch every October. This 2016 film is visually stunning and camp, which feels both unsettling and mesmerizing.

Elaine uses spells and her magic powers to get men to fall in love with her. Obsessed with the idea of being loved, she wields her sexuality as power, yet it’s unclear whether she’s really in control or just doing what she needs to do to be loved. The men she entraps never seem to be enough, and her pursuit of affection becomes as tragic as it is dangerous. Its striking cinematography and retro aesthetic make it a hypnotic and captivating journey.

Blending romance, family, and witchcraft, Practical Magic will always be a fall rewatch for me. This 1998 romantic comedy features Sandra Bullock (Sally Owens) and Nicole Kidman (Gillian Owens) as two sisters born into a generation of Owens women. Their mother had cast a spell on herself to get rid of her agony of love and to curse any man who dared to love an Owens woman, leading to ups and downs in these sisters’ love lives.

When Gillian’s dangerous boyfriend causes problems, the sisters find themselves in a predicament and must use their magic to destroy his evil spirit before it kills them. Equally whimsical and dark, this movie captures the messy beauty of love and the strength of sisterhood.

This 1987 horror comedy, The Witches of Eastwick, starring a stacked cast of Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Susan Sarandon, takes place in New England, where three single women, unknowingly witches, conjure their perfect man without realizing it. Jack Nicholson stars as Daryl Van Horne, a mysterious and charming man, whose seductive charms awaken these women’s supernatural powers.

Things quickly get turned upside down, turning the town against them and forcing the women to confront their powers and their desires. A perfect example of female friendships, temptations, and the high cost of getting exactly what you wished for.

This 2015 slow-burn horror is much darker than the other films on this list. The Witch is less about cliches and jump scares but more about how a terrible situation brought on by a supernatural entity affects a family.

Set in 1630s New England, this film follows Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her family as they struggle to survive on a small, remote farm near a dark forest. When the Puritan family’s youngest son mysteriously vanishes, snatched away by a witch, the family starts to spiral. While they believe a wolf is to blame, paranoia sets in and suspicion turns inward as the family begins accusing one another. What follows is the concept of isolation and the collapse of faith and trust within a family.