There is a certain magic about going to the movie theater that streaming can’t replicate, and lately, there have been a lot of great films in theaters or that are coming out in the next few weeks, all of which I have either gone to see or am planning to watch.

Scary movies always bring excitement to the screen, and Blumhouse Productions–which released Get Out, Split, Insidious, and even some of the Halloween movies–is considered one of, if not the best, horror movie production companies. This year, two highly anticipated Blumhouse films, The Black Phone 2 (rated R) and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (rated PG-13), are being shown on the big screen. At the moment, The Black Phone 2  is running, having premiered in mid-October. The original Black Phone movie (rated R) was released in September 2022 and introduced Finney Blake, a 13-year-old boy, and his younger sister, Gwen. The siblings live in Colorado in 1978, as does a masked kidnapper called the Grabber. Finney is kidnapped and taken into the Grabber’s basement, where a disconnected black rotary phone starts ringing; the calls are from the Grabber’s past victims. At the end of The Black Phone, Finney takes down the Grabber with the help of the other victims, who give him instructions through the phone that shouldn’t be working. Gwen also uses her psychic abilities to help the police find her brother and the other missing children. The sequel, Black Phone 2, takes place three years later and uncovers the rest of the Grabber’s past when Finney, Gwen, and their friend Ernesto travel to the mountains of Colorado, where the Grabber’s malicious acts began in the late 1950s. I watched both The Black Phone and its sequel when they came out, and I genuinely recommend watching them. Both films create a strong personal connection between the audience and the characters, making the film more intense and the stakes higher. If you are into jump scares, the supernatural, and a few surprisingly emotional moments, they are definitely worth checking out. I believe scary movies are always better in theaters, so I recommend going to see Black Phone 2 while you still have the chance, but if you can’t make it, don’t worry–another Blumhouse film (Five Nights at Freddy’s 2) is will premiere on December 5.

Mason Thames, the star of both The Black Phone 1 and 2, also stars in another highly anticipated movie that came out this October: Regretting You (rated PG-13), which is an adaptation of the book written by It Ends with Us author Colleen Hoover. The film focuses on the relationship between 17-year-old Clara Grant (played by McKenna Grace) and her mother (Allison Williams) as they navigate the grief of losing Clara’s father and aunt. Clara begins to spend time with a boy in her class, Miller Adams (Mason Thames), who helps distract her from the passing of her two loved ones, and she eventually falls for him. While Clara is with Miller, her mom uncovers a shocking truth about their family and doesn’t know if it is better to keep it a secret or confess what she knows to Clara. I saw this film with my sister, and it was a great girls’ night pick; it has all of the sweet, romantic moments you look for in a love story, balanced with the heaviness of grief, giving the whole film more depth. For anyone looking for a romance with emotional richness, you should check out Regretting You.

It would be unjust to talk about the new releases this year without mentioning Wicked: for Good, the sequel to last year’s Wicked. Both Wicked films (rated PG) are retellings of the beloved Wizard of Oz–which was published in 1900 and made into the classic film in 1939–from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo). The supposedly “evil” witch is portrayed as misunderstood, and the film focuses on her friendship with the Good Witch, Glinda (Ariana Grande). When Elphaba challenges the Wizard and his corruption, Glinda does not support her, and it marks the end of their friendship. The first movie closes with Elphaba heading west and fleeing Oz, leaving us to wonder what will happen in Oz, if Glinda and Elphaba ever reconcile, and who really is “wicked,” a question that will be answered in the sequel, which is set to premiere on November 21. I went and saw this movie with my friend and sister and really enjoyed it. I thought the singing was amazing, and I had the soundtrack on repeat for weeks! But don’t just take my word for it. Senior Becky Hunter, a member of the RMA Drama Club whose knowledge of musicals is truly astounding, said that although she loved the play, she appreciated that the movies could expand on and give more detail than the Broadway play. Another great reason to see Wicked 2, even if you’re not really into musicals, is the fact that its cultural impact has spread beyond the big screen; companies like Ulta, Starbucks, and Dunkin’ Donuts have collaborated with Wicked, creating Glinda and Elphaba-inspired makeup products and drinks. Three weeks ago, Dancing With the Stars had a Wicked-themed night where each couple had to perform to a song from the musical. The cultural love for Wicked is well deserved, and if you enjoy family-fun musicals or just being part of pop culture, you should definitely jump on the bandwagon if you haven’t yet!

From supernatural horror movies to coming-of-age romance to family fun musicals, the theaters have it all, so skip the couch for a night and head to the theaters to get the full movie experience and all of its magic.