It’s that time of year when there’s nothing I love more than watching a fun Halloween movie after all my homework is done. In between all the pumpkin carving, costume hunting, and party hosting, it’s the easiest way for me to enjoy the spookiest season at home. From classic horror to teenage witches to singing skeletons, there are plenty of options for anyone.
Every year, my favorites are always the stop-motion movies of the ’90s and 2000s. They’re fun, whimsical, and just creepy enough for someone who hates horror but loves Halloween, like me.
Since I’ve watched a lot of these movies, I’ve decided to rate all the best spooky stop-motion movies on a scale of 1-10 pumpkins. Each movie’s rating will be based on story, creativity, and general Halloween spirit.
Without further ado, let’s see how your favorites fare, and may the best stop-motion win!
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Starting strong with one of the classics of the genre, The Nightmare Before Christmas is everywhere around Halloween and even into Christmas.
From the mind of Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick, The Nightmare Before Christmas has one of the most creative concepts, as it was one of the first big stop-motion films. The characters are all well-designed and iconic; it’s hard to see a skeleton with big eyes and not immediately think of Jack Skellington.
I love this movie because the story of finding yourself and expressing your individuality is funny, cute, and unexpected for a Halloween movie.
The songs by Danny Elfman are also top-tier, and you’ll find me singing them from September to December every year. With the criteria in mind, I think it’s only fitting to give The Nightmare Before Christmas 10 out of 10 pumpkins for the Pumpkin King.
Coraline (2009)
Another fan favorite from director Henry Selick, Coraline has become most popular with Gen Z, and its fascinating story has created dozens of fan theories online about the fate of the title character. The characters are all so unique, and the film pushes the boundaries of proportions and physics in the way that only stop-motion can.
The plot twists and foreshadowing are what stick out the most to me about Coraline, and even though there are some plot holes, they don’t affect my viewing experience. It’s not a Halloween-specific movie, but the vibes are perfect for a rainy night in October. I’m giving Coraline 9 out of 10 pumpkins, only because of the few plot holes and ambiguity.
Corpse Bride (2005)
This movie just oozes creepy, spooky fun, from the folklore-based plot to the creative settings to the characters. Speaking of the characters, they’re the poster children for Tim Burton’s style, with their round eyes and sharp cheekbones that’ve been the basis of many TikTok trends.
My favorite part of Corpse Bride is the ironic contrast between the dark World of the Living and the colorful World of the Dead. The songs, again by Danny Elfman, are fantastic and fun, but don’t quite live up to some of his other works, like in The Nightmare Before Christmas. I’d have to give Corpse Bride a solid 8 out of 10 pumpkins.
Frankenweenie (2012)
Frankenweenie is a little bit less popular than some of the others on this list, but still absolutely adorable. Originally, it was a short live-action film from 1984, but was remade as a stop-motion feature film nearly 30 years later. Frankenweenie is a modern twist on the classic Frankenstein story about a young boy and his dog, which is bound to make a few people cry.
I love this movie because it’s on the quirky, light-hearted side of Halloween movies, without sacrificing creativity. There are plenty of pop culture references that help make this movie fun and match the modern interpretation. Frankenweenie gets 7 out of 10 pumpkins for mixing cute and creepy.
This list is missing a few other Halloween stop-motion movies, like ParaNorman and Wendell and Wild, but these are my absolute favorites and the classics of the genre. There’s really no way to go wrong with anything on this list because they all get you into the spooky mood!
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