Growing up, Halloween was the one holiday I never looked forward to. I was a kid with many fears and walked around always terrified. Yes, dressing up in costumes and going to random people’s houses for free candy was a dream, but everything else about Halloween I hated. I’m proud to say that I have grown a lot and can now sit through a horror movie as an adult, although I still find myself cowering behind my blanket sometimes. Regardless, I still found time to enjoy Halloween movies as a child when they weren’t as scary. Watching films from your childhood as an adult brings a sense of comfort and nostalgia. In this case, specifically, in a spooky sense, here is a list of the Top 10 Halloween movies that scaredy-cats can watch. Note that some of these movies aren’t all Halloween-themed.
- Hocus Pocus
This 90s fantasy classic follows Max, a high school kid who just moved to Salem with his younger sister, Dani. At the beginning of his stay, he awakens the resurrection of the three Sanderson sisters, who are evil witches from the 1600s.
- Halloweentown
This Disney Channel original movie tells the story of Marnie Cromwell and her two little siblings, who are transported to Halloweentown, a magical world where Halloween characters live together, separated from the human world. In Halloweentown, they find their grandmother, which leads the kids to discover that they come from a family of witches and need to save the citizens of Halloweentown from evil.
- It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
This childhood favorite follows Charlie Brown and his friends on an adventure to find the great big pumpkin that brings presents to good boys and girls.
- Twitches
This Disney Channel Halloween movie takes us through the lives of magical twins who are separated at birth and reunite on their 21st birthday. Together, they use their powers to save their kingdom from darkness.
- Monster House
This animated scary movie follows three youths who discover their neighborhood house is haunted, but it comes to life when anyone sets foot on the property. With Halloween coming, the kids plan to destroy the house before it’s too late.
- Casper
This family-fun fantasy tells us the story of Casper, the friendly ghost who peacefully haunts a mansion. Once a specialist father shows up with his teenage daughter to speak with Casper, the girl and the ghost befriend each other while dealing with Casper’s evil uncles.
- The Addams Family / The Addams Family Values
This timeless tale introduces us to the estranged family, the Addams, when Fester reappears after being away for a long time. After some time, Morticia is convinced that he’s a fraud, and Fester evicts the family from their mansion, attempting to take the family fortune.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
This classic animation from Tim Burton shares the adventures of Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloweentown. After Jack falls into Christmastown, he attempts to take over Christmas by kidnapping Santa Claus and ends up causing conflict.
- Edward Scissorhands
Another movie that is a Tim Burton favorite is Edward Scissorhands. The movie is about a teenage boy who has scissor blades for fingers and finds himself isolated from the world. Until he gets adopted by a family. Edward and the family’s daughter, Kim, start to develop feelings for each other and try to handle the hate coming from the neighborhood.
- Coraline
This kids’ fantasy film tells us the story of Coraline, who discovers a secret door in her new home that leads her to a parallel universe. In this world, she hangs out with her “other family”. This family has button eyes, and they eventually turn evil after trying to keep Coraline forever.
These scary movies create so much nostalgia for people in their early 20s who grew up watching the classics. If you liked this article, be sure to check out our Instagram @hcmontclair to stay up to date on stories and other news! Happy Halloween!