Looking for the perfect Halloween watch as the spooky holiday approaches? These classic movies and TV show episodes will remind you of the best parts of the season.
As the weather gets colder and pumpkins start appearing on your neighbors’ porches, let these ’90s and early 2000s movies and TV shows cover you in a blanket of nostalgia that wards away the autumn breeze.
Movies
“The Addams Family” (1991)
They’re creepy and they’re kooky. Mysterious and spooky. “The Addams Family” lives for Halloween. With Netflix’s new season of “Wednesday” coming out, the original Addams Family film needs some love to bring nostalgia back to the holiday.
“Hocus Pocus” (1993)
There is hardly a movie that encapsulates the Halloween season more than “Hocus Pocus” does. No Halloween movie list is complete without it. The villainous, chaotic and comedic witches that star in this movie are undoubtedly a Halloween staple.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
Is it a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? The debate could go either way. Whether you subscribe to one idea or the other, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a classic Tim Burton film to watch as the weather gets colder.
The movie at least starts during the Halloween season, so if you’re really serious about it, you can just pause the movie in between Jack’s adventure from Halloweentown to Christmastown and finish watching during the Christmas season.
“Halloweentown” (1998)
Marnie gets a big shock when she travels with her grandmother to Halloweentown, the only town where supernatural creatures of the world can live a normal life, and finds out the big secret: She is a witch!
In this comedic Halloween-themed movie, the supernatural characters of the Halloween season are put on full display in a sweet and charming way. There is nothing more Halloween than witches, werewolves, ghosts and ghouls.
“Corpse Bride” (2005)
Another Tim Burton classic, the animation of “Corpse Bride” is nothing short of haunting as the characters float through their scenes. With its dark colors, ghostly animation and eerie soundtrack, “Corpse Bride” makes the perfect addition to the list.
“Trick ‘r Treat” (2007)
“Trick ‘r Treat” has a more psychological thriller tone to it, making it a different type of film than the rest on this list. However, the nod to various Halloween tales and traditions throughout “Trick ‘r Treat” make it particularly appropriate for a Halloween film.
The movie harps on an important warning: Don’t break the rules of Halloween, or you’ll have to deal with a little pumpkin-headed creature. You’ve been warned.
“Coraline” (2009)
There isn’t much of an explanation needed for this one. “Coraline” stands up as a haunting, psychologically twisted animated film perfect for the month of October. The creepy, mind-bending story and animation of “Coraline” set the scene for a spooky movie to watch to get into the spirit of Halloween.
“Spooky Buddies” (2011)
’90s kids had the “Air Bud” movies, but 2000s kids grew up on the spin-off about the Buddies puppies. This series kicked off with the 2006 film “Air Buddies” and details the various adventures of the puppies within the six other movies. The series includes their Halloween special “Spooky Buddies.”
As far as Halloween movies go, “Spooky Buddies” has to be included on the list of the cutest Halloween movies.
Honorable Mention: “Haunted Mansion” (2023)
The new “Haunted Mansion” isn’t exactly a 2000s classic but it makes the honorable mention list because of its electric comedy through and through.
With its star-packed cast including Danny DeVito, Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis, Owen Wilson and Jared Leto, “Haunted Mansion” is a supernatural comedy movie for the books.
Tv Shows
Looking for a longer watch than just a movie? These Halloween-themed TV shows carry the cute, spooky theme throughout each of their episodes, making them a perfect watch for the month of October.
“The Munsters” (1964)
Created in 1964, “The Munsters” are a perfectly normal monster family. Sorry, Munster family.
Herman Munster is Frankenstein’s monster, his wife is the daughter of Dracula, their son Eddie is a werewolf and their daughter Marilyn is… well she’s just a normal girl. But we don’t talk about that.
“Bewitched” (1964)
“Bewitched” is a comedy at its core. Samantha, who is secretly a part of a society for witches, marries a mortal man who insists she stop using her magic. Let’s just say it doesn’t come easy to her.
The show follows Sam as she tries, and fails, to stop using her magic for little things and the wacky family members that try to lead her astray.
“Goosebumps” (1994-1997)
R.L. Stein, author of the 62 books in the “Goosebumps” series (not including spin-offs), created the original “Goosebumps” TV series in 1994 with each episode based on a different book in the series.
What was scary in 1994 doesn’t really cause viewers to pull the blanket over their face in 2025, so “Goosebumps” serves as a spooky, but not scary, watch for the Halloween season.
Halloween movies don’t have to be scary movies with a killer lurking behind the girl on the phone. There are plenty of fun, happy and even funny movies to get you in the mood for the Halloween season.