I don’t know about you, but I am not a fan of scary movies. And because of that, it sometimes doesn’t feel like I can partake in most of the spooky season culture. So today I compiled a list of my favorite Halloween movies for those of us who don’t indulge in horror movies.
- Twitches
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Twitches or “Twin Witches” is a Disney channel original film series about estranged sisters who finally find each other on their 21st birthday. They then discover that their unusual powers double in strength, when they work together to save their kingdom from powers of darkness. This lighthearted Disney movie is a great family-friendly movie that also serves as my seasonal fix of nostalgia.
- Halloweentown
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This is another nostalgic Halloween Disney channel movie about a girl, who after finding out that she is a witch, works to save a town full of other supernatural creatures. This film series has many more movies including Halloweentown II, Halloweentown High, and Return to Halloweentown. All are great and light-hearted movies to watch and laugh at (especially with the outdated special effects)
- Edward Scissorhands
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I first watched this movie during my freshman English class in high school, and it has become a favorite of mine ever since. This movie follows Edward, an animated human being assembled by a scientist who dies before giving his creation hands, leaving him with scissors for hands. Edward is then adopted by a loving suburban saleswoman where he falls in love with her daughter. Edward’s freakish appearance makes him an outcast in the town even though he is a very kind and gentle soul. This Tim Burton movie has amazing scenery, color schemes, and is a movie that keeps your eyes peeled to the screen wondering what will happen next.
- Coraline
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Okay so this recommendation has a very divided opinion. While some people consider this a scary movie, I have always seen this animated movie as one of the less scary ones. This stop-motion animated film is about Coraline, a girl who has newly moved into a home where she discovers a secret door. Behind it, lies an alternate world that closely mirrors her own, but in many ways is better. She loves this new world until her Other Mother in the parallel world tries to keep her there forever. The rest of the movie is Coraline using all her resources and bravery to return to her own family. Visually stunning and entertaining, this movie is definitely one of my favorites.
- Frankenweenie
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This modern adaptation of the iconic Frankenstein storyline is about Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who brings his dog Sparky back to life after his tragic and sudden death. However, this one-time experiment soon shows to have dire consequences when Victor’s fellow classmates also start to resurrect dead animals. I love this movie for many reasons. Between its visually stunning stop-animation and the beautiful bond Victor and Sparky have, this movie will not only entertain you, but give you all the Halloween movie elements that we know and love.
Movies are essential to the culture around Halloween, and even if you’re not a big fan of horror movies, I think it’s still great to find amazing films that can still bring you into the spooky spirit without elements of excessive gore and horror.