Halloween is a great holiday. People get to dress up, decorate their homes, watch festive movies, go trick-or-treating, attend parties, and all that fun stuff. But, Halloween is also when the ghosts come out, horror movies are inescapable, haunted houses become a thing, and scary stories cause paranoia all day. Now speaking from personal experience, I’m pretty sure nightmares aren’t something many people like to deal with. Sometimes all you want to do is cuddle up on the couch with some Pinterest style treats and just enjoy a good movie without covering your eyes every minute. Luckily, there are some great Halloween movies for those who are easily-spooked to enjoy.
- Halloweentown. This movie is a cult classic. Ever since Marnie Piper discovered Halloweentown, our lives have never been the same. Thankfully, this movie has three other installments, so you can continue the adventure with Marnie and all the other amazing characters. If there is any movie you can watch this Halloween, it’s this one. I mean, it literally has the word Halloween in the title, it can’t get more festive than that.
- The Addams Family. No Halloween is ever complete if you haven’t at least watched this movie once. Even though the Addams family is a bit creepy, they also are a bit kooky. This film is sure to make you laugh and put you in the Halloween mood.
- Beetlejuice. This movie is another cult classic. Beetlejuice is a fantastic film sure to warm your heart, give you the spooks, and a quick laugh every now and then. The film follows a newly-deceased couple who haunt their home, an obnoxious ghost named Beetlejuice, and the Deetz family who are the new inhabitants of this Connecticut country home. Plus, this is a Tim Burton movie, so you know it’s just creepy enough for Halloween, without it being a Halloween movie.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is another Tim Burton movie, so you know it’s going to be good. This film will capture your heart with its spirit of the holiday, catchy songs and a bit of romance. This film is a great gateway to Christmas, which is always right around the corner from Halloween. The movie follows the King of Halloween, Jack Skellington, who ends up in Christmastown. To top it off, we all know that “This is Halloween” is the unofficial song of Halloween, and basically all of October.
- Hocus Pocus. Once again, this movie is a cult classic. You probably have already seen this film as a child, but the nostalgia is what will make this movie all the better during Halloween. This film follows the Sanderson Sisters, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy, on their quest for eternal youth.
- The Harry Potter Series. Although Harry Potter films aren’t necessarily Halloween movies, they still have everything you need to get in the Halloween mood. Wizards, witches, demons, goblins, and magic all packed into a series of 7 incredible movies. Dive into the wizarding world of Harry Potter this Halloween, I promise you won’t regret it.
- Corpse Bride. Yet another Tim Burton film makes the list! This movie is about a man named Victor who accidently marries a dead bride, all while being engaged to his fiancee, Victoria. It seems a bit like a super creepy soap opera, but it’s actually a really sweet film. Not to mention, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter voice the characters in the movie, so you know it’s going to be fantastic!
- Edward Scissorhands. Speaking of Johnny Depp, another Tim Burton film to watch this holiday is Edward Scissorhands. This film is an absolute masterpiece. The story follows Edward, an artificially created man, that falls in love with a girl names Kim. This film will make you shed more tears than it will giving you the spooks.
Notable Mentions: Dark Shadows, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Phantom of the Opera, Casper, Coraline, The Haunted Mansion, Frankenweenie, Ghostbusters, Teen Witch, It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Twitches, Monster House, Paranorman, The Monster Squad, Sleepy Hallow
So there you have it! These are some of the best classics you can watch this Halloween season, without worrying about nightmares. Have a safe and happy Halloween!
*Disclaimer: Featured image is not mine. Retrieved here.