Spooky Season: Family-Friendly Halloween Watch List

This is Halloween (season)! Now that October is here, we are ready to dust off the scariest movies and hang up all the ooky-spooky decorations. This is my favorite time of year! Though many are pulling out the stops with the creepiest of movies playing every night, not all people are horror fans. Or they live alone and are not big on having to wonder what that noise is from the living room when they are trying to go to bed. So, I am sharing family-friendly movies that still work for Halloween. 

Here are 13 of my favorite not-so-scary movies for Halloween!

Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! As my all-time favorite movie, Halloween (and every day, honestly) calls for this humorous and zany movie that includes the dead, ghosts, and fun dance sequences you’ll want to learn in your downtime. Beetlejuice is a good choice for Halloween due to its spooky yet comedic theme.

The Haunted Mansion (2023)

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Eddie Murphy version of The Haunted Mansion. When I heard that Disney would be remaking the movie, it wasn’t at the top of my list to see. At my job, I often assisted with movie screenings and had the opportunity to see the new Haunted Mansion. I absolutely love this film. I added it to my Halloween movie rotation immediately. This version stars Rosario Dawson, Lakeith Stanfield, Danny Devito, and more well-known actors. The storyline is brilliantly told with a throughline to the story of the famous ride. It takes itself seriously when needed and still slides jokes in that will make you laugh out loud. It is the perfect addition to the list.

Coraline

Why not get in the Halloween mood with one of the creepiest animated movies? Get in the spooky mood as you enjoy the story of a young girl who has discovered a “second life” through a small door in her new home. This new life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. With creepy sequences, one of the scariest villains in animated history, and the spooky feeling you get with stop-motion animation, Coraline is a terrific addition to your Halloween movie list. 

Scooby-Doo (2002)

I loved the Scooby Doo movies when I was younger and didn’t really revisit them as an adult. Last Halloween, browsing the streaming platforms for new movies for the spooky season, I came across the first movie and decided to watch it. With the paranormal incidents on an island literally called “Spooky Island,” this movie fits in perfectly as a Halloween movie, and I feel like I missed out.

Halloweentown

I must admit that I watched Halloweentown for the first time as an adult. Most millennials grew up with this film in their Halloween rotation, but it wasn’t on my radar. This movie follows Marnie, a 13-year-old girl who loves Halloween and is an “adult” at 13, according to her, who learns her family are actually witches. It is a fun watch for the family, and if you are up for it, you can watch the sequel.

Arsenic and Old Lace

This is an oldie but definitely a goodie. Cary Grant stars in this movie about an eccentric family and murders. When a man and his new wife return home to tell their family about their elopement, the groom finds curious events at his family’s home. Only a few people know of this movie, but its nostalgic charm and perfect Halloween vibes make it worth the time.

Death Becomes Her

If you need another star-studded cult classic, watch Death Becomes Her. This horror-comedy was one of my favorite movies growing up and is perfect for Halloween. When a meek doctor is pitted between two women who have meddled in magic, he tries to find how to escape his personal hell on earth. Death Becomes Her stars Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis. Magic, immortality, and more will make this your next Halloween watch.

Monster House

Now, this is an underrated animated movie that needs more mentions! Monster House is a haunted house movie and is quotable. I’m sure everyone who has seen Monster House thinks, “So it’s a girl house,” when someone mentions uvula. The movie tells the story of three kids who try to prove that a house is alive before other kids are eaten by it during trick-or-treating on Halloween. Definitely add this to the list if you want to have some laughs this Halloween. 

Corpse Bride

What happens when a guy practices his vows and mistakenly marries a dead woman? Don’t know? Well, this movie helps you figure it out. Another great Tim Burton movie, Corpse Bride, is a quirky animated movie with an ending that you wouldn’t expect in an animated film. The music is remarkable; one song is so haunting that I had a nightmare featuring it. It has its sweet moments, too, so this may be a year-round movie.

The Frighteners

Michael J. Fox stars in the cult classic as a man who passes himself as an exorcist of evil spirits. With an influx of deaths in his small town, he tries to figure out the mystery of these deaths. His interactions with the two main ghosts are spooky and hilarious. It’s not a top movie, but I enjoy it a lot. This is another superb horror comedy to get you in the spooky mood this October.

Hocus Pocus

Halloween is nothing without witches. And the ultimate witch movie is Hocus Pocus. This fun and light-hearted movie is a must-have, whether you only watch horror comedies or need the Hocus Pocus fix. It is fitting this year as Halloween has a full moon. All virgins, please refrain from lighting black candles; we witches want to enjoy Halloween, too. Just kidding… Maybe.

Paranorman

When a young boy who can speak to the dead learns he is the only one who can save his town from a witch’s curse, he and his friends take action. I enjoy this movie so much that I watch it throughout the year. It is a great Halloween movie; I mean, ghosts, zombies, a witch’s curse… what more can you ask for?

Nightmare Before Christmas

Many people think this is a Christmas movie, and I say bah humbug. It’s for both! It’s the first movie that I play when October 1st hits. The ultimate spooky season movie. Jack Skellington is the staple of Halloween. I don’t think there is one person who doesn’t turn “This is Halloween” up at the highest volume at least four times a day when the spooky season comes around. Just go to Disney+ and jam with the Pumpkin King for October. 

What’s your favorite Halloween movie that doesn’t make you have to hide under the cover? Comment your family-friendly spooky season movies below.