This post was originally published on Oct. 20, 2014, but has since been updated.
Halloween is around the corner! I love spooky season, but personally I’m not a big fan of horror movies, so I decided to make this list of more family-friendly, non-scary halloween movies. For the most part, these are films that my little sisters could watch with me. Whether you have kids, siblings, a significant other, or even a fur baby, nothing beats cuddling up and watching a great movie during this time of year.
So, if you’re planning on staying in this Halloween or you’re still trying to get into the spirit, I have the perfect picks for the ultimate spooky (but not too spooky) movie night.
1. Hocus Pocus 1 & 2 (1993, 2022)
Hocus Pocus is one of my all-time favorite Halloween movies! The story of three witches returning from the dead on Halloween night to suck the lives out of the children of Salem is sure to get you in the Halloween spirit! As gruesome as that sounds it’s actually pretty funny. The fate of Salem rests with a young boy, his little sister, his love interest, and a talking black cat.
And if you’re a fan of the first one, then you should check out the second film! The Sanderson sisters return to Salem and go up against some new teenagers in a new decade. I wouldn’t rate it as highly as the first one, but it’s still cute and plays on the nostalgia of the original movie.
2. Harry Potter franchise (2001-2011)
I watch the Harry Potter films literally every year and they never get old! If you’re a die hard Potterhead or you’re experiencing the films for the first time, there’s nothing quite like being transported into Hogwarts. Over the course of eight movies, you’ll love seeing Harry and his friends grow into the best wizards and witches and fight to take down Voldemort.
3. Practical Magic (1998)
This movie is weird, funny, cute, and a little creepy. All of the things that make a good witch movie. If you like Hocus Pocus, then you will probably like this. Sandra Bullock in her rom-com prime plays a witch, Sally, who goes on a crazy adventure with her sister Gillian (Nicole Kidman). When Gillian’s awful boyfriend dies unexpectedly, the sisters use their magic to accidentally resurrect him as an evil spirit.
4. Halloweentown 1-4 (1998-2006)
We love a Disney Channel classic! Honestly, there are tons of great Halloween films from Disney Channel alone, but the Halloweentown series is probably the best. Although I really hate that the original Marnie is not in the fourth installment, I still enjoy watching all of the movies. From the first trip to Halloweentown, Marnie and her family try their best to unite their two worlds. The characters are quirky and sweet and these movies are the perfect combo of wholesome, yet weird. In the words of Grandma Aggy: “Being normal is vastly overrated.”
5. The Addams Family (1991) & Addams Family Values (1993)
The story of this creepy, one of a kind family is a spooky season classic. When con artists attempt to take the family’s fortune, the slightly clueless family doesn’t exactly catch on to what is happening. They are also pretty unaware of how eccentric they come off to people in the “normal” world — which is fun to watch. Despite how demented they are, the characters are still lovable in their own ways.
6. Casper (1995)
The friendly ghost will make your heart melt as he befriends a young girl who is staying in his haunted mansion with her father, whom is a paranormal expert. And let’s just say, Casper’s three uncles aren’t quite as welcoming as he is when it comes to humans moving into their home.
7. Beetlejuice (1988)
A recently deceased couple’s ghosts get a “bio-exorcist” to try to remove the obnoxious new owners of their home so they can live/rest in peace. However, the wacky character has some unconventional methods that get everyone into a lot of trouble.
8. The Witches (1990)
A little boy comes across a witch convention at a hotel and he must try to stop the evil ladies in disguise. But, to make that task a little more difficult, he has been turned into a mouse!
9. The Little Vampire (2000)
I have to admit, when I was younger I watched this movie about a hundred times with my cousins. A little boy who can’t seem to fit in, finally finds a true friend… who is a vampire. Now he must help his new friend and his vampire family in their quest to become human.
10. Hotel Transylvania 1–4 (2012–2022)
This adorable cartoon is about Dracula, who owns a monster resort secluded from the human world. When his teenage daughter wants to get out of her comfort zone and explore the world, he becomes a little overprotective. Especially after a human boy finds their secret location.
The second, third, and fourth movies are just as cute as the first one. They’re funny, unique, and honestly the music is pretty good too! These movies are all about family and accepting people for their differences.
11. The Haunted Mansion (2003)
Eddie Murphy in a Disney movie is basically guaranteed to be entertaining. When a husband is a little too preoccupied with work and business, he jeopardizes loosing his family… literally. They’re staying in a… you guessed it…haunted mansion! And not all of the ghosts are friendly.
12. Corpse Bride (2005)
When a nervous groom is practicing his wedding vows in a forest, he awakens a dead bride from her grave — who claims that she is now his wife.
13. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This traditional movie, which mixes Halloween and Christmas spirit in a weird, dark kind of way, is a great family movie to watch around Halloween. Jack Skeleton from Halloween Town begins to become bored with being scary. When he discovers Christmas Town, he tries to bring Christmas to Halloween.
14. Sweeney Todd (2007)
Blood, gore, and creepy music. Not usually my thing, but I promise this one isn’t too scary. Plus, it has a stellar cast including Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. The demon barber of Fleet Street has returned to London to seek revenge — and he gets a little carried away.
Btw, I’ve also written about the opera adaptation of Sweeney Todd.
15. Scooby-Doo 1 & 2 (2002, 2004)
If you enjoyed Scooby Doo cartoons growing up then I’m sure you will enjoy these films. The characters are the same as the ones we all know and love, except this time, the monsters are real!
16. Goosebumps 1 & 2 (2015, 2018)
If you read Goosebumps books then I’m sure some of these characters will be familiar to you. When all of the monsters from the R.L. Stine book series are unleashed into the real world, it’s up to the author himself and a couple of kids to save the day and send them back where they belong. The second one follows a similar plot and I thought it was pretty good too.
17. Maleficent (2014)
I’m a sucker for a live-action Disney remake and this one is no exception. Angelina Jolie does a phenomenal job of reinventing this iconic villain and giving her a back story that’ll make you love and sympathize with the Mistress of Evil in ways you never thought you would.
18. Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1993)
A very early Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen film — of course, I watched them all as a kid. In this Halloween-themed adventure, the twins try to trick their evil aunt out of a magic moonstone to save their family home.
19. Coraline (2009)
In this eerie animated film, Coraline stumbles into a world that’s similar to her own, except with a some interesting differences. First of all, everyone has buttons for eyes. And that’s not even the creepiest part!
20. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Another dark Johnny Depp film, but a classic nonetheless. A scientist builds a person, sweet and gentle Edward. Unfortunately, the scientist dies before he can finish making Edward hands — leaving him with sharp scissor blades where his hands should be. A suburban mom discovers Edward and takes him home, where he falls in love with her teenage daughter (Winona Ryder). However, no matter how kind and talented Edward is, it’s hard for the small minded neighborhood people to accept him.
What’s your favorite Halloween movie?
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