17 Great Halloween Movies Your Whole Family Can Watch
oo old for trick 'r treating? Or watching scary movies with the fam? Nonsense. It's October, what else are you gonna do? The whole family can enjoy these Halloween movies, especially "Hocus Pocus" and "Nightmare Before Christmas."
'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' (1966)
You haven't seen this beloved Halloween special? Fix that. Linus awaits The Great Pumpkin and Charlie Brown's trick or treating is a bust, which makes this classic is a must-see for every generation.
'The Watcher in the Woods' (1980)
Disney got a bit dark with its live-action '80s movies, especially with this tale about two sisters who uncover a spooky mystery after moving to a big old house in the English countryside. Bette Davis stars along with Lynn-Holly Johnson ("Ice Castles") and yes, that's "RHOBH" star Kyle Richards on the right.
'Something Wicked This Way Comes' (1983)
This underrated Disney film is based on the Ray Bradbury story about a carnival led by the mysterious Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce), who seems able to offer people in a small town whatever they want. Two young boys rightly suspect he's up to no good, but can they stop him? For kids ten and up.
'Ghostbusters' (1984)
What kid doesn't love this fun comedy-horror classic? Okay, the devil dogs are a bit scary and possessed Sigourney Weaver is scary sexy, but those of us who saw it as kids turned out just fine. And who doesn't love a 30-foot tall marshmallow man?
'Gremlins' (1984)
These ugly-cute little monsters create all kinds of havoc in this '80s classic. Sure, it gets a bit gory at times (it and "Temple of Doom" helped lead to the creation of the PG-13 rating), but the gore is mostly all in good fun.
'The Monster Squad' (1987)
This cult film -- about a group of kids trying to stop a squad of classic movie monsters from taking over the world -- was co-written by Shane Black of "Lethal Weapon" fame. But unlike those movies, this one's a family-friendly PG-13.
'Beetlejuice' (1988)
We love Michael Keaton as a mischievous ghost (is there any other kind?) and Winona Ryder as the anti-social goth kid who befriends him in this Tim Burton classic.
'The Witches' (1990)
Okay, the scene where Grand HIgh Witch (Anjelica Huston) peels off her face to reveal her true, hideous self might be a bit much for younger kids. But everyone else will enjoy this movie based on the Roald Dahl book.
'Hocus Pocus' (1993)
Modern-day kids accidentally bring three Salem witches (Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker) back to life in this Halloween comedy favorite.
4. 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
Burton didn't technically direct this 1993 animated film, but his DNA is all over this kooky Halloween/Christmas mash-up. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a truly delightful blend of horror, romance and comedy, as well as being one of the most visually revolutionary animated films of the past several decades.
'Casper' (1995)
A girl (Christina Ricci) and her paranormal investigator dad (Bill Pullman) try to rid a house of pesky ghosts. Naturally, she befriends friendly ghost Casper instead. Darker than the comic books it's based on, but still totally kid-friendly.
'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' (2005)
Cheese-loving Wallace unknowingly transforms into a giant, rampaging bunny by night. Can his incredibly handy dog Gromit save the day? This incredibly hilarious claymation film features a rousing showdown and a hiss-worthy villain, voiced by Ralph Fiennes.
'Coraline' (2009)
Neil Gaiman's tale of a girl (Dakota Fanning) who wishes for the perfect mother -- and then gets an eerie version of her in a parallel world -- is possibly too disturbing for small children, but just right for kids entering their tween years.
'Frankenweenie' (2012)
When you're a boy named Victor Frankenstein and your beloved dog Sparky dies, of course you're going to bring him back to life! It's a morbidly funny take on a monster movie classic, but then what Tim Burton movie isn't?
'Hotel Transylvania' (2012)
Dracula (Adam Sandler) runs a hotel for his fellow monster friends, but -- the horror! -- somehow a human backpacker finds his way to the isolated castle. Hilarity, of course, ensues.
'ParaNorman' (2012)
In this Oscar-nominated animated film, Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) can see dead people, which doesn't make him very popular. But that talent comes in very handy when the town is overrun by zombies! The only thing better than the clever script is how much heart it packs.
'Goosebumps' (2015)
The beloved R.L. Stine books hit the big screen with Jack Black playing the author who, with the help of Dylan Minnette and Odeya Rush, must recapture all the monsters who've been unleashed from his books.
