Here are the best 20 not-very-scary Halloween films for families and kids.
In the words of Taylor Swift, “It’s October, aka the month when the horror movie ads start, and at any moment a dead doll or corpse ghost could pop up on my TV.”
Finding a suitable Halloween film might be difficult if you, like me, adore the spooky time of year yet are easily frightened. But worry not, for I have compiled a list of 19 Halloween films that are not terrifying for the faint of heart.
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Best 20 Not-Very-Scary Halloween Films
Here we go with the list of the Best 20 Not-Very-Scary Halloween Films that are given below:
1. Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996)
Sabrina Sawyer discovers she is a witch on her sixteenth birthday, after she has been banished to live with her aunts in Riverdale.
In a sense, this film served as the series’ unofficial pilot before the series’ launch on television later that year. Ryan Reynolds plays one of Sabrina’s suitors, and the movie is a charming coming-of-age story.
2. The Haunted Mansion (2003)
Real estate agent Jim Evers, who is always working, forces his family to stop at Gracey Manor on the route to their holiday. When a storm forces them to spend the night at the mansion, the family unwittingly becomes embroiled in the sinister goings-on inside.
I haven’t seen the 2023 version, but the one with Eddie Murphy deserves a lot more credit than it gets. It has a horrible reputation, yet it’s really a very enjoyable, silly journey.
3. Corpse Bride (2005)
After forgetting his vows, Victor Van Dort, the protagonist of this stop-motion musical, rushes away from his own wedding rehearsal and ends up marrying Emily, a ghost who takes him to the hereafter.
I think this is Tim Burton’s greatest film; it has elements of a musical, a murder mystery, and a sad love story.
4. Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1993)
Lynn and Kelly Farmer, aged seven, went out to rescue their loving great-aunt Sophie from the underworld after discovering that their wicked great-aunt Agatha had sent her there.
I mean, come on, who doesn’t like a good Mary-Kate and Ashley movie?
5. Mean Girls (2004)
After spending time with her family in Africa, 16-year-old Cady Heron realizes she has more in common with the outcasts than with the popular kids at her new school. But her new pals persuade her to join the Plastics and help them bring down Regina George.
6. Hotel Transylvania (2012)
In order to protect his daughter Mavis from the humans who murdered her mother, Dracula constructed a hotel for monsters only. When a human called Johnny unexpectedly checks in, Drac attempts to conceal the fact that he is a monster from the other guests. However, things get more difficult when Johnny and Mavis have an instant romantic attraction to one another.
Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, and Fran Drescher are just a few of the celebrities lending their voices to this charming and unexpectedly hilarious animated short.
7. Scary Godmother’s Halloween Spooktacular (2003)
Jimmy is dreading spending Halloween with his little cousin, Hannah Marie, so he attempts to frighten her into staying at home by telling her that the monsters that dwell in the abandoned house in the neighborhood would have to eat kids if they didn’t get any candy. However, once inside, Hannah is introduced to the Scary Godmother and her creepy but entertaining pals, who assist her in exacting her vengeance against Jimmy.
Even though it now seems like a bad dream, this film was once shown annually on Cartoon Network. The animation isn’t top-notch, yet it manages to be both endearing and nostalgic at the same time.
8. Ghostbusters (1984)
Egon, Peter, and Ray find themselves out of work in the field of parapsychology, so they decide to form their paranormal investigative firm.
There are enough prequels, sequels, and remakes of this classic film to fill a whole weekend.
9. The Addams Family (1991)
Tully Alford, the attorney representing Gomez Addams, has the son of the con artist to whom he owes money, Gordon, pose as Fester so that they may get access to the family’s hidden vault.
10. Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)
The Mystery, Inc. gang gets back together after some time apart to take a tour of some scary spots. They anticipate the usual assortment of criminals dressed in costumes in the Big Easy, but this time the monsters they fear are not fiction.
11. Hocus Pocus (1993)
In an attempt to win over the girl of his dreams, Max Dennison, a high school student, unwittingly brings back to life the Sanderson sisters, a trio of witches who were killed for witchcraft 300 years before and cursed the town.
When it comes to Disney Halloween movies, this one easily tops the list. The sequel is enjoyable, but it pales in comparison to the first.
12. Twitches (2005)
Alex and Cam, on the occasion of their 21st birthdays, learn that not only are they identical twins who were separated at birth, but they are also powerful witches.
This was my all-time favorite Halloween film, and I always wished it had a series of follow-ups like Halloweentown.
13. Casper Meet Wendy (1998)
Wendy the Good Little Witch’s three aunts send her into hiding at a resort because a wicked warlock is after her. Since ghosts and witches don’t get along, Wendy’s newfound relationship with Casper, who is on vacation with the Ghostly Trio, is in jeopardy.
Because it was constantly shown on the Disney Channel, this is the Casper film I remember the best from my childhood. My vote goes to anything that has Hilary Duff.
14. The Phantom of the Megaplex (2000)
Young Pete Riley works as an assistant manager at a small theater that supposedly has a “phantom” haunting it in this incredibly minimal adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera. Pete and the younger brothers he’s trapped babysitting must figure out who’s destroying the movies while the staff is busy getting ready for a major premiere and stop them.
Although it’s not the finest film on our list, it will likely bring back fond memories for those who grew up on the Disney Channel. It’s great if you’re looking for a mystery you can read on your phone and understand completely.
15. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
You’ve heard this one a million times: Linus is the only one who believes in the Great Pumpkin, so he sends a letter to him and spends Halloween night waiting for him in the pumpkin patch.
It has endured as a classic because of its endearing qualities.
16. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
Wallace and Gromit’s first feature-length film was successful. The film is a satire combining jokes and horrors. Wallace accidentally creates a were-rabbit instead of the usual werewolf as their foe. Without scares, the film pokes fun at British society, such as Wallace faffing over tea and Lady Tottington over the vegetable competition, which balances the mad menace and mystery of the were-rabbit. It is a hilarious thriller great for family or alone watching.
17. Halloween Is Grinch Night (1977)
Grinch Night was an annual Halloween celebration in Whoville before the Grinch stole Christmas. Euchariah, a young boy, meets the Grinch by chance and attempts to delay him so that he doesn’t cause any more havoc in the town.
This is an excellent movie to watch when you’re not quite in the Christmas mood since it’s a prequel to How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966).
18. Halloweentown (1998)
After learning that she is descended from a line of witches, Marnie Piper travels with her grandmother to Halloweentown, where she becomes embroiled in the disappearance of a group of monsters.
The whole series is classic Disney magic (until the last one, for some reason they replaced Marnie). This is the ideal Halloween movie lineup for the whole family.
19. Beetlejuice (1988)
Adam and Barbara Maitland, both recently deceased, use the assistance of the unreliable and chaotic spirit of Beetlejuice to frighten away the new owners of their much-loved home.
In my opinion, the film adaptation is almost as entertaining as the stage show. Still, I haven’t given up hope of seeing a professional filming of the stage production with Alex Brightman in the lead.
20. Practical Magic (1998)
It’s a strange, amusing, adorable, and somewhat unsettling film. Everything you’d want in a film about witchcraft If you are a fan of Hocus Pocus, you will most likely like this. In her heyday as a romantic comedy actress, Sandra Bullock plays a modern-day witch on a wild trip with her sister to discover (and retain) true love while fending off evil. Simply because it is the nature of good witches.
Instead of all these Best 20 Not-Very-Scary Halloween Films, there are too many more films that are available online.
