Halloween is one of those seasons that’s filled with merch and media created specifically for the holiday. A big example comes in the form of movies. Whether it’s the Halloween classics—pun intended—or a new release on your favorite streaming site, Halloween movies are everywhere. But if you’re not exactly into the scary and thrilling stories on the big screen, you might be at a lost for what to watch on an October night in.
Contrary to popular belief, there are actually a lot of movies that revolve around fall and Halloween that also won’t keep you up at night. Here’s a list of ten fall and Halloween movies for the faint at heart.
Hocus Pocus
This 1993 film is a fan-favorite among Halloween lovers. In Salem, Massachusetts, the Sanderson Sisters—Winifred, Sarah, and Mary—are in the business of capturing young children and stealing their youth, in an effort to stay young themselves. After being caught and hanged, Winifred casts a spell to resurrect the sisters every All Hallows’ Eve. Fast forward thirty years, teenager Max Dennison accidentally frees the sisters’ spirits, which ultimately results in a wild game of cat-and-mouse.
Hocus Pocus can be mildly spooky, but it’s mostly a fun movie filled with Halloween tropes of witches and curse and cats! It’s a great movie to curl up with this Halloween weekend.
Practical Magic
Staring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, Practical Magic follows two sisters who were born into a magical family, but refuse to practice magic themselves. When a heartbreak and ghostly possession brings the sisters back together again, they realize that they need to embrace their magical heritage to save their family.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen this movie, but I do remember minimal scares and multiple heartwarming scenes between Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, and love interests…? You’ll have to watch it to find out!
Bewitched
While Elizabeth Montgomery brings a special life to TV’s Samantha Stephens, I’m actually talking about the 2005 movie staring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. Will Ferrell plays movie star Jack Wyatt who is cast in a remake of 1960s sitcom Bewitched. He convinces the crew to hire non-actor Isabel Bigelow, played by Nicole Kidman, to play Samantha Stephens not knowing that Isabel is actually a real witch herself.
Bewitched is a cute romantic comedy with a dash of the supernatural fun that everybody loves about Halloween. 10/10 would recommend.
Twitches (1 & 2)
Make it a double feature! The Twitches movies follow magical twin witches Apolla/Camryn and Artemis/Alex who were separated at infancy and raised in non-magical environments. The twins are brought together as their 21st birthday approaches to learn how to embrace their powers together in order to defeat an evil Darkness in their homeland of Coventry. Magic, twins separated birth, dancing—need I say more?
The Haunted Mansion
Another Disney produced movie, The Haunted Mansion follows Jim Evers, played by Eddie Murphy, as he takes his family on a vacation after being chided by his wife that he doesn’t spend enough time with his kids. Along the way, the family stumbles upon a haunted mansion and is wrangled into helping the ghostly residents break a curse.
I honestly forgot about this movie until I was doing some research for this post. But reading about it again made me remember how funny and sweet it can be, which obviously made me want to include it on this list. Maybe I’ll give a rewatch this weekend…
Hotel Transylvania
If you’re looking for a family-friendly movie to watch with the kids, Hotel Transylvania is a great choice. A monstrous resort for ghosts, mummies, zombies, and more, Count Dracula’s Hotel Transylvania is the perfect getaway for monsters to just unwind and be themselves away from judging human eyes. But all that changes when human, Johnny, accidentally shows up and falls in love with Dracula’s daughter, Mavis.
Hotel Transylvania is filled with hilarious shenanigans voiced beautifully by a star-studded cast. It’s also the first animated movie on our list. And it may be made for kids, but as an adult, I can definitely say it’s still an entertaining watch.
Paranorman
Another very kid-friendly option, Paranorman revolves around young Norman Babcock, who can speak to the dead and who is charged with the task of stopping an impending zombie apocalypse. I’ve never actually seen this movie, so that’s about as much information as I have on it. But it’s on almost every list of fun, non-threatening Halloween movies so if that’s what you’re going for, give it a try!
Ghostbusters
“Who you gonna call?” Would you believe me if I said I didn’t know… because I’ve never seen it?
Google tells me that Ghostbusters follows a trio of scientists who, after losing their job, decide to be “ghostbusters” who specialize in investigating and removing paranormal activity from places around New York City. After accidentally unlocking a “gate” that lets several ghosts into the city, the Ghostbusters have to find a way to save everybody.
This is one of those cult classics with lines recited and costumes worn by the most dedicated of fans. Join the bandwagon and give a watch!
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Another goldie I have yet to see… Brad and Janet, a young engaged couple, stumble upon a castle while searching for help after their car breaks down. Inside the castle, they meet a host of wildly dressed characters, including a biker, a butler, and a mad scientist. Have I mentioned they sing and dance? Rocky Horror Picture Show sounds like the kind of movie you watch and sing along to with your friends when the local cinema plays throwbacks once a year. And it’s an event you always look forward to.
Halloweentown
Let’s be honest, all four of the movies in the series are hits. Follow Marnie and her siblings as they learn about the magic of Halloween—and the magic that exists in their family lineage. As you watch each of the movies, you’ll witness Marnie getting older, making new friends, and battling new evils. It’s a good one to make a point to watch every year with your kids, young cousins, and just the family as a whole.
How many of these movies have you seen? Do you have any favorites not on the list? Let me know in the comments section!
That’s a wrap on this year’s fall posts! I hope you guys enjoyed reading about my favorite Halloween candies, traveling to haunted places with me, and more. We don’t have any new posts coming out this weekend, in honor of the spooky season, but there will be new posts released in November, starting on Sunday, 7 November. I hope to see you guys then!
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