Halloween Movies to Watch with the Family

With Halloween, a few days away, and the current pandemic changing the way we might celebrate it, what is a family to do? This year, why not stay home with the family, order some food, and watch a fun Halloween themed movie or two. We have rounded up some fun movies to watch, so check out our spoiler-free picks and start planning your Halloween night! 

Hubie Halloween - Netflix

We know that Adam Sandler is not everyone's cup of tea, but he makes fun movies with good lessons. Hubie Halloween introduces us to another one of Sandler's quirky characters and this movie is set in a small town during Halloween. People start missing, the new neighbor seems suspicious, and a patient has escaped from the local mental hospital. This all you need for a good horror movie, but this movie is family-friendly and full of some funny scares and moments. 

Monster Squad 

I remember watching this movie when I was younger and wanted to be part of the squad. I mean, who would not want to save their town from Dracula, the Wolfman, the Creature, the Mummy, and make friends with Frankenstein's monster. This is a fun movie to watch with your family. There are many great moments and a few you might have to explain later to your children, but it's such a great way to open the door to teaching your children about the classic Universal Monsters. 

Nightmare Before Christmas - Disney+

Is this a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie is a point of debate for this classic. Why can it not be both? From the music to the stop-motion greatness and the amazing songs, this movie should be seen a few times during the Halloween season. There might be a few moments that are a little scary or confusing for younger children but the entire movie is a treasure that needs to be seen. 

Beetlejuice

How can you not watch the ghost with the most during Halloween? I remember watching the movie multiple times when I was younger and just being amazed at the work of Tim Burton. Beetlejuice will not only take your family on an interesting trip but will hopefully expose your children to the great music of Harry Belafonte. While the movie is PG, it is 80's PG, which is a little more carefree than today's standards. 

Hotel Transylvania 

What happens when a human goes into a hotel run by Dracula and is full of monsters? No, they don't eat him, he teaches them a thing or two about the outside world and we'll let you see the movie so we don't spoil it. We have watched this movie in our household multiple times along with the two sequels and they have such great lessons in them. Watch this movie and try to stop yourself from saying "Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah" after seeing it. 

Frankenweenie - Disney+

Do you want to introduce your children to the story of Frankenstein? Are you afraid that they might be scared of Frankenstein's monster? If you answered yes to both of these questions, you can watch a stop-motion version of it that replaces the monster with a cute dog named Sparky. The story follows a young Victor who makes movies at home that star his beloved dog, Sparky. Things take a turn and by the title of the movie, you can guess what happens next. The original Frankenweenie short is also available on Disney+ for your family to enjoy. 

Goosebumps 2  

While the first Goosebumps movie was a fun ride, the second movie is a little scarier than the first one. I will admit that Slappy gives me chills, so hopefully, your children are not easily scared by a talking ventriloquist dummy like I was. This movie will have your family jumping a few times, on edge during a few moments, and laughing out loud too. Maybe watch this one during the day or maybe not. 

Gremlins 

Gremlins falls into the same category as Nightmare Before Christmas: Is it a horror movie or a Christmas movie? Again, I say, why can't it be both? Gremlins is not only a cute movie but it also is pretty scary for a PG rated movie.  While my daughter was scared of the movie the first time she saw it, I think now that she is a little older she will enjoy it more. Gremlns is just a movie that needs to be seen again and again.

There are many other great movies to watch with your family on Halloween but these are are few of our favorites and you can watch them any time. Some honorable mentions are The Addams Family, both the recent animated version and he 1991version, Coraline, Monster House, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.  

Most of these movies are availble to stream via Vudu, Amazon, or Fandango for a fee while others are on Netflix or Disney+. 

What are your favorite Halloween movies to watch with the family? Please post your favorites in the comments below.