Its that time of year again, and boy do I love my Halloween movies! I already posted my list of Adult Halloween movies, but there are some really fun Halloween movies for kids as well!
10.) Under Wraps
Really fun Disney Channel movie from 1997 that follows 3 kids who find a mummy who has been brought back to life after 3,000 years. They're on a mission to find a resting place for Harold before Halloween night or he will turn to dust and lose any chance of being reunited with his long-lost love. Funny little movie and I always enjoyed it!
9.) Tower of Terror
Another Disney movie from 1997 which gives a story to the Disney World ride, The Tower of Terror. Interestingly it features Steve Guttenberg and a young Kirsten Dunst as Uncle and Niece who are a reporting team investigating a 60 year old story about 5 people who were myseriously killed in an elevator accident. Again, a pretty b-rated movie, but I fully enjoyed it as a kid, especially after I got to go on the ride at Disney World!
8.) Double Double Toil and Trouble
Not gonna lie, I'm a total sucker for Mary-Kate and Ashley movies from the 90s. I haven't seen this movie in a long, long time, so there's a definite chance that its terrible, but I remember watching it a lot as a kid and enjoying it. From what I remember it follows 2 twin girls who find that a witch is trying to harm their family and decide that its up to them to stop her. Again, movies from the Olsen twins were a big hit for me as a kid, I may not suggest it for a boy, or anyone over 9 or 10 though. Surprisingly the cast also include Cloris Leachman and Eric McCormack.
6.) The Addams Family
The Addams Family has many different versions, so I don't think it really matters which one you watch. This one was around when I was a kid was the 1991 version starring Christina Ricci, Angelica Huston, and Christopher Lloyd, which is quite an impressive cast. The film follows an eccentric family who may or may not be alive, and their many wild adventures and mischievous plans. Classic story, lots of funny moments!
7.) Casper
There are multiple renditions of this story but my personal favourite was the one from 1995 starring Christina Ricci. The film follows a paranormal expert and his daughter who decide to move into an abandoned house that happens to be inhabited by 4 ghosts. Kat ends up befriendly Casper, a friendly ghost, but his uncles are determined to drive all of the humans away. Kat (Ricci) and her father(Bill Pullman) decide that its up to them to help the ghosts get to the other side. The cast also includes Eric Idle, Ben Stein and Cathy Moriarty. Casper is one of the most famous children-friendly halloween stories, and I loved it as a child.
5.) Beetlejuice
This one and the next are great examples of Tim Burton at his best. A couple, played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, wake up one day to discover that they are dead and that their home has been taken over by a crazy family. They hire Beetlejuice(Michael Keaton) to rid the home of the obnoxious new tenants, but he might just have some other plans. The couple befriends the teenage daughter, Lydia(Winona Ryder) to help them get the family out. Great cast in this movie which also includes Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones. Such a great movie, lots of great examples of stop-motion animation, and interesting sets.
4.) Nightmare Before Christmas
Personally, I would consider this one a Christmas movies over a Halloween movie, but hey, the place they live is called Halloween Town, so it counts. One of the best examples of stop-motion movies, leaving Tim Burton and Director Henry Selick with plenty of options when developing this movie. It was actually released 20 years ago today, and has spawned a huge cult following over the years. It follows Jack Skellington who accidentally stumbles into Christmas Town one day and and is so interested in Christmas that he tries to re-create it with the help of the rest of the residents of Halloween but chaos ensues. Lots of great characters, but some children may find this a bit frightening, and the film has a PG rating, so keep that in mind. It is a really sweet story so I think everyone should check it out!
3.) Halloweentown
I think there are either 4 or 5 of these films now, but I truly only enjoyed the first 2 or 3. It follows a teenage girl, Marnie, who's mother never let her or her siblings celebrate Halloween, and would never give a reasonable answer. When their Grandmother, Aggie(Debbie Reynolds), comes for her annual visit, Marnie follows her Grandmother home and finds herself in a mysterious place called Halloweentown where ghosts and goblins, witches and vampires, and all other monsters and creature walk the streets freely. Marnie discovers that she is a witch and it is up to her and her family to save the town from a myserious evil force that is possessing the normally friendly townspeople. Great movie, who wouldn't want to find out that their a witch when they're 12?
2.) Ghost Busters
Possibly one of the most famous Halloween movies, definitely of the comedy genre. I think people of all ages love this movie, its pretty hilarious and a great fantasy movie. Some of the most hilarious and impressive people in this cast including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis. It follows 3 unemployed parapsychology professors who decide to set up ghost removal service. Obviously some ridiculous, and hilarious adventures ensue. Great for kids and adults, if somehow you've managed to avoid seeing this movie since it's release in 1984, definitely check it out!
1.) Hocus Pocus
There are some great movies on this list, but none of them can eclipse my love of Hocus Pocus. Yet another Disney movie from the 90s, 1993 to be exact so this movie too is celebrating its 20 year anniversary. It follows Max, his little sister Dani, and his friend(girlfriend?) Allison as they accidentally resurrect 3 sister witches who have been dead for 300 years. With the help of an immortal talking cat, they have to end the witches reign of terror for good before they can devour the souls of all the children in the town. The thing that makes this movie stand out for me is the fact that the 3 witch sisters are played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy which obviously means that there is a fantastic musical number in the middle of the movie. The Acting, especially by Bette Midler is awesome, and so over-the-top. Really great movie for kids, if you didn't enjoy this as a child its probably because your soul was sucked out by the Sanderson sisters!
Honourable Mentions: Its The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Scooby Doo, Monster House, The Corpse Bride, Coraline, Paranorman.
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