Looking for spooky basket fodder? Or just want to take part in the season and have a Halloween movie marathon, but you can’t stand gore or being scared? Then grab your coziest blanket and take a look at this list of festive movies you can watch peacefully with the lights off.
Tim Burton
Of course, you can’t have a non-scary movie list without the master, Tim Burton. Burton’s marathon-able films are the perfect mix of dark and entertaining, without anxiety-induced insomnia.
“Beetlejuice” (1988)
Chant along with Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, the infamous words as you see a grimy Michael Keaton trying to swindle a marriage with the wonderfully gloomy, Winona Ryder.
“Edward Scissorhands” (1990)
Watch as a young Johnny Depp navigates life in a suburban town with scissors for hands, after his creator, Vincent Price, unexpectedly passes away.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
Take a trip down memory lane and sing along with the catchy tunes in this claymated musical.
“The Corpse Bride” (2005)
If necromancy is more your speed, you are cordially invited to the union of Victor Van Dort and Emily, his corpse bride.
“Sweeney Todd” (2007)
A musical about revenge, murder and cannibalism, tune in as you hear Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter sing about pies and straight razors.
“Frankenweenie” (2012)
Like the concept of Frankenstein, but love the concept of animals even more? Then get your heartbroken, then immediately repaired with this reanimated take.
“Dark Shadows” (2012)
Into vampires but hate “Twilight?” Then this movie is the one for you, plus it’s a bit funny and nobody sparkles.
“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” (2016)
If you are into fantasy adventures that border on the supernatural, you might enjoy this most recent Burton film with spooky thematic elements.
Laika Studios
Foe those who are fans of claymation and soft terror, Laika has a couple of films that are just your speed.
“Coraline” (2009)
Venture through the small door with the spunky blue-haired Coraline and get pg-rated chills as you meet the Other Mother.
“Paranorman” (2012)
Tap into your clairvoyant side as you are transported into the town of Blithe Hollow and watch as Norman Babcock and friends battle zombies and ghosts.
“The Boxtrolls” (2014)
Take a break from being an Internet troll and watch a movie about trolls instead in this claymated period piece.
“Kubo and the Two Strings” (2016)
Not necessarily a Halloween movie, but become entranced with the beautiful imagery and somber, slightly terrifying storyline of Kubo and his evil aunts who wish to steal his eye.
Disney
For the Disney fans out there, here a few nostalgic seasonal goodies.
“Hocus Pocus” (1993)
Join the Sanderson Sisters as they chase after children for their youth in this early 1990s classic.
“The Haunted Mansion” (2003)
Watch Eddie Murphy and his family hang out in a mansion, obviously haunted by spirits.
“The Tower of Terror” (1997)
This Disney movie features a tower full of terror due to the mysterious disappearances of five passengers abroad an elevator in the Hollywood Tower.
“Halloweentown” (1998)
A group of siblings visit their witchy grandmother in a town inhabited with ghouls and monsters of the like.
Other options
Tired or disinterested of the above mentioned titles? Don’t fret, listed below are
“Casper”
Casper, the friendly ghost, tries to make friends with the new tenants dwelling in his childhood home in this part live-action, part computer-generated movie featuring Christina Ricci and Bill Pullman.
“Monster House”
A cursed and monstrous house, possessed by the spirit of an old woman, eats trespassers until a group of neighborhood kids figure out a way to free the spirit.
“Ghostbusters”
A group of paranormal scientists are asked if they are a god, then attacked by a giant marshmallow man summoned by the spirit of the god of Zuul in this 1980s cult-classic.
“Little Shop of Horrors”
A ravenous alien plant with a penchant for human flesh sings 60s-inspired musical numbers in this musical comedy.
“Rocky Horror Picture Show”
A sweet transvestite parades around in lingerie with his lover/creation until they are eventually killed by their own servants.
“Gremlins”
An outdated plotline features a “creature from the Orient” who is brought home by a father who thinks a strange animal with specific care instructions is the perfect Christmas gift for his child.
“Addam’s Family”
The snap-happy morose-loving Addam’s Family are reunited with long-lost Uncle Fester.
“Addam’s Family Values”
In this Addam’s Family sequel, Uncle Fester acquires a serial-killer wife.
