Spooktastic Recommendations: Cozy Halloween Movies
Since Halloween season is here I thought I would put together a list of cozy Halloween-themed films that I recommend. Some are funny, others are a just bit spooky, and all films are catergorized as “not-so-scary” films. Enjoy!
Two teen witches who were separated at birth and were adopted by two different families meet on their 21st birthday and must use their powers to save the world in which they were born, where their birth mother still lives.
I hear a lot of people chat about Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus, but one of my favorite Halloween DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movies) is Twitches. Tia & Tamera Mowry shine in this fun magical filled film of long-lost sisters. It’s whimsical, with cheesy banter, and has strong themes of sisterhood and self-confidence. Plus I love the 2000s nostalgia!
Wren’s Halloween plans go awry when she’s made to babysit her brother, who disappears into a sea of trick-or-treaters. With her best friend and two nerds at her side, she needs to find her brother before her mom finds out he’s missing.
Despite this being a Nickelodeon film, it’s definitely not for young kids (more for a young adult audience). Even though the story line is predictable, the film’s crazy antics and somewhat raunchy humor make the movie entertaining. It will have you laughing out loud as you watch the main characters navigate the chaos and fun on Halloween night!
Young Norman Babcock has the ability to speak with the dead — and he often prefers their company to that of the living. Norman receives word from his strange Uncle Prenderghast that a centuries-old witch’s curse on their town is real and about to come true — and that only Norman can stop it. When zombies rise from their graves, Norman must summon all his courage and compassion and push his paranormal abilities to the limit to save his fellow townspeople.
I love stop-motion animation films and one that I don’t hear people talking about too often is ParaNorman. Though not technically set on/or around Halloween this film is full of ghosts, a town full of zombies, and many things that go bump in the night. It’s a beautiful and complex animated film which is highly entertaining but also tackles themes of bullying, forgiveness, and grief. The animation is fantastic, and I loved all the characters.
Matt, the son of a prominent witch family, is expected by the Witches Council, to marry his good friend Lizzy. But when Matt meets Sara, a psychiatrist, his magic fails him and Sara discovers that she suddenly has gained magical powers.
If cheesy rom-coms set during Halloween are your jam, then You Cast a Spell on Me is the film for you. It’s got a cozy romance in a small town, whimsical witches, and entertaining characters. It has the same charm as a Hallmark movie, except with a Halloween theme to it. The two leads have a cute romance that develops over the course of the film and I love how the magical elements are goofy and fun.
It’s October 31st in Salem, Massachusetts, and a town’s eccentric, devoted community volunteer and the good-natured object of his fellow citizen’s derision and meanest pranks, finds himself in the midst of a real investigation, for a real murderer.
Goosebumps was my first exposure to horror novels as a kid and when I discovered the books, I devoured them by reading the entire series. This film truly encapsulates what makes Goosebumps truly Goosebumps. It’s a great film for all ages and it has the perfect blend of cheesiness and horror that made the books so entertaining to read. Viewers beware, you’re in for a scare.
Will this Halloween be the one when the Great Pumpkin comes? Longtime believer Linus thinks so, and keeps watch all night in the pumpkin patch to welcome him. Charlie Brown gets into the spooky spirit too, dressing up as a ghost with more eyeholes than needed, but not scaring up the usual kinds of Halloween loot when trick-or-treating. Never fear, World War I fighting ace Snoopy is here to battle the Red Baron, and in doing so, crash Violet’s Halloween party and Linus’ vigil as well. Your whole family will be glad it crashed this party. Good grief, you can’t help but have a happy Halloween!
This is a holiday TV classic, but I still wanted to include this in my film round-up. I watch this every single year! I am huge fan of the Peanuts characters and this my second favorite holiday special to watch. The animation paired with the jazzy tunes of Vince Guaraldi gives viewers all the coziness of the autumnal season. Peanuts are just too cute, and this special has the right amount of spoopiness.
What are some of your favorite cozy Halloween films? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Cozy Halloween movies are definitely more my jam than scary ones! There are a bunch on this list I haven’t seen yet so I’ll have to add them to my list this season. One of my favourites, though it’s a show, is Over the Garden Wall – it’s just so charming and funny!
I hope you enjoy some of the picks on my list. Over The Garden Wall is one of my autumnal favorites.