Looking for Family Friendly Halloween films? We get it. You have kids. Or you’re scared of the dark, or whatever. Here’s ten movies for you and your tinies for when you’re ready to take a break from the Hocus Pocus marathon playing on ABC’s Freeform!
SCOOBY DOO
The Scooby Doo movie is perfect. That’s all there is to it. It’s a wonderful, lovely, hilarious movie that DEFINITELY deserved a sequel. Using “Who Let the Dogs Out” by The Baha Men in the soundtrack was a subtle, nuanced choice that just exemplifies the tact behind every other decision made while filming. The cartoon characters are ACTUALLY brought to life – literally, not figuratively – by the cast. Plus, it’s where Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinz Jr. fell in love. Probably. Which makes it a classic of the early 2000s.
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
Throw a dart at a list of Tim Burton movies and any one of them could fit right into a Halloween list. Of all of Burton’s creations, Edward Scissorhands is one of the most recognizable, but also one that fans don’t find time to watch very often. It’s a beautiful film about a young Johnny Depp and Winona Rider falling in love over snowflakes, before things turned upside down. Along the way, Johnny Depp gives some suburban housewives much better hairstyles and Nick Carter makes a cameo. And that’s all I’d like to say about that.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Everyone’s family is a little weird, except for the Addams family. The Addams Family takes you back to a time when Angelica Huston’s matriarch reigned supreme. Though tiny Christina Ricci’s portrayal of Wednesday Addams as displeased with the sun and pretty much everything else in the universe is brilliantly sadistic, Lurch is the clear winner of best character by a landslide. Or a Lurch. There’s a pun there.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
You knew we’d mention it at some point. Is it a Christmas movie? Is it a Halloween movie? Who knows. Throw away your preconceived notions and your Hot Topic fingerless gloves and just put the movie in already. Because there are few who deny at what it does it is the best and its talents are renowned far and wide. When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night this film excels without ever even trying. With the slightest little effort of its ghost-like charms it has seen grown men give out a shriek. With the wave of its hand and a well-placed moan it has swept the very bravest (toddlers) off their feet.
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE
Harry Potter is the best movie for all holidays, and yet it seems the most appropriate on Halloween and Christmas. It might be the only thing (besides both being on this list) that Sorcerer’s Stone and Nightmare Before Christmas have in common, besides a plethora of products at, you guessed it, Hot Topic. Keep an eye out for trolls in the dungeon and the inevitable eight part movie marathons.
IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN
Linus Van Pelt proves he’s not just a philosophy spouting mouthpiece but a kid after all as he believes in The Great Pumpkin; an Easter-Bunny-meets-Santa-Claus rip-off that only Linus seems to believe in. If you see someone wearing a ghost sheet with multiple eye holes all over, it’s from this. Or if you’re in need of a simple, last minute Halloween costume.
GHOSTBUSTERS
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International film star Rick Moranis blows audiences away in another of his classic roles, as the guy who lives down the hall from Sigourney Weaver. Don’t cross the streams, and also don’t think about the stay puft marshmallow man. And also if someone asks if you’re a god, you say yes, Ray. You say yes. Can you believe this movie is 30 years old?
BEETLEJUICE
While Beetlejuice is a great movie to get into the Halloween spirit, this entry might be better suited for your slightly older little ones. Ghosts are the cutest and Michael Keaton is the cutest and Winona Rider makes her second appearance on this list! Win-win-win!
CASPER
Speaking of second appearances. Christina Ricci graces our list once again in the 1995 classic Casper, and 90s babies swooned everywhere when the tiniest Devon Sawa uttered his most famous and not at all creepy line, “Can I keep you?” Even if you aren’t introducing your kids to it, this movie is definitely worth a rewatch for nostalgia’s sake alone.
PARANORMAN
Kid talks to dead people. Puritans were bonkers. Classic pun name. Don’t live in New England. Moral of the story? Bullying isn’t nice.
Need some more adult oriented Halloween ideas for once the kiddos are lulled into a candy coma? We’ve got you covered! Set the mood with Five Albums to Flesh Out Your Halloween Playlist, pop in one of The Four Scariest Video Games For Halloween, or huddle under the covers with Netflix and Chilling – Halloween Movie Edition. Have any suggestions? You can let us know on Twitter @SubCultured or come party like its 1599 in our Discord server!
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Remember last ship when I was basking in how easy it was to find community swag to support Catwoman/Batman? Well apparently I crave the pain, so this week we’re back to an out of left field ship that holds a special place in my heart. Something even sillier? One of the pair has been dead since he was dreamed up by a probably deranged children’s book author in 1939. It wasn’t until 1995 however, that Casper met Kat Harvey and forgot all about that no-account bitch, Wendy, and captured my young heart.
For those of you unfamiliar with this classic nineties film of my childhood, here’s the skinny: Kat and her ghost whispering father move in to a mansion infested with spirits, one of which is the friendly but lonely dead boy Casper (Creepiest Ship Yet?).Kat’s dad is hired to help the spirits sort out their “unfinished business” and move on to the after life which is also known as “get the fuck out of this rich lady’s mansion.” Luckily Kat is a dark and alternative type of gal who ensnares all of Casper’s non-functioning organs.
Their relationship starts off rocky, with Casper possessing all of the awkwardness of an eternal 13-year old and Kat’s perfectly natural fear of talking to dead things. However, they eventually work past their problems and strike up a wonderful friendship despite Dr. Harvey’s attempt to exorcise young Kat’s only friend.
The pair seem to be fated to remain firmly in the friend zone due to Casper’s unfortunate non-corporeal affliction. Oh, did I forget to mention that Casper’s father was an mad scientist and built a Lazarus Pit type-machine to resurrect his dead son? I did? Sorry. But hey, maybe that means they’re not so doomed! Just kidding. Kat develops a crush on the coolest kid in town and forbids Casper from attending the party she plans to throw in his house. How does Casper react? Why, by continuing to do sweet things for her like taking her flying and giving her his mother’s dress to wear to her costume ball. What a standup ghost.
Casper still has hopes that Kat will want his bod once, you know, he has one, and plans to use his father’s one-shot life machine on himself so that the two can live in pre-teen bliss. That is, until Kat’s father is out being a drunk asshole and dies(what a fucked up movie). Casper decides that Dr. Harvey “needs it” more than he does and gives him use of the machine. The machine that can only work once. THAT MACHINE. Casper then urges Kat to go up and enjoy the party she’s missing. Yeah, that’s right. Casper gives her father his only chance at living and then tells the girl of his dreams to go have fun with her other date who only asked her out to be a dick. The most perfect guy in the world is not only 12, but very much dead. There’s no hope for us, ladies and so-inclined gentlemen.
Because film gods are sometimes benevolent, Casper is granted a boon from Kat’s dead mother (who is apparently in charge of such things) for being so fucking awesome. In a Cinderella-type deal, Casper is given a body to attend the party with until ten (since he’s only 12, he doesn’t get the ’til midnight deal) and then I suppose he gets to die again. He uses these precious few minutes alive to dance with Kat so she doesn’t look like such a lame at her own party. End movie.
You may ask what exactly we get out of this depressing pre-teen ship? Well I’ll sum it up with one picture and four words:
“Can I Keep You?”
-Yeah, sorry Dad. You’ll just have to stay dead. I’m going with Casper.
And thus a million 12 year-olds were in love.
Like any good ship, you know you want MORE and I’ll do my best to give it to you. Check out the swag and other goodies below.
Swag:
Can I Keep You Shirt can be found here for $23.95
Can I Keep You Necklace can be found here for $12.00
On Deviant
Can I Keep You by 9Timothy
“C-Told You I’m A Good Dancer”-by Zoe-Productions
“CAHAHASPER STOP IT” by Jin-Tei
“Casper and Kat” by ashrel
On Fanfiction.net
Unfinished Business by xx.I’mAHotMess.xx- Let go.” she commanded, a warning in her voice. “Then don’t go.” he whispered softly in her ear. She shivered a little and suddenly tensed up as she tried unsuccessfully to pry his fingers from her wrist.
Can I Keep You? by Under the Blackened Sky-This story is a continuation of where the 1995 Casper movie left off. He had his dream come true that night. It was everything he could ask for…and yet…it was not enough. His lips still tingled from his kiss with Kat.
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