Friday Night at the Movies – Family Friendly Halloween Movies

All the gory, blood-filled aspect of Halloween I could totally do without! Now put a bunch of little ones in cute costumes and then let me eat just as much candy as I hand out, well, that’s a holiday I can get behind. If the spooky, slash-em-up type of Halloween isn’t your cup of tea, either, this list of family friendly Halloween-ish movies is just what you need. Now go raid your kiddo’s candy stash and then settle in to enjoy one of these mildly spooky (if at all) Halloween flicks:

• Hotel Transylvania: I admit I wasn’t too excited to see this movie. It seemed like such and odd concept for a full-blown popular kid’s movie. But It. Was. Awesome. I might have loved it more than my kids. It was such a sweet message and laugh-out-loud funny. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a must-watch!
• Frankenweenie: If you are a Tim Burton fan and have never seen this movie, what are you waiting for? It’s a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life…. with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.
• The Addams Family:  They’re creepy and they’re kooky! The Addams Family is a remake of a series that ran in the seventies. The delight and humor of this movie is particularly humorous to those of us who saw the old series and reruns as children. The cast pulled off the remake with astonishing likenesses to the old characters instead of trying to reinvent them, but with a modern twist. The Addams are a comedic gothic bunch who make for a great movie!
• Coraline: This movie might be a tad too spooky for really little kids, but the gist is this: an an adventurous little girl discovers a secret door, behind which lies an alternate world that closely mirrors her own but, in many ways, is better. Or at least it seems so at first. In the end, Coraline must use all her resources and bravery to make it back to her own family and life or stay captive in her alternate life forever!
• It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Is there a better Halloween movie out there? I think not. This is such a classic that I have to watch it every single Halloween. It’s a tradition I’m not giving up anytime soon because it’s so adorable!
• Monsters Inc.: Sulley {John Goodman} and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski {Billy Crystal} are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc. in Monstropolis. If that doesn’t “scream” Halloween movie, I’m not sure what does!

• Casper: Ahhh, Casper. Everyone’s favorite friendly ghost. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched this one, but I remember loving the war better the good ghosts and the bad ghosts. Plus, Christina Ricci looks practically like a toddler. That’s weird to see!
• Hocus Pocus: I didn’t rank these in order, but if I had, this would have been right at the top. I know Bette Midler has done some great more serious work, but I think this is my favorite movie of hers. It’s so quirky and fun, I can’t get enough of it. It centers around 3 crazy witches that always leave me laughing.
• E.T.: Anyone else get really weepy when they watch ET now? I don’t remember getting that way growing up, but apparently I’ve gotten all sappy as I’ve aged! I think it goes without saying that this classic deserves a spot on this list. It was wise beyond its years when it was made. Plus, what would we do without the “Et, phone home!” line?
• The Nightmare Before Christmas: It might say Christmas in the title, but trust me, it’s all about Halloween. And it’s Tim Burton at his finest!
• Monster House: Just a little heads up about this one. I loved it, but it might be a tad scary for little kids. Maybe 8 and up, but it’s been awhile since my kids were that young, so I can’t really remember whether they’d be scared or not at that age. Still, for kids a tad older, it’s so good!
• Practical Magic: I love me some Sandra Bullock. She’s the best. So a Halloween movie with her in it? Sign me up!

• Beetlejuice: I’ve loved this movie since I was a teen. The movie is dark without being scary and funny without being ridiculous. Great cast plus zany plot equals a great Halloween movie!
• Bedknobs and Broomsticks: Might not seem like the most obvious choice, but this movie has witches AND spells. Seems pretty Halloweenish to me! Regardless, it’s an awesome movie every kid should watch!

And there you have it. Have I missed any of your favorites? Have you seen any of these? Love them?

Looking for more movies?

Check out the full list of my Friday Night at the Movies Selections or click on over & look at all the movies on Amazon Instant Video. There are a ton of videos to choose from that will cost you absolutely nothing {nada, zilch, free-o} with Amazon Prime; like thousands of regular movies & TV shows & hundreds of documentaries {Wahoo!}. Get all the details HERE!

Here’s hoping your Halloween candy hangover isn’t too rough,
~Mavis