When you think of Halloween movies you probably think of movies that are scary, have monsters, or involve having to close your eyes during some part of the movie. “Family friendly” is probably not a term that you commonly associate with Halloween movies, but you should. Watching a Halloween movie as a family is a great way to celebrate Halloween. Plus, there are plenty of wholesome Halloween movies to choose from. There are options for Halloween movies that are animated and live action.
As you look for Halloween movies that you will want to watch as a family, keep a couple things in mind. First, make sure that the movie that you watch as a family is appropriate for the youngest member of the family. If you have a young family, it is likely that you will choose a different kind of movie than if your children were a little bit older or in their teenage years. Keep language in mind as some of the more popular scary movies often contain objectionable language. Fighting scenes or scenes that may not even be particularly scary for adults may be too much for a young child to handle. If after all of these suggestions, you are still having trouble thinking of some Halloween movies that are family friendly, below are some good suggestions of movies to consider.
Boo to You Too, Winnie the Pooh!
If you are looking for family friendly films with no possibility of content that you would be worried about having your mother see, this Pooh movie is just right. In this movie you get to see all of your favorite characters from the Hundred Acre Woods dressed in costume and, as you may have guessed, you follow Piglet as he faces his fears of all things Halloween.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
This movie is great for a family with slightly older kids to watch together. Tim Burton brings a distinctive style to the already unique stop action film. Watch as Jack and his Halloween friends attempt to take over Christmas. The characters in this film are definitely going to be in keeping with all of the ghosts and goblins that you will have knocking at your door to trick or treat.
The Witches
If you want a family friendly movie that is still going to give you a bit of a scare this one is a good option. The Witches is based on a Roald Dahl book, and in the 1990 movie Angelica Huston plays the Grand High Witch. The costumes and makeup are frightening for young eyes but not overly so. Follow a young boy in this story as he tries to stop the witches from turning children into mice.
It’the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
If you are looking for a Halloween animated classic look no further than this movie. All of your favorite Peanuts characters come out in costume to have a fun time trick or treating, except for Linus who decides to wait in the pumpkin patch for the Great Pumpkin. Time has truly been the test for this movie and with forty years of enjoyment already, it is unlikely that this movie will disappoint.
The Addams Family Movies
If you are interested in a feature length movie with big-name stars this Halloween, try renting The Addams Family Movies (the original and the sequel). These movies are a bit more adult in their content but definitely more appropriate than the ‘R’ rated Halloween horror flicks. Parents may want to preview either one of these movies before showing them to young children. A family with older children will definitely appreciate the humorous story line and the fun special effects.
