Halloween is here, and the spooky season is in full swing! But not everyone is a fan of heart-pounding scares. If you’re a scaredy cat who still wants to enjoy Halloween without hiding under the covers, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a curated list of 21 Halloween movies perfect for those seeking more treats than tricks. Plus, we’ve got a Spook-O-Meter to help you gauge the fright factor!
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃 = Not scary at all 🎃👻 = Little spooky 🎃👻💀 = Some actual scares throughout
1. Halloweentown (1998)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃
Synopsis: Join a young witch as she discovers her magical heritage and embarks on a journey to save a town full of supernatural creatures in this Disney Channel Original Movie.
Where to Watch: Disney+
2. Beetlejuice (1988)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻
Synopsis: A hilarious tale unfolds as a recently deceased couple struggles with their home being invaded by an annoying new family, enlisting the mischievous Beetlejuice for help.
Synopsis: A high school girl’s Halloween plans go haywire when she loses her younger brother during a night of trick-or-treating, resulting in a chaotic adventure.
Where to Watch: Hulu
4. Ghostbusters (1984)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻
Synopsis: Join three parapsychologists as they start a ghost-catching business in New York City, blending comedy with the supernatural.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
5. Ghostbusters (2016)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻
Synopsis: In this hilarious remake, paranormal enthusiasts battle an otherworldly threat in New York, offering a fresh take on the classic supernatural comedy.
Where to Watch: Hulu
6. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻
Synopsis: A nerdy florist’s life takes a bizarre turn when a giant man-eating plant becomes the key to his success in this comedic musical.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
7. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻💀
Synopsis: This film provides a fresh angle on classic horror as five friends in a remote cabin fall victim to signature horror events, promising scares with a twist.
Where to Watch: Hulu
8. Scary Movie (2000)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻
Synopsis: A hilarious, slapstick parody of iconic horror films, this comedy weaves a spooky yet side-splitting plot that will have you in stitches.
Synopsis: Follow the charming Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, as he discovers the wonders of Christmas Town in this holiday classic with a spooky twist.
Where to Watch: Disney+
10. The Final Girls (2015)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻💀
Synopsis: Enter a meta comedy-horror where a young girl and her friends find themselves trapped in a campy ’80s slasher film, navigating a blend of scares and laughs.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
11. Casper (1995)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃
Synopsis: Not all ghosts are scary! Discover the friendly ghost Casper in this heartwarming tale of a father-daughter duo moving into a haunted house.
Where to Watch: Hulu
12. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃
Synopsis: Experience the quirky, one-of-a-kind musical comedy as an engaged couple stumbles upon the eccentric residence of Dr. Frank-N-Furter during a breakdown.
Where to Watch: Hulu
13. Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃
Synopsis: Join Dracula, owner of a high-end monster hotel, as his world turns upside down when a backpacking human stumbles into his monster haven.
Where to Watch: Starz
14. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻
Synopsis: Dive into this Disney classic where three resurrected witch sisters wreak havoc on Halloween night, only to be thwarted by courageous teenagers.
Where to Watch: Disney+
15. Young Frankenstein (1974)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃
Synopsis: Embark on a comedic journey as a scientist discovers the secrets of reanimating a dead body in this Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder masterpiece.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
16. The Addams Family (1991)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃
Synopsis: Enter the delightfully creepy world of America’s spookiest family as they navigate a peculiar man’s sudden arrival, claiming to be the long-lost Fester Addams.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
17. Heathers (1988)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻
Synopsis: Delve into this dark, twisted indie comedy as a high school student teams up with a new sociopathic acquaintance to dismantle the oppressive social order in their school.
Where to Watch: Hulu
18. Zombieland (2009)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻💀
Synopsis: Journey through a zombie apocalypse with a motley crew of survivors, blending comedy with horror and dishing out survival tips along the way.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
19. Donnie Darko (2001)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃
Synopsis: Immerse yourself in this drama-packed, twisted tale of a troubled teen haunted by visions of a man in a rabbit suit, leading him down a dark path of crimes.
Where to Watch: Hulu
20. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻
Synopsis: Explore the hilarious lives of a group of vampires sharing a house in Wellington, New Zealand, in this absurd mockumentary comedy.
Where to Watch: Hulu
21. Scream (1996)
Spook-O-Meter: 🎃👻💀
Synopsis: If you’re a scaredy-cat wanting to test the waters of scarier movies, “Scream” is the perfect balance of comedy and mystery intertwined with jumpy slasher moments, centered around a teenage girl being terrorized by a serial killer using horror films as part of a deadly game.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
If you are a true scaredy cat but really want to branch out to a scarier movie then Scream is perfect for you. With a little comedy and a good mystery of ‘whodunnit’ mixed into the jumpy slasher moments, this soon-to-be classic centers around a teenage girl in a small town who is being terrorized by a serial killer who targets the girl and her friends by using horror films as part of a deadly game.
