Halloween Movies for Scaredy Cats

Let’s face it, not all of us are made for scary movies. Then Halloween comes along. We want to get into the spirit, but we don’t want to sacrifice restful sleep to do that or be stuck with movies geared for little kids. So here’s the top Halloween Movies for us scaredy cats.

Practical Magic (Pg-13 — 1998)

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are sisters and witches raised by their eccentric aunts (played by Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest). In their small town where their family has lived for generations, they face closed-minded prejudice and a curse which threatens to prevent them from ever finding lasting love. It’s a tale about the power of women working together, and they’ve just announced that Practical Magic 2 is set to be released in 2025!

ADDAMS FAMILY (PG — 1991)

The Addams Family has long been a staple in entertainment — from the 1960s television show to a Broadway musical, to the binge-worthy Wednesday. The first Addams Family movie is a classic. This dark comedy stars Anjelica Huston as Morticia and Raul Julia as Gomez, who face off against con artists trying to take advantage of their eccentric family. If you like the original, there’s also Addams Family Values. 

Rocky Horror Picture Show
(R — 1975)

The cult-classic comedy, ‘horror,’ musical is one you won’t want to watch with the kids. So do the Time Warp and jump into this film starting Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Susan Sarandon as Janet. For bonus points, look around for a public showing with a shadow cast, and be sure to pack your props (or purchase a kit at the venue) so you can shower the stage with toilet paper and toast at the appropriate times. 

BEETLEJUICE (PG — 1988)

Beetlejuice is another classic that spawned a Broadway musical and a follow-up movie decades later — Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice was released earlier this fall. The original is creepy, heartwarming, funny, and features very ‘80s special effects. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis star as the recently deceased who discover the young Lydia (Winona Rider) can see them. They turn to  Michael Keaton as the titular Beetlejuice to scare the livings away.

GHOSTBUSTERS (PG — 1984)

Three parapsychologists  — played by Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, and Harold Ramis — set up their ghost removal service in an old New York City firehouse. When things start getting a little strange in the city, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters, of course. If you can’t get enough of the action, there was a Ghostbusters II, a female version staring Melissa McCarthy in 2016, and a second-generation reboot in the last few years. 

CLUE (PG — 1985)

It’s not just a game anymore… Six colorful dinner guests are invited to the mysterious mansion of Mr. Boddy on a dark and stormy night. With the killer among them, the guests and Boddy’s chatty butler (Tim Curry) must suss out the culprit before the body count rises. An all-star cast, fast pace, witty diaglogue, and three possible endings are some of what makes Clue possibly one of the best movies ever.