Spooky Movies: Family-Friendly
Reasonably family-friendly spooky movies. Please check the rating and look for warnings before showing to children. (I prefer to watch them myself first as a precaution.)
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- DirectorKenny OrtegaStarsBette MidlerSarah Jessica ParkerKathy NajimyA teenage boy named Max and his little sister move to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century.The most Halloweeny of Halloween movies.
- DirectorNicolas RoegStarsAnjelica HustonMai ZetterlingJasen FisherA young boy stumbles onto a witch convention and must stop them, even after he has been turned into a mouse.Mean witches think children are stinky.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsAnne HathawayOctavia SpencerStanley TucciA young boy and his grandmother have a run-in with a coven of witches and their leader.Remake of the 1990 version.
- DirectorChris ButlerSam FellStarsKodi Smit-McPheeAnna KendrickChristopher Mintz-PlasseA misunderstood boy takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.One boy can see ghosts in a town known for historical witch hunts. Spookiness levels are moderately high but not as high as Coraline.
- DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsBill MurrayDan AykroydSigourney WeaverThree parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.The most classic ghostbusting comedy.
- DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsBill MurrayDan AykroydSigourney WeaverThe discovery of a massive river of ectoplasm and a resurgence of spectral activity allows the staff of Ghostbusters to revive the business.Hilarity continues as a weird paranormal sludge begins to affect NYC.
- DirectorPaul FeigStarsMelissa McCarthyKristen WiigKate McKinnonFollowing a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.An all-female cast of SNL stars are out to find if ghosts exist.
- DirectorJason ReitmanStarsCarrie CoonPaul RuddFinn WolfhardWhen a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.
- DirectorHenry SelickStarsDakota FanningTeri HatcherJohn HodgmanWandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, an 11-year-old Coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life. In order to stay in the fantasy, she must make a frighteningly real sacrifice.The spookiness in this is intense and might be too much for smaller children. I'd say this has one of if not THE highest spooky factor on the list.
- DirectorGil KenanStarsMitchel MussoSam LernerSpencer LockeThree teens discover that their neighbor's house is really a living, breathing, scary monster.The house no kid wants to go near. Not quite as spooky as Paranorman.
- DirectorPete DocterDavid SilvermanLee UnkrichStarsBilly CrystalJohn GoodmanMary GibbsIn order to power the city, monsters have to scare children so that they scream. However, the children are toxic to the monsters, and after a child gets through, two monsters realize things may not be what they think.Monsters are afraid of children. Not very spooky at all: light and comedic. Great for the littlest kids.
- DirectorRob LettermanConrad VernonStarsReese WitherspoonRainn WilsonStephen ColbertA woman transformed into a giant after she is struck by a meteorite on her wedding day becomes part of a team of monsters sent in by the U.S. government to defeat an alien mastermind trying to take over Earth.The government locks up monsters until they're needed to be heroes. Levels of spookiness are low, action is high.
- DirectorBarry SonnenfeldStarsAnjelica HustonRaul JuliaChristopher LloydCon artists plan to fleece an eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long-lost uncle.Classic creepy comedy, a satirical inversion of the ideal American family. Might go over the heads of younger kids.
- DirectorBarry SonnenfeldStarsAnjelica HustonRaul JuliaChristopher LloydThe Addams Family try to rescue their beloved Uncle Fester from his gold-digging new love, a black widow named Debbie.Sequel. Humor is a little easier for kids to follow in this one, but older kids still might appreciate it more.
- DirectorBrad SilberlingStarsBill PullmanChristina RicciCathy MoriartyAn afterlife therapist and his daughter meet a friendly young ghost when they move into a crumbling mansion in order to rid the premises of wicked spirits.Friendly ghost and a haunted house! Minimal spookiness. Great for young kids, though there is a plot that littler ones might get bored with.
- DirectorGenndy TartakovskyStarsAdam SandlerKevin JamesAndy SambergDracula, who operates a high-end resort away from the human world, goes into overprotective mode when a boy discovers the resort and falls for the count's teenaged daughter.Dracula is an overprotective dad whose daughter loves a human. Minimal spookiness but still has an aura of spook.
- DirectorGenndy TartakovskyStarsAdam SandlerAndy SambergSelena GomezDracula and his friends try to bring out the monster in his half human, half vampire grandson in order to keep Mavis from leaving the hotel.Equally as good as the first movie, Dracula's worried his grandson might not be a vampire.
- DirectorGenndy TartakovskyStarsAdam SandlerAndy SambergSelena GomezCount Dracula and company participate in a cruise for sea-loving monsters, unaware that their boat is being commandeered by the monster-hating Van Helsing family.A fun cruise sounds like a "great" way to relax.
- DirectorDerek DrymonJennifer KluskaStarsAndy SambergSelena GomezKathryn HahnAfter one experiment, Johnny turns into a monster and everyone else becomes human. Now it has to be seen whether they will be able to reverse this experiment.Monsters and humans and dragons, oh my!
- DirectorRaja GosnellStarsMatthew LillardFreddie Prinze Jr.Sarah Michelle GellarAfter an acrimonious break up, the Mystery Inc. gang are individually brought to an island resort to investigate strange goings on.In-jokes about Scooby and the gang, slapstick and silliness, and just a rollicking good time. Spooky factor is middling-low.
- DirectorRaja GosnellStarsFreddie Prinze Jr.Sarah Michelle GellarMatthew LillardThe Mystery Inc. gang must save Coolsville from an attack of their past monsters brought to life by an evil masked figure trying to take down the gang.Truly delightful.
- DirectorChris WedgeStarsLucas TillJane LevyThomas LennonA young man working at a small town junkyard discovers and befriends a creature which feeds on oil being sought by a fracking company.Not very Halloweeny, but this is a fun movie to watch with the kids, and it has 'Monster' in the title.
- DirectorPeter DeLuiseStarsDove CameronBraeden LemastersKatherine McNamaraTeenage friends must resist the spell of an evil showman staging a house of horrors show in their small town.Set during Halloween.
- DirectorBibo BergeronStarsMatthieu ChedidVanessa ParadisGad ElmalehA 3D-animated movie set in Paris in the year 1910 and centered on a monster who lives in a garden and his love for a beautiful, young singer.Genuinely heartwarming.
- DirectorPaul HoenStarsMilo ManheimMeg DonnellyTrevor TordjmanStudents from Zombietown are transferred to a high school in a suburban town preoccupied with uniformity, traditions and pep rallies.With fun musical numbers, great for kids. Spooky factor is low but fun factor is high.