31 Family Friendly Movies to Watch October 2019
The Harry Potter Series (2001 – 2011)
Whether it’s the supernatural element of witches, wizards, and spells, or just the fact that they always begin at the start of a school term, there’s just something about the Harry Potter series that makes us think of October.
Rated PG – PG 13, depending on the movie.
Coraline (2009)
Coraline is a stop-motion animated film based on a book of the same name by Neil Gaiman. With alternate worlds, doppelgängers, ghosts, and more, it’s a delightfully creepy children’s movie, perfect for this time of year.
Rated PG.
Matilda (1996)
Matilda is a family-friendly story based on a book of the same name by Roald Dahl. It follows a young genius who finds out she possessive supernatural powers, and uses them to deal with her family and her school.
Rated PG.
Corpse Bride (2005)
A classic Tim Burton flick and must-have Halloween movie for October, Corpse Bride is about a man who accidentally marries a woman from beyond the grave.
Rated PG.
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
In Hotel Transylvania, Dracula operates a high-end resort far away from the human world, but he’s turned upside down when his daughter falls in love with a human. Includes all your Halloween favorites, like mummies and Frankenstein’s Monster.
Rated PG.
Halloweentown (1998)
A 90’s Disney Channel Original Movie, Halloweentown tells the story of a young girl who learns she’s a witch and must save a town of other supernatural creatures.
Rated TV-G.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This is the perfect movie for both Halloween AND Christmas! In The Nightmare Before Christmas, Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween, brings Christmas to his Halloween village – but alas, they can’t quite get it right.
Rated PG.
Beetlejuice (1988)
In Beetlejuice, the spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out. First created in the 1980s, this classic still holds as a Halloween favorite in many households.
Rated PG.
Pirates of the Carribean Series (2003-2019)
While this may not be a specifically Halloween-themed movie, the Pirates of the Carribbean movies are full of treasure, mystery, and of course – pirates.
Rated PG-13.
Warm Bodies (2013)
Who says Halloween isn’t for lovers? In Warm Bodies, a highly unusual zombie saves a still-living girl from an attack, and the two form a relationship that might transform the entire lifeless world.
Rated PG-13.
The Addams Family – Animated (October 11, 2019)
Have you ever watched the classic Addam’s Family TV show from the 1960s? How about the movie from 1991? A new animated version of this Halloween classic comes out on October 10th, and would make for the perfect family outing.
Rated PG.
Monsters, Inc (2001)
Filled with lovable monsters and the heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship, you and your children will love Monsters, Inc.
Rated G.
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Have you noticed a pattern yet? We LOVE Tim Burton movies in October! The 2010 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland puts a deliciously eerie twist on the classically whimsical tale.
Rated PG.
Ghostbusters (1984)
In Ghostbusters, three former parapsychology professors set up shop as a unique ghost removal service. It’s timeless, it’s fun, it’s SO Halloween.
Rated PG.
Ghostbusters (2016)
What better time to watch the Ghostbusters sequel than right after the original? Plus, these two movies combined have GOT to get you excited for the next one, coming in 2020!
Rated PG-13.
Casper (1995)
Who hasn’t seen Casper? In this movie, an 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. It’s friendly and cute!
Rated PG.
Maleficent (2014)
An unusual remake of the classic Sleeping Beauty to show the villain’s side of the story. This is the perfect time to rewatch Maleficent because it’s sequel comes out the next day, October 18th!
Rated PG.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (October 18, 2019)
The sequel to Disney’s Maleficent comes out October 18th! In this continuation of the story, Aurora and Maleficent begin to question their complex relationship as they’re pulled apart by new dark forces.
Rated PG
Frankenweenie (2012)
Akin to the original Frankenstein story, a young boy attempts to resurrect his recently-passed dog through an intense science experiment.
Rated PG
Into the Woods (2014)
Are you a fan of magic and musicals? In Into the Woods, one witch tasks a childless baker and his wife with procuring magical items from classic fairy tales to reverse the curse put on their family tree.
Rated PG
The Black Cauldron (1985)
Do you remember this Disney movie? One of the company’s less-remembered but just as good stories, the Black Cauldron takes its main characters on a quest to find a dark item of ultimate magical power before an evil tyrant does. Spooky enough for the season, if you ask me.
Rated PG.
A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004, 2017)
There are two adaptations of this Lemony Snicket classic, but the message is the same: 3 young orphans must outsmart their distant cousin Count Olaf as he tries to steal the Baudelaire family fortune after their parents die in a fire. Watch either the 2004 movie or the 2017 TV series on Netflix – either way, it’s the perfect story for this time of year!
Rated PG + PG-TV.
Monster House (2006)
In Monster House, three young teens find out that their neighbor’s house is actually a living, breathing, scary monster. Can you say crazy? This animated movie is the perfect way to introduce your kids to Halloween!
Rated PG.
Goosebumps (2015)
Did you ever read the Goosebumps books as a kid? In 2015, a Goosebumps movie came out, where a young adult horror author’s imaginary demons are set free in a small Delaware town.
Rated PG.
The Witches (1990)
In this movie, a young boy must stop a group of witches from rid England of all children. But there’s one problem – they’ve turned him into a mouse. An adaptation of the book by Roald Dahl.
Rated PG.
E.T. (1982)
A Halloween classic, E.T. is the story of a gentle alien finding itself stranded on earth. It’s perfect if you’re looking for supernatural adventures with a side of nostalgia.
Rated PG.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
In Young Frankenstein, an American grandson of the infamous scientist, struggling to prove that his grandfather was not as insane as people believe, is invited to Transylvania, where he discovers the process that reanimates a dead body.
Rated PG.
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)
In this TV movie, the classic Mystery Gang travels to a remote island with a dark secret. But really – any Scooby-Doo movie or episode is fitting for the Halloween season.
Rated G.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
How cute is Charlie Brown? In this animated short, the Peanuts gang celebrates Halloween while Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin.
Not rated, but since it’s Charlie Brown, we’re sure it’s good for all ages.
The Twilight Zone (original TV series in 1960s)
Okay, so we cheated. This one isn’t a movie. But the Twilight Zone TV series explores so many spooky, eerie, and whimsical themes that we just couldn’t NOT include it!
Rated TV-PG.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
No Halloween movie list would be complete without Hocus Pocus. We saved this one for last so you could enjoy it exactly on Halloween. If you aren’t familiar with it, Hocus Pocus is about a young man who moves to Salem and struggled to fit in, but accidentally awakens a trio of witches from the 17th century.
Rated PG.