One of my favorite things that Halloween does is bring the weirdness out of everyone. If you hang around Twitter enough, you’ll find people putting a “Boo” in their name and suggesting that they have a cadaver in their basement. Everything has that fun sense of being a tad off-kilter, asking us to imagine a world where spookiness lies in every home, where the world is more alive than we could ever imagine. It’s arguably one of the most revered holidays because it’s among the most creative ever conceived, asking everyone to bring their own personal spin onto tradition, making something as mundane as handing out candy into a joyous and strange event, where spontaneity and uncertainty lie at every door on your block.
This is also reflective of how diverse the entertainment has been over the century, finding several major monsters becoming welcomed signifiers of the time. What’s even more incredible is that it’s one of the few times where adult and family entertainment feels equally matched, meaning that you can get something that’s dark and gruesome on one end, and something more lighthearted on the other. The supernatural doesn’t take sides on who they choose to scare, and it’s an added bonus in why The War on Christmas is losing. It’s too sentimental and precious. Meanwhile, Halloween is all about adventure and hijinks that require more effort to stand out in a massive line-up of impressive slashers and monsters.
For this particular Top 5, I have decided to skewer more toward the safe side of things and look at the best that family entertainment has to offer. While there’s something freeing about an R-Rated free-for-all, it’s even more impressive to see how one can restrain themselves and make something that’s both terrifying but also acceptable for even the youngest viewer. While some of these titles may veer towards older and darker titles, they’re all designed as films that kids can enjoy, embracing their freak side while thinking about what costume they want to dress up in. These are some essential masterpieces necessary to make your Halloween season worthwhile. If you’re too old, it will bring out the child in you all over again, making you notice what makes this time extra special.
1. Coraline (2009)
While Laika Studios had been doing odd projects throughout the years, their first official release is a perfect mic drop for every other animation company. Their blend of stop-motion and CGI takes full form in this Neil Gaiman adaptation from director Henry Selick by focusing on a little girl who finds a magical world hidden inside the walls of her house. As far as protagonists go, she is perfectly obnoxious, finding her dull cottage life reason to rebel against her parents and discover just how much weirdness lies underneath the surface.
While the craft is magnificent. From the first frame, things slowly become more immersive as the story transitions into the fantastical, finding something glowing with a rich personality. The supernatural blends with realism so effectively that you can’t help but be compelled by it. There are whole set designs that are breathtaking, making you appreciate how much effort goes into making these dazzling sets pop with life. Though be careful. Once the third act begins, it shifts into some of Selick’s most haunting and visceral set-pieces since The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
This may fall closer to the side of darker horror for older families, but it captures the fun and danger that all children should face at some point. It has the creative highs and morals of learning to love your family while entering a world that feels continually dangerous. There’s an ominous tone around every corner and it’s here to introduce the cinema of the young outsider. Coraline is weird, setting up a generation of kids to be inquisitive and not be scared of the macabre. Sometimes you need to just go for it, which is both the perfect metaphor for the film as well as Laika Studios, who have only continued to do some impeccable work.
2. Beetlejuice (1988)
While most of his post-millennial output may be speculative on how good it actually is, in 1988, director Tim Burton was introducing how far his potential would go. By entering a medium run largely by squares, he brought his creative arts full of practical effects and a morose sense of humor to reinvent the horror film. While this may be a story full of death and a philandering demon, it’s surprisingly accessible, consistently hilarious thanks to a titular performance by Michael Keaton. His rotting corpse of an appearance is easy to love thanks to his sleazy car salesman-like demeanor that draws you in, making you wonder just what is going on in this world.
It also helps that the story is lead by Winona Ryder in an early definitive role, perfecting the outsider as someone drawn to the idea of ghosts. Her fascination is endearing, finding the rough edges of a largely dangerous genre starting to fade as she finds the quirky personality worthy of embrace. In a lot of ways, the whole film is nothing more than a celebration of the bizarre, finding a talented filmmaker finding his groove, and one that will come to not only define his incredibly successful career but also inform how mainstream family horror was made.
Of course, the set pieces are a delight, mixing Burton’s horror sensibility with something clever. Rarely has Harry Belafonte felt this fun while watching a dead football team dance, or watching a séance that breaks out into a cavalcade of physical comedy. This is a fun movie that starts as a story about death but becomes a treatise on how to lighten up. Everything about the film is fun, and this set the bar by which everything that followed would be compared. Sadly, he’s never created a character as memorable or anarchic as Beetlejuice. That’s not just me talking. If you don’t believe me, talk to the highly entertaining Tony-winning musical from 2019.
3. Gremlins (1984)/Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Alongside Burton was another unlikely horror director-turned-family horror director with Joe Dante. While most of his filmography is closer to anarchic madness, his rare franchise has spawned a delightful group of characters. The titular Gremlin starts off cute, forming Mogwais that feels like the prototype for Furbies. Without relying too much on character building, Dante drops the audience into a scenario that is straightforward: don’t get him wet, don’t expose to bright light, and (most importantly) don’t feed after midnight. As you can guess, this is easier said than done as a series of kids mistakenly break the rules and unleash a nightmare upon the town.
While this isn’t the only horror film on this list that may qualify equally as a Christmas movie, it’s one that works for any of The Fall Months. With that said, the first Gremlins has this delightful world of madness that builds in the second act, throwing the world into disarray as they do everything from bum rush a theater to send an Acorn Life flying out a second-story window. It’s the perfect piece of insanity, rich with dark humor that’s perfectly layered with dark subtext from the human characters. There’s even a story about Santa that manages to be as horrifying as anything onscreen.
While Gremlins is more of a perfectly executed horror movie, Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a different beast. It’s more of a direct comedy, commenting more directly on the anti-corporate culture and why Gremlins should not be cloned. It’s more Chuck Jones this time around with even wackier creations and ideas flying. It’s madness incarnate, and it’s perfect for those wanting nothing more than a story of insanity and not a faithful continuation. The film will deteriorate at some point. The story will cease to exist in others. This is character assassination at its finest and is worth checking out, if just for the dark comedy that informs the core of events.
4. ParaNorman (2012)
Following Coraline, Laika Studios proved that they were here to stay with one of the most entertaining horror movies of the decade. Straying from the more serious tone of the first, this tale of witches and zombies informs the journey of Norman: an outsider who feels like nobody listens to him. This is true, save for the dead who surround him, treating him like a friend. With plenty of humor reminiscent of Scooby-Doo antics, the story eventually evolves into a wild night of teenagers trying to figure out how to save the town from madness, finding the odd group of characters learning to work together for a greater cause.
Of course, the town has lost their mind in very different ways. The narrative about people listening to each other builds to something world-shattering, and it’s another example of Laika’s brilliant stop-motion/CGI blending that creates a breathtaking experience for the viewer. However, at the center is something more vulnerable and tragic, revealing something crucial to the childlike perspective, and one who holds a deeper truth for all of the outsiders watching. It’s another masterpiece for the modern outcast, needing that weird alternative to more conventional fare. It delivers creative scares as well as jokes amid the powerful ending that has its own series of twists.
5. The Addams Family (1991)/The Addams Family Values (1993)
Among the filmmakers who expanded upon the Tim Burton aesthetic successfully was Barry Sonnenfeld, who brought to life the old comic strip characters for a new generation. While most reboots would be perceived as lazy, he manages to, in some ways, improve upon even the TV version with an impeccable cast that includes memorable roles by Raul Julia and Christina Ricci. By finding ways to mix in grotesque gags and a delightfully queasy script, it’s a story that proves how timeless these characters can be. No matter what era they are in, they’ll always be the weird outsiders, ready to pick on girl scouts (“Are those made of real girl scouts?”) and bring a sense of violence and gallows humor to the public.
What makes the first two movies in the series very impressive is how incredibly detailed the whole experience is. Everything feels impeccable for a live-action translation, and the house, in particular, is full of great sight gags. As a story about a family just trying to belong in society, it’s amazing how well it embraces its little wrinkles, even to the point of Wednesday Addams leading a coup against Thanksgiving for being problematic. So much of the film is a delightful rebellion to 90s conservatism and general niceness, finding a need to be more tolerant and accepting of those who are different. It’s delightful and perfect. Shame that Julia died too young, as this was the perfect start to an even greater career.
Honorable Mention
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
What can even be said about this Henry Selick movie? After over 25 years, it has grown into one of the most recognized family horror movies in history. Go to Disneyland and not only can you buy shirts and key chains of the various characters, but there’s also cover albums featuring performers like Marilyn Manson and Korn. That’s how wide-reaching the appeal of this stop-motion musical has become. Then again, there are few movies that have openly embraced weirdness with as much clarity and focus like this, turning Jack Skellington into an icon of outsiders, unable to appeal to just about anyone because he’s dead.
It’s what makes his relationship with Sally all the more affecting. The world that Selick has created here is impeccable, full of some of the most memorable horror imagery of the decade. It’s difficult to forget the songs once you hear them. Everything about this movie is everlasting, able to find the heart and soul of the most morbid mind. While there may be better family movies, there’s a reason that this is the one that has made a comfortable living doing theatrical rereleases every October, drawing in fans to dress up and sing along. It’s such a fun, unique experience unlike any other.
What are your favorite family horror movies?
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