One of the best parts of Halloween is staying in and binge watching classic Halloween movies. I am not talking about the scary movies that keep you awake all night. I am talking about the Halloween movies we watched as kids. They are nostalgic and just as entertaining as they were when we were kids. If you are looking to get into the mood for spooky season, here are the best childhood Halloween movies:
- It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
Is this only 25 minutes long? Yes. Is it one of the most iconic films ever? Also yes. There is no better way to start the Halloween season than with Charlie Brown. It is a short, simple watch that will put you right in the spirit. The story follows the Peanuts group as they celebrate Halloween and wait for the Great Pumpkin to arrive in the pumpkin patch.
- Spooky Buddies (2011)
The fifth movie of the Buddies franchise is Spooky Buddies. It follows the five golden retriever siblings as they face the legend of the Halloween Hound with their new friend Pip. The puppies are kidnapped by a warlock to be sacrificed to the Halloween Hound. This movie is my favorite in the Buddies series because it has just the right amount of spookiness and suspense to keep you on edge.
- Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)
As a Scooby-Doo die hard fan, I can confidently say this is the scariest and best Scooby-Doo movie. Even though this is not advertised as a Halloween movie, it can definitely put you in the mood for Halloween. It tells the story of the Mystery Gang as they reunite and head off to Louisiana to find a real ghost. The movie is unlike any other in the Scooby-Doo franchise.
- Girl vs. Monster (2012)
This movie follows a fearless teenage girl as she uncovers her parents have been keeping a big secret from her: she comes from a long line of monster hunters. There is just the right amount of comedy, horror, and cheesy songs that make this movie so good. This is always the first movie I watch every year for Halloween, and the songs from the movie play on a constant loop in my head for the entire spooky season.
- Halloweentown
There are four movies in the Halloweentown series: Halloweentown (1998), Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001), Halloweentown High (2004), and Return to Halloweentown (2006). In my professional opinion the first three movies are perfect, but the fourth one is not nearly as good as the first three. The movies tell the story of a teenage girl who finds out she comes from a family of witches. She follows her grandmother to Halloweentown and over the course of the four movies we watch her try understand how to be a witch and overcome the problems that face Halloweenteen.
Honorable mentions:
Spookley the Square Pumpkin (2004) – By far this is the saddest Halloween movie ever, but I had to mention it because it is iconic and a movie that always reminds me of my childhood. Spookley was the sweetest and cutest square pumpkin ever who deserved to be treated better. Justice for Spookley.
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – This may be considered a controversial opinion, but I think this is a Halloween movie. Jack Skellington can put anyone in the Halloween spirit and this movie is a most watch as spooky season begins.
