Halloween is fast approaching, meaning that many readers will be starting to look for horror entertainment to watch through the spooky season. While there areplenty of great horrors to choose from, it can be tough to find ones for the whole family to enjoy. Even spooky movies aimed at younger viewers tend to miss the mark, either being incredibly boring or coming across as a little creepy for kids.
Fortunately, some gems in this niche subgenre can be found.The best spooky family movies manage to be both thrilling and heartwarming, offering a perfect balance of scares that are just spooky enough for younger viewers while still engaging for adults. With this in mind, here are the ten best spooky family movies. They boast charmingly macabre visuals, memorable characters, and the just the right amount of freakiness.
10’A Series of Unfortunate Events' (2004)
“At times the world can seem an unfriendly and sinister place…“A Series of Unfortunate Eventsfollows the misadventures of the Baudelaire orphans—Violet (Emily Browning), Klaus (Liam Aiken), and baby Sunny (KaraandShelby Hoffman)—after their parents perish in a mysterious fire. The siblings are sent to live with their distant relative, the sinister Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), who is determined to get his hands on their family fortune.
The movie, like the book, is Gothic and darkly funny, filled with quirky inventions, peculiar characters, and a sense of looming danger around every corner. This is complemented by the grim cinematography, with gray skies forever hovering overhead. It’s complete with shadowy mansions, rats, serpents, and plenty of moody silhouettes, creating a delightfully ominous atmosphere. The world these characters inhabit is a menacing one, but it never becomes overwhelming, making this a perfect midly-scary-but-not-too-much movie for kids. A silly, larger-than-life villain performance from Carrey provides the finishing touch.
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
9’Frankenweenie' (2012)
Directed by Tim Burton
“You do not understand science, so you are afraid of it.“Tim Burtonexpanded his 1984 short film into this eerie yet heartwarming stop-motion gem. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein (voiced byCharlie Tahan), a young boy who brings his beloved dog, Sparky, back to life after a tragic accident. Inspired by classic monster movies, Victor’s experiment goes awry when Sparky’s presence causes chaos in their quiet town.
Burton’s signature gothic style shines through in the film’s black-and-white aesthetic; equal parts spooky and endearing. While the plot developments are fairly creepy, they’re executed with warmth and humor. For example, even the undead Sparky is never scary. In fact, his sole desire is to play and shower his owner with affection, making him the film’s emotional center. As a result, while not one of Burton’s most gripping or instantly iconic projects, Frankenweenie still boasts more than enough charm warrant a viewing.
Frankenweenie
8’Return to Oz' (1985)
Directed by Walter Murch
“You have to come out sooner or later. And when you do, we’ll tear you into little pieces.“Return to Oz, the dark and surreal sequel toThe Wizard of Oz, has earned a reputation as perhaps the creepiest Disney movie. It follows a young Dorothy (Fairuza Balk), who returns to the land of Oz only to find it in ruins and under the control of the evil Nome King (Nicol Williamson) and the sinister Princess Mombi (Jean Marsh).
The movie is a far cry from the whimsical tone of its predecessor. Indeed,Return to Ozdives headfirst into a dark and intensely gritty atmosphere, seen in everything from its grimy aesthetics to the unsettling roster of eerie characters and scenes. The witch’s minions, for example, are geniunely unsettling. Most critics and viewers were lukewarm toward the film on release, finding it too dark for a kids' movie, but it has since rightly earned a cult following.
Return to Oz
7’The Witches' (1990)
Directed by Nicolas Roeg
“One child a week is no good to me!“The Witchesis a delightfully creepy adaptation ofRoald Dahl’s classic novel, following young Luke (Jasen Fisher) as he discovers a secret convention of witches who despise children. Disguised as a convention for the prevention of cruelty to children, the gathering is led by the Grand High Witch (played with menacing flair byAnjelica Huston), who has a diabolical plan to turn all the children in England into mice.
The film was directed by no less a horror talent thanNicolas Roeg, the brains behindDon’t Look Now, and this shows through in the dark humor andgross-out effects. The true forms of the witches are especially grotesque, replete with rashes, bony fingers, and yellow talons. Similarly, the puppets were contributed by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and they’re as good as one would expect. These effects still hold up more than three decades later.
The Witches
A young boy stumbles onto a witch convention and must stop them, even after he has been turned into a mouse.
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6’Spirited Away' (2001)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
“There must be some mistake! None of these pigs are my parents!” This ghostlyMiyazakigem focuses on Chihiro, a young girl who becomes trapped in a dangerous spirit world after her parents are transformed into pigs. As she works in a magical bathhouse run by the witch Yubaba, Chihiro must find a way to save her parents and return to the human world. The film is filled with strange creatures, eerie landscapes, and an atmosphere of both wonder and danger.
The world-building and visual design here is topnotch, with the result that magic permeates every scene. The imagery is both haunting and beautiful; every aspect of the spirit world is meticulously detailed. The story is likewise universal and accessible, despite being inventive. For this reason,Spirited Awaywas an instant sensation around the globe, and has since come to be regarded asone of the greatest animated filmsof all time.
Spirited Away
During her family’s move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, a world where humans are changed into beasts.
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5’ParaNorman' (2012)
Directed by Chris Butler
“You were speaking with the dead!” Norman Babcock (voiced byKodi Smit-McPhee) is a boy who can see and speak to ghosts, making him the town’s oddball. But when a centuries-old curse threatens to unleash a horde of zombies on his small town, it’s up to Norman and his unique abilities to save the day. This adds up toa humorous adventure that caters to both kids and adults, making it ideal Halloween viewing for the whole family.
The premise borrows a little too much fromThe Sixth Sense, butthe execution is slick and confident, with great animation and an enjoyable script. The tone is playful and the balance between horror and humor is pitch-perfect. The movie succeeds in addressing heavy themes, including death, in a way that’s palatable for younger viewers. Additionally,ParaNormanalso broke ground as the first mainstream animated movie to feature an openly gay character.
4’Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask' (1995)
Directed by Timothy Bond
“I’m sorry, but this face is your face now.” Many ’90s kids will fondly rememberR.L. Stine’sGoosebumpsbooks and their TV series adaptation. The show kicked off with the feature-length episodeThe Haunted Mask, which was then released as standalone movie on VHS. IT centers on Carly Beth (Kathryn Long), a girl who buys a terrifying mask to scare her tormentors on Halloween. However, once she puts the mask on, it begins to fuse with her face, and Carly Beth starts to transform into a monster.
It makes for one of the strongestGoosebumpsadaptations, being quite unsettling without being too intense. The concept is killer and some of the scenes are undeniably freaky, even for adults, although a feel-good message and a bit of mediocre acting pull it down somewhat. Either way,The Haunted Maskis still a great slice of kids' horror, and a classic entry in an iconic franchise.
Goosebumps
3’Corpse Bride' (2005)
“I know her heart is beating, and I know that I am dead.” Another Tim Burton gem,Corpse Briderevolves around Victor (voiced byJohnny Depp), a shy young man who accidentally proposes to a deceased bride, Emily (Helena Bonham Carter), while rehearsing his wedding vows in the woods. Transported to the Land of the Dead, Victor must navigate the strange and vibrant underworld while trying to return to his true love, Victoria (Emily Watson), who waits for him in the world of the living.
Despite the title,Corpse Brideis more of a love story and an adventure than a horror.It just has a delightfully macabre aesthetic, rendered through brilliant stop-motion. The end result is a boundlessly creative film that crams so much into its 77-minute runtime. Although it doesn’t overflow with laugh-out-loud moments, the visual charm and inventive spirit continuously captivate. It’s one of Burton’s very best movies, and perhaps his most “Burton-esque”.
Corpse Bride
2’Coraline' (2009)
Directed by Henry Selick
“They say even the proudest spirit can be broken… with love.” The brilliantCoralineis perhaps the best example of a spooky kids' movie with crossover appeal, able to keep adults hooked.
The titular character is a girl (voiced byDakota Fanning) who discovers a hidden door in her new home that leads to an alternate world mirroring her own, but with disturbing twists. Initially enchanted by the Other World’s wonders and her seemingly perfect Other Mother (Teri Hatcher), Coraline soon realizes that this eerie realm hides dark secrets.
The Other Mother and her button eyes have since become iconic, but the art and design of the entire movie is worthy of praise. The characters are also compelling and well-drawn (the talking cat is particularly likable). Then there’s the scariness, which is handled well. It all adds up to a dark modern fairytale, probably the finest kids' horror movie ever made.
1’The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
“I am the shadow on the moon at night, filling your dreams to the brim with fright.” When it comes to the best spooky family movies, it’s hard to topThe Nightmare Before Christmas. In this whimsical stop-motion classic, Jack Skellington (voiced byChris Sarandon), the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, becomes bored with his routine and stumbles upon the enchanting world of Christmas Town. Inspired by the holiday’s joy, Jack attempts to take over Christmas, leading to a series of delightful yet disastrous events as he tries to blend his macabre style with the festive season.
Visually,the film is a masterpiece of stop-motion animation, with Burton (credited as creator and co-producer) and directorHenry Selickelevating the medium to dazzling new heights. Assisting them isDanny Elfman, who contributes a rich, musical score reminiscent of a Broadway production. Taken together, these elements make for the perfect spooky tale for younger viewers.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.
