Our Top 5 Family-friendly Halloween Movies

With COVID still dominating the headlines, chances are our kids might have to spend Halloween indoors this year. I have just the solution for Halloween night. If your region or city wont be trick-or-treating this year, stock up on your favourite treats and cozy up under a homemade fort with one or more favourite Halloween movies.

Below are our five family Halloween faves. Our choices are based purely on the entertainment factor.

1. Monster House (2006)

“Monster House” is our number one choice, however, it’s one of those animated movies not suitable for kids of all ages. The content caters to older kids, after all, it is a Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg production. “Monster House” is no Pixar film. The movie follows three teens who battle the powers of a supernatural suburban house. This movie gave me some “Insidious” vibes; it was quite scary with enough thrills that kept me on the edge of my seat.

2. Paranorman (2012)

Here’s another scary one, that will keep you at the edge of your seat, which also caters to kids 10 and older. “Paranorman” is an excellently executed stop-motion animation movie that follows a boy, Norman, who communicates with ghosts. Norman’s paranormal encounters lead him on a literal witch-hunt. “Paranorman” is a typical story of the underdog who rises to hero status.

3. The Haunted Mansion (2003)

In this Disney movie Jim (Eddie Murphy), a workaholic realtor, encourages his wife, also a realtor, to accept the proposition to sell the mansion. The family plans a vacation close to the mansion where they stop by, for what they thought would have been a brief visit, never to leave, just kidding. The family is stranded at the mansion and soon learns it’s haunted. The plot is predictable, but entertaining with a series of special effects. In this movie Jim realizes his family’s much more important than his success.

4. Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Finally, we get to a movie for all ages. “Hotel Transylvania’s” one of our favourites; it’s a genre we all agree on, Comedy. The movie delivers both entertainment and comedy for the whole family, with laughs for the adults too. In this movie the hotel is a getaway for monsters, run by Dracula (Adam Sandler) with the help of his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez). The plot hilariously thickens when a human enters the monsters paradise where no humans are allowed. If everyone loves this, there are two more in this sequel. “Hotel Transylvania’s” underlying theme draws attention to cultural and social awareness.

5. Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005)

And I certainly haven’t forgotten our youngest trick or treaters; there’s Disney’s “Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie.” It’s Lumpy’s first Halloween, and our usual suspect, Pooh, ate all the candy. This event spurs Roo and Lumpy to pursue an adventure to capture the Gobloon to wish for more candy. Take this journey with them as they follow Tigger’s map past the Creepy Cave, down the Slimy Slide and into the Tree of Terror. It’s a movie about friendship and courage.

I hope these movies have inspired a fun-filled Halloween back-up plan for the whole family. I would love to read your Halloween plans, tag me @TriednTriumphed on social.