Sometimes loving Halloween is about loving the aesthetic without feeling scared to walk to the bathroom at night.
It's time to enjoy some popcorn and movies as the spooky season of the year approaches. If you don’t want a full-blown scare fest but still fancy some Halloween chills, here are 10 alternatives to horror films to watch this year!
Hocus Pocus (1993 - directed by Kenny Ortega)
Hocus Pocus revolves around three evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) who return one Halloween night. The witches are known for their comedic qualities despite scaring the children of the village, Salem. It is a perfect mix of fun and spookiness to watch with friends and family this Halloween!
Ghostbusters (1984 – directed by Ivan Reitman)
Everyone knows this classic movie that comes with a catchy theme song. The family-friendly scares are never-ending when a team of scientists become ‘ghostbusters’ and hunt supernatural creatures. Make sure to catch up with the 1984 original so you can enjoy the sequel. There's also the latest entry from 2021 - Ghostbusters Afterlife.
Coraline (2009- directed by Henry Selick)
The trailer does not prepare you for just how creepy this animated horror is. A girl called Coraline finds a secret passageway from her house to an alternate world where everyone has button eyes. This film will leave you filled with suspense and curiosity at the weird concepts and creepy creatures.
Monster House – (2006- directed by Gil Kenan)
This animated movie may force you to hide behind your pillow at times! Three teens become intrigued by the ghoulish house on their street and discover many secrets inside. Be prepared for some scary sounds and editing as the monster house takes you on a terrifying and exciting ride!
The Nightmare Before Christmas – (1993 – directed by Henry Selick)
The classic film ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ cleverly mixes both Halloween spookiness and the festive Christmas season. The King of Halloween town kidnaps Santa Claus and wants to deliver terrifying gifts to children on Christmas morning. It's up to Sally now to try and save Christmas from Halloween!
Sleepy Hollow (1999 – directed by Tim Burton)
A young Johnny Depp plays a New York detective and is sent to the town of Sleepy Hollow. He's told to look into a series of murders, specifically beheadings, where locals believe the ghost of a Headless Horsemen is responsible. This film is a rollercoaster journey of suspense, wonder and a little bit of spookiness, leaving you with Halloween creeps afterwards!
Scary movie (2000 – directed by Keenan Ivory Wayans)
An obvious addition to the list is the popular teen comedy horror ‘Scary movie.’ The concept of the film is to take the mick out of horror, so the light-hearted scares can be enjoyed by anyone. Plus, you can make up extra popcorn and do a movie marathon of the four other ‘Scary Movies’ in one sitting!
Scream (1996 – directed by Wes Craven)
The hit dark comedy ‘Scream’ is no doubt the goriest film on this list, which some viewers may find disturbing. It's packed with jump scares and death scenes whilst a compelling mystery takes place. Follow a group of teenagers living in a real-life horror film as they work out who is responsible for the killings. Plus, the most recent sequel of ‘Scream’ hit the cinemas this year so make sure not to miss out on that.
Shutter Island (2010- directed by Martin Scorsese)
This popular psychological thriller from award-winning director Martin Scorsese hooks audiences from the very beginning. It includes a cast of familiar faces like Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio who plays the World War II soldier Teddy Daniels. Trust us, you’ll be thinking about this film long after the credits roll!
Hubie Halloween (2020- directed by Steven Brill)
Hubie Halloween is probably the least well-known film on this list but also the most recent film to hit cinemas in 2020. The comedic actor Adam Sandler stars as Hubie Dubois who provides the audience with many laughs. It’s Hubie’s responsibility to save Halloween and solve the mysteries going on in the spooky town of Salem.
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