The 33 Best Halloween Movies for People Who Hate Horror Movies

Will Smith, aliens, and men fighting crime in well-tailored suits. What more do you need? If you haven’t seen Men in Black already, Halloween is the perfect time to catch up. It’s a classic for a reason.

Apple TV

All right, technically this is a November 1 movie. But considering its ties to the dead, Coco can still be enjoyed during the spooky time of year. Don’t forget to have tissues on hand for this two-time Oscar-winning animated film.

AppleTV+ Disney+

Getting to see a baby-faced Drew Barrymore is enough of a reason to watch E.T. The petite, charming alien just wants to return home! Luckily for the extraterrestrial, it meets a boy set on helping it find its way back.

Amazon AppleTV+ Peacock

Tim Burton works his stop-motion magic again with this early-2000s film. After Victor accidentally marries a corpse bride, he is faced with a decision: Should he stay or return to the woman he was originally supposed to marry?

Amazon AppleTV+

A figure in a creepy bunny costume named Frank tells Donnie, an unstable teenager, that the world will end in 28 days. Things get... weird.

Amazon AppleTV+ Hulu

An all-American high school boy in the ’80s notices some changes in his body. He grows (a lot of) hair in new places, then happens to unlock a whole new way of life after undergoing a transformation that runs in the family.

Amazon AppleTV+

Admittedly, this is a tad scary, but not in a gory, violent way. A widow and her two children experience odd encounters in their home, and the mother starts to suspect they might not be the only ones in the house. The Others is well-suited for those ready to brave a little more fright. Be warned: There are a few jump-scares.

AppleTV+

High schooler Buffy Summers’s life is forever changed when a mysterious man by the name of Merrick tells her that she is “the Slayer” and destined to kill vampires.

Amazon AppleTV+ Peacock

High school isn’t going how Louise planned. As she’s on the verge of reaching her breaking point, she discovers she comes from a long line of witches.

Amazon AppleTV+

Gonzo and Pepe decide to do something different for Halloween. Rather than attending the Muppets’ annual celebration, they take on the challenge of staying at the haunted mansion where Gonzo’s favorite magician went missing a century ago.

Disney+

A flick that involves Megan Fox playing a possessed high schooler might seem like it’ll be frightening, but the scare factor here is actually due more to teenage cringe than demonic spirits. Not to mention, Fox and Amanda Seyfried’s hot-girl-and-dweeb duo is iconic.

Amazon AppleTV+ Paramount+

Another family-friendly watch, this stop-motion film provides all the beloved creepiness guaranteed by a Tim Burton directing credit. He takes a childlike spin on Mary Shelley’s classic tale by reframing it as the story of a boy who resurrects his dog with electricity. (Don’t let your kids get any ideas about unearthing their deceased furry friends.)

Amazon AppleTV+ Disney+

Nothing says classic cinema quite like a Mel Brooks comedy starring Gene Wilder. The actor plays the grandson of Victor Frankenstein, who receives word that he has inherited his grandfather’s estate in Transylvania. He travels there to inspect the property, and nonstop parody and hilarity quickly follow.

Amazon

Call it a Christmas movie, call it a Halloween movie, but just don’t skip watching The Nightmare Before Christmas this holiday season. A perfect buffer for the end-of-year festivities, this animated film is a nice mash-up of creepy and festive as it follows the pumpkin king of Halloweentown on an unexpected trip to Christmastown.

Amazon AppleTV+ Disney+

If nothing else, you should stick around for the singing telegram. It’s honestly explosive. Loosely based on the board game of the same name, Clue is a cult classic that is a mandatory watch.

Amazon AppleTV+ Showtime

Woody Harrelson in a big hat. Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg pre-Oscar noms. A surprisingly well-made gore fest that doesn’t feel like a gore fest? As one of the most underrated zombie comedies (is that a genre?), Zombieland is a Halloween treat.

Amazon AppleTV+ Peacock

If there’s one foolproof Halloween movie, it’s Hocus Pocus. The end.

Amazon Apple TV+ Disney+

You know when your sister’s boyfriend dies and then you use your witchcraft to resurrect him but accidentally possess him with an evil spirit? Classic! Practical Magic is a new-school favorite and a solid Halloween choice that gives you both Sandy B and Nicole Kidman.

Amazon AppleTV+

Imagine if Groundhog Day ended in murder every single time. That’s Happy Death Day: a continuous retelling of a college student’s murder that ends with an unexpected twist revealing a surprising killer.

Amazon Apple TV+

Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep give two of the most hilarious Halloween-level performances in Death Becomes Her, a dark comedy that’s all about death and some weird special effects, in which Meryl Streep’s head does things that even Meryl Streep is incapable of.

Amazon AppleTV+ Hulu Paramount+ Showtime