19 Not-So-Scary Halloween Movies For Those Who Don’t Want to Watch Through Their Fingers

This 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie classic that sparked a four-film franchise follows 13-year-old Marnie Piper and her siblings as they discover they descend from a family of witches when they follow their grandmother back to her magical hometown of Halloweentown. There, they uncover a vibrant world of monsters and magic. When an unknown force threatens to destroy Halloweentown, it’s up to the Piper siblings to save it.

Coco isn’t technically a Halloween movie, but it has all the magical and mystical non-scary things you love about them. In it, 12-year-old Miguel accidentally finds himself in the Land of the Dead, where he teams up with his great-great-grandfather to find his way back to his family.

The monsters who populate Monstropolis power their city with the screams of scared human children. But when a monster named Sully accidentally lets a child into the city (where monsters are secretly terrified of children), he and his best friend Mike realize not everything is as it seems in Monstropolis.

This Tim Burton flick puts a spin on the classic tale of “Frankenstein.” In it, a young boy named Victor Frankenstein brings his beloved dog Sparky back to life, but not without kicking off a wave of disastrous consequences in his neighborhood.

If you like your Not-Scary Halloween movies to come with a dose of music, this movie musical is perfect for you. In “Little Shop of Horrors,” a flower shop assistant named Seymour realizes that the interesting plant he discovered during an eclipse survives on human blood.

They may be creepy, mysterious, and spooky, but above all, the Addamses are kooky – making this a fun flick the whole family can watch.

Before Sarah Michelle Gellar stepped in, Kristy Swanson was the original Buffy – albeit a bit more Valley girl, but still badass through and through.

Tim Burton’s beautiful masterpiece admittedly gave us a few nightmares as kids, but now we can fully appreciate the tale in all of its sad splendor. Be warned: while it may not give you a scare, it may evoke a few tears instead.

This holiday treat from the Peanuts gang focuses on Charlie Brown’s right-hand man, Linus, as he waits for the mysterious Great Pumpkin (Halloween‘s answer to Santa Claus). Oh, and Charlie Brown goes trick-or-treating – and gets a rock [cue the sad theme music].

OK, so the Harry Potter films aren’t Halloween movies per se, but what better way to get into the mood than with witches, wizards, goblins, and magic? (Not to mention a little pumpkin juice.)

Arguably our favorite Halloween movie for kids (and adults), “Hocus Pocus” features Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as three witches who are on a hunt for eternal youth on Halloween. Thora Birch plays the heroic young trick-or-treater who falls into their clutches when her older brother wakes them from a deep sleep.

The story of two sisterly witches is a love story above all, but it’s still got a Halloween scene, not to mention the valuable lesson of putting the lime in the coconut.

There’s a reason “The Nightmare Before Christmas” finds its way back to theaters every year around this time. Another one from Tim Burton, the film captures the spirit of the holiday with a whole lotta heart, a bit of romance, and a few catchy songs.

It may not be the greatest musical-turned-movie of all time, but “The Phantom of the Opera” has just the perfect amount of creepiness to it without going overboard. It’s worth it for the beautiful sets and costumes, not to mention vintage Gerard Butler.

Even if you can’t participate in one of the amazing theater screenings of “Rocky Horror,” make a date to watch the campy film in your living room. It’s also pretty much a guarantee that you’ll be able to find this Halloween favorite lurking somewhere on TV.

Zombies get a bad rap, but in “Shaun of the Dead,” they’re ridiculous in a totally nonthreatening way. Plus, you’ve gotta love Simon Pegg, and Bill Nighy as his undead “he’s not my dad, he’s my stepdad.”

We used to watch Disney’s animated version of the Ichabod Crane tale every Halloween – once we grew up and stopped being scared of the headless horseman’s pursuit of Crane in the movie’s climax. Now it’s a nostalgic classic for us – even if we do secretly get goosebumps when we see that flaming pumpkin flying across the covered bridge.

You can’t “Top That!” Though the best scene in this ’80s movie contains that song, the real story is about main character Louise’s (Robyn Lively, Blake’s big sister) transition into witch-hood. She made it look so glam.

“Young Frankenstein” puts a hilarious twist on a creepy classic. If you love Gene Wilder in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” then this one is right up your alley.

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