20 Best Halloween Movies to Watch in 2022
I don’t watch movies as much as I used to, but I really get into them with the holidays from October through December. Now, these are MY favorite Halloween movies. Perhaps there are a few oldies in here you haven’t heard of! I have a mix of cult classics, Disney, and popular series that you might’ve seen.
Keep in mind that Nathan and I don’t like most scary/ thriller movies so if you’re looking for ideas on those, you’re in the wrong place. Sorry!
1.) Practical Magic (1998)
This is one of my favorite films to watch any time of the year. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are sisters who are, you guessed it…Witches! They show the beauty and dark side to magic in this fantasy romantic drama. Plus, the soundtrack is fantastic and features a couple of Stevie Nicks songs.
2.) Labyrinth (1986)
This is a silly film with mystery, fantasy, singing, and David Bowie! When I was too young to realize who he was, I thought his character in the movie was so charismatic and that’s what drew me in.
This movie is great for all ages, in my opinion. It’s not scary, but just a fun film to introduce you to various creatures outside of our normal world.
3.) Halloweentown series
It’s no secret that the Halloweentown series is among one of the most popular Disney Channel Original Movies.
My favorites are the first two films, Halloweentown (1998) and Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001). With 4 in the series, that leaves Halloweentown High (2004) and Return to Halloweentown (2006). Keep in mind that the 4th film had a star actress swap from Kimberly J Brown to Sara Paxton. I love her in other films so it didn’t bother me too much to watch that one.
4.) Don’t Look Under the Bed (1999)
This is a film I can’t get tired of due to the humor and performance of actor, Ty Hodges. I was 6 when this movie was released and it did indeed make me believe there was a boogie man underneath my bed, ready to grab my ankle at any moment.
5.) Hocus Pocus (1993)
You might’ve heard about Hocus Pocus 2 releasing September 30th, 2022. Fans have mixed opinions on any 2nd film to a great original, so I’ll put judgments aside until I watch it.
This movie is a classic but the actresses MADE this film!
6.) The Lost Boys (1987)
I never liked watching scary films, so most vampire movies weren’t that violent and were tied with romance. This film is pure 80’s. By that I mean that these teenage vampires have rock-n-roll vibes all around while doing their typical vampire thing. Can it be a little violent? Yes. But it’s considered a comedy horror film so nothing to be worried about if you don’t like the scary stuff.
7.) Addams Family
The Addams Family is a classic and the characters first appeared in 1938 by the creator, Charles Addams who had the stories published in the New Yorker for over 50 years. The television series started in 1964, which I was able catch some episodes of growing up.
Notable favorites are the films Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993). They had a fantastic cast but more importantly, no matter what feature comes out for the Addams Family, I love the characters all the same.
8.) The Craft (1996)
A new student at a catholic prep highschool befriends a group of women that practice witchcraft. The plot thickens as trouble occurs in the friendship and love interests.
There was a soft reboot and stand-alone sequel in 2020’s The Craft: Legacy. I have yet to watch it but I love the original.
9.) Coraline (2009)
Coraline (2009) This film has cute moments but the tale is quite dark. It was written and directed by Henry Selick and based on Neil Gaiman's novella of the same name.
Stop-motion films are unique alone but you’ll love the twists and turns that happen here.
10.) Corpse Bride (2005)
This is a sweet and less-spooky movie directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton. The nervous groom-to-be who is in an arranged marriage suddenly finds himself in another predicament where he becomes married to a corpse.
11.) Mom's Got a Date With a Vampire (2000)
This film had a great cast and I was a huge fan of Charles Shaughnessy back then. I was always a fan of stories with vampires so the cheesy aspect in this film always stuck with me.
12.) BeetleJuice (1988)
This is a cult classic that stands out among others. It’s considered to be a fantasy horror comedy that won’t leave you bored. A ghostly couple desires the new house owners to be evicted and they do so with other-worldly charm with the help of Betelgeuse (Beetlejuice)
13.) The Witches (1990)
This film is about a boy who stumbles upon a witches convention at the hotel he was recently moved to with his aunt. A classic that I always found to be inviting and a little spooky when I was younger. I haven’t seen the 2020 remake starring Anne Hathaway yet, but I hear mixed reviews.
14.) Haunted Mansion (2003)
Eddie Murphy stars in this film and becomes trapped in a mansion with his wife and two kids while attempting a short family vacation.
If you weren’t familiar with the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland then you should know the original ride’s tale isn’t exactly the same as the 2003 film. Over the years at Magic Kingdom, I’ve noticed small details added to incorporate features from the film into the ride.
Later, Muppets Haunted Mansion (2001) was released as a fun twist to the tale. I’m a huge Muppets fan and although I was weary of the last couple of their movies, I had many moments of laughter with this film as the writers made it unique to the Muppets. The big stars in the story were Gonzo and Pepe.
There will be another Haunted Mansion film to tell a tale of a new family staying in the mansion. It’s set to release in March 2023 with many familiar faces.
15.) Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This is debated as being a Christmas movie, but I just find it as an excuse to watch for both holidays. This is about Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King discovering Christmas through a mysterious door. He wants to celebrate Christmas but innocently does more harm than good.
This is a stop-motion film directed Henry Selick and produced and conceived by Tim Burton. To be honest, I watch most of Tim Burton’s films during Autumn because they’re all a little dark, mysterious, or twisted.
16.) Mary and the Witches Flower (2017)
Mary is a young girl who finds a mysterious flower that lets her possess the powers of a witch. This leads to her meeting other witches, good and bad along with her new adventures.
This is a sweet and fun movie to watch any time of the year!
Twitches
Twitches is a Disney Channel Original Movie that first released in 2005, starring Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry, who you might also recognize from their show Sister, Sister.
Twitches Too was released in 2007 and fans are speculating there being a Twitches 3 but as we’ve seen before, not all developed movie plans make it to the big screen (or now Disney +).
17.) Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)
Elvira has always been a quirky character and was well known on television before having her own movie. In this film, she moves to a conservative town after inheriting her aunt’s mansion and uh, you can guess how well that goes for her.
I wouldn’t consider this a Halloween flick, but her features have always been comedy horror.
18.) Edward Scissorhands (1990)
This is another film directed by Tim Burton where Johnny Depp plays an artificial man with scissors for hands. He meets a suburban woman and she introduces him to her community and way of life. It’s a silly and romantic film.
19.) Ghostbusters (1984)
A supernatural comedy film that has stayed a popular theme for cosplay at conventions and Halloween costumes. Ghostbusters II released in 1989, had a Ghostbusters reboot in 2016 and later developed a sequal to the original called Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2021.
20.) Harry Potter series
As a HP fan, I watch these all year round, but some people might enjoy watching these during spooky season. Here are all titles in order which are available in multiple streaming services:
Drop Your Favorite Movie Titles Below!
I want to know your favorite movies to watch during the spooky season. Even if they’re not declared a Halloween movie, some are just magical or spooky enough to hold off watching until this time of the year.
