Scaredy-Pants: 10 Family-Friendly Films to Watch This Spooky Season

Halloween is one of the most festive times of the year, and with it comes the mandatory annual viewing of many a scary movie. Now, we all know about gory slashers and disturbing psychological thrillers, but so many of them are aimed at older audiences. What about movies for the whole family? Below, I’m going to explore some great family-friendly spooky films you can watch with groups of all ages, as well as some more PG-13 fare for the older kids and teens.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018, Directed by Eli Roth)

If you’re all about magic and wizardry, then you’ve gotta check out this exciting adventure. Based on the John Bellairs’ novel of the same name, The House with a Clock in Its Walls follows young orphan Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro), who goes to live with his uncle Jonathan (Jack Black) after his parents pass away in a car crash. Upon arrival, Lewis learns that Jonathan and his eccentric neighbor, Florence Zimmerman (Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett), are powerful sorcerers. What’s more, there’s a gigantic clock hidden somewhere in the walls that, once it chimes down to one, will bring about the end of the world.

While the film is helmed by someone known for adults-only brutality, director Eli Roth does a phenomenal job crafting an atmosphere that simply captures the joys, sadness and fears of being a kid, mixed with the playful spirit of Halloween. It’s a film that does a good job of scaring you, earning that PG rating without going too far. Even more so, it makes you care about the characters and themes. With exciting action, a terrific script, excellent production values, and sublime performances, it’s sure to become a new Halloween tradition.

Hotel Transylvania (2012, Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky)

Even if you’re not an Adam Sandler fan, there’s no way you can resist this adorable 2012 monster flick. The story of Hotel Transylvania follows Count Dracula (Sandler), who runs a deluxe hotel and resort for all paranormal beings, safe from the human world. When his 118-year-old daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) falls in love with Johnny (Andy Samberg), a human hiker that mistakenly wanders into the hotel, Dracula becomes desperate to keep the two apart, as well as prevent the other monsters from discovering Johnny’s human identity.

In addition to its stellar voice cast, which also includes David Spade and Steve Buscemi, director Genndy Tartakovsky (known for The PowerPuff Girls, Samurai Jack, and Star Wars: Clone Wars) brings so much energy to this tale that it’s impossible to be bored throughout its ninety minutes. He also imbues each character’s design and movements with such a unique personality, they’re instantly memorable. But beyond the cartoony humor and stellar animation, the movie tells a touching father-daughter narrative that doesn’t detract from the laughs. Check it out if you haven’t done so already.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966, Directed by Bill Melendez)

Now, who can forget this classic? Based on the beloved characters from Charles Schulz’ Peanuts comic strip, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown follows lovably naive Linus Van Pelt (Christopher Shea) as he celebrates Halloween by hunkering down in a pumpkin patch, waiting for a visit from the Great Pumpkin. With Charlie Brown’s (Peter Robbins) sister, Sally (Cathy Steinberg), by his side, the rest of the gang goes trick-or-treating, and Snoopy (Bill Melendez) even faces off against the Red Baron.

If you’ve ever read the original comics, or if you saw the earlier A Charlie Brown Christmas (released in 1965), this has the same irresistible, timeless charm. The special’s warm, inviting colors and detailed foregrounds and backgrounds are smothered in the holiday spirit. The characters’ personalities are captured flawlessly in the voice acting and tightly written script. But the cherry on top of it all is the surprisingly deep underlying message about faith and fanaticism. Linus’ obsession with the Great Pumpkin earns him much ridicule from those around him, yet he desperately clings to believing in something bigger than himself. There’s something about his journey of struggling to maintain that faith that lends a genuine philosophical depth to the proceedings.

Frankenweenie (2012, Directed by Tim Burton)

Tim Burton has arguably the most instantly recognizable style when it comes to stop-motion, and Frankenweenie may be his highest achievement in that realm. After his pet dog is hit by a car, young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) decides to resurrect the poor pup, with amazing success. However, once news breaks out about such a miraculous experiment, things quickly spiral out of control.

Most people can relate to the grief of losing a pet, whether it be a dog cat, hamster, what have you. Moreover, a lot of people can also relate to wishing you could bring back that pet. Frankenweenie, for all of its fantastical invention, conveys the bittersweet alternative thought that while we had some good times with our beloved pets, they’re now gone, and we need to just accept that and move on. But Burton isn’t about to let the audience drown in sorrow. He, of course, brings much creativity to the painstaking animation and storytelling, as well as a clear adoration for the old-fashioned Frankenstein movies of yesteryear. There’s also a fair dose of humor, made all the more endearing by a supporting voice cast that includes Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder. Like with all of his stop-motion films, it’s that roughly even balance between the delightful and the macabre that makes this family-friendly spooky film such an entertaining experience.

Corpse Bride (2005, Directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton)

Another stop-motion dazzler from the maestro Burton himself, Corpse Bride tells the tale of Victor Van Dort (Johnny Depp), who’s about to wed Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson). With jitters up the wazoo, Victor tries practicing his vows out in the woods, whereupon he inadvertently attracts the infatuation of a corpse named Emily (Helena Bonham Carter). Now that Emily is under the assumption that Victor has married her, he must set things right as he gets dragged into the underworld, whilst also discovering that there is more to his undead kidnapper than meets the eye.

While filled with ghostly visuals, Corpse Bride is a genuinely sweet story about love and loss. As Victor gets to know Emily, the animation and performances from both sides reflect nuanced and emotionally relatable characters. In addition, Victor’s relationship to Victoria is absolutely adorable. The animation is, as expected, top-notch. The only major criticism I have is the musical numbers, which are rather forgettable, especially in comparison to Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Nevertheless, this is a heartwarming fable that every family should watch.

The Visit (2015, Directed by M. Night Shyamalan)

This is where the movies for older kids begin, and no crafts PG-13 scares like M. Night Shyamalan. From The Sixth Sense to Signs, as well as Split and Old, he always gives his stories an original angle that sets them apart from the herd. In this critically admired horror-comedy, siblings Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) travel to their grandparents’ (Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie) house for a week. As the days progress, though, the brother and sister become unnerved by the increasingly odd behavior of their elders.

This movie greatly benefits from its tongue-in-cheek tone. When this movie originally released, it had come off of a string of failures that led most to believe Shyamalan‘s ego had shot through the roof at the expense of his filmmaking. Here, he shows a playfulness in his scripting and direction that offers a refreshing change of pace. In addition, he manages to balance that humorousness with a consistent, nagging feeling that something is genuinely wrong. While I shan’t give any spoilers, it all leads to a climax that is simultaneously intense, side-splitting, and pretty creative given its $5 million budget. If the older ones are aiming to get into the horror genre, this is a great place to start.

M3GAN (2023, Directed by Gerard Johnstone)

The most recent selection on this list, M3GAN is another cleverly self-aware horror flick, with the addition of insightful commentary on the state of parenting’s relationship with technology. After Cady James (Violet McGraw) loses her parents in a head-on collision, she goes to live with her tech-genius aunt, Gemma (Allison Williams). Distracted by the need to fulfill some upcoming deadlines at work, Gemma decides to create M3GAN, an android who will parent Cady in her absence. As these things go, M3GAN’s awareness and actions accelerate well beyond what was originally intended, and she becomes more and more of a sinister threat.

As hinted at before, this is a delightfully satirical tale about the dangers of too much screen-time and how it gets in the way of real human connection. Even when M3GAN’s behavior becomes more menacing and violent, the screenplay by Akela Cooper never takes itself overly seriously. Its creators know that there have been many cautionary and self-serious stories about AI, and the film ladles out a comic undertone that balances out the film’s more frightening elements. Add to that an instantly iconic villain and you’ve got the makings of a spooky laugh riot.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016, Directed by Dan Trachtenberg)

This is easily the most tense movie on my list. Very loosely connected to the 2008 hit Cloverfield, the plot of 10 Cloverfield Lane follows Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who winds up trapped in a bunker owned by Howard (John Goodman). Despite Howard’s insistence that above-ground events have left the outside world uninhabitable, Michelle bides her time and even gets to know a fellow bunker-mate named Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) as she strives to discern what’s really going on here.

Association to another movie aside, this stands on its own as an incredibly suspenseful thriller. Through John Goodman’s outstanding performance, as well as the script by Josh Campbell, Matt Stuecken and Damien Chazelle, you are genuinely unsure if Howard is just a nutjob or if he’s on the level throughout the majority of the runtime. Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Gallagher Jr. are equally as terrific, delivering some of the best work of their careers in roles with a lot of meat on their bones. Add to that some amazing set design, inventive direction from Dan Trachtenberg, and a surprisingly effective message about not running from your problems, and 10 Cloverfield Lane is a terrifyingly good time.

Insidious (2010, Directed by James Wan)

I am not usually a huge fan of haunted house stories, but this is one I’d actually strongly recommend. Saw creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell team up again here to tell the tale of Josh and Renai Lambert (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne), as well as their son Dalton (Ty Simpkins), who all move into a new house, whereupon strange things start going bump in the night. When Dalton falls into a coma, Renai and Josh find themselves in a desperate struggle to save him from evil spirits.

This clearly isn’t the newest premise. Thankfully, Leigh Whannell‘s devotion to character in his screenplay, along with James Wan‘s keen ability to create a jumpy and unsettled atmosphere, keeps this consistently creepy and moving. You feel Josh and Renai’s desperation and therefore are more afraid when the scares occur. In addition, working on a shoestring budget of $1.5 million, Wan does a smashing job finding creative ways to stage scenes, crafting some of the most effective jump-scares I’ve seen. Even if you’re not a fan of ghost stories, give this a shot.

Poltergeist (1982, Directed by Tobe Hooper)

Tobe Hooper will always be most known for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, he’ll also be forever remembered for this spooky classic. Based on a story by Steven Spielberg, who also co-wrote the script and executive-produced the movie, Poltergeist follows the Freeling family, who’ve just moved into a typical suburban neighborhood. When their youngest child, Carol Anne (the late Heather O’Rourke), is caught communicating with who she calls “The TV People,” it sets off a series of occurrences that lead everyone to realize their house is possessed. The family must band together to save Carol Anne from an otherworldly realm.

While the movie is rated PG, Hooper, Spielberg, and their crew do everything in their collective power to craft visuals and freak-outs that are as creatively frightening as they are entertaining. The actors also make the Freeling family feel real, like they’re people we could encounter in our own lives. It all feels like the kind of movie Spielberg might’ve made as a child, with a mix of wonder and fear. Don’t miss it.

Conclusion

Hopefully, these films act as a gateway into a world of great horror filmmaking for people whose stomachs or hearts can’t ordinarily tolerate scary movies. These spooky films might be family-friendly, but they’re also some of the best spooky films out there. I hope you enjoy some of these flicks listed above!