FIND Addams Family, The (1991) The anti-American family, at least the anti-American 50’s family. After all, more and more people trend towards Gothic black wear, and if they pull it off as well, and are as charming as the Addams, who cares? This is a household where the children are encouraged to demand the salt be passed, not ask, and to play with their food. Obviously with the PG-13 rating it’s not for young children, but perhaps you might like to take a lesson from the Addams and be a little wild. The crude jokes will likely go over kids’ heads anyway.Remember, the list is alphabetical, so this doesn’t indicate the top choice. This movie is for those who like the curious side of life. And the quirky family members and eerie movie set really set the tone for Halloween.

FIND Are you Afraid of the Dark (1990 TV series) A horror television series aimed directly at young (7+) children, it serves as the perfect choice for a long party. No way you could run out of episodes during one party unless it’s a seven day long event, not with seven seasons of thirteen episodes each (91 episodes). Each run about twenty-one minutes without commercials.The group of kids, The Midnight Society, hold the series together as they tell the scary tales. This is needed for the stories fall on the entire range of every horror spectrum, minus the Saw and Hostel torture troupe. The tales are mildly scary, and very fun for a Halloween party.

FIND Beetlejuice (1988) The movie deals with death and the idea of the ghosts in a very fun way. It turns the spooky ghost story and flips it on its head, to where viewers root for the ghosts to successfully haunt the house and scare the new occupants away, rather than the typical reverse. So really it’s a lesson and perspective. The film as aged well, perhaps because the special effects are classic Tim Burton. Where as 3D work would have been laughably bad in today’s world, the claymation Burton is famous for remains quite charming.

FIND Casper (1995) Eerie house? Check. Oddly pretty lead (for a kid)? Check. Ghosts? Quadruple check. The choice to make the ghosts cartoon-like, proves to be a good choice as otherwise the graphic would probably be detracting. Here the stylistic choice only adds to the fun. With the new living occupants at odds with Casper’s three ghostly uncles, this film is in a similar vein as Beetlejuice, only the new owners of the house are far more likable, and the ghost far less. it still however break out of the mysterious ghost troupe, and you get to know the ghost very well. The film delivers a good moral by the end, and takes place during our favorite time of the year: autumn.

FIND Casper’s Scare School (2006) Even more lighthearted than it’s predecessor, this made for TV movie a good choice for the youngest of kids. Casper’s uncles don’t treat Casper as poorly as in the Ricci movie mentioned above, creating an overall happier atmosphere. It also has a sort of Harry Potter feel when Casper goes to school to learn how to properly scare the living, and meets some new boils and ghouls to befriend. OK, a zombie and a mummy to be more accurate.It’s clear the budget was a bit tighter than the original movie, but it maintains the fun and feel.

FIND Coraline (2009) While the book was good, this film really fleshes out Gaiman’s vision. For being only PG this is one of the more unsettling movies on the list. In a good, creepy way. The animation, style, color, and voice acting are beautiful, and the story is a unique one. While it doesn’t take place on Halloween, it still serves as a great choice for the over all feel it instills in viewers. Plus, you know, it has a black cat, and black cats are usually associated with Halloween. Yeah, it’s a stretch, but this film doesn’t have to stretch to reach a place on this list. It’s only of the best, creating the perfect atmosphere for the Halloween party.

FIND Dear Dracula (2012) With Christmas a far way off, too far to write Santa requesting a Count Dracula action figure he sees on TV, young Sam writes a letter to the legendary vampire himself. On a quest to become the scariest monster once again, Dracula pays Sam a visit. This has a quality of a TV movie, but it remains a perfectly enjoyable watch. It also offers commentary on the modern vampire and funny/cute Halloween costumes, offering some laughs for adults as well as kids. It’s a short film, and if purchased on DVD includes a kids art program from Canada called Artzooka. With the feature and the art program, it comes in at about an hour. In the end it’s just a fun, lighthearted film that deserves a bigger budget than it received.

FIND DreamWorks Spooky Stories: Volume 2 (2011) This is a great choice for a Halloween party. In fact it falls in my top three choices for kids Halloween features.The humor get laughs from all age groups, children to adults. The animation is crisp, and the character’s are familiar, coming together from several other animated movies, and it takes place on Halloween.Better yet, it’s broken down into four segments. So for restless kids, they can watch one then run off to do another activity and not miss the story. TOP PICK #3

FIND Ernest: Scared Stupid (1991) Before Steve from Blues Clues, there was Ernest P. Worrell. He’s lovable, clumsy and hilarious, with his unforgettable “Kno-Whut-I-mean” catch phrase.In this installment Ernest offers to help kids with a haunted house he accidentally releases an evil troll. The troll costume is great, as is the acting by the late Jim Varney. The set really captures the atmosphere of Halloween, and there’s also a well train dog. The Ernst character started as a sales tool for TV ads, and giving his ultimate popularity, it’s clear these films, especially Scared Stupid, sell themselves.

FIND Frankenweenie (2012) Tim Burton shows up a lot on this list, but it’s because of his mastery of the genre of animation and his aims towards youth. This remake is no exception.The sets are strangely ordinary, which like Edward Scissor-hands, makes the endearingly, odd and creepy characters stand out more.It is beautifully shot, but be wary: the black and white turns some viewers off. For those who tolerate it, or even love it, the lack of color really does ultimately add to the piece’s tone and feel.

FIND Ghostbusters (1984) This movie really encourages kids to follow their dreams. Sure parents have encouraged their children for generations to strive for the best, to be a scientist, astronaut, journalist… author. Sure that leads to a lot of broken hearts and shattered dreams when those kids grow up, make it through fifteen plus years of school, only to land a job at Walmart and check their bank account to see $50,000 dollars worth of debt, but hey, at least they reached for the stars, right? With Ghostbusters this star-reaching, ghost grasping, doctorate degree holding, actually does pay off. Kids will love the humor and the action, and many adults will cry bitter sweet tears as they imagine their own dreams coming to fruition.You know what? I think I’d like to take this movie off the list now. What? Too late? Don’t i know it.Seriously though, kids, jobs for writers are slim pickings these days.

FIND Goosebumps (1995) [TV series] This show spooked kids for four seasons. In Japan that would be the perfect length, for four is an unlucky number. For America, it would have been great if the show went on thirteen seasons. Not just for the number, but because it was that good. The books are still widely read, so ask the guests which ones they have read and see if you can find the matching episode. Or start with Attack of the Jack-O’-Lanterns. It’s the perfect episode for Halloween. Reading books then watching the movie is great fun, so help get the kids hooked on the practice early, and boost their love of reading.

FIND Halloween Tree, The (1993) Hanna-Barbara cartoons certainly have a distinct look. A great, unique one. Though this film comes from he creators of Scooby-Doo! it lacks a comical relief of a talking great Dane. As such it keeps the tension high throughout the film, and the spirit of the season can really be seen in its frames.This is in my top three Halloween movies for kids for the reason that it haunted me from the moment I saw it as a child at a Halloween jamboree. It deals with loss via the death of a sickly friend on Halloween, and features a timeless story of heroics, and fluid animation. It also helps teach the origin of the holiday, making it a perfect choice.Read the book, too! The Halloween Tree, by Ray Bradbury (1972) TOP PICK #1

FIND Halloweentown (1998) Given the rating and tone of this made for TV film, this is a perfect choice for younger kids. It brings magic to an otherwise dull world via a Mary Poppins like grandmother, and provides an entire Halloween themed town, with skeleton taxi drivers and flying broom stick stores. It just a fun film with good Disney acting and a well paced story line. While it certainly isn’t going to win any movie awards, it serves its purpose and wholesome, seasonal fun!Make is a movie marathon, and watch all the sequels, as well.

FIND Hocus Pocus (1993) Another film that makes it into my top three recommendations for kids Halloween movies. It has a higher budget that most of the other films on the list, especially the made for TV ones, and utilizes those funds perfectly. The film features witches, a zombie, a likable human cast, and a talking cat. The story is top notch, and and characters are memorable. The morals are agreeable, and there is a bit of a history lesson sewn in there as well.Just have an explanation ready on what a “virgin” is if you think your kids are too young to know the truth, because trust me, that was an awkward conversation when I asked as a child. TOP PICK #2

FIND Hotel Transylvania (2012) This film has all the Halloween characters, but is set more in a summer getaway atmosphere. The summer getaway just happens to be the eerie place that is Dracula’s hometown, Transylvania. The characters are likable, and really the only issue with this film is the choice of music. But even during those musical numbers the dancing is fun to watch.The film really breaks down stereotypes, of both monsters and humans, so it provides a good lesson on top of the entertainment.

FIND It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) A classic. Really nothing more needs to be said other than the short film is is a great choice for any Halloween party, and being short it pairs nicely with the following choice.

FIND Legend of Sleepy Hallow, The (1949) For being as old as it is, the film has really aged gracefully. It is still, with today’s standards, beautifully animated.The tale is a classic and an enjoyable one in most renditions, especially this one. It provides just the right amount of scares to remain fun and a great choice for a Halloween Party. Running at only 34 minutes it pairs nicely with It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966), which come sin at around 25 minutes.

FIND Little Vampire, The (2000) An award winning action comedy for children, in which a young, lonely boy befriends a young vampire who moves in next door. It stars perhaps the most adorable child actor ever, and features some of the most gorgeous foreign landscapes in the world. Though the vampires appear as the classic Dracula did, Gothic and extravagant , they come with a very positive twist on the genre. And while not related directly to Halloween the vampire theme ties it to the season well enough to have this great movie make the Halloween movie list.

FIND Monster House (2006) This movie would be my number four choice for Halloween kids movies, should I have had a top four list. I guess by mentioning this I kind of created the top four, so there you have it. Number four! Lucky! (Unlucky in Japan, remember).The animation is great, the story is unique and it happens on Halloween. There a great sense of adventure and it really captures the child’s mentality with things such as an arcade gamer, who holds a top score,being idolized, as well as the sense of a young crush developing, and killer house. The end moral is natural, not forced, and the film challenges commonly held perceptions of bitter, angry old men hating children.

FIND Monster Squad, The (1987) This film, like Hotel Transylvania, features the classic movie monsters: Dracula, Wolfman, Gilman (Creature from the Black Lagoon), Frankenstein, and a Mummy, but it makes them out to be a little more sinister. It has a feel similar to the classic The Goonies, with a squad of young kids, but with a horror twist in that they challenge the classic Universal monsters.The film is comical with a bit of scare and, with it’s PG-13 rating, is more suitable for older kids.

FIND Nightmare Before Christmas, THE (1993) This is a special case, as it is really a Christmas movie. Christmas is in the tittle, after all. And yet there is Jack Skellington’s home town, Halloweentown, in which he is the king. So with Tim Burton’s stop animation, and overall look, the film falls into the Halloween Category despite having to do with Christmas.The music by Danny Elfman is unbeatable, and the style of the film, as well as the story, are unforgettable.Overall, it is a great choice for children and even adults on Halloween.

FIND ParaNorman (2012) A great comedy-horror family film. Norman is a young boy who can talk to ghosts and is ridiculed for it, until the day that that curse turns into a gift. The 3D stop-motion animation is beautiful and in the spirit of Halloween. The cast is diverse and entertaining, and the set are to die for.

FIND Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005) Probably the best choice for the youngest of trick-or-treaters. It’s mild rating, and heartwarming characters maintain the feel of Halloween without the scares.The animation is wonderful, bright and cheery, with eerie lighting effects when the moment calls for it, and dynamic movement throughout to really immerse the viewer in the film. The story is clever and and the decorations for Pooh’s Halloween party are something to strive for.The film really captures the season.

FIND Scared Shrekless (2010) Another DreamWorks Halloween success. This one features Shrek and his swamp pals as they compete to tell the best scary stories while staying in a haunted mansion. The shorts are funny, and the entire thing is only around 30 minutes, so it pairs well with some of the other short films on the list, or serves as a great distraction should set up for another Halloween activity be required.Pinocchio’s rendition of The Exorcist, especially, will have even many adults rolling on the floor with laughter.

FIND Scooby-Doo! on Zombie Island (1998) Many did not like the Scooby-Doo! films that came out between 1998-2001 for the fact that they deviated from the norm. Instead of a person wearing a mask, the monster were real. This is one such film. The realness of the monster/zombies adds to the tension, so while Halloween is a lot about make believe, with the wearing of costumes, the real monster in the Scooby-Doo! films only add to the enjoyment and the mystery gang deliver an enjoyable experience as always. This film comments on the fact that the monsters always turn out to be fake, and illustrates the paths the gang took after the mystery gang broke up, and then an eerie island with dead pirates and ghosts when they do get back together.

FIND Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost (1999) Many did not like the Scooby-Doo! films that came out between 1998-2001 for the fact that they deviated from the norm. Instead of a person wearing a mask, the monsters were real. This is one such film. The realness of the ghosts adds to the tension, so while Halloween is a lot about make believe, with the wearing of costumes, the real monster in the Scooby-Doo! films only add to the enjoyment and the mystery gang deliver an enjoyable experience as always. This film has the Hex Girls perform at a puritan recreation town, and features a magical spell book, as well as the classic lovable Mystery solving sleuths.Scooby-Doo! and the Alien Invaders is a similar film, if you want to play a real monster trilogy for your party.

FIND Scream Team, The (2002) Set in Steeple Falls, a town that values it’s Halloween traditions highly, The Scream Team already sets itself up to be a great Halloween movie choice. On top of the great settling, the three ghost cast is very funny and enjoyable to watch. Kat Dennings also stars, and at the time of the movie’s Disney Channel release in 2002, a lot of young hearts developed crushes on her eccentric beauty.A good, comical choice for younger children.

FIND Tennessee Tuxedo: Halloween Special (1990) A hidden gem of a Halloween special. Tennessee Tuxedo is a semi-educational CBS TV series, and the Halloween special is in the same vein as the episode, The Goblins Will Get You, which features Tennessee eating too much candy and dreaming that he is in a haunted forest with an evil witch served by her goblin servants.Another short animation, approximately 30 minute, it goes well with the shorter films mentioned above: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966), Legend of Sleepy Hallow, The (1949), Scared Shrekless (2010).

FIND Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) A 2005 British clay-mation film featuring the beloved Wallace and his intelligent dog Gromit as pest removers. A tribe of rabbits ruin a woman’s garden and prove to be a hassle for Wallace and Gromit, as does a giant beast rabbit.This is a film that is enjoyable for children and adults, and is thus a good choice, especially if British humor doe sit for you. If you liked Chicken Run (2000), you’ll most likely love this. Provides a humorous twist on the werewolf genre.