5 (Not Too) Frightening Films for Halloween
Halloween decorations are out in abundance in my neighborhood. But many of them are more macabre than merry. Gory skeletons and ghastly witches are almost as common as pumpkins.
In the past Halloween seemed to be a time for games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey (ok that’s a little gruesome for the donkey), bobbing for apples and the classic animation It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. It was a time, at least for children, for dressing up like princesses and cowboys or firefighters and friendly witches not Donald Trump or blood-covered zombies.
(Check out this infographic of the most popular costumes for the past 20 years.)
Now with horror films like Crimson Peak and Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse releasing in theaters this month, parents have to work harder to find fun films to bring home for their little ones that won’t keep them up at night.
For the very youngest of trick-or-treaters Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie is a simple sweet story about Roo and his friend Lumpy who go on an adventure to find a Gobloon that grants wishes.
Monsters University rounds up a whole schoolyard of colorful characters there aren’t too scary for slightly older children. While there are some moments of peril in this story, the charm comes when they realize the value of their friendship.
A host of haunters gather again for Hotel Transylvania 2. In this follow-up to Hotel Transylvania, Dracula has become a grandfather. While the film has plenty of funny lines in the first half, the fright factor goes up as the film progresses making this choice better for older kids.
Danny and his sister are in Egypt with their parents who are archeologists. After Danny stumbles into a tomb he unleashes a secret curse that turns his parents into mummies. Danny and Eleanor have to work together to reverse the curse and unwrap the mystery in Under Wraps.
Okay, so there aren’t really any witches in Race to Witch Mountain, just two aliens trying to get back to their home planet. But while this film has more intense action best suited for older children and tweens, it doesn’t have profanities, sexual innuendo or illegal substance use.
Need more ideas for kid and teen parties? Check out Best Halloween Movies for Kids.
