Now, before I begin, let me just clarify a few things. All these movies are technically rated PG-13, but if you look up, “Halloween kids movies,” these movies will show up, so there you go. These movies aren’t actually scary like, “horror movie scary,” nor does it contain anything that would actually be considered “un-kid friendly.” However, out of the three movies I’ll be listing here, I watched two of them when I was a kid, both of which scared the bejesus out of me and made me question whether or not it was actually for children. There will be spoilers…obviously. Finally, the most important thing, don’t take this list too seriously, it’s just for fun! 

1. Coraline (2009)

Anyone who’s watched this movie should have seen this one coming. Now, technically, I watched this movie in my early teens, so the “scare factor” wasn’t as bad as it probably would have been if I had watched it as a child. Nonetheless, for those who did watch it at a young age, all agree that it was “scary,”and since I’m considering these movies from a kid’s perspective, those people aren’t wrong in how they feel. The antagonist, “The Other Mother,”or, “The Beldam,” (who looks terrifying in her true form, especially if you’re scared of spiders) literally tries to trap Coraline in her world forever by sewing buttons into her eyes and (supposedly) eat her. The Beldam already ate 3 ghost children, that Coraline meets after the Beldam reveals her true self. Then there’s the book, which is even more terrifying than the movie, but you’ll have to look into that yourself, since this is about movies and not books.

2. Monster House (2006)

Now, this! This movie was my, “Coraline!” This movie terrified the living daylights out of me when I was a child. At first, in the beginning, you’re thinking “Aw, how sweet, a little girl on her tricycle, just wheeling around in her neighborhood! Oh, what lovely leaves, it definitely does look like fall is here!” And then the girl gets her tricycle stuck in a yard. And then the most terrifying animation of an old man that you have ever seen (seriously, I’m not kidding, just look up the clip or something) comes running out of his house (yes, the monster house) and starts to yell at her, threatening her, taking her tricycle and ripping out one of the wheels, leaving her to run away in fear. And that’s how the movie starts! 🙂 The animation style, whether intentional or not, really does a good job at making the movie extra creepy, and the plot itself doesn’t help, what with the dead wife in the basement and all. 

3. The Witches (1990)

I don’t even need to explain myself, all you have to do is watch this clip and you’ll understand what I mean…yeah.

In all seriousness, these movies are actually really great. Coraline is an incredibly beautiful stop-motion animation movie with so many important little details, loveable and interesting characters, and a whimsical, unique soundtrack that gets stuck in your head. Monster House, although I’ll never be able to get past the animation style, is actually quite funny at times and got some genuine laughs out of me. It also definitely works well as a Halloween movie and is perfect to watch for that time of year. The Witches is, at least for me, a classic, easy to watch (as in the plot is simple and easy to understand), and fairly entertaining. If you’re more of a book fan, then the book is just as good and actually quite short. So, if you haven’t already watched these movies, I highly recommend you do so! ?