This year for our October streaming recommendations, I two lists for your Halloween viewing pleasure. The first list is family friendly. I love this list because I watched so many of these with my kids while they were growing up and after they became adults. Plus, I’ve added a couple newer films.
Halloweentown, Twitches, all things Scooby-Doo, Simpsons, Peanuts, Disney – Christian and I had our list, and we watched every year. We laughed and reconnected with a happier, healthier time.
We also had our grown-up list of teenage slasher films and movies that made you want to sleep with the lights on. Christian was not a Chucky or Saw fan, so we avoided those two franchises. I think Ian and James watched them all. I found some newer films to check out this Halloween as well. Get your popcorn, apple cider, and red vines ready, and start streaming your Halloween favorites! Streaming information subject to change without notice.
Family Friendly Streaming:
The Halloweentown franchise – Starring Debbie Reynolds (Agatha Cromwell)), Kimberly J. Brown (Marnie), Joey Zimmerman (Dylan), and Judith Hoag Gwen). Gwen is a widow and a witch hiding in the human world with her three children, Marnie, Dylan, and Sophie who have no idea witches exist. Their excentric grandmother, Agatha, visits them often from Halloweentown. She thinks the children have a right to know their heritage. She wants to train Marnie before her birthday, so she won’t lose her powers. Gwen resists, but the forces of evil intervene and to save Halloweentown, Gwen must let Marnie and Dylan discover who they are. Watch on Disney+
Twitches – Tia and Tamara Mowry play twin witches separated as babies after the death of their parents on a magical parallel universe. The girls were brought to Earth and given to different families to protect them from the evil forces at home. The twins must reunite to save their home planet. Watch on Disney+, fubo TV, Hulu, Sling Tv, or YouTube.
Monsters, Inc. – Featuring the voices of John Goodman and Billy Crystal - Watch on Disney+
The School for Good and Evil – when two best friends go to magic school, they are separated into two division, good and evil. How will their friendship survive? Watch on Netflix
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – Linus looks forward to Halloween night each year hoping to see the Great Pumpkin. Lucy thinks he’s foolish for waiting in the pumpkin patch instead of trick or treating. Can Charlie Brown help his friend Linus handle the disappointment of another year without the Great Pumpkin appearing? Watch on Apple TV+
Coco – Miguel dreams of becoming a musician in a family where music is forbidden. What will happen when he accidently travels to the Land of the Dead during Dia de los Muertos to meet his musical idol? Can his deceased relatives help him get back to the land of the living? Watch on Disney+
The Ghostbuster’s franchise – Can you actually catch and trap ghosts and malevolent spirits? Bill Murray (Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Ray), Ernie Hudson (Winston), Harold Ramis (Egon) and Annie Potts (Janine) prove you can in hilarious fashion with sometimes disastrous results. Watch on Prime Video
ParaNorman – A boy who can communicate with the dead must use his special powers to solve a mystery in his town. Watch on Prime Video
Hocus Pocus – The Sanderson Sisters ( Bett Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) are 17th century witches trying to remain immortal after a group of teenagers unexpectantly resurrects them at Halloween time in their hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. Watch on Disney+
Hotel Transylvania franchise – Dracula, played by Adam Sandler, runs a resort for monsters and other mythical creatures that is inadvertently discovered by a human. In this animated comedy, the monsters are the good guys. Watch on Prime Video
Put the Kids to Bed Before Streaming these Films:
Totally Killer (2022) – Jamie Hughes (Kiernan Shipka) must travel back in time to her mother’s high school days to stop a serial killer. Stream on Prime Video beginning October 6.
Talk to Me (2023) – This film from Australia is developing a cult following. A group of Australian teenagers discover they can contact spirits using a mysterious severed and embalmed hand. In theaters now, so this is technically not available to stream, but a trip to the movies to see a scary flick is always a good time.
Halloween (2018) – this latest iteration in the Halloween franchise makes up for some of the sequels to the original film that were flops. Jamie Lee Curtis reprises her role and reclaims her places as our favorite heroine in the horror genre. Available to rent on Prime Video. Don’t forget to watch the original and your favorite sequels.
The Conjuring (2013) – This is the first film in the highest grossing horror franchise of all time (eight sequels, prequels, or spin-offs). Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators and authors who try to solve prominent cases of hauntings. Available to stream on Hulu
Scream (1996) – start with the original film from the series and watch all six films if you dare. A seventh film is supposedly in the works. Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Roger L. Jackson star in this film about Sidney (Campbell) is still mourning the death of her mother who was allegedly raped and killed a year ago by Cotton Weary. Someone calling himself Ghostface begins calling, terrorizing, and murdering Sidney and her friends. Why? Available to rent on Prime Video
The Craft (1996) – Neve Campbell, Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, and Robin True play high school outcasts who are young witches coming into n their powers. When they try to use their magic for personal gain, the consequences are terrifying. Available to rent on Prime Video
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)– This is how Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) got his start. Freddy, a disfigured midnight marauder, preys on a select group of teens by entering their dreams and murdering them which kills them in real life. Available to stream on Max
The Shining (1980) – Based on Stephen King’s novel about a writer, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) who accepts a position as the caretaker at an isolated hotel in Colorado hoping a change of scenery will cure his writer’s block. After Jack, his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) move in, strange things begin happening. Danny has frightening premonitions. Jack tries to unlock the dark secrets of the hotel to save his family before the spirit of a homicidal maniac completely possesses him. Available to stream on Prime Video
Carrie (1976) – Another film based on a Stephen King horror classic – Sissy Spacek stars as Carrie the girl everyone at her high school loves to torment because of her crazy mother. How much can one girl take before she loses control? Available to rent on Prime Video
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – This film has it all – musical numbers, horror, comedy, and campiness. Brad (Barry Bostwick) and his girlfriend Janet (Susan Sarandon) take shelter in an eerie mansion owned by Dr. Fran-n-Furter (Tim Curry) and meet an eccentric cast of characters in this horror spoof. Available to rent on Prime Video
Sources for this article:
glamour.com
goodhousekeeping.com