With Halloween just around the corner, an annual debate grows along with the mold on candy: which Halloween movie is the best? Unfortunately, if you’re not into horror movies, the choices are limited. So, to help strengthen the Halloween spirit in all that desire it, here are the top 5 Halloween movies that aren’t scary. 

#5  |  Hotel Transylvania (2012)

While it’s not all there is, animated movies tend to be a fun alternative to the bone-chilling classics. The over-exaggerated style lends itself perfectly to a monster format in particular, because animated movies can make really creative character designs that aren’t restricted by the real world. One such film is Hotel Transylvania, a film that follows Dracula, who runs a hotel that hosts only monsters. 

The concept in general allows for so many different types of monster designs, and the movie does not disappoint. There are so many new creative creatures and familiar icons that swarm this movie, for example Dracula’s friends, a mummy and a werewolf. Every single guest is also meticulously detailed. 

As for the story, it’s definitely not the main attraction, as a story about a newcomer trying to figure their way out of an unfamiliar place has been done multiple times, but at least Mavis, Dracula’s daughter, is enjoyable. While the 2 sequels are not bad by any means, this is the one that uses the monster concept the best. This movie’s sheer number of different monsters allows it to really immerse the viewer in the holiday, and that’s why it begins our top 5.

#4  |  It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

Charlie Brown has become a staple in American households and all over the world. From the distinct art style to the iconic music to the dopey characters bursting with personality, it is definitely one of the most relevant cartoons ever. So what is its most popular incarnation? It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is definitely a contender.

Like most Halloween movies, the plot is the least interesting part of the movie, as it’s just about Charlie Brown and his friends’ adventures in a format not far from slice of life. However, the charm this movie has is undeniable. Much like all of the Charlie Brown movies, watching this feels like you’re putting on a warm blanket, as the music and overall tone is so nostalgic even if you’ve never seen a single second of any Charlie Brown movie. 

It’s a blast to watch these endearing characters get into the most absurd scenarios, and the payoff with Linus at the end really helps this movie leave a good impression. It perfectly mixes the charm of Charlie Brown and the spirit of Halloween, and even though it’s only 25 minutes, it’s still a great time.

#3  |  The Addams Family (1991)

The Addams Family (1991) has flown under the radar a bit in past years, probably because it’s overshadowed by a poorly done remake in 2019 and its sequel in 2021. The remakes are extremely predictable and don’t portray the family as strange enough. On the other hand, the original focuses purely on its fleshed out family characters and what sort of dangerous stunts they enjoy.

This movie is surprisingly funny, as the references to classic horror tropes and the commitment to downright absurd bits makes it really memorable. While each character has a fascination for the gruesome, each of them are very distinct, as they all enjoy different types of danger. My favorites are the parents, as they are so oblivious to how ridiculous their customs look to an outsider that it makes their dialogue hilarious. Ultimately, what holds this movie back is that it’s not the most rewatchable film, as many scenes are similar to each other with only slight differences. 

#2  |  The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

I feel like every Halloween, there’s an unavoidable debate that arises every year; is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? Despite this debate being the most heated argument on the face of the earth every October, I always knew the right answer; it’s a Halloween movie. The original movie was released on October 13th, 1993, closer to Halloween, and the entire movie is based around a skeleton, not a classic Christmas character. 

Henry Selick’s classic stop motion style, which would bring yet another classic Halloween movie 16 years later, is some of his best, at least in terms of character design. All of the ghoulishly terrifying characters have some very unique striations and ridges to them that gives the film a distinct feeling. Jack Skelington’s cuts on his mouth make him look a lot more subtly creepy than the kind skeletons of Pixar’s Coco, for example. 

Continuing with this imperfect world, the Oogie Boogie looks like a stitched-together abomination, and the more textured rag material the movie decided to use makes him look like he is part of a different universe, which allows the viewer to subconsciously associate the antagonist distinctly from the protagonists. The visuals of this film are definitely its best attribute, but really, everything works harmoniously. The songs are great, there’s a fun arc with Jack Skellington, and most importantly, this movie is so much fun to watch.

#1  |  Coraline (2009)

My number one spot may be somewhat contradictory to my commitment to movies that are not scary, but Coraline was too fantastic to not include on my list. Henry Selick’s atmospheric claymation is back, but after 13 years of innovation, it’s really improved. What places this movie above The Nightmare Before Christmas has nothing to do with the animation though. It’s simply that the story is much better. It follows a girl named Caroline who discovers a secret compartment of her new house that has everything her old house has, but is better in every way. However, she soon realizes these luxuries come at a cost. 

This movie’s world and story are the most interesting out of anything on this list, while still maintaining the same level of fun the previous movies had. The most interesting part of this movie is its metaphor for a spider trapping its prey. Coraline is initially presented a world of her wildest dreams, which is specifically meant to fix things she admitted she hates. Every time she says she hates something in the real world, it is “fixed” in the magic door, which is creepy and creative. When she has doubts, her “mother” in the magical world turns into a human-spider hybrid and traps her so she can steal her soul. There is also a constant emphasis on bugs in every room of the magical world, which unsettles the viewer.

Nothing in this movie is explicitly terrifying, which is why I allowed it to be on this list, but the combination of creepy and unsettling elements makes it really fun to revisit, and captures  the magic of the famous holiday. This movie’s imagination is so fantastic that I could not justify placing it anywhere else on this list than number 1.