Hotel Transylvania
Adam Sandler is like Marmite. You either love him or you hate him. I ADORE Adam Sandler. Some of his works can be hit or miss; Hotel Transylvania, however, was a massive hit. With four movies in the series, as well as a few shorts and a TV series, you won’t be short of hotel shenanigans. However, I personally am only a fan of the first two movies, so I’ll only be writing about those today. He also has another Halloween-themed movie, Hubie Halloween; however, that’s more suitable for older children.
Hotel Transylvania
The first and best instalment of the series, Hotel Transylvania, shares the story of Dracula and his daughter, Mavis, who is becoming a vampire adult. When the hotel, owned by Dracula, gets its walls penetrated by the goofy human Johnny, Dracula finds himself trying to keep his existence unknown. But when the beloved Johnny (dressed as a Frankenstein monster) becomes the favourite visitor amongst the guests and Mavis, Dracula faces the reality that maybe not all humans are bad.
As Johnny and Mavis get closer and closer, with Johnny showing her the world outside of the hotel, Dracula gets more and more antsy. To make matters worse, the head chef of the hotel becomes incredibly suspicious that there is a human lurking around. As Dracula starts to see the light that Johnny is bringing out in Mavis, he must come to the fact that vampires and humans might be able to mingle after all.
The movie is basically Romeo & Juliet, without the feuding families, underage “love”, and mounds of death. It’s a classic tale with a modern-ish, spooky twist. I like this movie so much that I revisit it every so often, even when it’s not the “-ber” months.
Hotel Transylvania 2
Dracula has accepted that Mavis and Johnny belong together. What comes next is their bundle of joy, Dennis, or as Grampa Drac likes to call him, Dennisovich. Next on his “to-accept” list is the fact that maybe the tot didn’t inherit the vampire gene.
So here’s the story. Mavis and Johnny are on their honeymoon, which means Drac gets babysitting duties. Dracula spends the entire time trying to activate Dennisovich’s vampire abilities, whereas his mum just wants him to be human. Instead of sticking to his human bedtime, human “monsters” shows, and his normal upbringing, Dracula starts putting the child into danger, puppeteering the child when on video calls to his parents, and the like.
This turns into a bit of trouble when Dracula’s father, Vlad, comes to visit. Not knowing about the human part of his great-grandson, Vlad is very much against humankind. Even more so than Drac in the first movie. Whilst all of this is going on, Mavis is struggling to feel comfortable in a human world whilst visiting her new in-laws, no matter how much they try to make her feel comfortable.
The movie is very much the same as the first, but with different characters struggling with the same issues. Overall, the “villain” in this movie is much more enjoyable than the first, and some iconic characters get to shine here. It’s no wonder that the series went on to have two more movies and a TV show. Definitely add this to your watch list this year.
Movies That Don’t Fit Into Any Of The Other Categories
Coraline
Coraline seems a bit more suited for mature children. My child fully thought this was a horror movie until not too long ago. Using the iconic claymation style, the movie follows the titular Coraline Jones after she and her inattentive parents move into a creepy Victorian mansion in southern Oregon.
After being gifted a ragdoll that looks eerily like Coraline, she explores the area of her new home, eventually coming across a tiny door in the living room. With suspense building and her heart thumping, she opens the door to find… a brick wall. Following the long day of disappointing adventure, the young girl is led back to the small door at night by a small mouse. Re-opening the door, she finds a long tunnel of swirling colour. It’s quite psychedelic.
Into the Tunnel
I think we would all crawl into a brightly coloured, magical-looking tunnel if we came across one in the middle of the night. No? Just me? Anyway, Coraline crawls through this tunnel and finds… her house? However, this version of her home seems oddly sprightly, and her parents — happy, loud, and loving. Despite their change in personality, when she sees their faces, their eyes are replaced with buttons, as are everyone’s in this world.
Following this initial visit through the tunnel, Coraline gets informed of the dangers and the past of her home and the curious little door. Regardless of the warnings, she continues to visit her dream-world, meeting kooky characters, lost souls, and even a demonic monster. What ensues is a fight to return home, realisations that what you wish for isn’t always the best, and a story of love and friendship with people with flaws. So, will Coraline get home? Will she accept the button eyes? Or will she find comfort in the people around her? Find out in Laika Studio’s very first feature-length movie.
Also, this is the other movie on this list by Henry Selick 😀
Casper
Casper is one of the all-time classics, easily standing with the likes of The Adams Family and Scooby Doo as icons of the Halloween movie genre. Sadly, we haven’t seen much from this friendly ghost in recent years, but this movie from 1995 holds up great to this day.
Starring Christina Ricci, fresh from her breakout role in The Addams Family, the movie follows the story of Kat, a teenager whose father has been brought to Whipstaff Manor in an attempt to exorcise the ghosts who inhabit it. In short order, Kat makes the acquaintance of Casper, the titular friendly ghost and together they explore not only the secrets of the mansion but also Casper’s forgotten past.
Having not watched it in years, I re-watched it for this list, and I found it to be a heart-warming story perfect for kids and adults alike.
Labyrinth
Again, I’m taking the term “Halloween movie” very lightly. However, I’m pretty sure there are plenty of people horrified by puppets, even if they are Jim Henson’s. Yes, Labyrinth features muppets from the one and only Jim Henson, but not only this — Henson also directed the movie. It also includes the acting talents of the late musician David Bowie and child model turned actress Jennifer Connelly.
When angsty teenager, Sarah, is tasked with the job of babysitting her baby brother, Toby, yet again, she gets frustrated. This frustration stems from bad parents, I’m not gonna lie. If your older child has a teddy bear that they love and treasure, do not give it to your baby. Inspired by her favourite book, The Labyrinth, she tells the tale of the Goblin King and his followers, taking away the annoying baby brother of an annoyed older sister. With her frustration building due to the aforementioned teddy bear incident, the constant crying from Toby, as well as the thundering weather outside, Sarah uses the dreaded sentence — “I wish the goblins would come and take you away. Right now.”
An Adventure Quite Troubling
Enter the Goblin King, Jareth. Unfortunately, Sarah found the correct words for the tale she spun to become a reality. Regretting her actions instantly, she is given the opportunity to save Toby from being turned into a goblin forever. She must traverse the Labyrinth and find her way to the goblin city, all before midnight.
As she embarks on this journey, she is faced with many challenges, both physical and mental. What doesn’t help is the fact that Jareth really wants this baby for some reason, so if she is getting closer to the city, he throws a spanner in the works, leading her on the wrong path. However, with her new friends alongside her, she goes on this epic journey through the magical maze to save her little brother from the danger she put him in.
The muppets in this movie are adorable. No, they’re not quite Kermit or Animal (though the Fireys are pretty close!), but Ludo is the sweetest boy, and the Worm? Cinematic gold. To top it all off, we get amazing music in this movie. From “Dance Magic” to “Chilly Down”, we get the singing and writing talents of Bowie, as well as a fantastical score from Trevor Jones. It truly is an amazing soundtrack.
Side note: My niece has a Firey doll, and I’ll be damned if I don’t get my hands on that one day. I’m coming for you.
Monster High
The Monster High franchise, although having its beginnings as a doll line and being dead for periods of time, gives enthusiasts a large amount of content to indulge in. With 15 animated movies and, more recently, two live-action movies, fangs of these ghouls aren’t eating lightly.
With three generations of dolls and media, it’s easy to get confused about what to watch. Luckily, all of the animated movies are self-contained, so you can enjoy the spookiness of Monster High without getting too lost in lore, stories and the like. All you really need to know is that there are six main girls, all with their own personality and monster type.
You have the girly-pop Draculaura, the ever-popular Cleo, sporty Lagoona and more. This means there is a character almost anyone can relate to within the world. The animated movies come with some of the best music in children’s media, too, which is a huge bonus. Don’t blame me if you end up cleaning your kitchen singing Empire over and over.
Here are some of the better movies to get you started:
- 13 Wishes
- Boo York, Boo York
- Frights, Camera, Action!
- Great Scarrier Reef
- Haunted
Monster House
I always seem to be the first person to admit an adoration for this movie. In director Gil Kenan’s first feature-length film, we follow three pre-teens as they investigate the titular Monster House. Living opposite the titular house causes DJ to be wary of the home and the man who lives there. Throughout the years, he has witnessed plenty of kites, footballs, and bicycles go missing from the lawn of the home, but is this the doing of the cranky old man, Nebbercracker?
On the night before Halloween, our heroes’ parents are going to a conference for the weekend and have hired a babysitter. Although she seems kind at first, as soon as his parents leave, she shows her true colours as a typical rebellious teen, inviting over her degenerate boyfriend. When DJ’s friend, Chowder, comes to visit, he unfortunately loses his basketball on the lawn of the opposing property. Upon trying to retrieve the ball, Nebbercracker comes out of his home, shouting, screaming, and ultimately having to deal with the unfortunate event of a heart attack.
Unreal Estate
This is when the movie takes a turn. All the more curious about the house, the boys spy from a bedroom, keeping an eye on passers-by, especially children with their play equipment. The next morning, a Girl Scout named Jenny puts herself in danger by attempting to sell her candy. The boys save her, and the three seek out more information regarding the mysteries surrounding the Monster House.
The rest of the movie follows the kids as they navigate their way through the house, trying to quell the spirit that they believe is possessing the property. Throughout the venture, both boys are trying to flirt and impress Jenny. This makes for a funny watch, alongside a little spookiness and ending in a heartwarming story.
Over The Garden Wall
Okay, okay, it’s not a movie, but an episodic miniseries. Hear me out. Potatoes. And. Molasses. The greatest song to grace any ears within the last decade (yes, Over The Garden Wall is a decade old at this point). And whilst the song isn’t spooky, the setting of the show definitely is. With pumpkin people, creepy creatures, and a frightening forest, the show is not one to miss.
Following the two lost brothers, Wirt and Gregory, the tale tells of the travels of the boys in search of The Tome of the Unknown. This leads to dubious friendships, challenges of insecurities, and more questions than answers. What is The Unknown? Who is The Beast? And why does Gregory have a teapot on his head? These questions may or may not get answered near the end of the series. I guess you’ll just have to watch and see.
Over The Garden Wall oozes vintage Halloween vibes. If you like the look of this image, you’ll love the visuals of the show. Not only this, but the music in this miniseries is absolutely wonderful. It’s perfect to add to your Autumn playlists, and gives a wonderful sense of nostalgic Halloween activities, such as pumpkin-carving, apple-bobbing, or making a costume from scratch.
Each episode is 11 minutes long, and with 10 episodes in the miniseries, the total adds up to just over two hours long… and it’s much better than most movies. If there’s one piece of media you take away from this list, make sure that it is the masterpiece that is Over the Garden Wall.
ParaNorman
ParaNorman is a fun take on the classic zombie movie. This animated comedy follows the titular Norman, a kid who can talk to ghosts. His powers either creep people out or they think he’s lying, and that means he’s isolated from both his family and his peers.
One day, his estranged relative warns Norman of a ritual he will one day have to perform, or the town will be destroyed by a curse. Soon, the town is beset with supernatural phenomena and a horde of zombies. It’s up to Norman and a group of kids from his school to find the secret behind the ritual and save the town.
It’s a tale of self-acceptance and finding your place, all wrapped up in a zombie movie wrapper.
Obviously, there are a lot more movies that could have been added to this list. However, I don’t have all the time in the world to watch and recommend everything. These are the staples and a starting point for your home-cinema experience this Halloween.
Here are some extra titles for you to take a look at, which may or may not be entirely Halloween themed:
- The Littlest Vampire
- The Haunted Mansion & The Muppets: Haunted Mansion
- The Witches
- Goosebumps
- The Boxtrolls
- Ghostbusters
- Wendell & Wild
- Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
If there is something I missed that definitely should have been on this list, maybe I haven’t seen it, and you should 100% comment it down below so I can indulge in October spookiness with you!
Melltith, or Melty, enjoys cosier or slower paced games and likes to take her time with things.
She's a very crafty person who will throw her all into a multitude of new projects and skills.
You'll see me everywhere here. Mostly I stream and fix things when they break. You might find me writing an odd article or two too. Hope you enjoy the site!
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