The current month of October is celebrated as the “spookiest” month of the year with countless scary and fun activities for students to participate in with family and friends. Though not everyone celebrates the spookiness of it, there are fun activities that don’t concern traditional trick-or-treating nor being scared. Here are three kindhearted Halloween themed movies with different genres that are spooky and give a sense of the Halloween spirit: Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family, and Paranorman.
1. Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus is a Disney movie with a PG-13 rating, but I would recommend it to families, teens, and even middle schoolers because of the comedic tone of the movie. It was filmed in 1993 by Kenny Ortega and Anne Fletcher. The movie is about three witches who seek out the souls of pure children to rejuvenate their age and looks, but there’s an unexpected twist once they enter the 90’s world and encounter themselves with a new family and victim. The theme of this movie is to never assume that the impossible is incapable of becoming reality and that good will always conquer over evilness.
2. The Addams Family
The Addams Family is a Paramount movie that has a PG-13 rating but has no age limit to it. It was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, filmed in 1991. The movie starts off by showing a macabre family who don’t conform to social norms. The family perceives itself with a gothic style and invests itself in different views on life. The theme of the movie is to appreciate the differences we hold within ourselves and to feel free to express them by being yourself.
3. Paranorman
Paranorman is a claymation movie directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell, filmed in 2012. The movie introduces a child with a gift of seeing the deceased. This gift causes the child (Norman aka Paranorman) to suffer bullying by not only his family but also the kids at school, except for his one alive friend “Neil” and his deceased companions. Norman encounters himself on a journey to protect his town from danger that’s on its way. The theme of the movie is to not let fear of the unknown overcome your stand in where right is wrong and be willing to give the misunderstood a chance of understanding.
These movies all display the kindred spirit of Halloween, so grab popcorn, cookies, and drinks to enjoy the movie. I selected these movies because not only did I grow up with them but I believe they are Halloween classics that everyone should get a chance to watch at least once a year on Halloween.
