So, in the spirit of the season, I would like to present "Jenny Babich's not-so scary Halloween movie list." These films will get you in the holiday spirit without disturbing your slumber. So, grab a cup of cider, a bowl of candy corn and enjoy!
Monster House
Not enough people know about this movie. It's got a delightful story and is funny, heartwarming, and in some parts, genuinely scary. The story centers around a house that eats kids. Do I need to sell it further? Steve Buscemi is one of the voice actors in the film. That alone should have sent you running out of your house to your nearest Best Buy to purchase this Academy Award nominated movie. You won't be disappointed.
Although "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is also on my list, "Corpse Bride" is starting to become my favorite of these two Tim Burton concoctions. The design of the characters and the sets is gorgeous. On the eve of his wedding, Victor accidentally marries the Corpse Bride while practicing his vows. With the voices of Johnny Depp, Emily Waston, Helena Bonham Carter, Joanna Lumley, Tracey Ulman and Albert Finney, this all star cast can't be beat. There is love, betrayal, goth-fabulousness and the masterful storytelling that only a Tim Burton tale can bring you.
The Witches
If I only have time for one film each Halloween, this is the one I watch. I can't guarantee that when you watch it you will feel the same way, but for me, this is the film I grew up on, so it's nostalgic for me to see it every year. After losing his parents, a young boy moves in with his grandmother and they encounter a band of horrific witches at a vacation spot. Angelica Houston heads up the witches in a sultry yet cackling performance.
It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
This tv special is like a nice warm blanket and a cup of cocoa. Just watch it.
No Halloween list would be complete without the stop-motion animated film that brought us the new renaissance of stop-motion animation. Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king, gets a little hum-drum about the same old Halloween tricks and decides to take over Christmas. So, you really get your Christmas preview with this film too. It's a great way to start off the fall/winter holiday seasons.
Other films/specials I recommend (but haven't watched in a while, so I can't speak to how they hold up):
- Mad Monster Party (from the people who brought you Hermie the elf who wants to be a dentist, a stop-motion animation classic)
- The Worst Witch (I watched this non-stop as a kid but can guarantee the special effects will seem awful now, as I remember them being awful at the time. But Tim Curry is in it, and I think that is why I loved it so much.)
- The Monster Squad (This one was right up my alley - as a kid I would have loved to have hung out with Frankenstein while fighting scarier monsters. I need to get this one again)