Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown are great Halloween staples, but there are so many other — totally underrated — family friendly flicks to watch this spooky season.
While most people associate the tough and quick witted (but still always fashionable) Buffy Summers to Sarah Michelle Gellar, the WB series — which lasted for seven seasons from 1996 to 2003 — was actually spawned from the lesser-known 1992 film starring Kristy Swanson.
And while Summers’ BTVS is equal parts wit and darkness, Swanson’s film instead leaned fully into the laughs. Campy and smart — and costarring Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens and a dreamy Luke Perry — the OG flick is the perfect introduction into the Buffy universe, and one that has become a beloved cult classic despite not doing massive numbers at the box office.
Although Gellar has criticized the 1992 film for being a flop — she called it a “failed movie” in an interview with NME in 2015 — Swanson has stood by her role, and the movie, wholeheartedly over the years.
“[Sarah Michelle Gellar] talked about how unsuccessful the movie was. And, truth be told, the movie was not unsuccessful,” Swanson told the Calgary Herald in 2015. “The movie was very successful. It wasn’t a blockbuster in the theaters. But it became a cult classic. I look at that as a success. And if that wasn’t successful, then she wouldn’t have had that series.”
While the TV show will remain one of the most popular rewatches every fall, Buffy the film is the perfect alternative for anyone looking for a little less scare and a little more LOL. Keep scrolling for more underrated family friendly films to watch this Halloween:
‘My Babysitter’s a Vampire’
Where to watch: Apple TV, YouTube
Is there anything better than Halloween romp that spawns two seasons of a TV show? This 2010 vampire-comedy feels like a Disney Channel Original film, but actually aired on Canada’s Teletoon network before garnering wider viewership in the states. The film follows geeky 14-year-old duo Ethan (Matthew Knight) and Benny (Atticus Mitchell) on the Halloween night of their lives when they discover their babysitter Sarah (Vanessa Morgan) is a vampire fledgling. Before the night is up, the gang must find a way to help Sarah and save their town from a group of 100 year old bloodsuckers looking for revenge.
After its initial success, the film garnered a subsequent series the following year. And while the show only lasted two seasons, it expanded the paranormal universe by seeing Ethan, Benny and Sarah encounter various supernatural monsters — and tasking Ethan and Benny with their own surprising powers.
With a stellar cast, lots of laughs and a spooky — but not scary! — premise, My Babysitter’s a Vampire is the perfect family friendly Halloween gift that keeps on giving, with fans still clamoring for a second movie to this day.
‘Liar, Liar, Vampire’
Where to Watch: Paramount+, Apple TV
Keeping on trend with the undead, Liar, Liar Vampire is a 2015 hidden gem of a film starring Brec Bassinger and Rahart Adams that begs the question: what happens when a lie gets taken too far?
Growing up with a big imagination — and as the subject of a whole lot of bullying —17-year-old Davis (Adams) decides to trick his new school after a popular girl mistakes him for a vampire. At the height of the vampire craze, Davis instantly becomes the talk of the halls. As his lie spreads, however, pressure to convince people of his supernatural status becomes more complicated and he turns to new pal Vi (Bassinger) to help him keep the facade alive.
While there are no actual monsters in this movie, the mood is fun, the vibe’s scream Halloween from start to finish — and the final act offers an important lesson that any younger viewer can take to heart.
‘Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls’
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Remember when Dove Cameron and Ryan McCarten were engaged in real life? Well, Disney Channel’s Liv & Maddie wasn’t their only on screen project together. Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls, based on R.L. Stine’s novel of the same name, proves that carnivals can be as scary as they seem.
When the Hall of Horrors comes to town, Beth (Cameron), Kellen (Braeden Lemasters) and their friends can’t wait to get spooked. But their fun times — and new romances — soon take a serious turn when they discover showman Dr. Hysteria (Andrew Kavadas) and his assistant (Katherine McNamara) are trapping the souls of teens.
Some of the costumes in this film — we’re looking at you, clowns — are genuinely pretty scary, but overall, Monsterville is a fun teen romp about small town Halloween hijinks going off the rails. Also, what a cast!
‘Girl vs. Monster’
Where to Watch: Disney+
Is there anything Olivia Holt can’t do? The first official Disney Channel Original Movie on this list sees Holt teaming up with Katherine McNamara and Luke Benward for one of the most memorable Halloween DCOMs of all time. Holt portrays Skylar Lewis, a tween who, on Halloween, discovers that she is a fifth generation monster hunter — and the monsters are out to stop her before she can embrace her true calling. To make things more complicated? She accidentally releases one particularly spooky creature and must recapture it before it does irreparable harm to her parents. At least she has her pals — and cute guitarist Dean (Benward), who is totally crushing on her — to help save the day.
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
Where to Watch: Paramount+
Before Gellar stepped into the high heels of Buffy Summers to kick some major vampire butt, there was Swanson who starred as the titular character in the 1992 movie that would eventually inspire the seven-season long WB series.
While the Gellar’s show is equal parts wit and horror, Swanson’s film leans fully into the camp and comedy, and serves as the true origin of Buffy discovering her destiny. When she meets Merrick (Sutherland), a Watcher (think the OG Giles, but with magic) sent to train her to fight vampires, he convinces her of her power and she quickly begins training. Along with fellow student Oliver (Perry), the pair begin to take down vampires that are haunting their town. But right when Buffy thinks she’s got a hold on this whole slayer gig, a powerful vampire named Lothos (Ruger Hauer) appears, and Buffy must prepare to go to war and save Sunnydale from the evil that lurks below.
‘Casper Meets Wendy’
Where to Watch: YouTube
Sure, we’ve all heard of Casper, but this 1998 spin-off featuring the Harvey Comics character Casper the Friendly Ghost does not get nearly enough hype. Featuring an adorable 10-year-old Hilary Duff (in her first major film role!) as Wendy the Good Little Witch, Casper Meets Wendy centers on the unlikely friendship between a ghost and a witch — who are supposed to be enemies by nature — as they take on a malevolent warlock.
With mythical creatures, hilarious antics and three aunt witches played by acclaimed actresses Cathy Moriarty, Teri Garr and Shelley Duvall, there’s so much to love about the bewitching Casper Meets Wendy.
‘Hubie Halloween’
Where to Watch: Netflix
Likely due to its 2020 release date during the pandemic, Hubie Halloween didn’t necessarily get its flowers when it came out four All Hallows’ Eves ago. Yet, the Adam Sandler-helmed film is a spooky and fun flick made in comedy heaven. Just look at the cast alone: Led by Sandler, Kevin James and Julie Bowen, the supporting ensemble also includes Ray Liotta, June Squibb, Rob Schneider, Kenan Thompson, Shaquille O’Neal, Maya Rudolph and Ben Stiller.
Sandler’s characteristic humor permeates the film, which takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, and follows Hubie’s (Sandler) redemption arc as he attempts to save Halloween against all odds. With a PG-13 rating, this flick may be a bit scarier for younger viewers, but you’ll definitely find yourself laughing more often than closing your eyes in terror for this fun Halloween movie.
‘Mom’s Got a Date With a Vampire’
Where to Watch: Disney+
This Disney Channel Original Movie was released on Friday the 13th in the year 2000 — a date spooky enough for numerologists and those plagued with triskaidekaphobia alike. Starring Aunt Hilda herself, Caroline Rhea (for all the Sabrina the Teenage Witch fans out there), Mom’s Got a Date With a Vampire is exactly what the title professes to be: A single mom is set up by her children on a date with the mysterious Dimitri, which turns dark when the kids realize the mystery man might be a vampire. Nothing scarier than a first date gone wrong — well, unless you add a vampire into the mix.
‘Monster House’
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Sony’s first motion-capture animation film, Monster House got the attention of both the box office and critics when it was released in 2006 — the following year, it received a nod for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards (sadly, it lost to Happy Feet).
In this haunted house-themed, yet surprisingly heartwarming, tale, Mitchel Musso lends his voice to D.J., a 12-year-old boy who is brave enough to confront his crotchety neighbor, Horace Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi) when his friend Chowder loses his ball in Nebbercracker’s yard. Legends of the old man’s house — and the fate of his late wife — pervade the neighborhood’s lore, and when Nebbercracker suffers an apparent heart attack, the kids are left to investigate on their own.
Full of twists and turns, spooks and humor (Kevin James and Nick Cannon as police officers add fun comedic elements), Monster House is like Disney’s Up crossed with The Haunted Mansion. Expect the unexpected!
‘Fun Size’
Where to Watch: Pluto TV
A 2012 Nickelodeon-produced teen comedy that may have flown under your radar, Fun Size is a perfect, light Halloween watch, especially for the tweens in your life. Wren’s (Victoria Justice) Halloween plans go awry when her mom requires her to take her little brother trick-or-treating instead of going to a party with her friends. Along with her social status-obsessed bestie April (Jane Levy), Wren ends up losing her brother in the Halloween chaos and embarks on a journey to find him before sunrise.
If the sound of a pack of kids roaming Cleveland, Ohio, on Halloween night, embarking on unexpected adventures along the way sounds up your alley, Fun Size might be the movie for you.
‘The Boy Who Cried Werewolf’
Where to Watch: Paramount+
Before Justice’s theatrical Halloween movie debut in Fun Size, the Nickelodeon darling starred in this made-for-television spooky season comedy. Jordan (Justice) is a nerdy, vegetarian, allergy-prone 17-year-old girl who inherits her late mother’s family’s castle in Wolfsberg, Romania (you can see where this is going). When she accidentally steps on a vial of blood while snooping around the castle, she begins to experience new, wolf-like symptoms — goodbye vegetarian diet!
With the help of their (slightly creepy) housekeeper, Madame Varcolac — played by the incomparable Brooke Shields — Jordan and her younger brother, Hunter, race to find the cure for lycanthropy, or her state as a werewolf, before she is cursed forever.
‘The Little Vampire’
Where to Watch: Paramount+
Flying cows, the Scottish countryside and an adorable friendship between two little boys — one who wants to be a vampire, and one who actually is — what more could you need in a family Halloween flick? The Little Vampire follows 9-year-old Tony Thompson (Jonathan Lipnicki), who struggles to fit in when his family moves from California to a castle in Scotland. Relatable! When Tony begins to have dreams about vampires and mythical creatures, he quickly begins to realize that they may actually be real. Not so relatable.
While a family of vampires, conflict and a search for an amulet make for an exciting plot, the heart of this story lies in the kinship between Tony and young vampire Rudolph.
BONUS #13: ‘Don’t Look Under the Bed’
Where to Watch: Disney+
While this film is family friendly by horror movie standards, it might be the scariest DCOM ever made. In fact, Disney Channel stopped broadcasting Don’t Look Under the Bed in 2006 after complaints from parents that it was just too scary. That said, if you’re feeling adventurous, Don’t Look Under the Bed is a creative fantasy horror movie with a genuinely great takeaway if you are brave enough to reach the end.
The movie takes on the mythical creature of the boogeyman. Frances (Erin Chambers) starts noticing strange things happening in her community, such as dogs on her neighbors’ roofs and swimming pools turning into jello. Larry Houdini, an older boy who claims to be an imaginary friend, tries to help Frances understand that the Boogeyman is responsible for the haunted happenings. What follows is a tale of the dangers of losing childlike curiosity and sense of wonder when you reach adulthood, framed in terms of invisible friends and the infamous Boogeyman himself.
