The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

Ever notice how everyone seems to know “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” even if they never read the original Washington Irving short story? The most likely reason for that phenomenon is the Disney animated double-feature The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. While the first short film focuses on the sunny Mr. Toad, the second concerns Ichabod Crane (Bing Crosby) and his spooky adventure with the Headless Horseman. Disney fans go back and forth about which of the two animated tales is better, but when it comes to Halloween, there’s no contest. And, considering how this cartoon has been impressing fans since 1949, it is safe to say that legend may never truly die. —Chris Snellgrove

Where to watch The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad: Disney+

Kid-friendly: Yes

Directors: Jack Kinney, Clyde Geronimi, James Algar

Cast: Eric Blore, J. Pat O’Malley, John McLeish, Colin Campbell, Campbell Grant

Batman: The Long Halloween (2021)

While many of our favorite Halloween movies don’t actually feature the holiday, Batman: The Long Halloween is an exception. It’s an impressively ambitious comic adaptation that manages to do the impossible: honor the source material while still throwing in a few shocking surprises. The plot is refreshingly streamlined, with EW’s writer summarizing that “the two-part animated features follows the Caped Crusader as he joins forces with Dent and Lieutenant Jim Gordon…to find a killer targeting members of Gotham City’s criminal underworld.”

There’s great voice work from Jensen Ackles as Batman and Josh Duhamel as Harvey Dent, and special credit goes to Naya Rivera’s final performance before her 2020 death as Catwoman. And, like Matt Reeves’ The Batman, these are rare canon films that emphasize the hero’s world-class detective skills. —C.S.

Where to watch Batman: The Long Halloween: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Kid-friendly: Yes (for older children)

Director: Chris Palmer

Cast: Jensen Ackles, Josh Duhamel, Naya Rivera

Coco (2017)

Pixar has spent years honing the cartoon craft, and its skills are on full display in Coco, a colorful tale of wannabe musician Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) who is transported by a trickster (Gael García Bernal) into the Land of the Dead. The voyage offers some chills and thrills, but it mainly offers clues into his family’s past that could help him achieve his musical dreams. It’s a great Halloween movie, and not just for its spooky visuals, but more so because the film “crosses another Rubicon most animated movies don’t: dealing frankly and even joyfully with death,” per EW’s review. —C.S.

Where to watch Coco: Disney+

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Lee Unkrich

Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach

Coraline (2009)

Based on the excellent (but sparse) Neil Gaiman book, Coraline may be the rare film adaptation that’s better than the source material. The titular child (Dakota Fanning) is bored with her life and her muted, uninterested parents, so when she discovers a colorful parallel world with her dotting Other Mother (Teri Hatcher) and Other Father (John Hodgman), it seems like the ultimate escape. But she soon discovers that the mirror versions of her family want her to stay forever and that everything is not as it seems. —C.S.

Where to watch Coraline: Tubi

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Henry Selick

Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French

Corpse Bride (2005)

No cows are too sacred for Tim Burton to lampoon, including marriage. In Corpse Bride, we get a very unconventional love story that starts with an engaged (and arranged) couple (Johnny Depp and Emily Watson). Rather than suffering from conventional calamities such as a lack of chemistry, their union is under threat from a third party (the titular corpse bride, played by a very game Helena Bonham Carter) who wants the groom all to herself — and she’s not afraid to drag him to the Land of the Dead to make it happen.

The film has broad appeal, but it will hit harder for parents and children sick of saccharine children’s media. EW’s critic even declared this animated Halloween movie to be “an antidote to the wholesomeness of most animation” that offers “a welcome dose of toxic fairy-tale derangement.” —C.S.

Where to watch Corpse Bride: HBO Max

Kid-friendly: Yes

Directors: Tim Burton, Mike Johnson

Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman, Albert Finney

Frankenweenie (2012)

Years after Frankenweenie first took shape, Tim Burton (and his established spooky bonafide) had enough clout to transform his 1984 short into a feature film starring Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, and Beetlejuice veteran Winona Ryder. You can probably guess the plot: After his beloved pooch shuffles off to that great farm in the sky, a young Frankenstein brings the dog back to life. As with many of Burton’s best films, the real magic is the nuggets of human profundity hidden within the bleak imagery and whimsical comedy. —C.S.

Where to watch Frankenweenie: Disney+

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Winona Ryder

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

If you want more of a treat than trick this spooky season, consider checking in at Hotel Transylvania. This slick family film tells the story of Count Dracula (Adam Sandler), a vamp who just wants to throw a rocking house party. Those plans are interrupted, though, when his daughter (Selena Gomez) falls in love with a human (Andy Samberg). This animated Halloween movie kicked off a successful franchise, so if you dig it, there are plenty more undead adventures to enjoy even after the holiday is over. —C.S.

Where to watch Hotel Transylvania: Hulu

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Genndy Tartakovsky

Cast: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Fran Drescher

The House (2022)

This surreal British film is like a stop-motion animated Twilight Zone if Rod Serling were allowed to go as weird as possible. The anthology film comprises three short stories set at the titular house, each taking place in a different century. The tales explore how the people/rats/cats who inhabit the house are driven by selfish desires — and how they are subsequently rewarded or punished by a twist of fate. The maturity of its themes and overall sensibility make it slightly unsuitable for kids, but older viewers looking for something totally unique for spooky season are bound to be captivated. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch The House: Netflix

Kid-friendly: No

Directors: Emma de Swaef, Marc James Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Paloma Baeza

Cast: Mia Goth, Claudie Blakley, Matthew Goode, Mark Heap, Miranda Richardson, Will Sharpe, Helena Bonham Carter

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown has captivated Peanuts fans for generations. And in the age of streaming, it’s a welcome throwback to revisit Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang as they try to determine whether the mighty Great Pumpkin is real. All that extra candy is certainly comfort food, and this is the perfect movie to watch while snacking. —C.S.

Where to watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Apple TV

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Bill Melendez

Cast: Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Sally Dryer, Kathy Steinberg

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Whether or not you’re already a fan of the legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki, Halloween is the perfect time to revisit one of his many masterpieces, Kiki’s Delivery Service. Our titular hero is a witch in training who, with the help of her talking cat, sets up a delivery service using her flying broomstick. Soon, though, Kiki faces an existential crisis that requires her to confront her inner doubts in order to get her powers back. Whether you watch the movie dubbed or with subtitles, the real magic is how Miyazaki’s animation can transport you to another world altogether. —C.S.

Where to watch Kiki’s Delivery Service: HBO Max

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, Matthew Lawrence

Mad God (2021)

If you’re mainly a fan of “cozy horror,” you’ll want to steer clear of stop-motion auteur Phil Tippett’s Mad God. The movie’s conceit is as fantastic as it is straightforward: This is a world not abandoned by God but rather one actively tormented by him for its many sins. We follow the strange tale of a wandering assassin whose own death and rebirth may foreshadow the bleak reincarnation of the entire planet. It’s a movie almost completely devoid of dialogue or explicit plot, leaving viewers to pore over the meaning of this most unsacred text. Those willing to put in the time (and those who aren’t easily wigged out) may find to their confused delight that Tippett is the maddest creative god of them all. —C.S.

Where to watch Mad God: Shudder

Kid-friendly: No

Director: Phil Tippett

Cast: Alex Cox, Chris Morley, Anthony Ruivivar

Monster House (2006)

When done right, animated scary movies can cleverly subvert our expectations, and Monster House is a prime example. The film follows three kids (Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, and Spencer Locke) who are worried that a neighboring home is secretly a sentient monster. In other weaker stories, the kids would discover a mundane, predictable threat lurking inside, but Monster House instead essays a story as heartbreaking as it is inventive. —C.S.

Where to watch Monster House: Peacock

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Gil Kenan

Cast: Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Jason Lee

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

One of Pixar’s most beloved movies validated one of children’s most widespread worries: Yes, there are monsters hiding in your closet — but they’re more afraid of you than you are of them. The beasts are braving the human world to mine screams as an energy source, but when two top “scarers” accidentally bring a young girl into their realm, it makes them question everything they know about fear. Monsters, Inc. is an animated Halloween-friendly movie that’s a delight for every age because, according to EW’s critic, it has “that swing, that zippity, multilevel awareness of kids’-eye sensibilities, and adult-pitched humor.” —C.S.

Where to watch Monsters, Inc: Disney+

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Pete Docter

Cast: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Mary Gibbs

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Care for a spooky cartoon you can enjoy on Halloween and Christmas? The Nightmare Before Christmas tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town who discovers the existence of Christmas Town. He then tries to take the jolly guy’s job, which puts Santa Claus at the mercy of a particularly scary fella named Oogie Boogie. Skellington shines as a singularly realized character, who (with Chris Sarandon’s voice and Danny Elfman’s singing) is the perfect intersection between everyday magic and something a bit more ethereal. —C.S.

Where to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas: Disney+

Kid-friendly: Yes (for slightly older children)

Director: Henry Selick

Cast: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page

Ninja Scroll (1993)

Ninja Scroll‘s plot is suitable for a videogame, and, believe it or not, that’s a good thing. We follow the bloody and violent adventures of rogue ex-ninja Jubei Kibagami (Kōichi Yamadera), and once he rescues a damsel in distress (Emi Shinohara), he must face off against increasingly bizarre and powerful foes to stop the fearsome Shogun of the Dark. Even people who couldn’t tell you the difference between Goku and Gundam can still enjoy this bloody mess of a movie this Halloween season. —C.S.

Where to watch Ninja Scroll: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Kid-friendly: No

Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Cast: Daisy Tormé, Dave Rasner, Dwight Schultz, Scott Menville

ParaNorman (2012)

Three years after their wonderfully creepy first feature film Coraline, the stop-motion wizards at Laika released this horror comedy about an 11-year-old boy who can communicate with the dead. Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who is misunderstood by his family and peers, uses his gift to help protect his town from a centuries-old witch’s curse. But there’s more to the curse than he may have assumed, as Norman soon finds himself haunted by the undead. ParaNorman uses familiar horror tropes to tell a coming-of-age story that’s surprisingly resonant for all ages. —K.J.

Where to watch ParaNorman: Amazon Prime Video (to buy)

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Sam Fell, Chris Butler

Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Perfect Blue (1997)

If you’ve never dipped your toes into anime horror, then Perfect Blue is the perfect entry point. Directed by the legendary Satoshi Kon, the film follows Mima Kirigoe (Junko Iwao), a pop star looking to transition into acting and become a triple threat. Soon, though, her world is turned upside down by an unsettling and persistent stalker — or just a figment of her own fracturing psyche. EW’s writer notes how Kon’s debut feature established his knack for “Mature, grounded storytelling spiced with a distinctive and substantial magical surrealism.” It’s a hazy, muted, and melancholy movie that effortlessly blends what is with what if. —C.S.

Where to watch Perfect Blue: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Kid-friendly: No

Director: Satoshi Kon

Cast: Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji, Masaaki Ōkura, Yōsuke Akimoto

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)

Perhaps the most familiar trope of Scooby-Doo stories is the resolution, where our investigators unmask the human villains who are menaces dressed as monsters. Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island turns this formula on its head by having our protagonists (including voice acting legend Frank Welker as Fred) run afoul of actual monsters…ones whose heads are liable to pop up if they pull too hard on a supposed mask. —C.S.

Where to watch Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Kid-friendly: Yes

Director: Jim Stenstrum

Cast: Adrienne Barbeau, Mary Kay Bergman, Jim Cummings, Scott Innes, Mark Hamill

Seoul Station (2016)

Few live-action horror films pack as much punch as the brutal 2016 Korean zombie feature Train to Busan. Right on that modern classic’s heels is Seoul Station, the rare prequel that actually enhances the overall narrative. The original movie threw us into the mayhem almost instantly, and the resulting urgency is a major part of its appeal. By comparison, Seoul Station tells us more about how the zombie virus began while also spinning a tight, impactful story centered on three compelling characters. If you’ve got the time, we highly recommend you watch them back to back for one hell of a creepy double feature. —C.S.

Where to watch Seoul Station: Amazon Prime Video

Kid-friendly: No

Director: Yeon Sang-ho

Cast: Shim Eun-kyung, Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Joon

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Given how millions have enjoyed Wallace and Gromit’s small-screen adventures over the years, it’s hard to believe that The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was the duo’s first feature film. Here, Peter Sallis voices Wallace, an inventor hired by Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter) to save the town (and its vegetable gardens) from the titular rabbit. With the help of his dog, Gromit, Wallace is hoping to save the day and win the Lady’s affection, but he must compete with resident stuffed-shirt hunter Victor (Ralph Fiennes). —C.S.

Where to watch Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit: Apple TV (to rent)

Kid-friendly: Yes

Directors: Nick Park, Steve Box

Cast: Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter

Wendell & Wild (2022)

If Mad God is (understandably) a bit too intense for your tastes, then Wendell & Wild may be more of your stop-motion cup of tea. Henry Selick’s film tells the tale of the titular demonic brothers, their misadventures with a punk rock teen, and their struggles against Sister Helley, someone who is most definitely not the paragon of spiritual virtue that she pretends to be. The premise is fun, but the voice work from Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele is what gives this story its sizzle — and Selick certainly agrees. As EW previously reported, the director began watching old Key & Peele episodes on Comedy Central and “fell in love with those guys,” later harnessing their comedy chops in the most gonzo way that he possibly could. —C.S.

Where to watch Wendell & Wild: Netflix

Kid-friendly: Yes (for older children)

Director: Henry Selick

Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Angela Bassett, Lyric Ross, Ving Rhames, James Hong

Wicked City (1987)

Part of the fun of animated horror is that writers and directors can execute some insanely bonkers concepts without having to worry too much about the budget. That’s how you end up with movies like the anime Wicked City. It’s an epic tale of Earth’s uneasy relationship with a demon-filled dimension known as the Black World, meanwhile, only a human (Yūsaku Yara) and a demon (Toshiko Fujita) can preserve a fragile peace treaty that keeps the chaos at bay. The film raised quite a few eyebrows back in 1987 for its seamless blend of murder, mayhem, and erotica. But those have all been a staple of scary movies for decades, and Wicked City is now rightfully viewed as one of the genre’s preeminent animated horror features. —C.S.

Where to watch Wicked City: Amazon Prime Video

Kid-friendly: No

Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Cast: Yūsaku Yara, Toshiko Fujita, Ichirō Nagai, Takeshi Aono