12 fun movies for Halloween

The Addams Family

Look! A new chapter… scabs! The Addams family is one of those TV-to-movie adaptations that is actually better on the big screen. With a talented cast of Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia and Christopher Lloyd, this is the best monster family out there. Uncle Fester and the rest of the family embody everything Halloween is about. Embrace the weird, and watch The Addams Family.

Beetlejuice

Before saying "Candyman" three times was a thing, there was Beetlejuice. In what might be Tim Burton's best film, Beetlejuice stars Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis as a married couple who discover that they died and are trying to cope with it. When a new family moves into their house, they want them gone. Only the daughter, Winona Ryder, can see them. They call on the help of Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to help them scare the living out of their house. Things don't go how they want, but a ton of fun ensues. It has that natural creepiness that all Tim Burton films do, but this is one of my favorite movies of all-time and a must-watch.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Not sure you'll want to watch this one with kids around. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is one of the biggest cult films of all-time. People dress up to go watch productions or viewings of it and shout lines at certain parts. It's a movie I always avoided watching, because people obsessed with it can make you hate it, but when I finally sat down and watched it, it was pretty damn good. Part musical, part comedy, and all weird, this is where the word "different" gets its meaning. If you're looking for something more adult, the tranny seducing a newly engaged all-American couple will do the trick. Embrace the sex and the weird this Halloween.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Another Tim Burton film! The Nightmare Before Christmas is both a Halloween and Christmas movie, as it blends both worlds together. Really young kids might be a little creeped out by the look of some of the citizens of Halloweentown, but ultimately, this is a movie the family will enjoy together. Jack Skellington's makes a Halloweenish Christmas, or a Christmas-y Halloween, depending on how you look at it. Seeing as how it takes place in Halloweentown, I'd say this is a must-watch for Halloween.

Zombieland

Just like Shaun of the Dead, but less British and more awesome. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin survive the zombie Apocalypse as they travel across the US. We learn the rules of surviving against zombies, and also watch some really creative ways at killing them. There's not really any scary parts in the movie, so it's mostly a comedy. Oh, and it has Bill Murray in it.

Ghostbusters

If I have to justify this to you, then leave. Just get out. This is one of the best, funniest movies ever made. People are begging for a crappy third Ghostbusters movie to be made, just because the first one was so good. I had every Ghostbusters toy made, that's how much I love it. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson and Rick Moranis — what more can you ask for? It's just an awesome cast saving New York City from ghosts. By far, this should be the number one film you reach for to watch for Halloween.

You can follow Movies and Culture Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at [email protected]

Halloween doesn't only have to be about scares. There's plenty of comedy horror — or just good ol' comedy — films that capture the spirit of Halloween. That spirit doesn't have to haunt you or possess. It can merely entertain you, giving you a few laughs and a case of nostalgia. Some of these films are family friends, others arne't, but regardless, you're gauranteed to have a good holidy with these 12 fun films for Halloween.

Ernest Scared Stupid

Funny, as a kid, I remember liking the Ernest movies a lot more. Jim Varney was perfect as the wacky protagonist that consistently gets himself into difficult situations. This one happens to take place on Halloween when he accidentally unleashes an evil troll. It's not a good movie by any means, but if you're a child of the 80s, the nostalgia alone is worth a watch.

Scary Movie 2

The last good entry in the Scary Movie franchise was the last one with the Wayans brothers. Marlon Wayans is now doing A Haunted House, which is a parody movie of Paranormal Activity. But let's not forget one of the best horror movie parodies there is — Scary Movie 2. It parodies horror movies like The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror, Poltergeist, Hollow Man, The Legend of Hell House, and The Haunting. Not appropriate for kids, but adults will have a good laugh with this one.

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

A musical sci-fi comedy horror film directed by Frank Oz, Little Shop of Horrors had a great cast of Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, James Belushi, John Candy and Bill Murray. Moranis plays Seymour Krelborn, a nerdy florist who gets a chance at success and the love of his life because of an giant, alien, man-eating plant he found. The songs are funny and the movie is great. Just make sure you don't watch the 1960s version — that one isn't good. It's also rumored that Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be starring in a new Little Shop of Horrors, so let's hope that happens. By the way, I played Orin Scrivello (Steve Martin) in my high school musical, and my wife played Audrey, so this movie is dear to me.

Shaun of the Dead

With some genuinely tense moments and plenty of blood, this British horror comedy starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost came out when zombies were just starting to take off. Its witty and dry British humor works perfectly in this not so serious zombie flick. Shaun is a lazy lowlife who uses the zombie apocalypse as an opportunity to show everyone he's useful and win his ex-girlfriend back.

Hocus Pocus


Hocus Pocus Trailer on Disney Video

Probably the family-friendliest film on the list, Hocus Pocus from Disney is a Halloween film the whole family can enjoy. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker (the young, pretty version) and Kathy Najimy stars as the Sanderson Sisters, three witches from the 1690s who come back, thanks to a curse, on Halloween to put Salem under their spell and regain their youth by sucking the lives out of children. It's one of Disney's best Halloween movies and worthy of a watch this time of the year.

Young Frankenstein

From the comedic genius of Mel Brooks comes Young Frankenstein. As a child, I thought this was a legit horror movie. As I approached my teens, though, I realized that this is one of Mel Brooks funniest and finest movies. It's the funniest Frankenstein tale you can find, and Gene Wilder is amazing in it. It's a classic with typical Mel Brooks humor that won't go unnoticed by adults.

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