There are only a few more days until Halloween! While it is sad to see the summer go, fall comes with beautiful scenery and fun holidays. Everyone wants to get into the holiday spirit as we gear up for Halloween. However, for a holiday dedicated to fright, not everyone can handle the more horrific aspects of it. But not liking horror doesn’t mean having to skip out on Halloween. Here are five movies and shows that are full of spooks and tricks, not screams and nightmares.
1.“Scooby-Doo”
With the recent news that the popular “Scooby-Doo” character, Velma, is a lesbian, what better time than to watch the live-action “Scooby-Doo” movie that brought the lovable Mystery Inc. to the lives of many in Gen-Z? “Scooby-Doo” is the perfect movie for the spooky season and offers some classic looks from Velma (Linda Cardellini) and Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar). The movie balances the funky flair of the original cartoon while adding just a few small scares. This is a great watch for anyone who wants to veer on spooky that is undercut with a whole lot of laughter. If the movies aren’t enough, “What’s New Scooby-Doo?” and “Scooby Doo Where are You?” are available to watch on HBO Max.
You can find “Scooby-Doo” and “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” streaming on Netflix.
2. “Twitches”
“Twitches” was a favorite of mine as a child. As an avid Disney Channel watcher, I was always up to date on the latest Disney Channel Original Movies. My family and I tuned in every Halloween season to watch this on TV. “Twitches” is the combination of the words twin witches, which the two protagonists are. Camryn (Tamera Mowry) and Alex (Tia Mowry) are twin witch royalty who reunite on their 21st birthday. They must come together to save their kingdom from the Darkness threatening to destroy all they know. It’s a fun watch that balances the supernatural with family fun.
“Twitches” is available on Disney+.
3. “Coraline”
“Coraline” is a classic that manages to be a family-friendly watch yet makes you question everything that you know to be true. The film has grown its own cult following on Twitter and Tumblr. When I first saw this film in the theater as a child, I came out with chills. “Coraline” creeps you out in just the right way. The story is imaginative enough that it doesn’t feel incredibly realistic. However, its incredible attention to detail still manages to make you feel all of the emotions of being scared.
“Coraline” is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video or on Youtube for $2.99.
4. “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”
This is a show more for an older crowd. A reboot of the original sitcom “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” from the 1990s, “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” takes a darker approach. Still geared toward a young adult audience, the show incorporates all of the fun of teen dramas with a dark twist. Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) is a normal teenage witch living in her town and trying to balance her mortal and supernatural lives.
“The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” can be found on Netflix.
5. “Brooklyn 99” Halloween Heists
“Brooklyn 99” is a show that one would not immediately connect to Halloween. However, throughout its eight seasons, the Halloween heist became a tradition for Precinct 99 and the beloved fans of the show. Each year, the detectives of the 99 organize a crazy complicated Halloween heist. The prize? A grand trophy and bragging rights to being the “Ultimate detective/genius” for the entire year. What makes these heist episodes so great is that they are not only taking place on Halloween but really gives into the holiday’s love of trickery. My favorite episode happens in Season 3.
You can find any of the Halloween Heist episodes of “Brooklyn 99” streaming now on Peacock.