Who says that you need to watch horror movies with gory images and jumpscares to enjoy Halloween? If petrifying movies aren’t your cup of tea, then you can always watch awesome animated Halloween movies to get the holiday vibe. These animations are as good as, if not better than, many cult-classic horror flicks.
So let’s enter the colorful and unique world of Halloween cartoons. Spirits, vampires, ghouls,... you can bet that we got all of your favorite monsters. Happy Halloween!
1. Coraline
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Coraline is a must-watch on Halloween. It has everything a great Halloween movie has and more. Watching Coraline is like diving into a colorful world with beautiful animation and a very creative storyline. It’s a little bit scary and a lot of wholesome. Every character is memorable and the visual is out of this world. Coraline deserves a place on everybody’s Halloween movie list.
2. Monster House
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If you like haunted houses but hate the “no one gets out alive” trope, then this movie is for you. Monster House is about a group of kids that venture into an abandoned house on their street. It’s the twist at the end about Mr. Nebbercracker's backstory that makes the whole movie becomes much deeper and more emotional. The characters are well-written in a believable way. Overall, Monster House is a unique haunted house movie that is worth watching.
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas
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People have been debating over The Nightmare Before Christmas for years. Is it a Halloween movie, or a Christmas movie? Well, it’s a perfect mix of both. The combination of Tim Burton's unique macabre style and stop-motion created an almost fairytale sense of wonder in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The unique designs of the characters in the movie are both creepy and cute at the same time. The story was quite heartwarming, despite it being about the Pumpkin King kidnapping Santa Claus in an attempt to take over Christmas for himself.
4. Paranorman
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Paranorman is one of the best stop-motion animated movies, and it happens to be a great Halloween movie too. Each character was given a very unique look that wouldn't bore you. Paranorman tells the classic story of a bullied boy named Norman who can talk to dead people. Together with his friends and family, he fixes the wrongs done by their ancestors.
It may sound cheesy, but Paranorman is incredibly touching. It shows you how the outcasts support other outcasts, which hits home no matter your age.
5. Frankenweenie
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If you’re a dog lover and a fan of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, then this is the movie for you. Frankenweenie is a heartbreaking tale about a boy and his dog. It may lack the awesome musical numbers that are normally found in Tim Burton's, but the comedy and horror elements in this movie are just top-notch. There is no doubt that Frankenweenie is one of the most unique adaptations of Frankenstein.
6. Corpse Bride
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Corpse Bride is another great stop-motion movie that features stunning visuals and a heartbreaking storyline. Seriously, Emily must be one of the most iconic Halloween characters ever. A bunch of people dress up as her every Halloween! Mesmerizing design aside, Corpse Bride’s story can really make you shed a tear, especially the ending.
7. Spirited Away
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Spirits, witches, curses, monsters,... Spirited Away got it all. This beautiful Ghibli film will lead you to the enchanting yet a little bit scary world of the yokai. Spirited Away tells the story of a family that accidentally wanders into the spirit world. The parents are turned into pigs after they eat the food here and their daughter has to rescue them.
8. Hotel Transylvania
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Speaking about family, Hotel Transylvania is also another perfect movie to watch on Halloween night with your family. It tells the story of count Dracula, who is so tired of living in a world that hates monsters, he decides to build a hidden hotel where monsters can retreat to. Things got out of hand when a regular human arrived by mistake. His 118 years old daughter Mavis wanting to leave the castle also not helping.
9. Mickey's House of Villains
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The Halloween special of Mickey's House of Mouse can easily be one of the best episodes in the series. It's just so fun to watch the Disney villains teaming up to take over Mickey's nightclub. Jafar even renames the House of Mouse to the House of Villains!
10. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Source: Disney/ Courtesy Everett Collection
Another old-but-gold Disney animation that’s worth watching on Halloween is The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. The hand-drawn animation is beautiful and the concept is wild. The story was a mixture of The Wind in the Willows and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. If you have kids that like dark Tim Burton movies but are too young to watch his Sleepy Hollow, then this one is for you.
And that is the end of our list. Did you watch all of them? Which one do you think is the best? If you still want more movies that won't make you have nightmares for days, check out these
10 Movies That Aren’t Scary But Still Fun As Hell To Watch On Halloween.