Halloween plans to trick-or-treat are on the sidelines for many Ontario families living in neighbourhoods where COVID-19 cases are rising. Canadians living elsewhere may also skip the door-to-door tradition, just to be extra safe.
But not all traditions are cancelled. The scary season can be celebrated from the comfort of home, thanks to spooky movie marathons, baking goodness, and dress-up fun.
Halloween costume ideas for families. Story continues after the slideshow.
Family Halloween Costumes
Families who long for the familiar sights of witches and ghouls can also queue up wholesome movies from most major streaming services. Halloween specials are thankfully pandemic-free and the only face mask worries tend to relate to unmasking Scooby-Doo villains.
To help narrow down what bewitching flick your household selects, we’ve rounded up our top picks for Halloween family movies Canadians can watch on Netflix, Disney Plus, Crave, and other streaming services:
Coraline
In this animated adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s dark story, a girl wanders into an alternate dimension and meets charming replicas of her parents — naturally, things are not as they seem. Also available on Crave.
Wizard of Oz
A timeless tale of wicked witches, ruby slippers and brave friends, set in the magical world of Oz.
Hubie Halloween
Adam Sandler plays a lovable outcast who hall-monitors the town of Salem through his favourite holiday.
And as for all Sandler movies, mild warning for some slightly adult jokes.
Scooby-Doo
The Mystery, Inc. gang reunites for a body-swapping adventure on a beach resort.
Hotel Transylvania
Another resort-themed movie, but with monsterous escapades. Hotel owner Dracula and friends get up to ghoulish antics in this animated flick. Also available on Crave.
Ghostbusters
Ghosts, giant marshmallow manifestations of ancient deities, Sigourney Weaver: What’s not to love? Also available on Crave.
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting
Tween babysitters kick monster butt, literally.
Monster House
A literal haunted house story come to life.
Harry Potter Franchise
Every magical adventure by the Boy Who Lived is available, making for a worthy marathon pick. Avid fans of the world may also enjoy “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them,” its skippable sequel.
Halloweentown
A family of witches protects their beloved town against supernatural forces of evil.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton’s supernatural musical sees the cheery pumpkin king, Jack Skellington, abscond his throne in favour of yuletide joy, to dastardly results.
Hocus Pocus
An annual must-watch that has kids squaring off with soul-sucking witches.
Maleficent
Angelina Jolie gets terrifying in this twisted version of a classic fairy tale.
Twitches
Teenage witches and their sisterly bond call for having the tissue box nearby.
Coco
A heart-wrenching tale about a musician and his love for family, which delves deep into Mexican folklore.
James and the Giant Peach
A quirky stop-motion classic featuring a boy finding his parents while inside a giant peach, his roving gang of talking bugs in tow.
Doctor Strange
For Marvel fans itching for a bewitching time, this film’s superhero discovers magic just in time to save the world.
Beetlejuice
Be prepared to hear a certain someone’s name after watching this darkly hilarious flick.
The Addams Family
This 2019 cartoon remake sees the deadpan clan take on a realistic villain: gentrification.
Cats
A controversial Halloween watch? Maybe. Love it or hate it, this star-studded musical about dancing cats will be absolutely impossible to forget.
Gremlins
Mysterious creatures become a brood of ferocious brutes. More of a Halloween movie thematically, but a Christmas flick if you squint.
Nancy Drew And The Hidden Staircase
A mystery comedy starring the enduring teen detective taking a stab at friendship, in the name of figuring out paranormal house activity.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Kaiju fans young and old can watch this PG-13 instalment in the legendary “Godzilla” franchise.
Despicable Me
Minions got their start in this 2019 franchise starter, where bumbling supervillain Gru is bested by the power of fatherhood. Pairs well with a viewing of Gru’s pandemic PSA.
Little Monsters
Fred Savage befriends a blue monster (played by Howie Mendel) and chaos ensues.
Special mentions
National Film Board of Canada
The six-minute cartoon short film “From Far Away” shows how kids come together to give a newcomer classmate a warm Halloween experience.
CBC Gem
The national broadcaster is streaming several Halloween specials from shows like “The Adventures of Paddington” and “The Furchester Hotel.”
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