Every year, the first day of October marks the beginning of the 30 days full of Halloween spirit leading up to the anticipated 31. Watching classic spooky movies is the perfect way to prepare. For those who cannot handle jumpscares or prefer to not watch horror movies, spooky movies provide that slightly dark, but not too scary vibe that guarantees to bring the Halloween energy to October. 

The best Halloween movies revive the nostalgia of trick-or-treating and dressing up as a child. Here is my ranking of the best spooky, not scary, Halloween movies.  

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Starting off with the classic, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” following Charlie and the Peanuts gang on Halloween. Linus spends his day searching for “the great pumpkin,” to whom he writes letters, reminding viewers of the magic of belief during the holidays. The movie’s 1960s animation and iconic characters provide a sentimental and nostalgic feel while including ghosts and pumpkins to add to the overall spooky spirit.

Coraline

While not considered a “Halloween” movie, Coraline’s gloomy setting and dark fantasy storyline consisting of doppelgangers, ghosts, eccentric characters and a sarcastic black cat, have the eerie elements to get one into the spooky spirit without going to the extent of horror. As Coraline finds a secret door that leads her into a parallel world and another life, the nightmarish psychological nature of the movie fits right into the spooky genre. 

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Although “The Nightmare Before Christmas” has historically sparked debates as to whether the movie fits into the Halloween or Christmas genre, it incorporates many Halloween elements to allow the viewer to feel the spirit. The main character, Jack Skellington, lives as the “Pumpkin King” in Halloweentown, a town filled with monsters and everlasting Halloween spirit. The movie takes a darker turn when Jack attempts to steal Christmas, causing havoc for both of the holidays. The stop-motion style filming and classic Tim Burton characters remind viewers of the classic Halloween feel.

Beetlejuice

Haunted houses and ghosts can always guarantee the playful scariness that shapes a good spooky movie. The movie “Beetlejuice” follows Lydia Deetz, an intelligent young girl with a gloomy personality and sense of humor, as ghosts haunt her house. Betelgeuse, a ghost hired to harass the Deetz family, becomes determined to marry Lydia. The combination of Betelgeuse’s obnoxious nature and Lydia’s blunt sarcastic self makes this movie a memorable staple in any Halloween watchlist.