Looking for that perfect ‘scary-ish’ movie the whole family can enjoy?  Here you go!

Halloweentown  (1998)

Three siblings find out that their grandmother (Debbie Reynolds of the retro classic song and dance fame and mother to Star Wars, Princess Leia), is a witch!  Plenty of silly fun, magic and family values.

Rating: TV-G

Ages: Common Sense Media recommends this movie for ages 7 and up.

Watch on: DisneyChannel.com ~ Stream on amazon  ~ Itunes

♦ ♦ ♦

“Return to Halloweentown”  (2006)

MY  “TROLL 2” CAST-MATE, Darren Ewing (Arnold – “My little flower”), IS IN THIS FILM!  

Check out Darren’s IMDB page.  He’s in several upcoming Christmas movie I’ll also be reviewing!

A sequel to the first, but a stand-alone movie, full of fun.  Will the kids save Halloweentown?

Watch Return to Halloweentown on: DisneyChannel.com ~ Stream on amazon  ~ Itunes

♦ ♦ ♦

“Frankenweenie” (2012)

A young Victor Frankenstein performs an experiment to bring his dog back to life.

I loved this movie, developed from the earliest imaginings of Tim Burton’s creative mind, even as a youth!

Rating: PG    Ages: Ok.com Viewers ages 9 and older.
Common Sense Media: “…will likely scare kids who are sensitive to the macabre,” it would be appropriate for “older kids and tweens who are ready for some scares.”

Watch on:

*ABC Family – Xfinity
* Stream on Amazon or iTunes

♦ ♦ ♦

“Monsters, Inc.” (2001)

Disney/Pixar

Disney/Pixar

Has that fun, ‘tender’ monster side!   Loved it.  

Disney/Pixar

The Monsters have a dilema.  It’s their job to scare all ‘toxic’ children!  But when a little girl ends up in the Monster factory, things may be seem the same.

John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly and John Ratzenberger headlines this all-star Pixar film.

♦ ♦ ♦ FOR THE YOUNGEST ONES! ♦ ♦ ♦

Rating: G   Ages: Ok.com Viewers ages 4 and older.

Watch on:
* Rent on Amazon Video or iTunes

♦ ♦ ♦

“Scared Shrekless” (2010)

Shrek invites his friends to spend Halloween night in Lord Farquaad’s haunted castle.

♦ ♦ ♦ FOR THE YOUNGER ONES! ♦ ♦ ♦
Rating: TV-PG   Ages: Common Sense Media Viewers ages 6 and older.

Watch on: Netflix: “Scared Shrekless” as part of DreamWorks’ “Spooky Stories” . The bundle also includes “The Ghost of Lord Farquaad” and “Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space.”

Streaming on amazon

♦ ♦ ♦

“Hocus Pocus”  (1993)

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy are hilarious as their witchy characters!  

The children in the film learn valuable lessons  as they face peril and the naughty witches!  Of course I love anything with a black kitty!  I cried at the end, but no worries… It’s all good.  

Rated PG

Watch:  Stream on amazon

♦ ♦ ♦

“The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”

Spooky fun with the ever wide-eyed, zany Don Knotts as he tries to prove to the town what he really saw in the town ‘haunted’ mansion!    See my previous In-depth Review!

Watch on:

Netflix, Xfinity and Direct TV

Also rent on amazon  video Streaming  

♦ ♦ ♦

“ParaNorman” (2012)

Great Halloween fare, featuring zombies, witches, cursed tomes with a boy that ‘sees dead people’.

“ParaNorman” is gorgeous visually that adults will appreciate.

Rating: PG Ages: Common Sense Media: Viewers ages 10 and older.  A few scenes might be a little intense for younger audiences.

Where to watch “ParaNorman”:
*ABC Family – Xfinity
*Streaming on amazon

♦ ♦ ♦

“Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein” (1999)

The mischievous chipmunks meet Dr. Frankenstein and are chased by his ‘monstrous’ creature.
Lessons on not “judging a book by its cover”!

♦ ♦ ♦ FOR THE YOUNGER ONES! ♦ ♦ ♦
Rating: G  Ages: Common Sense Media Viewers ages 6 and older.

Watch on:
*Stream on Netflix
*Stream on Amazon Video or iTunes

♦ ♦ ♦

“Spooky Buddies”

The puppies, adorned in their Halloween costumes, go on an adventure through a haunted mansion. Just the right amount of ‘spooky’ for the youngest ones.

♦ ♦ ♦ FOR THE YOUNGEST ONES! ♦ ♦ ♦

Watch on:

Spooky Buddies  – Streaming on amazon

♦ ♦ ♦

“Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest” (2013)

Curious George has some Halloween fun in this hour-long video.
♦ ♦ ♦ FOR THE YOUNGEST ONES! ♦ ♦ ♦
Common Sense Media:“…mildly spooky Halloween tale” that is “not truly suspenseful or frightening.”

Rating: NR  Ages: Common Sense Media Viewers ages 3 and older.

Watch on:
* Stream on Netflix
* Purchase streaming on Amazon Video or iTunes

“TROLL 2” (1990)

People are asking why I didn’t add my movie.  hee hee.

So if your kids are a bit older… here you go!  

My Goblins ~ My Babies!

Darren Ewing, Christine Reynolds and Deborah Reed

Deborah Reed – At my finest… lol

Troll 2 DVD or streaming on amazon.

Also on Xfinity and Hulu.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYBUDDIES!

Please Comment in box below!  I hope you will also Subscribe & Share.  ♥

The post 11 Fab Family-Friendly Halloween Movies streaming on Netflix, Amazon & TV appeared first on Deba Do Tell.

“Atta boy, Luther!” Ah, the memories!  This movie is extremely nostalgic for me.  Watching it again the other night was a riot and brought back so many happy twinges of fun.  I think mostly it was that my cute mom (gone nearly forty years) got such a kick out of it.  I was a teenager and I remember us yukking it up and having such a great time!  We were already Knotts fans, so this was extra icing on the Don Knotts cake!

To this day, I still quote that great line, “Atta boy, Luther!”  I used to torment my younger brother, saying that whenever he did something well, much to his chagrin.  Hee.  I think I’ll call him now.   I’m sure he’s done something good, today.  

Don Knotts stars as Luther Heggs, an underdog typesetter and wanna-be reporter.   He gets a chance at a story and spends the Midnight witching hour at the old Simmons murder mansion.

Luther is nearly scared to death when he thinks he sees a ghost and hears the organ playing by itself.

Luther then writes his story (leaving out the scared to death part), which becomes a newspaper sensation, catapulting him to small town hero fame.

Luther’s heart is with the wholesome town beauty, Alma, played by Joan Staley.

Who in reality, was a bombshell, playing sexy bit parts and a 1958 Playboy Centerfold.

But alas, she belongs to someone else.

But other problems for Luther are afoot.  The mansion’s owner brings a libel suit against him as his haunted mansion story has lessened the property’s value.

Court ensues with actor Dick Sargent, best known as Samantha’s second Darrin in Bewitched.

The trial judge orders an investigation into the haunting.

Will Luther who is now labeled a fraud be able to prove what he saw and heard to be true?

Will Luther get the girl?

You’ll have to watch to find out!

 The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a fun murder mystery for the whole family in this timeless comedy classic!

Also on amazon DVD and Streaming  

I learned an interesting bit of trivia on Wiki.  Some great info there.  Did you know Don Knotts is a sixth cousin of Ron Howard, the child co-star on The Andy Griffith Show?  

 Don Knotts had a very tough life growing up, with an alcoholic father who took his own life.  How Knotts dealt with those difficult early years, how he got the acting bug, eventually teaming up with Andy Griffith, is well worth the read.  I really enjoyed this book! 

Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show   by Daniel de Vis

*******

Thanks Everybuddies!  I hope you enjoyed my thoughts.  Let me know yours, below!

Please SUBSCRIBE (right column at top) ~ More Retro faves coming your way!   ~ Deba Do ♥

The post The Ghost and Mr. Chicken ~ Family Halloween Movie Fun appeared first on Deba Do Tell.