16 creepy movies that will keep you up at night

Scary movies are fun—until it’s time to go to bed and you’re suddenly afraid of the dark and forced to force yourself to watch your favorite comforting show until all the fear leaves you. Creepy movies like Hocus Pocus offer the perfect balance of humor and scary scenes, but nothing too scary to keep you awake past your nap.

Here are 16 spooky movies to enjoy this Halloween.

1. “Ghostbusters”

After a trio of parapsychologists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray) lose their jobs at New York University, they decide to open a business called Ghostbusters, using their paranormal experience to rid the city of ghosts.

Things are slow at first, but when the Ghostbusters accidentally unleash an army of supernatural creatures, they receive more business than they bargained for. These ghost-fighting scientists must outwit chaotic paranormal creatures and save New York from complete destruction.

Rating: PG for some strong language and sexual content.

Where to see: Peacock.

2. Beetlejuice

Newlyweds Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) are doomed to spend the afterlife in their country house. The couple got used to doing their own thing until the family moved into the house and began doing major renovations.

Desperate to have a home for themselves again, Barbara and Adam try to dissuade the new family, but to no avail. With no other choice, they turn to Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), a boisterous ghost whose help suddenly escalates and becomes dangerous for the new family’s teenage daughter, Lydia (Winona Ryder).

Rating: PG for violence and frightening scenes and some strong language.

Where to see: Max.

3. “The Sixth Sense”

Cole Cyr (Haley Joel Osment) has a sixth sense – he can see ghosts. Troubled spirits often visit Cole and ask for help with unresolved problems. Cole lives in constant fear, keeping his unique abilities a secret.

He eventually shares his ability to torture with child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), who is determined to find an explanation for Cole’s sixth sense.

Rating: PG-13 for strong thematic material and disturbing images.

Where to see: Rent on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube TV.

4. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) knows this. Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) does too, but most of the wizarding world is convinced that Harry is making things up.

Harry is haunted by his encounter with the Dark Wizard last school year and the unexpected death of his classmate Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson).

Rating: PG-13 for fantasy violence and disturbing images.

Where to see: Max, Peacock.

5. “Practical Magic”

Sisters Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) come from a long line of witches. For generations, the Owens women suffered from an ancient curse that doomed anyone they fell in love with to an early death.

When the curse claims another victim, Gillian turns to Sally to help hide the body. The Owens sisters are forced to use their magical powers when handsome police detective Gary Hallett (Aidan Quinn) comes looking for answers.

Rating: PG-13 for violence and strong thematic events.

Where to see: Hulu.

6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Typical teenager Buffy Summers (Kristy Swanson) is revealed to her true calling by a mysterious man named Merrick (Donald Sutherland), who has come to train her as the Slayer. Buffy quickly sets about killing vampires, but at the expense of normality. With the help of fellow outcast Pike (Luke Perry), Buffy battles the ruthless ancient vampire Lotus (Rutger Hauer), who seeks to destroy Buffy at any cost.

Rating: PG-13 for comic violence and drug references.

Where to see: Max.

7. Edward Scissorhands

For years, Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp) lived isolated from his community. He is the unfinished creation of an eccentric inventor who died before he could make real hands for Edward. Despite his sweet demeanor and artistic abilities, Edward’s scissors keep him hidden from others.

When a suburban family discovers Edward, he impresses the residents with his artistic talents in trimming shrubs and even falls in love.

Rating: PG-13 for violence, intense scenes and strong language.

Where to see: Max, Disney+.

8. “Hocus Pocus”

Three centuries ago, the Sanderson sisters were sentenced to death in Salem, Massachusetts for practicing dark magic. Their nefarious spirits are awakened on Halloween night by teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz), his little sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend Allison (Vinessa Shaw).

To save Salem from destruction, the children must lure these diabolical witches back to their resting place.

Rating: PG for scary scenes and some strong language.

Where to see: Disney+.

9. “Goosebumps”

New kid in town Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) accidentally unleashes all the monsters from the Goosebumps book series. Mischievous animals are ready to take over the city and have no intention of returning to their books.

Rating: PG for intense action and some rude humor.

Where to see: Netflix.

10. “Scooby-Doo”

It’s been two years since Scooby-Doo and his gang of detectives – Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and Velma (Linda Cardellini) – closed the doors to their detective business, Mystery Inc. . The team reunites on Mysterious Island to solve a mysterious paranormal mystery.

Rating: PG for crude humor and disturbing action.

Where to see: Max, Amazon Prime.

11. “The Addams Family”

The Addams family is thrilled when Gomez’s (Raul Julia) missing brother, Fester (Christopher Lloyd), shows up on their doorstep.

When Fester can’t remember key details of his life, Morticia Addams (Anjelica Huston) becomes skeptical that the man living in their house is an impostor. Using a devious plan, the Fester impersonator drives the Addams family out of their home and hopes to steal their fortune.

Rating: PG-13 for violence and gore.

Where to see: Paramount+.

12. “Dark Shadows”

Two centuries ago, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) was cursed, turned into a vampire and buried forever by a jealous witch (Eva Green). It’s 1972, and Barnabas has returned with a vengeance, determined to restore his once grand estate, take revenge on the woman who cursed him, and make sense of the modern world.

Rating: PG-13 for comic violence, sexual content and strong language.

Where to see: Hulu, Max.

13. “Gremlins”

Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) gets an unusual, cute creature for Christmas. As long as he follows simple rules, his new pet Gizmo will be obedient. When two of the three rules are broken, the cute creature turns into a living nightmare, threatening to destroy the entire city with chaos.

Rating: PG for some violence and intense scenes.

Where to see: Rent on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube TV.

14. “Hint”

Six guests are anonymously invited to a dinner party at an isolated estate. When a guest arrives at Hill House, they are each given an alias and introduced to the owner (Lee Wing), who gives each one a weapon. As the guests gather, the lights go out and the host is killed.

Everyone is a suspect. Guests must uncover the killer and avoid becoming his next victim.

Rating: PG for mild violence.

Where to see: Amazon Prime.

15. “So I Married an Ax Murderer.”

Charlie (Mike Myers) suffers from commitment anxiety. He hasn’t had much success in his dating life until he meets Harriet Michaels (Nancy Travis), a beautiful butcher whom he even introduces to his parents.

But as news of the serial killer spread, “Mrs. X” – who killed several men during their honeymoon, Charlie’s parents suspect that Harriett might be the killer. Believing his parents’ theory to be crazy, Charlie proposes to Harriett.

Rating: PG-13 for language and some comic violence.

Where to see: Max, Amazon Prime.

16. “Casper”

Whipstaff Manor hides a vast fortune, but Carrigan Crittenden (Cathy Moriarty) is constantly defeated by ghosts, especially Casper (Devon Sawa), a misunderstood, lonely ghost who means no harm.

Desperate to rid the manor of ghosts and track down the hidden treasure, Carrigan hires afterlife therapist Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman) to clear the mansion of ghosts. James and his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) move in and take on the responsibility of helping the ghosts transition to the afterlife.

Rating: PG for mild language and thematic scenes.

Where to see: Netflix.