Tame Halloween horror films to stream right now if you scare easily

Add these films to your watch list including some you can stream for free if you can't handle horror

We've reached the time of the year so often dubbed as spooky season where pumpkins are placed on doorsteps and darker nights are the perfect excuse for a movie marathon.

However, even if you are not a horror expert or able to handle the biggest scares, that doesn't mean you can't indulge in some Halloween themed films.

There are plenty of choices available to stream right now that can allow you to take part in the monstrous or supernatural but still able to go to sleep afterwards.

Below is a list of horror or Halloween appropriate films that you can watch this spooky season.

Shaun of the Dead

There's no better way to start a casual Halloween viewing than with the film celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Originally marketed as a romantic comedy with zombies, the Edgar Wright helmed film has become a firm favourite for October and even Valentine's Day.

A blending of genres, it leans more on the comedy but as Wright and star Simon Pegg are massive George Romero fans, they certainly take their zombies seriously.

While it goes easy on the scares, it does indulge on a fair bit of gore later on. Just close your eyes when someone gets too close to the windows.

Shaun of the Dead is available to stream on ITVX, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Hubie Halloween

Speaking of comedy, the Adam Sandler starring Hubie Halloween is a safe option for a spooky themed film that isn't going to disturb the rest of your night.

Sandler plays Hubie, who delegates himself as his town's Halloween Helper. He is subject of many pranks pulled by his neighbours in Salem, but on Halloween he is pulled into a real murder investigation as he discovers they are all under threat from monsters, but no one believes him.

This is an option that should be safer to have on if the kids are still up and eating all the sweets gathered when trick or treating. That includes the big kids too!

Hubie Halloween is available to stream on Netflix.

The Addams Family

Speaking of more family friendly options, The Addams Family is firmly placed among that category.

The film also leans heavily on comedy rather than scares and should appease anyone who likes the films of Tim Burton - see also The Nightmare Before Christmas and Beetlejuice along with its recent sequel.

If you enjoy this, you could also follow it up with a binge of the Wednesday series on Netflix.

The Addams Family is available to stream on NOW TV, Amazon Prime and ITVX.

Get Out

Jordan Peele's directorial debut became a cult hit almost overnight and that could be down to a combination of his unorthodox approach to the genre and his history in sketch comedy.

Feeling more like a psychological thriller, Get Out is at home on any kind of Halloween watch list, including for those who can't handle the traditional horror fare.

The film makes you watch the character's experience of horror to unnerving effect and the slow reveal as to what's really going on is deeply unsettling.

If you want to feel like a film buff while also avoiding gore and monsters, Get Out is for you.

Get Out is available to stream on Netflix.

The Cabin in the Woods

Similar to Shaun of the Dead, Cabin in the Woods is an attempt at subverting the horror genre.

It sets itself up like a recognisable slasher with a group of teens, including a younger looking Chris Hemsworth, meeting up at an isolated cabin, guess where? In the woods.

What they are unaware of is that there's a secret lab underneath the cabin and it isn't long before sinister creatures are unleashed.

The film is more focused on examining the horror genre rather than really getting a scare out of its audience, which makes it a safer bet.

As a review in Cinema Blend stated upon its release: "You really have to see it if you love horror, hate horror, or have any interest in seeing how the genre can function as a playground for something completely fresh."

Cabin in the Woods is available to stream on Netflix and Amazon Prime

The Mist

It's not a list of horror movies without a Stephen King adaptation included as an option.

Frank Darabont directed one of the best screen versions of King's work with The Shawshank Redemption but he also gave the movie treatment to one of the beloved author's horror stories.

In The Mist, a mysterious fog descends on a small town, eventually trapping several residents in a supermarket.

Dangerous monsters lurk waiting to attack but good for the sensitive viewer, they are very much hidden. While the film has the odd jump scare, the point of the film is showing how the human characters react to their hopeless situation rather than show you scary monsters.

The ending is the standout as it opts for a significantly darker tone than the original material. Stephen King even preferred it and said he wished he came up with it for the book.

The Mist is available to stream on Amazon Prime

New Mutants

Yes, there is technically a Marvel horror film.

With its original cinema release in 2020 severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, New Mutants is probably one of the most under watched offering of Marvel's recent comic book adaptations.

Although not part of the MCU, it follows a selection of mutants we haven't seen before but instead of being taken to Charles Xavier's school, they are sent somewhere that doesn't have their best interests in mind.

Director Josh Boone very much leans more into horror genre, with one of the mutants powers able to conjure up actual monsters from nightmares.

It's an option for those who just want to flirt a little with something creepy without having to worry about any jump scares.

New Mutants is available to stream on Disney+