Blisscraft Life With Christina Katz

One thing most writers do not realize about platform development is that it is a long-term practice. In fact, it’s a career-long process.

At least, it is a career-long process if you want to get the most out of it.

So many writers focus their energy and intention on building that very first website and getting on social media for the first time, but then lose interest once they have hit these marks.

What they don’t realize is that building your first site and getting ready to use social media is just the beginning of making the most of your platform throughout your career.

Look at Martha Stewart, for example. Once upon a time her website was new and she’d just created profiles on social media outlets.

Was she done at that point?

Of course not. It was just the beginning! And every year creates another new beginning not just for Martha, but for any writer.

It’s so easy to see how shortsighted this sounds when we talk about the career of someone else.

But it’s much harder to admit when we are considering our own career, and how much more work we still have to do.

Luckily, if this describes you, I have created a self-paced one-hour class on Udemy.com that can help put you through the paces of your writing career, so you can gather up the best of who you are and what you do, and share that with the world.

Just don’t forget that this story evolves every year, as your career evolves.

That’s why I created my class to work for both first-time platform builders and veteran platform builders.

Obviously veterans are going to work through the class more quickly than first-timers, because they already have a platform foundation established.

I suggest you designate a time of year each year just for platform review and updating. I usually do it now, just before the New Year. And I love doing it because I love to learn all that I accomplished in the past year.

I hope you will join me in reviewing your platform progress and updating your online presence to make it more current and effective.

I’m happy to offer you a discount coupon on my class, Writer Platform Success: Discover Strengths & Grow Confident, 24 Questions To Answer Before You Build Your Writing Platform Using The Platform Bingo Method LINK

Subscribe to my newsletter, follow my blog, and follow me on social media so you won’t miss discount coupons for this course. I am about to send out my monthly newsletter with a great discount!

Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you!

I have been working on the annual update of my list of movies about writers and the writing life.

My husband Jason and I created this list during the summer of 2011 and I have updated it with a little help from my readers every year since.

I know it may not look like much, but maintaining this list takes considerable concentration and effort.

Even so, I almost always miss something obvious. So here’s your chance to be a contributor!

If you would like to make a suggested addition, here are the selection parameters:

• A main character in the film must be a writer. No ensembles in this list unless writing is central to the storyline.
• Only cinema movies are included. No TV movies.
• Only print journalism. No broadcast journalism in this list. Screenwriting and TV writing are both represented. Bloggers are included.
• Biographies or biopics about writers are listed. No documentaries are included.
• No academics as central characters, unless the character is a novelist or some other type of writer.
• Diaries are included, if the diary is part of the central part of the story.
• If a film is about a writer but is obscure or very unknown it may have been intentionally excluded.
• Films are listed in chronological order by release year.
• If a movie was re-released, then it is listed by its most recent release date.

Even if you don’t want to contribute, peruse the list. If you are a writer, you are sure to find a movie you will love!

1. Barrets of Wimpole St. (1934) LINK
2. It Happened One Night (1934) LINK
3. His Girl Friday (1940) LINK
4. The Philadelphia Story (1940) LINK
5. Foreign Correspondent (1940) LINK
6. Woman of the Year (1942) LINK
7. Old Acquaintance (1943) LINK
8. The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944) LINK
9. It Happened Tomorrow (1944) LINK
10. The Lost Weekend (1945) LINK
11. Christmas in Connecticut (1945) LINK
12. The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) LINK
13. I Remember Mama (1948) LINK
14. Call Northside 777 (1948) LINK
15. The Third Man (1949) LINK
16. In a Lonely Place (1950) LINK
17. Sunset Boulevard (1950) LINK
18. Orpheus (1950) LINK
19. Ace in the Hole (1951) LINK
20. Hans Christian Andersen (1952) LINK
21. A Face In The Crowd (1957) LINK
22. Some Came Running (1958) LINK
23. Teacher’s Pet (1958) LINK
24. The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) LINK
25. La Dolce Vita (1960) LINK
26. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) LINK
27. Through A Glass Darkly (1961) LINK
28. The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962) LINK
29. Jules and Jim (1962) LINK
30. 8 ½ (1963) LINK
31. Contempt (1963) LINK
32. Youngblood Hawke (1964) LINK
33. A Man For All Seasons (1966) LINK
34. Color of Pomegranates (1968) LINK
35. The Odd Couple (1968) LINK
36. Man of La Mancha (1972) LINK
37. Sleuth (1972) LINK
38. The Way We Were (1973) LINK
39. Front Page (1974, originally 1931) LINK
40. All the Presidents Men (1976) LINK
41. The Front (1976) LINK
42. Julia (1977) LINK
43. Providence (1977)
44. Superman (1978) LINK
45. Stevie (1978) LINK
46. My Brilliant Career (1979) LINK
47. Manhattan (1979) LINK
48. Heart Beat (1980) LINK
49. Seems Like Old Times (1980) LINK
50. The Shining (1980) LINK
51. Somewhere in Time (1980) LINK
52. Reds (1981) LINK
53. Rich & Famous (1981) LINK
54. Priest of Love (1981) LINK
55. The World According to Garp (1982) LINK
56. Deathtrap (1982) LINK
57. Author! Author! (1982) LINK
58. My Favorite Year (1982) LINK
59. Missing (1982) LINK
60. Sophie’s Choice (1982) LINK
61. The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) LINK
62. Cross Creek (1983) LINK
63. American Dreamer (1984) LINK
64. Romancing The Stone (1984) LINK
65. Irreconcilable Differences (1984) LINK
66. Just One of the Guys (1985) LINK
67. Out of Africa (1985) LINK
68. Mishima: A Life in 4 Chapters (1985) LINK
69. Heartburn (1986) LINK
70. Stand By Me (1986) LINK
71. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) LINK
72. 84 Charing Cross Road (1986) LINK
73. The Singing Detective (1986) LINK
74. Throw Mama From the Train (1987) LINK
75. Barfly (1987) LINK
76. Waiting for the Moon (1987) LINK
77. Prick Up Your Ears (1987) LINK
78. Best Seller (1987) LINK
79. Rowing With the Wind (1988) LINK
76. Funny Farm (1988) LINK
80. The Accidental Tourist (1988) LINK
81. Da (1988) LINK
82. Her Alibi (1989) LINK
83. My Left Foot (1989) LINK
84. Beautiful Dreamers (1990) LINK
85. An Angel at My Table (1990) LINK
86. Henry and June (1990) LINK
87. Misery (1990) LINK
88. Closetland (1991) LINK
89. Impromptu (1991) LINK
90. Barton Fink (1991) LINK
91. Naked Lunch (1991) LINK
92. Hedd Wynn (1992) LINK
93. The Player (1992) LINK
94. Basic Instinct (1992) LINK
95. Sleepless in Seattle (1993) LINK
96. The Pelican Brief (1993) LINK
97. So I Married An Ax Murderer (1993) LINK
98. The Dark Half (1993) LINK
99. Shadowlands (1993) LINK
100. Poetic Justice (1993) LINK
101. The Paper (1994) LINK
102. Bullets Over Broadway (1994) LINK
103. Paperback Romance (1994) LINK
104. Tom & Viv (1994) LINK
105. Little Women (1994) LINK
106. Il Postino: The Postman (1994) LINK
107. Mrs. Parker & The Vicious Circle (1994) LINK
108. Delta of Venus (1995) LINK
109. Total Eclipse (1995) LINK
110. The Flower of My Secret (1995) LINK
111. Leaving Las Vegas (1995) LINK
112. Carrington (1995) LINK
113. Delores Claiborne (1995) LINK
114. Smoke (1995) LINK
115. The Pillow Book (1996) LINK
116. The Whole Wide World (1996) LINK
117. Mother (1996) LINK
118. Hamsun (1996) LINK
119. The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1996) LINK
120. Welcome to Sarajevo (1997) LINK
121. Deconstructing Harry (1997) LINK
122. Henry Fool (1997) LINK
123. Wilde (1997) LINK
124. Chasing Amy (1997) LINK
125. One True Thing (1998) LINK
126. Shakespeare In Love (1998) LINK
127. A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries (1998) LINK
128. Eternity and a Day (1998) LINK
129. Permanent Midnight (1998) LINK
130. A Murder of Crows (1998) LINK
131. Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) LINK
132. Croupier (1998) LINK
133. Slam (1998) LINK
134. Les Enfants Du Siècle / The Children of the Century (1999) LINK
135. Topsy Turvey (1999) LIST
136. The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999) LINK
137. Snow Falling on Cedars (1999) LINK
138. Never Been Kissed (1999) LINK
139. The Best Man (1999) LINK
140. The End of the Affair (1999, originally 1955) LINK
141. The Muse (1999) LINK
142. True Crime (1999) LINK
143. Bamboozled (2000) LINK
144. Almost Famous (2000) LINK
145. Before Night Falls (2000) LINK
146. Joe Gould’s Secret (2000) LINK
147. Nora (2000) LINK
148. Pandaemonium (2000) LINK
149. Wonder Boys (2000) LINK
150. Finding Forrester (2000) LINK
151. Quills (2000) LINK
152. Isn’t She Great (2000) LINK
153. Prozac Nation (2001) LINK
154. Pinero (2001) LINK
155. Iris (2001) LINK
156. Moulin Rouge (2001) LINK
157. The Shipping News (2001) LINK
158. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) LINK
159. Bridget Jones Diary (2001) LINK
160. Storytelling (2001) LINK
161. Riding in Cars with Boys (2001) LINK
162. How to Kill your Neighbor’s Dog (2001) LINK
163. Orange County (2002) LINK
164. Possession (2002) LINK
165. The Hours (2002) LINK
166. Adaptation. (2002) LINK
167. Blue Car (2002) LINK
168. I Capture the Castle (2003) LINK
169. Alex & Emma (2003) LINK
170. Shattered Glass (2003) LINK
171. American Splendor (2003) LINK
172. As Good As It Gets (2003) LINK
173. Sylvia (2003) LINK
174. Cheaper By The Dozen (2003) LINK
175. Something’s Gotta Give (2003) LINK
176. Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) LINK
177. Swimming Pool (2003) LINK
178. Veronica Guerin (2003) LINK
179. The United States of Leland (2003) LINK
180. Notre Musique (2004) LINK
181. Before Sunset (2004) LINK
182. Sideways (2004) LINK
183. The Libertine (2004) LINK
184. Finding Neverland (2004) LINK
185. Motorcycle Diaries (2004) LINK
186. Secret Window (2004) LINK
187. The Door in the Floor (2004) LINK
188. La Tigre E La Neve / Tiger and the Snow (2005) LINK
189. The Dying Gaul (2005) LINK
185. The Squid and the Whale (2005) LINK
186. Capote (2005) LINK
187. The Prize-winner of Defiance Ohio (2005) LINK
188. Factotum (2005) LINK
189. Winter Passing (2005) LINK
190. Shadows In The Sun (2005) LINK
191. The Night Listener (2006) LINK
192. Stranger Than Fiction (2006) LINK
193. Scoop (2006) LINK
194. The TV Set (2006) LINK
195. The Hoax (2006) LINK
196. Infamous (2006) LINK
197. Half Light (2006) LINK
198. Miss Potter (2006) LINK
199. Ask the Dust (2006) LINK
200. Reprise (2006) LINK
201. The Lives Of Others (2006) LINK
202. Running with Scissors (2006) LINK
203. Love and other Disasters (2006) LINK
204. A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints LINK
205. Starting Out in the Evening (2007) LINK
206. Martian Child (2007) LINK
207. Slipstream (2007) LINK
208. Freedom Writers (2007) LINK
209. Becoming Jane (2007) LINK
210. A Mighty Heart (2007) LINK
211. Dan in Real Life (2007) LINK
212. Purple Violets (2007) LINK
213. Moliere (2007) LINK
214. In the Land of Women (2007) LINK
215. Zodiac (2007) LINK
216. Music and Lyrics (2007) LINK
217. 1408 (2007) LINK
218. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) LINK
219. Atonement (2007) LINK
220. 27 Dresses (2007) LINK
221. Roman De Gare (2007) LINK
222. Angel (2007) LINK
223. Resurrecting The Champ (2007) LINK
224. Sleuth (2007) LINK
225. The Kite Runner (2007) LINK
226. Margot At The Wedding (2007) LINK
227. Nim’s Island (2008) LINK
228. Marley & Me (2008) LINK
229. The Edge of Love (2008) LINK
230. The Stoning of Soroya M. (2008) LINK
231. Me and Orson Welles (2008) LINK
232. Burn After Reading (2008) LINK
233. Sex & The City: The Movie (2008) LINK
234. Good (2008) LINK
235. Funny People (2009) LINK
236. 500 Days of Summer (2009) LINK
237. Julie & Julia (2009) LINK
238. Gentleman Broncos (2009) LINK
239. Bright Star (2009) LINK
240. The Answer Man (2009) LINK
241. 2012 (2009) LINK
242. Motherhood (2009) LINK
243. Broken Embraces (2009) LINK
244. The Soloist (2009) LINK
245. World’s Greatest Dad (2009) LINK
246. The Last Station (2009) LINK
247. Cole (2009) LINK
248. The Boys are Back (2009) LINK
249. Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) LINK
250. Spoken Word (2009) LINK
251. Tetro (2009) LINK
252. State of Play (2009) LINK
253. Nine (2009) LINK
254. The City of Your Final Destination (2009) LINK
255. Certified Copy (2010) LINK
256. The Rum Diary (2010) LINK
257. The Ghost Writer (2010) LINK
258. Howl (2010) LINK
259. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010) LINK
260. Sex & The City 2 (2010) LINK
261. Eat, Pray, Love (2010) LINK
262. A Closed Book (2010) LINK
263. Peep World (2010) LINK
264. Midnight in Paris (2011) LINK
265. One Day (2011) LINK
266. Limitless (2011) LINK
267. Young Adult (2011) LINK
268. The Help (2011) LINK
269. Twixt (2011) LINK
270. Anonymous (2011) LINK
271. Ruby Sparks (2012) LINK
272. The Words (2012) LINK
273. Writers (2012) LINK
274. Being Flynn (2012) LINK
275. Stuck In Love (2012) LINK
276. Sinister (2012) LINK
277. On The Road (2012) LINK
278. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012) LINK
279. The Raven (2012) LINK
280. The Master (2012) LINK
281. The Best Bar In America (2013) LINK
282. Before Midnight (2013) LINK
283. Saving Mr. Banks (2013) LINK
284. Her (2013) LINK
285. Kill Your Darlings (2013) LINK
286. White Lie (2013) LINK
287. Adult World (2013) LINK
288. Violete (2013) LINK
289. Authors Anonymous (2014) LINK
290. The Fault In Our Stars (2014) LINK
291. Wild (2014) LINK
292. The Theory Of Everything (2014) LINK

Thanks to everyone who has contributed over the years!

Please subscribe to The Prosperous Writer Blog and sign up for The Prosperous Writer Newsletter, so you won’t miss any important updates.

The way it is supposed to be…

 

Just a quick post to ask you some questions about your platform.

What if your platform felt more like a playground to you and to others?

Would you become cheerier and more magnetic in your work?

Would you get more interaction with all that you do?

Would you enjoy the process of platform building and engaging with others via your platform?

I’m pretty sure the answer to all of these questions is, yes!

The reality is energy begets energy. The more positive energy you pour int your platform, the more positive energy you are going to get back.

So, if you have a piddly poor attitude towards your platform, you’re going to get a piddly poor attitude right back.

How can you shift this? How can you change the way you look at your platform, so the world can change the way it looks at you?

You can start by signing up for my 45-minute conference call happening Monday, November 10th at 10 am Pacific Time.

The cost is only $9.99 and everyone who registers will get an opportunity to download the mp3 audio file of the call afterwards.

So even if you are busy at the scheduled time, you can register now and have access to the call by noon on Monday.

The name of the call is, Unlock Your Writer Platform Profits.

I hope you can join us for a whole new lease on how you look at your writer platform!

REGISTER HERE

Got a profitable platform, writers?

If not, register now!

On Monday, November 10th at 10 am Pacific Time, I am offering an inexpensive conference call to remind everyone about the most important principles of platform profits.

That 11/10/14 at 10 am Pacific Time, folks. Thanks for making note of the schedule change.

This call is about harvesting your career success into long-term profitable income streams.

I will cover:

• How to make sure your platform positions you as an expert
• How to translate your expertise and influence into multiple income streams
• How to dig deeper into your specialty to create more profits

This call is going to be extremely focused on platform topics, so we won’t be discussing writing skills, rewriting skills, or submission skills. I will assume you have those or plan on getting them. (Check out my classes and challenges if you are interested in working with me on these skills.)

The Unlock Your Writer Platform Profits Conference Call/Audio call begins at 10 am PT, which is 11 am MT, 12 pm CT, and 1 pm ET and lasts for 45 minutes.

If you are in AZ, HI, or AK, please figure out the correct time for your zone.

The cost for the call is $9.99. All those who sign up will automatically receive an MP3 of the audio recording following the call.

However, once the audio appears on my site for sale to the general public, the price will double to $19.99. So be sure to sign up for the original call, if you want to get the lower price, even if you can’t attend the call at the specified time.

I may be able to offer International callers a local dial-in number, but I can’t make any guarantees. Send me an e-mail if you want me to check for you.

Space for the conference call is limited, so please register early to reserve your spot and your audio recording at this price.

Are you ready to harvest the best of what you have accomplished in your writing career thus far?

If so, I look forward to speaking to you on Monday, November 10th at 10 am Pacific Time.

[This call has already taken place. The audio recording is now available here.]

All of these announcements are effective as of Saturday, November 1, 2014.

Here goes!

Start Date Change For All Challenges

All of my writing and freelance challenges will begin on the first Monday after the first of the month.

Therefore, the November 2014 challenges will begin on Monday, November 3rd at 12:15 am because this is the first Monday of the month.

ALL of my challenges that I administrate (21 Moments and all of my Freelance Writing Challenges) will start on the first Monday of each month from now on. They will no longer begin on the 1st of the month, unless the first happens to fall on a Monday. (That’s going to happen next in June 2015…just FYI.)

So instead of every challenge starting on the first, every challenge will begin on the first Monday and then run for 21 or 20 days thereafter.

The Last Day To Register For Challenges Will Be the Sunday Prior To The Start Date By 9 pm

So, for example, you have until this Sunday at 9 pm to register for the first three rounds of 21 Moments and all four of my Freelance Writing Challenges.

This means all of my challenges will now start on Mondays, rather than over weekend, which I know people will appreciate.

I will appreciate it too, come to think about it.

All Of My Active Challenges Will Run 12 Months Out Of The Year

Now that I have the start dates and the administration for challenges under better control, I can run them all year-long rather than just certain months. This means, I will offer my challenges during December and over the summer from here on out.

Yay!

All Five Levels Of 21 Moments Will Be Active As Of January 2015

As of January 2015, I will have all five rounds of my 21 Moments challenge restored and available for participation. This is good news for those who did not finish all five levels yet.

A Couple Suggestions

Please note, I do not recommend taking more than one challenge at the same time.

My suggestion is to take one challenge per month to help you pace out your writing career progress.

If you have not taken a challenge in a while, register now for a creative boost that will help you become more prolific and successful in the long run!

And always remember to provide me with your e-mail address if it is different from your Paypal e-mail.

Thank you! And thank you for all of your suggestions over the past two years that I have been offering challenges.

In November and December 2014, you can sign up for the following challenges

Receive 21 excellent examples of great writing in your inbox daily for 21 days. Click on the badge to learn more and register:

 Receive 21 more excellent examples of great writing in your inbox daily for 21 days:

 Receive 21 more excellent examples of great writing in your inbox daily for 21 days:

Anyone who is looking to become a more facile and joyful parenting article writer should take my Article Writing Challenge.

Anyone who is looking to become a more thoughtful and skillful parenting essay writer should take my Essay Writing Challenge.

Anyone who is looking to become a more thoughtful rewriter and polisher of her own words should take my Grammar & Punctuation Challenge.

Anyone who is looking to become more brave about selling work should sign up for my Sell Your Writing Challenge.

December 5th is my birthday.

And Cheryl Strayed is an awesome writer.

And Reese Witherspoon is trying to wake up Hollywood.

And whether we are famous or completely unknown, we all co-create the future by voting with the dollars we spend today…whether we think about it or not.

So let’s think about it for a moment.

We need to create a world that is more interested in the lives, experiences, and points of views of women.

If not for our own sakes, then for our daughters’ sakes.

We have so far to go in this endeavor. Most days I can’t even believe how far behind we are.

Where is the world of equality between the sexes I was promised when I was a girl?

We sure have not achieved it yet.

But sometimes there are days, hours, and minutes, when we can do small things that have the potential to make big differences in the long run.

December 5th is one of those days this year.

On this day the major motion picture, Wild, comes out.

You may know that I am a big Cheryl Strayed fan.

You may know that I maintain a list of movies about writers and the writing life.

You may know that I led a book discussion about the book, Wild, when it came out.

You may know that I have tirelessly shared my enthusiasm for the book and for Cheryl, and now I do the same for the film.

But, when I invite you to go to the movies with me to celebrate the release of Wild on my birthday on December 5th, I am really asking you to support all women, all women’s point’s of view, and all women’s stories.

It’s so rare for women to have a champion for our voices being heard in the world in such a big way. And now we have not just a champion, but champions!

Cheryl Strayed is one woman, but her story is going to be witnessed all over the world, and we need to support this so that we can amplify the necessity of it.

And we need to thank Reese Witherspoon for seeing the promise in Cheryl’s story and getting behind it the way only a huge celebrity can.

I am really impressed with her professional advocacy for women in an industry where they do not get the respect they deserve.

And so…

…if you are a woman or a mother or a grown-up daughter, or all of the above, I hope you will meet me at the movies on December 5th.

And when you buy your ticket, tell the ticket-seller that you are there because you support stories about women in film.

And then thank the theater for showing the film.

And then thank yourself for showing up.

Because with that one small act, you just supported every woman producer, director, actress, and writer of the future.

You just supported every girl in the world by voting for future films, books, and stories about women.

Hope to “see” you on social media on December 5th for the opening day of Wild.

If you go, please post evidence on social media with the hashtag #yougogirls so I can find you.

That’s “You go, girls” as the hashtag #yougogirls

Hope you can make it. I’m looking forward to it!

I can’t imagine a better birthday present.

And if you have not read Wild, the book, yet. Oh my goodness! You are so lucky there is still time.

I highly recommend it!

NOTE: It’s possible that Wild will not be open in your area on December 5th. This does not matter! Just go see the film on it’s release weekend and I’ll be a happy camper! I’ve included the list of outlets that Cheryl shared on her Facebook page below:

Friday, December 5th:
LA
NYC
Chicago
Phoenix
San Francisco/Berkeley/San Jose
Washington, DC
Toronto

Friday, December 12th:
Pasadena
Austin
Dallas/Ft. Worth
St. Louis
Boston
Detroit
Philadelphia
San Diego
Denver
Seattle
Oakland
Monterey
Santa Cruz
Portland, OR***
Baltimore

Friday, December 19th:
Indianapolis
Madison
Milwaukee
Houston
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Memphis
Albany, NY
Hartford/New Haven
Cincinnati
Buffalo
Rochester
Ann Arbor
Stamford
Santa Barbara
Las Vegas
Long Beach
Salt Lake City
Sacramento
Cleveland
Columbus
Charlotte, NC
Raleigh/Durham, NC
Richmond, VA

***Looks like I will be seeing the film on December 12th.

 

Two years ago, I wrote an article with the same title as this Halloween post. The article has appeared in past Halloween issues multiple times in New York City, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Calgary, Alberta, and more.

Today, I noticed the idea is popping up on media outlets everywhere!

So, I thought I would go ahead and share my original article here, just for the record.

Who knows? Maybe I started a trend.

13 Not-Too-Scary Halloween Movies The Whole Family Can Enjoy Together
By Christina Katz

Feeling haunted by the sugar surges of Halloweens past? Why not gather up your little brood of goblins for a sweet movie marathon sure to get you in the hallowed mood—no candy required.

These not-too-spooky flicks are a festive way to build up to a big night of “Trick or Treat!” without terrifying anyone in the family. The films range in appropriateness from toddler to teen, with age recommendations that should satisfy even the most cinema-selective parents.

So, what are you waiting for? Whip up a big bowl of your favorite popcorn, grab some 100% fruit juice, and cuddle up close on the couch for a night of lightweight Halloween chills:

The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (Not Rated, For ages 4 and up)

For Linus, it’s not Halloween without the Great Pumpkin. For some of the rest of us, it’s not Halloween without an animated 1966 Charles Schultz cartoon accompanied by Vince Guaraldi piano music. Share the annual tradition with your kids so they can meet Charlie Brown, Lucy, Sally, Pigpen, Violet, Schroeder and the whole gang. Remember, never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker. And never miss an opportunity to introduce your kids to Peanuts.

Sleeping Beauty (Not Rated, ages 5 and up)

While we are introducing our kids to things, why not also introduce them to a classic 1959 Walt Disney film? This artfully created adaptation of the fairytale, “La Belle au bois dormant” by Charles Perrault with music by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra will have you all humming “Once Upon A Dream,” for days afterwards. But brace yourselves for the entrances of the Maleficent, she may strike a few poses more wicked than you recollect. Luckily, her evil plans will be met by the efforts of three hilarious good fairies, Flora, Fauna & Merryweather, who help Aurora realize her dreams by the tale’s end.

Beauty and the Beast (Rated G, ages 6 and up)

This 1991 Disney tale as old as time is also based on a fairy tale—this time La Belle et la Bête by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont. Belle is a bookish girl, who is not satisfied with life in her provincial French town, nor the advances of Gaston, her conceited suitor. She adores her eccentric inventor father, though, and unwittingly follows him into the clutches of a hideous beast, who teaches her, with a little help from his enchanted servants, how appearances can be deceiving.

Escape to Witch Mountain (Rated G, ages 7 and up)

They just don’t make Disney movies like this any longer. A brother and sister with curious psychic powers and a “star box” are the central focus of unraveling this 1975 sci-fi mystery. Tia and Tony don’t know whom they can trust beyond each other, but thanks to an unlikely ally played by Eddie Albert, the orphans reunite with their kin eventually.

Shrek (Rated PG, ages 7 and up)

This film combines the ogre from William Steig’s original book with storylines borrowed from many well-known fairy tales to create a buddy adventure meets romance with a twist. The all-star voices of Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, and John Lithgow up the funny factor for Dreamwork’s first animated hit. Heavy on the laughs and light on the scary, this 2001 film is sure to amuse the whole family.

The Wizard of Oz (Not rated, ages 8 and up)

This masterful 1939 film may be scarier than you remember, making it the perfect Halloween family fare. When I was a kid, it was mean old Miss Gulch and what she was going to do to Toto, not to mention the sight of Dorothy’s house twirling in the tornado that frightened me. Forget, lions and tigers and bears. Remember, flying monkeys and witches and Winkies? Fortunately, the darker aspects of the story are balanced out by lighter characters like Dorothy, Glinda, and Munchkins making this a one-of-a-kind heroine’s journey your family will want to watch again and again.

Pinocchio (Rated G, ages 8 and up)

Based on the The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, this 1940 animated film won two academy awards for it’s inspiring music. But don’t worry, Pinocchio, gets himself into plenty of tight spots to merit the need for all of this musical genius. In fact, he gets himself into so many tricky situations—skipping school, becoming part donkey, landing in the belly of a whale—that this film can serve as a kind of cautionary tale for kids who fond of telling tall tales of their own. Some great lessons about the perils of peer pressure in this timeless movie, as well.

ET (Rated PG, ages 8 and up)

Science fiction is a mysterious genre to many of us already, and the addition of a strange but sweet alien may up the fear factor in young children. Literal-minded thinkers may also need some coaching to appreciate this artful 1982 blockbuster film from Steven Spielberg. Compelling performances by movie siblings Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, and Robert MacNaughton may even convince you to break out some Reese’s Pieces before the 31st. A heartfelt film every family should see together.

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone (Rated PG, ages 9 and up)

I don’t know too many kids who would mind being selected to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unfortunately for Harry Potter a mortal enemy comes part and parcel with his invitation. But Harry has got plenty of pals to help him make it through not just this movie, released in 2001, but also the next seven in the series. Why not urge your kids to finish reading the first book before viewing the movie? You might set a precedent that will have them reading all seven books as fast as they can just to get to each movie reward.

The Corpse Bride (Rated PG, ages 9 and up) 2005

This film is stop-motion animation at it’s best. If your kids can handle the corpse bride’s eyeball popping out a few times, they will likely enjoy Tim Burton’s Goth gambol between two worlds. Johnny Depp is Victor, the indecisive bridegroom, trying to navigate the chasm between true love and good manners. A film that just might teach kids to commit more decisively to who and what they adore.

Star Wars (Rated PG, ages 9 and up) 1977

Long ago in a galaxy far, far away, generations of kids have revered this blockbuster George Lucas sci-fi buddy adventure. Though the film can hardly be classified as horror, there a several scenes with the potential to rattle the psyches of sensitive souls. Consider the trash compactor drama, the alien bar episode, and the introduction of one of the most terrifying half-man, half-machine villains of all time. Try some heavy breathing in advance of the film to prepare the kids for the Lord Vader’s entrance, and they will probably do just fine. They will likely even be quoting the movie for days afterward.

Ghostbusters (Rated PG, ages 10 and up) 1984

Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis are not afraid of ghosts and your kids won’t be either after watching this silly, slimy 1984 comedy caper. A trio of unemployed university professors start their own ghost-busting business and become the guys everyone calls to solve their pesky poltergeist problems. Your kids will be singing the theme song as they pretend to use your vacuum to rid the world of ghosts. Don’t miss this all-in-good-fun opportunity to introduce your kids to Bill Murray and a giant, supernatural Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Beetlejuice (Rated PG, ages 10 and up) 1988

Sometimes ghosts need a little help from their friends. Adam and Barbara are not very good at haunting the home they once owned, which has recently been infiltrated by new owners. So they call in a sketchy mortal-buster named Beetlejuice to get their house exterminated, only to realize too late whose side they would rather be on. Michael Keaton is unforgettable as “the ghost with the most” in this boisterously creepy Tim Burton film.

Happy Halloween movie season, everyone!

For Older Kids: Family Movies to Watch With Teens
The Goonies (Rated PG, ages 11 and up) 1985
Hocus Pocus (Rated PG, ages 11 and up) 1993
Edward Scissorhands (PG-13, ages 13 and up) 1990
The Addams Family (Rated PG-13, ages 13 and up) 1991

Author and freelance journalist Christina Katz loves Halloween movie marathons that don’t keep her up at night. Her latest book is The Art of Making Time for Yourself, A Collection of Advice for Moms.