Sew Sweet: Stitch Head (2025) Stitches Together Spooky Fun for Kids

As a mother who loves Halloween, it has always been my heartfelt goal to ensure my son shares that same love and excitement for the holiday.

First and foremost, I reminded myself that if he didn't enjoy the holiday as much as I did, that would be perfectly fine—I want him to love what he loves and enjoy his childhood in his own way.

However, I also believed I could gradually introduce him to the magic of Halloween shortly after birth. So, I started with a bit of what we horror fans call “gateway horror”—movies that contain enough spooky elements to be considered scary but not terrifying, making them perfect for young viewers.

I carefully chose cute, fun animated specials with beloved characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, knowing they were comforting and familiar.

When he was about 2 years old, we started watching The Nightmare Before Christmas, which has since become a household favorite. He loves it so much that he watches it all year, often snuggled with his special Jack plush toy, which he considers almost like a friend.

This gradual journey into the world of spooky stories helped him appreciate the magic of Halloween while also feeling safe.

And thanks to director and writer Steve Hudson, there’s a new animated gateway horror in town called Stitch Head, based on the graphic novel of the same name by British author Guy Bass.

The movie follows our main character, Stitch Head (Asa Butterfield), the first creation of a mad scientist (Rob Brydon), who now helps him design creatures in his castle laboratory. Stitch Head is responsible for welcoming each new monster to “Almost Life” and explaining how they should expect to live there.

Stitch Head is a quiet but good-natured fellow, yet feels under-appreciated and unloved in his role at the castle. His group of misfit monsters is all very lovable and timid, and they look up to Stitch Head as their guardian.

When a traveling circus comes to town and tells Stitch Head that people will love him if he joins their show, he jumps at the opportunity, thinking “the grass is greener on the other side.”

And as he will discover, that’s not always the case.

There are many familiar themes in this story, such as the importance of chosen family, the strength of friendship, and the significance of being true to oneself. While I, as an adult, did not discover anything particularly new or surprising, I recognize how these themes are essential for children to hear early in life, as they lay the foundation for understanding relationships, self-acceptance, and empathy.

The animation is playful and quirky, reminiscent of Frankenweenie (2012). It features a vivid palette of colors and visual elements that captivate your toddler’s attention. The main highlight of this film is the creature designs, which include an upright, muscular shark; a worm with heads at both ends; and a large, fuzzy creature named Creature (Joel Fry), who reminds me of Gossamer from the Bugs Bunny cartoons.

All the voice actors deliver strong, believable performances that bring their characters to life. There are also a few musical numbers; while I found myself mentally drifting during those moments, they add a lively touch to the overall experience. The humor is what really captures my attention, with many jokes landing effectively. Most of the jokes are dry, which fits my personal sense of humor, and I genuinely enjoyed that aspect.

Regarding the emotional impact, it feels quite superficial and surface-level. It's sweet for what it is, but as an adult, I didn't find it particularly meaningful. Maybe that's because I’ve seen this story many times before. Still, not every animated film needs to be deeply impactful for kids, and as a cute, fun, visually appealing movie, it certainly meets that standard.

The film features charming animation and a spooky yet humorous tone that appeals to children who enjoy lighthearted horror themes. It delivers a positive message about being yourself and valuing what you already have, highlighting themes of self-acceptance and gratitude that resonate with young viewers.

Overall, I give Stitch Head 2.5 stars out of 5. It's not my favorite spooky movie I’ve seen, but it's not the worst either. I am clearly not the target audience for this movie, but as a mother with a child who is, I believe most young children would enjoy watching this at least once.

And so far, so good on the “getting my son to love Halloween” front. Hopefully, we’ll continue to find more light-hearted monster movies like this to get him excited for future spooky seasons.

You can see Stitch Head in theaters starting October 29th, 2025.