WRT Secret of Mana - maybe play the first little bit yourself until you unlock a second character, then save and you two can start from there. Trust me.
Also, I know it's a side scroller, but Castle Crashers is great fun if you haven't tried it yet.
Pretty much any of the SNES era arcade ports: TMNT, Knights of the Round, Sunset Riders... Though maybe not all of them in one sitting.
That's all I've got off the top of my head. Happy gaming!
I don't know if it would meet your "no kid's movie" requirement, but Hocus Pocus has been in my spooky season rotation forever.
Also, it's technically a musical I guess but the animated Legend of Sleepy Hollow narrated/sung by Bing Crosby is a classic.
Everything else on my list has already been mentioned, but I would be remiss not to mention one of my wife's favorites, Corpse Bride. If you were already looking at Nightmare Before Christmas, I think you'll enjoy it.