Sometimes, movies aren’t the family-friendly fare we anticipate. From haunting storylines to unsettling scenes that are the stuff of nightmares, these kids’ movies are anything but kid-friendly.
Monster House
Perfect for kids wanting to venture into the horror genre, this animated flick tells the creepy tale of a haunted house and the widow who owns it. When three neighborhood kids embark on a mission to stop the house from eating anyone who dares to enter the property, things take a dangerous and creepy turn.
Coraline
Based on Neil Gaiman’s children’s book of the same name, this fantasy film follows Coraline, a young girl who discovers a parallel universe inside her new home. But what follows is a series of disturbing events at the hands of her “other mother,” a creature with a fixation on buttoned eyes.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a unique blend of animation and live-action that follows a private investigator and his efforts to clear cartoon character Roger Rabbit’s name, who has been wrongfully accused of murder. Although the film’s premise isn’t particularly scary, the villain, Judge Doom, is extremely frightening.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
From Tim Burton, the master of spooky tales, The Nightmare Before Christmas follows Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman), who is determined to take over Christmas and abduct Santa Claus. The film is packed with jump scares and unnerving scenes that may not be appropriate for young viewers.
Watership Down
Watership Down follows a group of rabbits who flee their destroyed habitat and settle in a new one. Throughout their travels, they face numerous challenges, but the violent nature of the plot makes Watership Down an intense and rather scary film for children.
The Never Ending Story
A story about grief, bullying, and a fantasy world, The Never Ending Story follows one boy’s challenge to save his world from extinction. But the disturbing scene happens early in the film when the boy’s horse, Artax, slowly drowns. As he pleads, yells, and tries to save Artax, the horse slowly succumbs to his death. It’s a heartbreaking and memorable scene for adults and children alike.
Gremlins
From loveable creatures to vicious monsters that terrorize and destroy everything in their path, Gremlins isn’t exactly the family-friendly film it appears to be. Unlike E.T., these supernatural beings are destructive, crude, and vulgar.
The Witches
Based on Roald Dahl’s book of the same name, it’s perhaps one of the scariest children’s films to date. Not to be confused with the 2020 version, which offered a far less graphic and terrifying take on the book, the original 1990 version starring Angelica Houston is haunting and rather unsettling. When a young boy discovers a coven of witches in his hotel, he’s turned into a mouse and sets off on a mission to escape the coven and transform back into his normal form.
Bridge to Terabithia
Disney is no stranger to heartbreaking moments, but Bridge to Terabithia takes the cake. For the most part, the film is a beautiful story about imagination and friendship when two young friends create a fantasy kingdom. But when tragedy strikes at the film’s end, it’s a haunting reminder of how delicate life is. While an important message, it’s a heartbreaking moment that may be considered too sensitive for the younger viewers.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
The film itself is quite strange, and Wonka is far from the loveable character he pretends to be. With no remorse for his actions as the kids are rolled or washed out of the factory one by one, he’s a character that has creeped us out for generations. But the boat scene is particularly scary when Wonka hums creepily through the tunnel, leaving the kids in the film and at home afraid.
Corpse Bride
While this stop-motion animation is visually wonderful, the film is full of questionable and disturbing moments that will stick in young viewers’ minds. Particularly the maggot that lives inside the Corpse Bride’s (Helena Bonham Carter) head, which sometimes causes her eye to pop out.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
This beloved children’s classic is pleasant for the most part. But the child catcher scene is too terrifying for young viewers. The scene sees the protagonist’s children are abducted by a menacing and creepy kidnapper posing as a sweets salesman. His method of capturing children and his haunting smile has terrified children into adulthood.
The Black Cauldron
A lesser-known Disney classic, The Black Cauldron follows Taran, a pig herder who dreams of becoming a knight. But when his beloved pig, Hen Wen, is kidnapped by the King, Taran sets out on a mission to save him with the help of a magic black cauldron. The film has several unsettling moments, but it’s the moment when Hen Wen is almost beheaded that terrifies young viewers.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Based on Lemony Snicket’s book series of the same name, the film centers on orphan children who their uncle takes in, Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), a wicked man determined to steal their inheritance. This underlying theme, along with its gothic tone, makes the film so dark and bleak.
The Last Unicorn
The Last Unicorn tells the story of a unicorn who discovers she is the last of her kind. She embarks on a mission to discover what happened to the others and encounters numerous challenges. The plot’s gloomy tone and terrifying encounters make it particularly frightening for younger viewers.
The Wizard of Oz
With flying monkeys and a ruthless witch, the Wizard of Oz is filled with creepy characters that continue to terrify kids to this day. The film has several violent and terrifying scenes, including the tornado scene that sees a poor Dorothy (Judy Garland) hiding from a circling and cackling Wicked Witch of the West. However, it may not be the perfect Sunday family flick it appears to be.
The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Spiderwick Chronicles follows Jared (Freddie Highmore), a young boy discovering a magical book in his family’s inherited home. When he discovers that his house is surrounded by invisible mythical creatures, including vicious goblins, he and his siblings try to defeat the creatures and stop them from breaking a curse. And goblin leader Mulgarath is sure to leave you with nightmares.
Return to Oz
Return to Oz, a dark sequel to The Wizard of Oz, follows Dorothy’s return to a desolated Oz, now ruled by Nome King and Princess Mombi. She meets Tik-Tok and Jack Pumpkinhead, and the three set out on a mission to save the land. But the film’s somber tone, combined with unsettling characters like Wheelers, makes it scary.
