Screen Rant

10 seriously scary horror movies that are only rated pg.

While many horror movies pride themselves on envelope-pushing blood and gore, some PG-rated horrors are truly terrifying despite their classification.

  • PG-rated horror films can still be genuinely unsettling without relying on gore and violence.
  • Many PG-rated horror films from the '70s were able to create a creepy and scary atmosphere, despite their family-friendly rating.
  • Some PG-rated horror films, like Jaws , became iconic and influential in the genre, proving that scares can be achieved without explicit content.

Most horror films pride themselves on gore and violence, but some PG-rated entries in the genre prove that even family-friendly scary movies can pack a serious punch. By definition, horror movies are designed to scare audiences, and since many viewers find gore to be one of the most disturbing sights imaginable, the genre has garnered a reputation for featuring violent, upsetting imagery. That sort of content usually makes such movies suited for more mature audiences, garnering them PG-13 or even R ratings.

However, there are also a lot of horror movies that use supernatural threats to disturb viewers instead of bloody killings. While slashers and body horror movies typically feature more gore, supernatural horror movies, including haunted house films , often steer clear of visceral content. Many seriously scary horror movies are even rated PG, despite what viewers might expect with this family-friendly rating. Most of these PG-rated horror movies were released before the introduction of the PG-13 rating, of course, and some still feature their share of gore and violence.

A Quiet Place, Insidious and M3GAN

50 Best PG-13 Horror Movies (& Where To Stream Them)

10 tales from the crypt (1972).

Evil Santa Claus in Tales from the Crypt 1972

For many horror aficionados, the title Tales from the Crypt will conjure up images of a very un-PG horror anthology series that aired on HBO in the ‘90s. However, before that campy show became a hit, Tales from the Crypt began life as a horror comic book in the '50s and was first adapted into this anthology movie. Split into five segments, the 1972 feature follows a quintet of strangers who meet with the creepy crypt keeper in an abandoned catacomb and learn about the circumstances of their eventual deaths. While admittedly not the goriest of the Tales from the Crypt movies , this ‘70s chiller is still genuinely unsettling.

9 Patrick (1978)

Patrick stares into space in a hospital bed with a feeding tube in his nose in Patrick 1978

Patrick is an Australian horror movie about a coma patient who displays some creepy telekinetic powers. A slow-burn psychological horror, Patrick sadly never reaches the campy heights of the comparable Stephen King adaptation Carrie . However, this PG-rated horror movie remains a scary watch thanks to a few effective set pieces and some tense scenes, and its trippy melding of reality, dream, and fantasy makes it all the more unsettling for younger audiences.

8 The Baby (1973)

One of the villains, a young blond woman, smiles an unsettling smile in The Baby 1973

The Baby is one of those uniquely creepy horror movies from the ‘70s that somehow earned a PG rating solely because none of its content quite qualified the movie for an R. Rest assured, The Baby certainly has enough creepiness to keep the movie far from young viewers. The Baby tells the tale of an unhinged family who keep a 21-year-old man trapped in their home, treating him like an infant and referring to him as their “ baby .” As if that weren’t enough, this bizarre story eventually leads to a downbeat ending that viewers will struggle to recover from.

7 Kingdom Of The Spiders (1977)

A man covered in spiders in Kingdom of the Spiders

Kingdom of the Spiders is a nightmare for any arachnophobes and not an easy watch for anyone else either. A traditional monster movie, Kingdom of the Spiders follows the citizens of an unfortunate small town as they are overrun by killer spiders. While William Shatner’s typically stoic performance offers some unintentional comic relief, Kingdom of the Spiders plays as a lot more serious than later, more playful efforts like Arachnophobia and Eight-Legged Freaks . As a result, it is a surprisingly scary PG-rated creature feature.

spooky movies pg

10 Scariest Monsters From G And PG-Rated Family Films, Ranked

6 the legend of hell house (1973).

Several people arriving at a misty home in The Legend Of Hell House

The Legend of Hell House is a supernatural horror movie based on Richard Matheson’s novel Hell House . The adaptation is a rather straightforward chiller. A monstrous sadist used to own the creepy house that a group of paranormal investigators foolishly attempt to explore and, while the plot is predictable, the shocks are plentiful. The story also takes some surprisingly nasty turns that push the boundaries of the PG rating to its limit.

5 The Haunting (1963)

Characters looking at the statue in 1963's The Haunting

Based on the same material as the 1999 movie The Haunting and Mike Flanagan’s more successful The Haunting of Hill House miniseries , this PG-rated 1963 feature was the first screen adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s seminal horror novel. The Haunting remains a terrifying piece of psychological horror. Director Robert Wise’s masterful technique forces viewers into the perspective of the story’s troubled heroine Nell, and a total lack of gore does not stop The Haunting from getting under the skin of audiences.

4 Poltergeist (1982)

Little girl in the movie Poltergeist staring mesmerized with blush TV light shining on her face.

Poltergeist saw The Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper link up with Steven Spielberg for a haunted house horror movie that veers wildly between family-friendly fun and something nastier, darker, and gorier. One minute a spectral hand appears from a TV set, and then just a few scenes later, a paranormal investigator is tearing their face off their skull. While Poltergeist ’s jarring tonal shifts sometimes make the movie feel uneven, they also guarantee that it is one of the scariest PG-rated movies of all time.

3 It’s Alive (1974)

spooky movies pg

B-movie legend Larry Cohen’s career is filled with darkly comedic satirical horror stories, from 1985’s The Stuff to 1982’s Q: The Winged Serpent . However, it is the director’s wild spin on the earlier horror hit Rosemary’s Baby that became one of the most shocking PG horror movies ever. Where the ending of Rosemary's Baby sees the birth of its cursed child, It’s Alive begins with the arrival of a ravenous mutant baby. The killer baby tears its way through the cast in a gruesome, blackly comedic horror story that somehow managed to slip by censors despite its wild premise.

Gizmo from Gremlins, Dracula and Mavis from Hotel Transylvania, and Debbie from Addams Family Values

10 Best Horror Comedy Movies For The Whole Family

2 the innocents (1961).

A woman in a field by a river in The Innocents (1961)

Much like The Haunting , 1961’s The Innocents is another literary horror adaptation that relies on subtle insinuation and implication to sell its spooky story. Like The Haunting , this PG-rated take on The Turn of the Screw is somehow utterly terrifying despite its lack of violence. The Innocents follows the story of a nanny who becomes convinced that her young charge is possessed by the spirit of a late criminal, but the adaptation leaves the truth of the story ambiguous. The chilling result is an unforgettable experience.

1 Jaws (1975)

Jaws Martin Brody and Matt Hooper

Director Steven Spielberg’s monster movie Jaws toned down the sex, swearing, and violence from author Peter Benchley’s novel of the same name to secure a PG rating. This risky gamble paid off as Jaws became a monster-sized hit and helped spawn the modern blockbuster in the process. While many of the most famous shocks in Jaws have been parodied and copied more times than a movie fan could count, the sudden appearance of Ben Gardener’s severed head is still a shock that can leave viewers shaking decades later. As a result, Spielberg’s summer hit is undoubtedly one of the scariest PG-rated horror movies ever.

spooky movies pg

  • PG-13 Comedies
  • Teen Movies
  • PG-13 Action
  • PG-13 Fantasies
  • PG-13 Romance Movies
  • PG-13 Animated Movies
  • PG-13 Superhero Movies
  • PG-13 Suspense Movies
  • PG-13 Hook-Up Comedies
  • Inspirational Dramas
  • PG-13 Slashers
  • PG-13 Horror Comedies

The 50 Best PG-13 Scary And Horror Movies

Ranker Film

Step into the world of shivers and chuckles with our meticulously assembled collection of PG-13 horror-comedy films. This versatile genre effortlessly interweaves elements of terror with humorous undertones, guaranteeing hours of entertainment. Our assortment features a rich diversity of narratives that cater to a broad audience, ensuring your movie nights are unforgettable, evoking both thrills and laughter in equal measure.

Each film included is paired with a concise synopsis, delivering the essence of the plot while preserving suspense and excitement of the unknown. The voting element adds an interactive facet, allowing users to cast their vote and influence the ranking of these spine-chilling, yet amusing, films. 

Amplifying the user experience, every film listing is accompanied by streaming service buttons. These links grant avid movie watchers seamless access to their preferred platforms, including Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Max, and Paramount+. Immerse yourself into the sphere of horror-comedy with just a click, diving right into the film of your choice.

Our curation transcends the boundaries of a conventional movie list. It encapsulates a wide range of themes from highly suspenseful narratives to subtly eerie plots with a humorous twist, portraying a vivid panorama of horror-comedy cinema. Whether you are a horror aficionado searching for an added dash of humor or a comedy fan seeking some spine-chilling moments, our compilation effortlessly caters to your interests.

Get ready to navigate this comprehensive collection, vote for your favorites, and most importantly, enjoy a remarkable viewing experience. Discover films that will make you tremble in your seat and chuckle at the same time, ensuring a fun and thrilling film journey. This mix of scary and funny movies promises to redefine your understanding of horror and comedy. Start your exploration now.

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters

A paranormal comedy classic, this film follows a team of scientists turned ghost hunters as they combat supernatural forces threatening New York City. With a perfect blend of humor, memorable characters, and spooky encounters, it has become a beloved touchstone of pop culture. The film's success led to an entire franchise, including sequels, spin-offs, and a dedicated fanbase that passionately debates whether the original or reboot reigns supreme.

  • Dig Deeper... The Bizarre History Of The Dueling Ghostbusters
  • And Deeper... Behind The Scenes Secrets From 'Ghostbusters' Most People Have Never Heard
  • # 13 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Gremlins

This iconic horror-comedy film centers on a young man who receives a rare and adorable creature called a Mogwai as a Christmas gift, unaware of the terrifying consequences that come with it. The Mogwai, named Gizmo, spawns mischievous and dangerous gremlins when specific rules are broken, causing chaos and destruction in the small town. Blending dark humor with genuine scares, this movie explores the dangers of consumerism and excess during the holiday season while providing unforgettable entertainment.

  • Dig Deeper... 'Gremlins' Was So Intense That It Led To The Invention Of The PG-13 Rating
  • # 27 of 128 on The Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
  • # 77 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors

This musical horror-comedy features a meek florist's assistant who discovers a unique plant with a craving for human flesh and a nefarious plan for world domination. As the plant's insatiable hunger grows, the protagonist is forced to balance his newfound success with the dark consequences of feeding his botanical companion. Blending toe-tapping tunes, dark humor, and memorable performances, this cult classic offers a delightful blend of horror and comedy.

  • Dig Deeper... Every Song in Little Shop of Horrors, Ranked by Singability
  • # 35 of 200 on Musical Movies With The Best Songs
  • # 381 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Ghostbusters II

Ghostbusters II

Following the success of the original, the paranormal investigators return to face a new spectral threat endangering New York City in this sequel. This time around, the team must combat a sinister force unleashed by an ancient painting and save the city from a river of ectoplasmic slime. While not as critically acclaimed as its predecessor, the film maintains the humor and camaraderie fans adore and introduces memorable new adversaries.

  • # 211 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
  • # 119 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
  • # 65 of 279 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime

Warm Bodies

Warm Bodies

In this unique take on the zombie genre, a self-aware undead teenager forms an unlikely friendship with a living girl after saving her from an attack. As their bond strengthens, the zombie begins regaining his humanity, setting off a chain reaction among his fellow undead. This heartwarming and comical twist on traditional horror tropes offers a fresh perspective on love, loss, and the transformative power of human connection.

  • # 59 of 165 on The 150+ Best Teen Romance Movies, Ranked
  • # 190 of 357 on The Best Movies Based On Books
  • # 26 of 125 on The Top 100+ Zombie Movies Of All Time

Tremors

This cult classic creature-feature follows a group of small-town residents battling enormous, worm-like creatures that burrow underground and prey on unsuspecting victims. With a mix of humor, heart, and thrilling monster-hunting action, it has spawned a dedicated fanbase and multiple sequels. The film's blend of practical effects, memorable characters, and tongue-in-cheek tone makes it a standout example of horror-comedy done right.

  • # 88 of 389 on The Best Horror Movies Of All Time
  • # 68 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s
  • # 249 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Dracula: Dead and Loving It

Dracula: Dead and Loving It

Master parodist Mel Brooks helms this comedic retelling of the classic vampire tale, featuring hilarious performances from Leslie Nielsen as Count Dracula and Peter MacNicol as his insect-eating sidekick Renfield. By poking fun at the classic horror tropes, the film provides a comedic escape for those who prefer their bloodsuckers with a side of laughter. The movie remains a fan favorite due to its absurd gags, memorable one-liners, and slapstick humor.

  • # 605 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
  • # 611 of 696 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
  • # 59 of 90 on The Best Movies Of 1995

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

In this sequel to the original horror-comedy hit, Gizmo finds himself in a high-tech skyscraper where his Mogwai offspring accidentally spawn a new generation of havoc-wreaking gremlins. With even more outlandish antics, memorable creatures, and satirical commentary on consumer culture, the film maintains the spirit of its predecessor while upping the ante on its unique brand of chaotic fun. It's a worthy follow-up that expands on the original's humor and mayhem while keeping the same heart and charm.

  • Dig Deeper... 'Gremlins 2' Brilliantly Makes Fun Of Everyone Who Loved The First Movie
  • # 45 of 116 on 50+ Movies That Need Sequels
  • # 207 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s

Death Becomes Her

Death Becomes Her

In this darkly comedic tale, two aging rivals discover a serum that grants them eternal youth, only to find that immortality comes with a gruesome price. As their bodies begin to deteriorate, they engage in increasingly absurd efforts to maintain their youthful appearances while trying to outdo one another. The film's blend of satire, slapstick, and body horror offers a biting commentary on society's obsession with beauty and the lengths people will go to preserve it.

  • Dig Deeper... Behind-The-Scenes Stories From ‘Death Becomes Her’
  • And Deeper... 'Death Becomes Her' Is Way Weirder Than You Remember
  • # 350 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

My Boyfriend's Back

My Boyfriend's Back

In this darkly comedic take on the zombie genre, a high school student returns from the grave to win the heart of his unrequited love, only to find his decomposing body complicating matters. As he navigates the challenges of both adolescence and zombification, the film explores themes such as love, loss, and acceptance in a unique and humorous way. This quirky undead romantic comedy offers laughs and a fresh perspective on teenage angst.

  • # 157 of 165 on The 150+ Best Teen Romance Movies, Ranked
  • # 116 of 125 on The Top 100+ Zombie Movies Of All Time
  • # 106 of 107 on The Funniest Movies About High School

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Before the beloved television series, this film introduced audiences to the eponymous teenage vampire hunter who must balance her high school life with her newfound supernatural responsibilities. The movie's campy humor, unique characters, and stylized action sequences established the foundation for the later TV adaptation. While not as critically acclaimed as its small-screen successor, this cult classic still holds a place in the hearts of fans and showcases the early days of Buffy's journey.

  • # 240 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s
  • # 110 of 165 on The 150+ Best Teen Romance Movies, Ranked
  • # 236 of 454 on The 400+ Best Chick Flicks Ever

Arachnophobia

Arachnophobia

In this creepy-crawly horror-comedy, a small town becomes terrorized by a deadly species of spiders that have infiltrated their community. As the arachnid threat escalates, a local exterminator and an arachnologist must join forces to stop the eight-legged menace. Filled with genuine scares and tongue-in-cheek humor, the film expertly weaves together horror and comedy elements while playing on a universal fear of spiders.

  • # 120 of 389 on The Best Horror Movies Of All Time
  • # 152 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s
  • # 19 of 90 on The Best Movies of 1990

Night of the Comet

Night of the Comet

In this 80s cult classic, Earth passes through a comet's tail, causing most of the population to disintegrate and leaving those who remain as mindless, flesh-hungry zombies. A pair of valley girl sisters must navigate the post-apocalyptic world, fending off zombies and malicious survivors while trying to maintain their sanity. This tongue-in-cheek sci-fi horror-comedy offers a unique spin on the zombie apocalypse with memorable characters, snappy dialogue, and a healthy dose of nostalgia.

  • # 266 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
  • # 198 of 389 on The Best Horror Movies Of All Time
  • # 29 of 92 on The Best Movies Of 1984, Ranked

Once Bitten

Once Bitten

This 80s vampire comedy features a centuries-old female vampire seeking a virgin male to feed on in order to maintain her youthful appearance. She sets her sights on an unsuspecting young man and seduces him, only for his girlfriend to realize that something is amiss. This campy and light-hearted take on the vampire genre serves up laughs with a side of romance, making it an enjoyable watch for those who prefer their undead with a dash of humor.

  • # 37 of 96 on The 90+ Best Movies Of 1985, Ranked
  • # 11 of 28 on The Best Comedies With Zombies And Vampires
  • # 13 of 14 on The Best Dance-Offs in Movies That Aren't Even About Dancing

Tremors 2: Aftershocks

Tremors 2: Aftershocks

The sequel to the cult classic finds survivalist Burt Gummer returning to battle a new breed of subterranean monsters that are threatening a Mexican oil refinery. With even more tongue-in-cheek humor, inventive creature design, and thrilling action set-pieces, the follow-up continues the winning formula that made the original a fan favorite. While not as beloved as its predecessor, it remains an enjoyable entry in the franchise for those craving more monstrous mayhem.

  • # 99 of 161 on The Best Movie Sequels Ever Made
  • # 69 of 138 on The 100+ Best Disaster Movies Of All Time
  • # 42 of 66 on The Scariest Giant Monster Movies

Scary Movie 3

Scary Movie 3

The third installment in the popular parody series takes aim at horror films such as The Ring , Signs , and other early-2000s hits. As the film skewers these popular horror franchises with absurd gags and slapstick humor, it once again showcases its ability to humorously dissect the genre's more ridiculous elements. While not as well-received as the previous two entries, it still manages to provide plenty of laughs for fans of the franchise and the horror genre as a whole.

  • # 63 of 74 on The Greatest Female-Led Comedy Movies
  • # 478 of 622 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
  • # 80 of 152 on The Best Movies Of 2003, Ranked

Nothing but Trouble

Nothing but Trouble

This macabre comedy stars Chevy Chase as a financial publisher who, along with his companions, becomes trapped in a nightmarish small town presided over by a sadistic judge (played by Dan Aykroyd). In the vein of dark comedies like Beetlejuice , the film presents bizarre characters, elaborate set pieces, and twisted humor to convey its message about the dangers of greed and the corrupting influence of power. Though it was panned by critics upon release, it has since gained a cult following for its campy atmosphere and iconic performances from its all-star cast.

  • # 46 of 86 on The Best Movies Of 1991, Ranked
  • # 8 of 11 on Behind-The-Scenes Facts About John Candy Movies That Made Us Miss Him
  • # 49 of 56 on The Funniest Movies Starring SNL Cast Members

Killer Klowns from Outer Space

Killer Klowns from Outer Space

This cult classic showcases a nefarious group of alien clowns that descend upon a small town to abduct, kill, and feed on its residents. With costumes, props, and settings that harken back to classic circus imagery, the film embraces its absurd premise to deliver a perfect blend of humor, horror, and unforgettable visuals. As both a send-up of and homage to campy B-movies, it holds a special place in the hearts of fans who adore its unique blend of the ridiculous and grotesque.

  • # 168 of 176 on The 150+ Best Movies With Aliens
  • # 306 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
  • # 196 of 389 on The Best Horror Movies Of All Time

Eight Legged Freaks

Eight Legged Freaks

A small desert town becomes ground zero for a mutant spider outbreak in this entertaining homage to classic creature features. When local eccentric Harlan encounters the spiders, it's up to him, a sheriff, and a motley crew of townspeople to fend off the arachnid invasion. With its tongue-in-cheek humor, thrilling action sequences, and memorable visual effects, the film delivers a delightful blend of scares, laughs, and monstrous mayhem.

  • # 314 of 388 on The Best Horror Movies Of All Time
  • # 92 of 152 on The Best Movies of 2002
  • # 33 of 70 on The Scariest Animal Horror Movies Ever Made

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark

This campy horror-comedy stars Cassandra Peterson as her iconic character Elvira, a seductive and witty horror hostess who inherits a mysterious mansion in a conservative small town. As she navigates her way through the town's disapproving residents and uncovers dark secrets within her new home, Elvira's charm and wit steal the show. The movie's blend of humor, spooky atmosphere, and memorable lead performance makes it a beloved cult classic among fans of the macabre.

Drag Me to Hell

Drag Me to Hell

A loan officer denies an elderly woman's request for an extension on her mortgage, only to be cursed by the vengeful supernatural beings the old woman conjures. As the protagonist struggles to find a way to break the deadly curse, the film expertly combines jump scares, unsettling imagery, and twisted humor. This stylish and well-reviewed horror-comedy showcases director Sam Raimi's signature blend of horror and humor, providing a thrill ride that will leave viewers equal parts terrified and entertained.

  • # 131 of 389 on The Best Horror Movies Of All Time
  • # 34 of 53 on The Best Movies Where The Bad Guy Wins
  • # 14 of 14 on The Most Upsetting Horror Movie Endings Of All Time

The Monster Squad

The Monster Squad

This 80s cult classic follows a group of kids who form a club dedicated to their love of monsters, only to find themselves facing off against the real thing when Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and other legendary creatures invade their town. With a mix of humor, adventure, and genuine scares, it delivers a horror-comedy experience that's equal parts thrilling and endearing. The film's blend of nostalgia, camaraderie, and monster mayhem makes it a fan favorite to this day.

  • # 99 of 116 on 50+ Movies That Need Sequels
  • # 252 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
  • # 137 of 234 on The Best '80s Comedy Movies, Ranked

Scary Movie 4

Scary Movie 4

The fourth installment in the popular parody franchise takes on films such as Saw , The Grudge , War of the Worlds , and more, continuing the series' legacy of poking fun at popular horror tropes. With a mix of over-the-top gags, sight gags, and slapstick humor, the movie delivers another installment filled with laughs for fans of the genre. Although not as well-received as the earlier entries in the series, it still provides plenty of entertainment for those who appreciate a good horror spoof.

  • # 55 of 74 on The Greatest Female-Led Comedy Movies
  • # 21 of 26 on 25 Great Movies Under 90 Minutes That You Can Watch On Netflix Right Now
  • # 45 of 101 on The 100+ Best James Earl Jones Movies & TV Shows

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

This feature film adaptation of the beloved television series showcases the series' signature blend of humor and mockery as the trapped protagonists are forced to watch and comment on a hilariously terrible sci-fi film. With a rapid-fire barrage of jokes, puns, and clever observations, the movie demonstrates why the show remains a favorite among fans of both comedy and bad cinema. Though the running time may be shorter than a typical episode, the film still manages to pack in plenty of laughs and quotable moments that have become part of the MST3K legacy.

  • # 218 of 696 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
  • # 141 of 168 on The Best '90s Comedy Movies, Ranked
  • # 428 of 622 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time

Critters

This cult classic creature feature introduces audiences to the Crites, a race of small, carnivorous aliens who escape from an interstellar prison and lay siege to a small Midwestern town. As the locals fight for survival against the furry menace, the film blends elements of horror, comedy, and science fiction into one entertaining package. With its dark humor, memorable monsters, and thrills galore, it remains a favorite among fans of 80s horror and spawned a successful franchise.

  • # 278 of 388 on The Best Horror Movies Of All Time
  • # 136 of 176 on The 150+ Best Movies With Aliens
  • # 170 of 234 on The Best '80s Comedy Movies, Ranked

The Return of Swamp Thing

The Return of Swamp Thing

This campy sequel to the 1982 cult classic finds the titular swamp-dwelling hero fighting against evil forces in the bayou while trying to rekindle his romance with his scientist love interest. With its tongue-in-cheek humor, elaborate creature effects, and adventurous spirit, the film remains a fun, if slightly cheesy, entry in the superhero genre. While it may not be held in as high regard as its predecessor, it still provides a healthy dose of plant-based action and comedy for fans of the character.

Strange Frequency

Strange Frequency

Originally a series of television movies reimagined as an anthology series, this cult favorite explores the supernatural side of rock 'n' roll through a variety of eerie and humorous stories. Ranging from vengeful spirits seeking retribution to cursed artifacts, each tale brings a unique and creative twist to the horror-comedy genre. The series appeals to fans of both rock music and the macabre, offering a distinct blend of supernatural tales and rock 'n' roll history.

Cursed

In this horror-comedy from genre master Wes Craven, a brother and sister are bitten by a werewolf and must cope with their newfound abilities and navigate the complexities of a secret supernatural society. With its engaging story, witty dialogue, and strong performances, the film offers a unique take on werewolf lore that blends both humor and scares. Although plagued by production issues and initially receiving mixed reviews, it has gained a following among fans of Craven's work and the werewolf genre.

  • # 56 of 143 on The Best Movies of 2005
  • # 7 of 9 on Alternate Cuts Of Horror Films We're Dying To See
  • # 9 of 16 on Underrated '00s Horror Movies That Deserve More Recognition

High Spirits

High Spirits

This supernatural comedy stars Steve Guttenberg and Daryl Hannah as an American tourist and a ghostly Irish bride who fall in love during a stay at a haunted castle. As they navigate the challenges of their unconventional relationship and fend off a vengeful phantom, the film maintains a lighthearted tone with a mix of slapstick humor and romantic banter. This charming, if somewhat underrated, blend of comedy and supernatural thrills showcases a supernatural love story with a comedic edge.

  • # 11 of 47 on The Funniest Movies About Ghosts
  • # 202 of 220 on '80s Movies We Wish Would Finally Get Sequels
  • # 75 of 80 on The 75+ Best PG-13 Horror And Scary Movies

Elvira's Haunted Hills

Elvira's Haunted Hills

In this sequel to Elvira: Mistress of the Dark , the eponymous horror hostess finds herself trapped in a haunted Romanian castle filled with eccentric characters, family secrets, and sinister goings-on. As she navigates her way through the creepy locale and uncovers an ancient curse, Elvira's wit and charm once again take center stage. This campy follow-up offers another dose of the humor and supernatural shenanigans that made the first film a cult classic.

  • Entertainment
  • Graveyard Shift
  • Watchworthy
  • Comedy Movies

PG-13 Comedies

Best Horror Movies Rated PG or G

(Almost) everyone loves a good scare, even if they are quite young. Here are the best PG or G-rated horror movies for the whole family.

Movies that are PG or G-rated sometimes are overlooked because of what they imply: a lack of seriousness, connotations with being childish, and the absence of various elements, such as violence, nudity, and profanity, that many viewers enjoys watching. However, not only are these movies are more inclusive in the sense that the whole family can watch them together, they can also prove that explicit content is not always necessary in creating a good movie. Perhaps the hardest genre to pull this off in, though, is horror , which is so often considered inappropriate for kids because of its inherently frightening content and tendency toward gore.

However, horror is a genre that doesn't have an age limit: some people have loved scary stories since they were very little, and numerous book series (from Goosebumps to Bone Chillers ) have kids as their primary demographic. There are various well-made kid-friendly horror movies that can include an audience which usually doesn't go for more hardcore horror. Some are animated or stop-motion classics, such as Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie — both by a director that has a great body of work for children, Tim Burton. There are the '80s classics, which created one of the largest catalogs for PG-rated horror movies, from The Lost Boys to (arguably) Ghostbusters .

PG or G-rated horror movies are fun for the whole family, and when well-produced and creatively directed, can even frighten a seasoned horror fan, if only for a moment. If you'd like to watch some horror movies with your kids this October, here are some of the best that were rated PG or G. (Additionally, there are countless classic horror movies prior to the '60s, when the R rating debuted, that are appropriate for kids, from the great horror movies of the '50s to the timeless Universal monster movies of the '30s).

8 Twilight Zone: The Movie

Twilight Zone: The Movie 

The '80s were definitely a peak in producing PG and G horror movies, which is partly why the MPAA eventually felt it necessary to create a PG-13 rating. The popular anthology series The Twilight Zone led to a movie in 1983, Twilight Zone: The Movie , which was produced and directed by four greats — John Landis ( An American Werewolf in London ), Joe Dante ( The Howling ), George Miller (the Mad Max movies), and Steven Spielberg (who will appear a few times on this list).

Related: Cursed Movies: Poltergeist and Other Deadly Productions

The movie follows the anthology structure of the series, with four different stories that remake classic episodes from the original series. The film has all the best qualities of the series: intriguing storylines, captivating tone, and the perfect mix of sci-fi, humor, and horror. The production was considered cursed, but the film remains a classic.

Original Gremlins star Zach Galligan 

Speaking of Joe Dante, the great horror director had a huge hit with the Christmas-themed Gremlins , though if you want another cute Christmas movie, this is not the one for you. Set on a happy holiday but without the easy-going quality found in those wintry stories, Gremlins is a must-watch for any horror fan. Directed by Dante and produced by Spielberg, the story is a fun and increasingly horrific watch. After a young man receives a strange gift for Christmas, a small animal that is not quite anything he has ever seen, it appears that this will be the best holiday ever. That is, until the few conditions the animals have (not to be fed after midnight, can't touch water, etc.) are not followed, and everything turns into mayhem.

6 Monster House

Monster House

Monster House is probably one of the most horrifying animated movies that are PG-rated. The animation is dark, and the themes are heavy. However, if the viewer is looking for some good scares and doesn't mind denser subjects such as trauma and loss, this is the perfect pick. Three friends think that the mysterious house on the street is actually a living thing: a monster. With Halloween approaching, they will venture into a journey that will be a lot darker than they ever expected.

5 Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice movie

Don't say his name three times! The strange narrative that could have only been created by Tim Burton's mind is a horror story unlike any other. The strong imagery (that would later become a staple from the director), the song choices, and the performances create a unique world that is just as inviting as creepy. The movie has a light and fun quality that's sometimes lacking in other Burton productions.

Related: Best Modern Horror Movie Directors, Ranked

Beetlejuice doesn't take itself extremely seriously, and that eases the frightening situations that appear on the screen; plus, Michael Keaton's brilliant performance is both hilarious and creepy in equal measure. When a family comes to move into a new house, everything seems perfect. That's until things take a gloomy turn, and ghosts are only the beginning of what they will find between those walls.

4 The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a sentimental and not terrifying story accompanied by a killer soundtrack by Danny Elfman . The Tim Burton and Disney collaboration is one of the best stop-motion films ever made, and one that weirdly works for both Halloween and Christmas. The Halloween imagery combined with this heartfelt story about finding yourself is probably one of the most cherished works by Burton. Jack, the skeleton, is the king of Halloween. He feels unfulfilled with his role, but all of that changes when he finds out about another holiday: Christmas. He decides to take action and become the new ruler of Christmas, Santa Claws.

3 Poltergeist

The family in Poltergeist.

Another 80s classic, Poltergeist is a milestone for supernatural horror movies . The long buildup, the family drama, and the innovative jump scares (the toy clown still haunts people's dreams) enhance why this movie is so good. Also, famed director Tobe Hooper and produced Steven Spielberg prove that a genuinely unnerving horror film can be PG (even if it would most certainly be rated PG-13 if that MPAA rating had existed at the time); everyone can watch this supernatural horror story together. When a family moves to a new house, what could go wrong? But when spooky things start to happen, they will discover that the house (and the place it was built) has a dreadful history.

stop-motion horror film Coraline

'Be careful what you wish for' is a timeless lesson explored by Coraline . The Neil Gaiman novel adaptation is one of the most disturbing watches from the author, even if it is a PG film. The stop-motion movie is colorful and full of life, but that doesn't stop how scary things quickly get; even if there isn't explicit horror, the atmopshere and imaginative character design gradually escalates into pure dread. The soundtrack adds a lot to this narrative, and it’s the type of story that stays with the viewer long after the movie is done. When Coraline moves to a secluded mansion, she is completely miserable until she finds a secret passageway that leads to another world, where her 'other parents' are a lot nicer than her real ones — or so they seem.

Brody, Quint, and Hooper in Jaws

The 1975 film Jaws , directed by Steven Spielberg, has become nothing short of a classic. The movie received a PG rating back when it was released, and some say that it would receive a PG-13 or even R rating if today's classification system was used; this is mostly due to the gore and explicit violent scenes. Either way, the movie still has a PG rating and is a part of cinema history for its boldness, wonderful characters and dialogue, and amazingly tense atmosphere. After a brutal shark attack occurs on a beach in New England, a political and intense war begins when some want to close the beach while others want it open for the public.

10 Truly Frightening PG-Rated Horror Movies

spooky movies pg

This shouldn't be news to anyone, but a film's MPAA rating has no real bearing on its quality. There are all manner of great to terrible movies rated G, PG, PG-13, and R. Still, this continues to get pushback from a vocal minority every few months. Most recently the furor was over Venom , which some fans insisted should have been R-rated and it represented something of a new contingent in the ratings war – comic book superhero fans who, buoyed by the success of Deadpool (2016) and Logan (2017), now think certain characters can only work with an R.

It's a new argument for them, but it's one some horror fans have been fighting for decades.

In a nutshell, their position comes down to the belief that "real" horror movies need an R to cover the kind of content that "true" horror involves. Blood and gore, graphic violence, devastating trauma, raw intensity, nubile co-eds who shower at inopportune times – for some fans these elements are essential and incompatible with anything less than an R. The attitude is every bit as strong these days thanks in no small part to social media's wide reach, but it's one birthed in the mid-80s with the arrival of the PG-13 rating. Filmmakers and studios were suddenly given a bit more leeway in what they could get away with, but while it appeased many horror lovers (and even more parents) it also created the opportunity for fewer R-rated horror movies.

More accessible ratings mean a wider pool of potential audience members, and to that end the grumbles of horror fans have some merit. The PG-13 gave studios a path to lazy horror movies they know will draw in fans on opening weekend only to die a quick death when people realize they're both dumb and bloodless. A bad movie is a bad movie, but the addition of gore and other "extreme" elements can make the difference between enjoying the bad movie and feeling robbed.

I get it, but the blanket view that non-R horror movies are somehow lesser creations is a non-starter. There are numerous examples of PG-13 movies that deliver scares, gross-outs, and carnage, but even more relevantly, there are plenty of PG-rated movies that do so too. Non-kiddie PG horror is pretty much extinct these days, but for the twelve year stretch from 1972 to 1984, horror fans who could look beyond the rating had a lot to celebrate.

One of the earliest out of the gate,  The Legend of Hell House (1973), remains a wholly terrifying film. The bare breasts and bloody deaths might make you wonder about its PG rating if you weren't so busy being frightened all to hell by its haunted house shenanigans. Classic EC Comics-inspired horror anthologies Tales from the Crypt (1972) and Vault of Horror (1973) bring chills and inappropriate humor without the need of an R. Fans of animal horror –  back in the day, when real critters were used with abandon – found a home with legitimately entertaining and sometimes horrifying films like Sssssss (1973),  Bug (1975),  Grizzly (1976), Day of the Animals (1977), Orca (1977), The Bees (1978), Nightwing (1979), and Savage Harvest (1981). That last film, a favorite of mine, revels in some bloody and harrowing tiger attacks. And let's not forget Jaws (1975), a PG-rated movie that scarred generations of people into being afraid of the open water.

Satan himself dug his claws into audiences through PG fare like The Devil's Rain (1975),  Race with the Devil (1975), and Amityville 3: The Demon (1983), while twisted killers made all the more frightening in their humanity terrified with their sadistic antics in The Psychopath (1973), Wicked Wicked (1973), Don't Hang Up (1974), The Premonition (1976), and Road Games (1981). Fans looking to be legitimately scared can still find satisfaction in Burnt Offerings (1976), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Salem's Lot (1981), and the endlessly brilliant Poltergeist (1982).

All of these horror classics (and not-so-classics) are rated PG, and there are plenty more that you definitely remember being scared or unsettled by including Ben (1972), The Stepford Wives (1975), The Car (1977), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), and so many others. And then Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg terrorized a suburban mom, strung up a dog in Christmas lights, and blended a little monster into mush which changed the rating landscape forever by forcing the MPAA to squeeze in something new between the PG and the R. Gremlins  (1984) remains an absolute masterpiece of horror/comedy, but it was the end of the PG horror movie renaissance.

The hundreds that hit screens from 1972 to 1984 are still out there and available, though, some more readily than others, and they're all worth the journey on both their own merits and to prove that PG-rated films can terrify, horrify, disgust, and upset every bit as well as their R-rated cousins. Anyone who suggests otherwise can be shut down with the mere mention of  Jaws  and  Poltergeist , but there's more ammo to be had. You should honestly take my word for it, but in case that's too much to ask I've included a list of 10 less mainstream examples of PG-rated films that still manage to bring the horror-happy goods.

The Baby (1973)

This gross, absurd little movie feels like it's just a few trims shy of an R-rating, but the elements that made the cut are still enough to leave you reeling. A social worker visits a home belonging to a woman, her two sex-hungry daughters, and a twenty-one-year-old son who sleeps in a crib, wears diapers, and has never been taught a damn thing. Someone breastfeeds him at one point,the sisters feel like they've stepped right out of Big Bad Mama II (1987), and the ending lands with a big fat "eww." Is it a great movie? That's your call, but it's definitely a film that pushes the boundaries of what to expect in a PG movie.

Phase IV (1974)

There's nothing truly graphic in Saul Bass' sole directorial feature, but his clinically artistic direction paired with Mayo Simon's smartly emotionless screenplay work to create as harrowing a tale of humanity's impending demise as you're likely to find. Its sci-fi trappings tease a future scenario brought to the present by a very basic approach to nature's ultimate dominance over mankind. This is no alien force at work. They're insects who've shared the world with our kind long enough and are ready for a change. Far-fetched eco-horror? Maybe. Thought-provoking and harrowing in its implications? Definitely.

Dead of Night (1974)

Director Bob Clark delivered more immediate horrors in his classic Black Christmas (1974), but genre fans would be foolish to discount the all-encompassing terror on display in his emotionally nightmarish tale of one soldier's return from war. The young man's rotting form and the ensuing carnage are horrific enough, but Clark mines the emotional trauma of grief as the power source behind his return to tremendous effect. It's made even more effective through Clark's not-so-subtle commentary on the deteriorating and damaged state of the young men returning from war forever changed. Tom Savini, himself a Vietnam veteran, provides the grisly effects.

One Dark Night (1982)

There's some familiarity to this tale of a teenager being hazed in her effort to join an exclusive clique – seriously, it has three members – by being forced to spend the night someplace spooky, but while Hell Night (1981, my favorite in the sub-genre) was slapped with an R-rating for bloody bits, scantily clad horndogs, and some intense scares, this chiller skated by with a PG. Sure it lacks bloodletting and only teases some sideboob, but after a creepy opening and a slow build-up of a second act, it unleashes hell with a mortuary full of floating, decomposing corpses trying to smother poor Meg Tilly and her friends. It's an intensely spooky finale.

Murder By Decree (1979)

Look, I love Bob Clark and consider him a national treasure, so yes, I am including a second one of his films on this list. What can I say, the man knows how to create and craft terrifying imagery and set-pieces. Here it's in the guise of my second favorite Jack the Ripper movie (where my Time After Time , 1979, fans at?!) as the slasher killer is hunted down by none other than Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and his pal John Watson (James Mason). It's a terrific thriller and mystery, but Clark delivers some truly horrifying sequences with the Ripper's murders thanks in part to his creepy AF eyes. If you thought the David Hasselhoff vs Jack the Ripper movie was scary you ain't seen nothing yet. (Yes that's a real thing.)

It's Alive (1974)

Like the film at the top of this list, the mere premise of this Larry Cohen movie should have landed it an R. Refusing to be born the traditional way, an infant comes screaming from the womb with claws, teeth, and a bloodlust that can only be satisfied through bloody murder. It's a creature feature made more disturbing as much through its visuals as through its thematic content that comments on things as diverse as the nuclear family and our over-reliance on prescription drugs. Yes, it's undeniably goofy, but it's more than a little unsettling at times too leading to an ending that asks us to confront our initially violent response to things we don't understand and fear.

The Other (1972)

Thomas Tryon's novel gets a beautiful and thoughtful adaptation from director Robert Mulligan (To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962), and while it may seem sedate and slow to those not quite paying attention there are some monstrous things happening here. A child is impaled, a finger is severed, a baby is abducted and drowned, a woman is burned alive – it's a grim and grisly coming of age tale (of sorts) that's best known for its twist ending but survives on repeat viewings for its gloriously suffocating sense of madness. The ideas and actions at play here aren't exactly ideal for young minds, especially as one of their own is the increasingly insane culprit.

Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)

The MPAA sometimes rates films harder for pure intensity and scenes of horror – basically, they're saying this is harrowing, heart-racing stuff so beware – but as with so many things that's a subjective evaluation. To that point, some people might find the thought of their room, their house, and their town being taken over by spiders to be utterly horrifying and possible traumatizing. 1990's Arachnophobia netted a PG-13 for such things, but this late 70s effort that uses far more real spiders in addition to a pervy William Shatner? It's PG. And not for nothing, but it also has the far more downbeat and nightmarish ending.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)

I'm not one who typically says "How did this movie get a PG?" but if you'll allow me, how did this movie get a PG?! A thirteen-year-old Jodie Foster stars in a role every bit as adult as the one she played in the same year's R-rated Taxi Driver . There's a nude scene (once again via a body double, but still), but there's also the general themes at play here. Murder sits at the forefront, but a creepy Martin Sheen gives icky life to a hopeful pedophile whose lascivious interests in the girl are far from subtle. It's an unsettling watch guaranteed to leave you wanting a shower afterward, and it's more evidence that horribly inappropriate things can unfold under the cover of a PG.

Tourist Trap (1979)

Sure a trio of attractive young women go skinny-dipping during the day, but it's what comes next that will have you believing that PG movies can terrify and truly eff up your dreams. Chuck Connors plays a kindly shop owner/museum curator/wackadoo who invites folks into his mannequin-filled home and never lets them leave. The faux humans are creepy enough, but when he starts stalking them in various doll masks? Playing on the floor like a 6'6" child? Telling a bound and gagged co-ed that she should treat him right if she wants to be his wife? Moving dolls, mannequins, eyeballs, and limbs with his mind? Yeah, this movie is pure nightmare fuel.

It's the movie that matters, not the rating. This year's biggest horror hits range from PG-13 fare like A Quiet Place  and Truth or Dare  to R-rated movies including The Nun and Halloween , and while none of them are very good (yeah, I said it) they all found an audience of fans despite the rating differences. Each of them in their own way delivers atmosphere, scares, death, and misery – well, except for Truth or Dare which settles on being miserable – and they serve as reminders that a skilled filmmaker (along with writers, editors, cinematographers, etc) can deliver chills, thrills, and unsettling terrors in a myriad of MPAA-pleasing ways.

spooky movies pg

  • Tickets & Showtimes
  • Trending on RT

spooky movies pg

  • TV & Streaming Shows
  • Family Animation
  • Best & Popular

spooky movies pg

TAGGED AS: Family , halloween , Holidays , Horror , kids

spooky movies pg

(Photo by Buena Vista Pictures, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, TriStar, MGM / Courtesy: Everett Collection)

54 Best Kids Halloween Movies

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island turns 25!

Looking for a scary movie to watch with the kids and family? Or a horror movie that won’t necessarily send you scrambling beneath the covers, with a 6,000 watt night light plugged in? Then you’ve come to the right ghoulish place with our guide to some of the best children’s movies for Halloween!

There’s something for everyone, from the very young ( It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown , Coco ) to the…well, still young, but we bet they think they’re so grown-up ( The Addams Family ). We’ve got animated funhouses ( The Nightmare Before Christmas , Coraline , Monster House ), ’80s fantasies and creepfests ( The Dark Crystal , Return to Oz ), and ’90s classics present and accounted for ( The Witches , Hocus Pocus , Casper ).

But what’s a little mayhem for the young mind without some Steven Spielberg productions like Poltergeist and Gremlins ? Or the maestro of palatable twisted dreams: Tim Burton, who’s represented by Beetlejuice.

Meanwhile, modern-day fare like Goosebumps,   The Addams Family , and the long-awaited Hocus Pocus sequel will keep the torch burning well into the years. In the end, we kept the list to PG and below, before we sorted the list by Tomatometer, with Certified Fresh films first. Whatever scary family movies you’re looking for, the ones you need are in our guide to the essential kids Halloween movies! — Alex Vo

' sborder=

Coco (2017) 97%

' sborder=

Spirited Away (2001) 96%

' sborder=

Monsters, Inc. (2001) 96%

' sborder=

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) 95%

' sborder=

Ghostbusters (1984) 95%

' sborder=

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) 95%

' sborder=

The Secret of NIMH (1982) 93%

' sborder=

The Witches (1990) 94%

' sborder=

Coraline (2009) 91%

' sborder=

ParaNorman (2012) 89%

' sborder=

Frankenweenie (2012) 88%

' sborder=

Poltergeist (1982) 88%

' sborder=

Gremlins (1984) 86%

' sborder=

Beetlejuice (1988) 86%

' sborder=

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005) 84%

' sborder=

The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008) 81%

' sborder=

The Boxtrolls (2014) 78%

' sborder=

Goosebumps (2015) 78%

' sborder=

The Dark Crystal (1982) 77%

' sborder=

Monster House (2006) 75%

' sborder=

Labyrinth (1986) 76%

' sborder=

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) 95%

Toy story of terror (2013) 94%.

' sborder=

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) 88%

' sborder=

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) 88%

' sborder=

Nightbooks (2021) 88%

' sborder=

Halloweentown (1998) 83%

' sborder=

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) 72%

' sborder=

Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) 73%

' sborder=

The Addams Family (1991) 67%

' sborder=

The House With a Clock in Its Walls (2018) 65%

' sborder=

Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) 65%

' sborder=

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) 62%

' sborder=

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) 61%

' sborder=

Return to Oz (1985) 58%

' sborder=

Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) 56%

' sborder=

Ghostbusters II (1989) 55%

' sborder=

Casper (1995) 52%

' sborder=

The Watcher in the Woods (1980) 50%

' sborder=

Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost (1999) 50%

' sborder=

Roald Dahl's The Witches (2020) 49%

' sborder=

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2022) 47%

' sborder=

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) 47%

' sborder=

The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022) 46%

' sborder=

The Addams Family (2019) 45%

' sborder=

Hotel Transylvania (2012) 45%

' sborder=

Little Monsters (1989) 44%

' sborder=

Hocus Pocus (1993) 40%

' sborder=

Scooby-Doo (2002) 32%

' sborder=

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) 22%

' sborder=

The Addams Family 2 (2021) 28%

' sborder=

Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) 17%

' sborder=

The Haunted Mansion (2003) 13%

' sborder=

The Little Vampire (2017) 14%

Related news.

Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse on Their Fearless Performances in Lisa Frankenstein

All A24 Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of January

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

The 200 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time

February 9, 2024

The 5 Most Anticipated TV & Streaming Shows of February

February 8, 2024

The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of February

What to Watch This Week: Turning Red , Lisa Frankenstein , and More

Top Headlines

  • The 200 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time –
  • Best TV Shows of 2024: Best New Series to Watch Now –
  • Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now –
  • Mel Brooks Movies Ranked –
  • All 27 Pixar Movies Ranked by Tomatometer –
  • The 100 Best Movies of 2014, Ranked by Tomatometer –

5 scariest PG-13 horror movies to watch on Netflix

Looking for something scary on Netflix that's not overly gory or frightening? Here are some great PG-13 films currently streaming.

By Mads Lennon | Jan 2, 2024

Kate Bosworth stars in Relativity Media's "Before I Wake". Photo: Courtesy of Relativity MediaCopyright: © 2014 QNO, LLC

Sometimes you're in the mood to watch something spooky but not too spooky and that's the beauty of a PG-13 horror movie. Netflix has lots of terrifying horror films to stream , but they also have a strong collection of slightly milder PG-13 flicks that can be watched by younger viewers.

If you have teens who are looking to dip their toe into the world of horror, these films often function as the perfect gateway to see just how much they'll like it and if they're ready to venture into something more frightening.

From Insidious to lesser-known Mike Flanagan movies, here are some of the best PG-13 horror movies streaming on Netflix right now.

Insidious (2010)

You can't go wrong with this 2010 movie, considered a modern classic in some circles. From the team that brought us Saw , James Wan and Leigh Whannell, Insidious is a supernatural horror film centering on the Lambert family. When Renai (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Patrick Wilson) Lambert's youngest son falls into a coma, the family begins witnessing terrifying events that lead them to discover a dark family secret and the truth about their son's "illness." Insidious kicked off a massive multi-million dollar franchise that has since spawned five movies. The first and the fifth movies are now on Netflix.

Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

If you're a fan of Mike Flanagan's films and television shows like Oculus , The Haunting of Hill House , The Fall of the House of Usher , and Gerald's Game then you need to add Ouija: Origin of Evil to your watchlist. While both the 2016 sequel and its 2014 predecessor Ouija are streaming, I recommend skipping straight to this one since it's miles better than the first and serves as a prequel anyway. Starring Hill House vets Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, and Henry Thomas, Origin of Evil is a 1967-set film about a widowed mother who runs a scam seance business with assistance from her daughters and accidentally invites an evil presence into her home.

Lights Out (2016)

Teresa Palmer stars in this suspenseful movie based on a scary short film. If you're afraid of the dark, Lights Out is sure to get under your skin. Palmer plays a young woman who must protect her brother when he starts seeing an entity in the darkness. As she digs into the truth, she learns of a disturbing connection between the supernatural being and her mother, played by Maria Bello.

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

The Haunting in Connecticut isn't the most original horror film out there, but for a PG-13 movie it does have some nail-biting moments and frightening imagery. When Sara (Virginia Madsen) and Peter's (Martin Donovan) son Matt (Kyle Gallner) is diagnosed with cancer, the family is faced with the unknown as Matt starts witnessing paranormal activity around their home.

Before I Wake (2016)

Before I Wake is another underrated Mike Flanagan gem that is on Netflix and features a great cast with actors like Kate Bosworth, Jacob Tremblay, Annabeth Gish, and more. A dark fantasy film, Before I Wake hinges on Flanagan's talent for creating layered family drama amid horrifying circumstances. Tremblay plays eight-year-old Cody, the foster son of a grieving couple who previously lost their biological child. To their great surprise, Cody's dreams can manifest in reality—but so can his nightmares.

Next. 17 powerful women in Netflix horror movies and shows. 17 powerful women in Netflix horror movies and shows. dark

Fantasy Warden

The Spookiest and Scariest PG 13 Halloween Movies, Ranked

Spookiest Halloween Movies cover img

Greetings, Spooks and Ghouls! Halloween is approaching, so it’s time to create the ultimate list of PG 13 Halloween movies. Halloween is the best holiday for people like me, fans of horror and fantasy. That’s why this list is extra special, designed for ultimate fans of horror and fantasy, featuring movies that you won’t believe are rated PG-13. We advise you to prepare your Jack O’ Lanterns, Harry Potter floating candles, Hocus Pocus Punch, Candy & Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Bread, Caramel Corn, and Candy Corn. Let’s creep through so you can find the movie that’ll send chills down your spine this Halloween.

The Ring [2002]

The Ring 2002

“Old but scary gold” is how kids from the 90s and early 2000s would describe it. Even today, it’s still so frightening when I watch it, and I can’t believe how this remade Japanese horror movie is rated PG 13 . You’ve probably seen it parodied in other movies like Scary Movie 3 or shows like The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXXII (Dead Ringer). The story of The Ring is based on an urban legend: there’s a VHS tape, and if you watch it, you’ll die in seven days. This might sound like spam emails or SMS messages, but trust me on this one—it’s super creepy and scary.

The woman watching PG 13 Halloween movies

The way the girl appears and emerges from the TV will send chills down your spine. At the time, it was so frightening that some parents forbade their kids from watching it. There was even a theory that you could travel to the other side of the world through the TV, but that’s a different topic. What makes this movie so special is that it’s based on an urban legend from Japan. Just imagine how bizarre and eerie that can be. So, if you want a wet floor beneath your TV and a dark-haired demon ghost girl to join you this Halloween, don’t skip “The Ring.”

The Others [2001]

Nicole Kidman and two kids looking at the camera

“The Others,” unlike other PG 13 Halloween movies, has won many awards. The storytelling in this movie is spectacular, and the cast is great too, with Nicole Kidman as the main protagonist. The haunted house is what typical Halloween movies are about, along with the kids who see ghosts and a creepy mother. This movie will show you that you don’t need any nudity, blood, and gore to make your hair stand on end. Goosebumps will cover your body when you see the faces of the people who walk around the house. Even the mother’s name, Grace, is connected with the main plot and has a horrifying effect when I remember the ending.

Ghost from The Others

Nicole Kidman wasn’t the only good thing in this movie; the kids, Nicholas (James Bentley) and Anne (Alakina Mann) were also impressive. To help the child actors concentrate and feel scared, the director Alejandro Amenábar used spooky music while they were filming with Nicole Kidman. This is the type of movie that will make you think about life, death, and Grace. So, if you want an afterthought, you should watch or rewatch this old but gold one.

Rosemary’s Baby [1968]

Rosemary looking at the baby

For those who enjoy movies about cults, this one is for you. Since most cult-themed movies are rated R and my personal favorite is “The Empty Man,” this one sets the gold standard. “Rosemary’s Baby” has that Scooby-Doo spooky element in it, which includes hidden doors, creepy creatures, and even some people in power. But unlike Scooby-Doo, which teaches us that all people are monsters, “Rosemary’s Baby” teaches us that there are spooky and scary monsters in this world. The movie doesn’t show a lot of scary things, but it’s creepy as hell.

Rosemary's Baby neighbor

The best part of these “old school” horror movies is truly excellent, and Mia Farrow acted fabulously alongside John Cassavetes. For those of you who didn’t know, the movie was directed by Roman Polanski. The story is about a couple, Rosemary and Guy, who moved to NYC, and Rosemary is pregnant; you didn’t see this coming, did you? The director did a great thing with this movie by not using any fancy monsters, as it seems, for the most part, that Rosemary is just crazy and paranoid. If you’re not a fan of horror movies but would like to get scared this Halloween, then this one is for you.

The Sixth Sense [1999]

I see dead people

If you’re old enough to remember which game used the most memorable quote from The Sixth Sense, “I See Dead People,” as a cheat code, I’ll have to disappoint you and tell you that you’re probably over 30 now. Now, this movie isn’t as scary as it is creepy, and it does include some scenes where a ghost of a dead lady appears covered in blood, but nothing too bloody or gory. There are some dead people here and there hanging around the school, but again, it’s all part of one of the best movies from the ’90s. At some moments, you won’t believe how this movie made it on the list with other PG 13 Halloween movies, as it features some gross scenes.

Malcolm talking to Cole in the movie Sixth Sense

Now, the connection that the boy, Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), shares with child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), is amazing. Their bond and acting are just out of this world, and it’s, for once, great roles where Bruce didn’t play a version of a badass-diehard-hero. There’s also a great subplot with Dr. Malcolm’s wife that gets resolved satisfyingly at the end of the movie. We’ve spoiled enough, so if you want a high-quality Halloween movie, check this one out; it’s worth your time.

The Boogeyman [2023]

The Boogeyman

You’d probably be wrong if you thought that Stephen King’s book adaptations can’t make it onto the list of PG 13 Halloween movies, but you’d be mistaken; deadly mistaken. This is probably one of the better adaptations of the book. The Boogeyman is not a children’s story, but it’s based on one, and it’s a genuine Halloween special. Imagine if the other Boogeyman stories were regular The Simpsons episodes; this one is like a Treehouse of Horror-type episode. The Boogeyman in this universe is a disgusting monster that feeds off the sorrow of people who have lost someone, like a child or a mother, as it’s presented in the movie.

Sophie Thatcher in The Boogeyman

Now, the story of this movie follows the Harper family, sisters Sadie and Sawyer, and their therapist father Will. They’re all struggling to overcome the grief caused by the death of Will’s wife and his daughter’s mother. The creepiest character in the movie is Lester Billings, who warns Will of the presence of the Boogeyman. Another eerie character is Rita, the wife of Lester Billings, who is hunting the monster. It was both fun and scary to watch a family fight the monster, but overall, it’s a very dark and emotional film. If you’re a fan of Stephen King, you’ll appreciate this adaptation.

The Skeleton Key [2005]

spooky movies pg

The Skeleton Key has a pretty dark and creepy tone to it. It’s one of the rare good PG 13 Halloween movies that focuses solely on voodoo magic and its use. Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson), a good-hearted nurse living in New Orleans, quits her job at the hospital once she realizes how poorly the hospital treats its patients. She finds a job advertisement in the newspaper that states “Seeking Hospice Caretaker.” Once she arrives at the remote mansion in Louisiana, she starts exploring because she senses that something fishy is going on there. The old mansion and the skeleton key itself are just as creepy and scary as the old books, items, and relics that she discovers throughout the movie.

spooky movies pg

The quote that stuck with me from this movie is “It Doesn’t Work If You Don’t Believe Scene.” This movie is underrated, and it’s probably the best Hoodoo magic film out there. There aren’t many movies like this, especially not about voodoo. By the end of the movie, you’ll have everything figured out, and it will all make perfect sense. Until then, enjoy the movie.

The Grudge [2004]

The Grudge

“The Grudge” is yet another Japanese remake masterpiece. When I watched this movie for the first time in 2004, it scared the wits out of me. I never wanted to wash my hair alone in the bathroom again, and that’s not another drop-the-soap joke. This movie is terrifying, and the original Japanese version is chilling, but I found the American one a bit creepier. As I’ve mentioned before, the Japanese have a special way of telling a horror story, and this one is no exception. “The Grudge” is, as the name suggests, about a vengeful spirit (Kayako) haunting a house where a murder occurred. When nurse Karen Davis moves there to take care of an elderly lady, she encounters The Grudge and has to put an end to it.

The Grudge 2004

It was curious to find out that such disturbing movies like “The Ring” and “The Grudge” have made it to the list of PG 13 Halloween movies. Even today, I’m afraid of the sound that “The Grudge” makes, and trust me, you’ll remember it too. This one is a Halloween must-watch, so if you haven’t already, please put it on your Halloween bucket list. There’s nothing else to say except to be careful about picking a place to stay if you’re going to Tokyo.

The Mothman Prophecies [2002]

Richard Gere as John Klein in The Mothman Prophecies

This supernatural horror-mystery movie is about an urban legend of Mothman, inspired by the book of the same name. John Klein (Richard Gere) is the main protagonist, and he’s a journalist working for the Washington Post. Laura Linney is a local police officer who trusts John, and they’re together on this one with the Mothman. There are several calls that, for some viewers, are “disturbing,” especially regarding the way Mothman’s voice sounds and the fact that he uses a phone. Anyway, this one is great for all cosmic horror fans and urban legend fans. Yet it’s another masterpiece that didn’t need blood and gore to prove that it’s scary.

Laura Linney as Connie Mills in The Mothman Prophecies

Why is The Mothman Prophecies so high on the list? It’s because this event happened, to some degree. You see, Mothman is now a pop-folk-urban legend since he was seen in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia, USA, in the late 1960s. He was always described as a large, winged humanoid creature with glowing red eyes. The story has a lot of time traveling in it; I’m a fan of this tool, but nowadays, it’s being overused. This might be a bit harder to follow, as the screenplay wasn’t the best-ever adaptation of the book, but it’s certainly one of the scariest PG 13 Halloween movies.

The Visit [2015]

Granny face from The Visit

Renowned director Manoj Nelliyattu, known as “M. Night” Shyamalan, has many PG 13 movies, and in my opinion, The Visit is the best found-footage one. The Visit is about Becca and Tyler, two siblings who visit their grandparents in the countryside. Becca, aspiring to be a filmmaker, records their trip. However, they notice that their grandparents are acting strangely and creepily. This movie is scary in a comedic way, so give it a watch, and you’ll understand why it’s categorized as a “comedy” horror movie. As the kids discover some peculiar rules and behaviors of the elderly, The Visit will make you think twice before leaving your kids with their grandparents.

The Visit Grandparents

The Visit is the kind of movie that will keep you guessing until the very end about what’s happening. For a PG 13 Halloween movie, it can be genuinely disturbing at times. However, as I’ve mentioned, the comedy aspect might make it a bit less scary for some viewers, or even more creepy. It all depends on the perspective of the viewer.

1408 [2007]

Mike Enslin sees his daughter Katie in 1408

We’ll conclude our list with another Stephen King’s book adaptation 1408. StevenKing is a master of horror and all of its subgenres and existential horror isn’t an exception. The movie stars John Cusack as Mike Enslin a paranormal debunker who lost his daughter and who’s about to face the infamous Room 1408. Another spooky but always cool character is Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson) the manager of the haunted Dolphin Hotel. Allegedly the story was inspired by true events that took place in San Diego’s Hotel del Coronado. In the real-life happenings, a young woman named Kate Morgan took her own life.

Samuel L Jackson from 1408

With this one, we’d like to end this PG 13 Halloween movie night(mare) and let you pick your favorite movie that will give you goosebumps this October 31st. If you didn’t find any movie that you like, you can always check our horror movies like the Mist list – maybe there’s something for you in there. For all of your creeps, creepers, ghouls, vampires, zombies, and other horror lovers, there’s plenty of other horror content lurking around our website. 

Igor Vranjes photo CV

Igor Vranjes is a graduated ecology engineer who has dedicated most of his free time to works of fantasy, horror, and sci-fi. In his free time, he likes reading books, comics, playing video games, and watching movie. His famous creators are Tolkien, Artur C. Clark, H. P. Lovecraft, and George Lucas. Igor is a dedicated fan of the works of H.P. Lovecraft and he is driven by his idea that the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. When he is not studying works of fantasy writers, Igor enjoys playing video games such as Diablo and other Blizzard games, the Dragon Age series, Mortal Kombat games, the God of War franchise, and most recently Hogwarts Legacy.

Where Did Ed, Edd n Eddy Go?

Where Did Ed, Edd n Eddy Go?

I can’t imagine waking up on Saturday morning without watching Ed, Edd n Eddy. It was probably one of the best Cartoon Network shows, with a limited number of recurring characters who were good. This show was good in the way that it depicted the childhood that we (90s kids) all had. One street, one…

Monster Hunter Now: Dual Blades Explained [2024]

Monster Hunter Now: Dual Blades Explained [2024]

Monster Hunter Now features various weapons found in other Monster Hunter Series. Among those weapons are my favorite Dual Blades. Since they are added in the latest update (December 2023), you can unlock it by playing the main quest in Chapter 2 even if you are a beginner in Monster Hunter Now. For players that…

Marvel Snap: Sera Deck Guide [February 2024]

Marvel Snap: Sera Deck Guide [February 2024]

This is a guide for the deck archetype in Marvel Snap focusing on Sera. We will explore various tips and tricks on how to use this card – and as you will see, there are plenty of options as Sera is a tech card in Marvel Snap that can easily turn the game in your…

Worst Games Of 2023 – PC Edition

Worst Games Of 2023 – PC Edition

2023 was a bumpy year for the whole entertainment industry. Gaming prices have been up recently as the recession kicked in after the pandemic. That’s where the good old gaming industry wants to lure more players into paying more money after they’ve bought the game already. Premium accounts, alongside other money gambling simulators such as…

Monster Hunter Now – Ultimate Beginner Guide [2024]

Monster Hunter Now – Ultimate Beginner Guide [2024]

This article is an ultimate Monster Hunter Now beginner guide and will cover basic game mechanics, menu and map layouts as well as short descriptions of equipment and monsters that you can encounter in-game. If you are a fan of the Monster Hunter game series, Monster Hunter Now will definitely be the right choice for…

What Happened to Cow and Chicken?

What Happened to Cow and Chicken?

We’re going to analyze Cow and Chicken a famous TV show that was unique for its time. Other than having crazy animation and a unique story, Cow and Chicken had some interesting characters. One of the most interesting ones in my opinion was a side character Red Guy. Overall the show performed really well for…

How To Get Gold In Warcraft Rumble [2024]

How To Get Gold In Warcraft Rumble [2024]

Warcraft Rumble is a game that requires somewhat good management of your resources, and while all mobile games inherently are “greedy”, there are a lot of ways to circumvent paying for the in-game currency. In Warcraft Rumble, you have a lot of ways to earn enough gold to play the game without any special handicaps.…

Deep Rock Galactic Perk Tier List [2024]

Deep Rock Galactic Perk Tier List [2024]

In this Deep Rock Galactic perk tier list, We’ll attempt to rank the game’s various perks based on our years of experience in the game. Perks are a wide variety of bonuses that can be applied to dwarves to give them a boost in performance. We’ve briefly mentioned them in our previous Beginner Guide. While…

They Are Billions: Tips and Full Strategy Guide [February 2024]

They Are Billions: Tips and Full Strategy Guide [February 2024]

They are Billions is a strange mixture of RTS, tower-defense, and city-management genres. Although most of the time it will feel like RTS, theoretically speaking, you can pause the game every few seconds and decide on your next move. Above all else, TaB is a decision-making game, a game much like Frostpunk. In this guide,…

Powerpuff Girls Saved the Day Too Many Times?

Powerpuff Girls Saved the Day Too Many Times?

I’m going to explore two topics in this article; the first one is overall the analysis and breakdown of the Power Puffs as a whole show. After that, I’ll give you an opinion about reboots and equals that came after. We all know that Power Puffs were created by mixing sugar, spice, and everything nice;…

Flickside

15 Best PG 13 Horror Movies, Ranked

Flickside

  • Facebook Data not found. Please check your user ID. Twitter You currently have access to a subset of Twitter API v2 endpoints and limited v1.1 endpoints (e.g. media post, oauth) only. If you need access to this endpoint, you may need a different access level. You can learn more here: https://developer.twitter.com/en/portal/product Instagram Please check your username. Youtube 1.3K

sad anime movies

20 Sad Anime Movies That’ll Make You Cry

best hindi movies on YouTube

21 Best Hindi Films On YouTube

thriller movies hindi

22 Best Indian Thrillers On Amazon Prime (October 2023)

child prodigy movies

12 Best Child Prodigy Films

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons explained

The Strange Thing About The Johnsons (2011) Explained

spooky movies pg

Growing up in the west of Ireland, I am passionate…

From Under the Shadow to A Quiet Place (2018), here are some of the best PG 13 horror movies.

We all want to have a light scare every now and again: not too spooky, but not too easy either. Luckily for all of us, there is a whole film genre that caters to this craving: the PG-13 horror film. Created after controversy surrounding Indiana Jones: The Temple of Doom being released with a PG rating, the PG-13 label, created for the sole purpose of films that were neither too light, nor too scary, was born. There have been a number of brilliant PG-13 films over the years. These are the films that deliver shrieks of laughter and screams of terror in equal measure. Whether by blockbuster directors or relatively unknown names, these films always have us on the edge of our seats.

Today, we count down some of the most memorable ones and have a look at what makes them all spectacular: the jump scares, the humour, and most of all, the horror, the horror!

15. 1408 (2007)

spooky movies pg

Not even a lackluster performance from John Cusack could stop this Stephen King short story from becoming a jaw-dropping PG-13 horror movie. This film twists and turns, delivers scare after scare, while also incorporating a dash of heartfelt moments. 

The premise is simple: there is a room in a hotel, a room that claims the lives of anyone who sleeps within it. The manager claims that no one ever lasts more than an hour before their minds succumb to the malicious force the residence puts onto it. S taff avoids the room, though they never provide an explanation for the presence that inhabits the space; the viewer is encouraged to make up their own mind as to what might be causing the supernatural happenings within those walls. 

14. Happy Death Day (2017)

pg 13 horror movies

Who doesn’t like Groundhog Day (1993)? Better yet, who wouldn’t want to see a modern day spin-off of Groundhog Day plus a horrifying murder plot? This was the question that Happy Death Day (2017) answers to great effect. From Blumhouse Productions, this film follows the story of Theresa who is murdered the night of her birthday. However, she wakes up immediately to the sound of 50 Cent’s catchy tunes. 

Drawing inspiration from the deep ocean of slasher films, Happy Death Day succeeds on a number of levels. It brings in laughs, it delivers screams that made the teen-slasher sub genre so well established, and it makes the best use of its plot description by exploring all the ways one might engage with this predicament: streaking on campus? Why the hell not.

13. Disturbia (2007)

spooky movies pg

When we talk about PG-13 horror films, it’s important to recognise a reoccurring trope in the genre: teenagers discovering either supernatural events or unsolved murders. Disturbia features a young and popular Shia LaBeouf , who is under house arrest for assaulting a teacher. He enjoys his free time as any teenager would, but after the internet and television are removed as viable options, the only outlet for his boredom is spying on his neighbors. He becomes convinced that one of his neighbors is a psychopathic killer, though, no one believes him of course. This film did an excellent job at appealing to the hearts and minds of every teenager in the audience: there is romance, thrills, and a redemption arc to boot.

12. The Woman in Black (2012)

pg 13 scary movies

Featuring some of the best Gothic horror since Guillermo del Toro left the scene, Daniel Radcliffe stars in this film as Sam , a widower set on retrieving documents from a spooky mansion. He learns it is possessed by the malicious ghost of a scorned woman who is taking the lives of the children from the nearby village.

This film exhibits some of the best work in cinematography in recent years, as the camera sweeps across the house and demands that the viewer hold their breath in terrified anticipation. We just know that there is going to be a heart-stopping moment any second, but that doesn’t stop the goose-bumps from forming. Though not a film that will garner many laughs, it succeeds almost entirely due to the maintained level of suspense and dread.

11. Insidious (2010)

spooky movies pg

When I was a teenager, everyone told me not to watch Insidious (2010). “I didn’t sleep the night after I watched it,” my friend confessed. After having watched it, I can certainly admit that it is one of the more terrifying films on this list. Demonic possessions are never fun and games, but the lore the creators behind this film made is something else. James Wan managed to immerse the audience with a tightly-wound story that is noticeably inspired by Poltergeist (1982). However, Wan makes good use of upgraded technology, as well as the costume and makeup department – the demon on the wall lives on in my memory as one of the most frightening depictions of an evil presence in cinema history.

10. Under the Shadow (2016)

While I haven’t seen many Iranian films, this brilliant PG-13 horror feature from debut director Babak Anvari follows a mother who is left with her daughter in Tehran as they suffer more and more artillery fire. As this external threat pervades their surroundings, a malevolent, internal threat looms. An entity has found a way into this mother’s house and could take her child away from her at any moment. Though clearly taking inspiration from Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook (2014), this film stands out for its connection to cultural and oral forms of storytelling, particularly Iranian folklore. If you want a scary film that also teaches you about recent history, this film is a safe bet.

9. Before I Wake (2016)

spooky movies pg

Mike Flanagan has made a name for himself creating some of the most entertaining horror films of the last 20 years. With films such as Oculus, Hush, and Ouija: Origin of Evil , he gained recognition for making tense, horrifying films that had a penchant for the supernatural. With Before I Wake (2013), Mike Flanagan made a PG-13 horror film that features much more heart than it does laughs. 

With a touching performance from Jacob Tremblay, this film demonstrates the horror of disease and the lingering effects of grief on a young child. It has enough wonder and amazement to catch the attention of any teenager going into this film, with scary moments that will absolutely keep that attention in a tight grip.

8. Drag Me to Hell (2009)

spooky movies pg

Sam Raimi made a name for himself with the Evil Dead films as an eccentric filmmaker with an eclectic style and slightly bizarre sense of humor. After directing Spiderman films, Raimi came out with his first horror film in recent years: Drag Me to Hell (2009). With an emphasis on gross-out humor and supernatural horror, this outing from Raimi managed to garner laughs and shrieks from those I watched it with. This film demonstrates how effective Raimi’s style is for the comedy horror genre: he likes to have fun with his films, and if you take it too seriously, you’re missing the point. This movie is an example of how you should sit down with a bowl of popcorn and laugh in between the shouts. 

7. The Sixth Sense (1999)

M. Night Shyamalan created an entire career for himself with this film. With some of the best twists in cinema history, The Sixth Sense was a masterpiece in the art of leaving your entire audience speechless. Though the twist is very well-known at this point, it doesn’t diminish the huge cultural impact this had at the time. 

The film succeeds on a number of levels. It both communicates a heartfelt story about a boy who is struggling with the immense weight of his supernatural gift, as well as weaves a suspenseful narrative that doesn’t reveal the best part until the very end. Telling a story like this requires momentous skill and insane restraint.

6. Gremlins (1984)

best pg 13 horror movies

What’s scarier than Christmas? Little reptilian gremlins getting wet on Christmas, that’s what! With an ominous opening, as well as a multi-layered critique on our consumerist values, Gremlins provides both scares and food for thought. It has all of the necessary ingredients for this film to become a cult classic as well: an implausible set-up, a dramatic finish, and infinitely quotable lines: who doesn’t remember the first time they heard ‘never feed it after midnight’? The script is packed full of foreshadowing; just the kind of thing a young teenager loves.

Written by Chris Columbus, this film can be seen as part of a slew of films produced by Steven Spielberg in the 1980s with a particular aesthetic style, as well as Poltergeist (1982) and Back to the Future (1985).

5. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

spooky movies pg

This is a horror film which has equal handfuls of both claustrophobic paranoia and supernatural horror. John Goodman’s performance alone is enough to make this film a PG-13 at the very least: he provides the tension and suspense that flow through the entire film as we are never quite sure if we can trust his character, Howard . Is he insane, lying, or both? Or does he actually know what he is talking about? 

The film provides an intriguing look into the psychology of “preppers”, those people who are quietly preparing for the end of the world. What does the effect of a “survivalist” mentality have on small group dynamics? How does this pessimistic thinking affect your ability to trust those around you? This film examines that in terrifying detail.

Three of Us (2023) review

Three of Us (2023) Review: A Meditation On Nostalgia

4. night of the comet (1984).

spooky movies pg

Night of the Comet (1984) stands out as one of the quintessential PG-13 horror films. It has humor, scares, and of course, mutant zombies . After everyone is evaporated by a comet (besides those who were able to find shelter lined with steel), Reggie and her sister band together to survive the wasteland which their home has become. 

This is the kind of film which has the capacity to make you laugh, cry, and scream. Featuring moments of desperation and loneliness, as well as moments capable of giving any twelve-year-old a nightmare, there is plenty here to come back to over and over again. Besides, the 80s vibe is indescribably enjoyable; why don’t we bring back those haircuts anyway?

3.  The Birds (1963)

pg 13 horror movie

Hitchcock is known as the king of suspense. In 1963, he came out with one of his most suspenseful films to date: The Birds . Set on an island in California, we watch as our protagonists slowly fall victim to incessant bird attacks. While PG-13 did not exist at this time, modern censors give this classic a PG-13 rating. The film is neither too gory nor too light; Hitchcock relies purely on the power of suspense. He makes use of all of his filmmaking prowess to make this movie a riveting watch; who else could make a flock of crows nerve-wracking?

While it is easy to dismiss this film as antiquated and deride the special effects as looking ridiculous, it is important to note the historical impact this film had. For 1963, the special effects were very impressive, so much so they were nominated for an Academy Award and terrified audiences at the time. Directors to this day still cite this film as one of their influences, with both Guillermo del Toro and John Carpenter stating it had a big impact on their conception of horror cinema.

2. A Quiet Place (2018)

After making a name for himself as an actor on The Office (2005-2013), John Krasinski directed one of the most suspenseful and thrilling horror films in a long time. They never speak about the origins of these alien creatures. In fact, the family rarely speaks at all. This is the land they have come to inhabit: one of quiet and desperation. 

The opening scene, the fact the film never stops being tense, and the story between Lee and Regan that acts as the heart of the film: this film is peak PG-13 horror. The pounding score for this film gives the narrative the edge that keeps you coming back for more again and again. The sequel is just as riveting and with a third on the way, it could end up as one of the best horror trilogies ever made.

1. Arachnophobia (1990)

pg 13 horror movies

This very well might be my favorite PG-13 horror movie of all time. It has everything you could possibly want out of a cult-classic horror-comedy: laugh out loud moments, ridiculous characters, unavoidable jump scares, and murderous spiders the size of your head! 

Jeff Daniels provides a great performance as the leading man. Though, there are so many great characters in this film that you’ll struggle to pick your favorite. John Goodman offers another amazing supporting role – “Always nice to meet a colleague.” The laughs keep on coming, but the jump scares are all that separate them. Arachnophobia (1990) also features the most suspenseful shower scene since Alfred Hitchcock made Psycho (1960); a murderer wielding a knife or a venomous spider crawling onto your head, which would you choose to fight when you have shampoo in your eyes?

The PG-13 horror film became a staple of Hollywood cinema in the early 80s, and from the films on this list, it is clear that this genre and the love people have for it is not going anywhere any time soon. With more and more great PG-13 horrors being released each year , I’m sure we will be back in no time for another look at the horror movie genre. Be sure to look at Warm Bodies (2013) and Lights Out (2016) for other great films that didn’t make this list. 

Stephen King’s work is often turned into PG-13 horror movies and two directors on this list have worked with his material. Check out this list to look at Stephen King’s adaptations ranked.

spooky movies pg

Growing up in the west of Ireland, I am passionate about films, writing, reading, reviewing, photography, and scriptwriting. I co-host a podcast called ‘The Monochrome Picture Show’ where we talk about classic and contemporary films.

new streaming movies

10 New Movies You Can Watch At Home Right Now

One-Punch-Man-season 3 release date

One Punch Man Season 3: All You Need To Know

Animal (2023) review: cinema as toxic art.

Three of Us (2023) review

‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ (2023) Review

best movies on netflix 2023

19 Movies To Watch On Netflix Right Now (Jan 2024)

best movies of 2023

20 Best Films Of 2023 & Where To Find Them

spooky movies pg

15 Best Bollywood Comedy Films

Flickside

  • Write For Us
  • Get in touch

© 2022 Flickside. All Rights Reserved.

Film School Rejects Logo

10 Scariest PG-Rated Horror Movies

Days Pg

Film ratings are a many-headed beast. On one hand, it does help audiences know in advance if a film will be suitable for their families and effectively prevents younger kids from seeing any type of content they want. But many, rightfully so, find rating systems to just be a new form of artistic censorship. And that’s not a point to take lightly. When a film’s success is predicated on if it gets a large theatrical run, but due to the MPAA it gets a rating that effectively moots their distribution, it can tank a film. Not to even mention the fact that film rating advisory boards routinely will demand creatives cut their films in order to maintain a rating that will get the most audiences in, namely PG-13 (invented in the mid-80s to bridge the gap between PG and R), whether that best services the plot or not. So while we may have been expecting crunching bones and torn flesh in a summer blockbuster like  The Meg , due to the desired PG-13, we have a neutered gigantic shark.

But that is not to fly the rallying cry that PG and PG-13 are bad. On the contrary, the confines that the ratings can sometimes give to the creatives results in a storytelling challenge, “how do we say this without showing that.”  And, like in the case of the torture porn films of the early 00s, sometimes this excised footage was just too long and its removal actually improves the flow of the whole film.

And as we’ve seen with certain newly released films, like A Quiet Place , just because horror isn’t R does not mean that it is somehow a lesser movie, as made evident by the following films as voted on by Chris Coffel , Kieran Fisher , Brad Gullickson , Rob Hunter , Meg Shields , and myself .

31 Days of Horror: Click here for more

10. Burnt Offerings (1976)

Burnt Offerings

One of the prototypical haunted house films of the 70s, Burnt Offerings is a slow burn psychological horror directed by Dan Curtis of Dark Shadows and Trilogy of Terror fame. When the Rolf family are offered a massive house for the summer at a bizarrely affordable price, they don’t ask questions. While the spooks are understated, red flags abound, from wickedly grinning chauffeur, to the ailing old woman shut up in mansion’s attic. Starring Oliver Reed , Karen Black , and Bette fucking Davis , Burnt Offerings totes suitably creepy photographic edge, charmingly stagy acting, and an unnerving sense of restraint. Indeed, what makes Burnt Offerings so creepy is that it feels in line with un-cinematic accounts of paranormal activity. It slinks, lurks, and bides its time. Unlike other entries on this list, Burnt Offerings isn’t scary for what it shows, but for what it doesn’t. – Meg Shields

9. It’s Alive (1974)

Its Alive

Larry Cohen movies aren’t PG for the most part, so this oddity about a monster baby killing people being acceptable viewing for the whole family is a rare gift indeed. Whether it should be is debatable, but I support the decision. Like most of Cohen’s writer-directorial efforts, it’s a wild and wacky ride with some biting commentary about the society at large, a perfect combination of silliness and smarts. Few filmmakers have a worldview that’s as forward-thinking and on point as Cohen does, and anything unleashed during his prime is well worth hunting down. – Kieran Fisher

8. Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)

Cb Twilightzone Jpg Crop Rectangle Large

An anthology film based on a network television show was never going to get an R-rating, but the various filmmakers involved here don’t need one to deliver scares, thrills, and weighty doses of fear. From the opening jump scare featuring Albert Brooks as a monster (he wouldn’t return to those roots until Drive in 2011) to the more existential dread of karmic punishment to the pure shit-your-pants terror experienced by John Lithgow at 20,000 feet in the air, the film delivers fun, thrilling, and frightening horror beats without the need of an R. – Rob Hunter

7. Gremlins (1984)

Gremlins

The Mogwai Gizmo is cute as shit, that’s just straight facts. Because of this, Giz is partly to blame for the family-friendly vibe of Gremlins , aided by the remarkable trio of Joe Dante , Steven Spielberg , and Chris Columbus . But what far fewer remember is how the creatives didn’t just wear their 50s horror influences on their sleeves but rather crafted them perfectly around this compact story of a town overrun by little monsters.  The most unnerving shot in the film is the simplest. After watching our boy Stripe take a plunge into the Kingston Falls YMCA, we cut to a shot of the horizon. A jet black starless night sky slowly begins to be populated by one Gremlin, followed by another, then more, until a mob of Gremlins are climbing over themselves to make their way into the heart of the town. Like any pest, they are far more terrifying in numbers which isn’t to denigrate Carlo Rimbaldi ’s iconic, snarling creature design but rather it enables the Gremlins to fully realize their maximum potential. – Jacob Trussell

6. Race With The Devil (1975)

Race With The Devil

My local movie theater – shout outs to Hollywood Theatre in Portland – hosts an all-night horror movie marathon every October just in time for Halloween. The movies are always a mystery, which is half the fun, and they’re presented in 35mm. The first year I attended the marathon it kicked off with 1975’s Race With The Devil . This was my introduction to this film and it knocked my socks off.  This is a movie where Peter Fonda and Warren Oates go on a road trip in an RV with Loretta Swift and Lara Parker and along the way they witness a Satanic ritual that forces them into a race for their lives from a group of bloodthirsty Satanists. Is this the most awesome movie ever made? Maybe! It’s intense, it’s action-packed and it’s scary because hello, the Devil, and all while being PG. To be fair, this would likely be PG-13 today, but just barely. The movie has very little in the way of gore, some profanity and a brief glimpse of blurry nudity, but it doesn’t rely on those things. In the ritual scene, the film lingers for a bit and not everything is clearly in focus, causing the tension to build and the hair to stand up on the back of one’s neck. Or my neck at least. – Chris Coffel

5. The Legend of Hell House (1973)

The Legend of Hell House has two big mysteries: 1) what is haunting the Belasco mansion, and 2) how in god’s name did this film get a PG rating. The film sees a small group of paranormal investigators attempt to scale the “mount Everest of haunted houses”; a mist-swept, turreted manor with bad vibes to spare. As far as being not entirely kid-friendly, Hell House features sex, blood, and truly upsetting supernatural set pieces. But at the end of the day, atmosphere is everything. Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson ’s soundtrack is a thumping, electro-haze, blurring sound effect and melody into something pulsing and otherworldly. Shadows mull and colours pop; drunken wide angles give way to garish zooms. Even at its campiest, the film is unnervingly earnest and visceral. A kid might not understand the details of the debauchery corrupting the house, but the terror of implication is primal, and the imagination plays tricks. – Meg Shields

4. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

Something Wicked

In the 80’s Disney decided that it would be a good idea to give their young audience nightmares they’d never forget. And this was way before they ever hired Victor Salva to direct Powder . Something Wicked This Way Comes , along with Return to Oz, were the product of the studio’s decision to damage young filmgoers. it was a much more interesting time for their cinematic output. This movie — which is based on Ray Bradbury ’s wonderful novel of the same name — is legitimately terrifying and doesn’t hold back when it comes to unleashing terror. The tale centers around a circus of the damned that’s come to a small town to claim more souls and it’s up to some youngsters to save the day. Some of the sequences — including a swarm of spiders invading a bedroom — are extremely unsettling as well. My girl Pam Grier also stars, and she’s flat-out sinister. – Kieran Fisher

3. Poltergeist (1982)

Poltergeist feels like a conundrum. For a film directed by the creator of Leatherface, featuring absolutely terrifying sequences of visceral (and gory!) horror that still manages to give chills, it’s shocking that it was only rated PG. Beyond that, for many 30-somethings, we were surprisingly allowed to watch it at a relatively young age, despite being forbidden from other horrors.  Now that could partially be the work of Steven Spielberg who had yet to make an R-rated film. It could even be the wholesome family unit including two children that the younger audience could identify with. But rather than opting for a film that was family friendly with a dash of scares (like in ET)  producer Spielberg and director  Tobe Hooper opted to make a terrifying and gripping Horror-with-a-capital-H movie, that’s just barely for families. From the living trees to the melting faces, demon ghosts, and that fucking clown Poltergeist is riddled with more justifiably frightening set pieces that still have not lost their luster to this day. –  Jacob Trussell

2. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Article X

The Donald Sutherland o-face. I’m done. There is nothing scarier on planet Earth, and apparently nothing scarier in the cosmos. Humanity is lost. Our population supplanted for pod people. Veronica Cartwright is just looking to be mellow and blend in with her buddy, but it’s all for naught. They got him too and you’re next.  The 1956 version is no slouch. Don Siegel captured the red scare paranoia raging through the nation perfectly. Kevin McCarthy embodied panic and the insidious terror of non-violent invasion. Philip Kaufman ’s remake squats on the shoulders of the original, and the combined weight crushes down on our chest, wrenching out our last breath. We want to fight the good fight, but we suck at it. We’re doomed. – Brad Gullickson

1. Jaws (1975)

Jaws

Anytime someone complains about a horror movie earning less than an R-rating their concerns can generally be shut down with any film on this list. The final nail in their argument, though, is the mere mention of Steven Spielberg ‘s inaugural summer blockbuster. Not only does it deliver a little bit of nudity, some gore, and a few dirty words, but the film features some truly frightening and visceral sequences. People joke about it scaring them away from the water, but entire generations were confronted by that fear any time they stepped in the ocean. Hell, millions of people still think of it when swimming forty-three years later. No other film has instilled so much real-world fear, and it did it all with a PG-rating. – Rob Hunter

Related Topics: 31 Days of Horror Lists

spooky movies pg

Recommended Reading

31 best slashers, or how i learned to stop worrying and love the blade, monster mash-ups: 10 best monster crossovers, 10 best horror movies that rip off better movies, 10 most unforgettable and wild hong kong horror movies.

PG-13 Horror Movies That Prove You Don't Need an R-Rating to Be Creepy AF

Because youths deserve nightmares too.

Let's be real. Most of the best horror movies are rated-R. From the classics to the contemporary hits, the horror genre thrives when filmmakers are allowed to throw out the rule book and pursue their darkest dreams uncensored. On the flip side, PG-13 horror fare has somewhat fairly earned a reputation for largely comprising of fairly crass studio cash-grabs that are more or less horror-baiting; the promise and pretexts of scares without actually delivering the goods.

But that's not always the case. Occasionally, filmmakers find a way to make the family-friendly rating work. Usually, you'll see it in monster movies or supernatural fare; the kind of films that thrive on tension over shock and don't require gore gags to punctuate their scary set-pieces. Because the PG-13 rating is still relatively new (it was invented in 1984), and because the PG-13 films of the 80s and 90s were more focused on camp and cheekiness than outright scares, the films on this list are all pretty recent. So just keep in mind, it's not a comprehensive list and it's not a list of the "best" PG-13 horror movies, it's about the ones that actually manage to be scary despite the constraints of the rating. I love

So just keep in mind, this isn't a comprehensive list and it's not a list of the "best" PG-13 horror movies, it's about the ones that actually manage to be scary despite the constraints of the rating. I love Arachnophobia and The Monster Squad , but scary they are not. So with the housekeeping notes out of the way, let's dig into the PG-13 movies that prove you don't need to be rated-R to bring the scares, and be sure to sound off in the comments with your favorites.

And for more horror favorites, check out our lists of the best horror movies of the 70s , 80s , 90s , and 2000s .

lights-out-film-image

David F. Sandberg 's directorial debut, Lights Out , started with a creepy online short and it turned out that concept was so strong, it fuelled one of the most enjoyable and thrilling PG-13 horrors in years. The concept: a supernatural spook who can only hunt in he dark. It's a clever, visually powerful idea that lays a world of scary set-pieces at your feat, and Sanberg happily embraces them, but the feature is more than the gimmick thanks to a script Eric Heisserer. The Final Destination 5 and Arrival screenwriter fills in the backstory with unique spin on the ghost story format that brings a surprising amount of dark and dreary issues to the forefront for such a fun summer horror movie. The film also thrives thanks to Sandberg's knack for working with child actors, which he doubled down on with this year's Annabelle: Creation, and the influence of producer and set-piece genius James Wan. Lights Out has fun characters, rich themes, and takes joy in subverting tropey expectations, and as a result it's a perfect popcorn horror movie and a fine reminder that there's a fertile middle ground where PG-13 studio horror and a good time at the movies can mutually coexist.

Happy Death Day

happy-death-day-jessica-rothe-2

A good PG-13 horror slasher is a rare bird, and  Christopher Landon ’s horror movie by way of  Groundhog’s Day  is easily one of the best.  Happy Death Day  stars  Jessica Rothe  as Tree (a very stupid name for such a smart movie), a self-obsessed sorority girl who finds herself trapped in a personal hell where she is forced to relive the day of her murder over and over, stumbling into a new horrible death with each repeat, until she can discover the identity of her killer. It’s a sharp concept and the script follows through with keen knowledge of the genre and a series of well-laid set-ups that pay off beautifully. But it’s Rothe’s commanding, darkly hilarious turn as our prickly, flippant final girl that makes the movie such a damn delight to watch. Slick and smart with a star-making turn from Rothe,  Happy Death Day  delivers even if it never goes for the gore.

insidious-patrick-wilson

Few filmmakers have had as consistent and impactful a presence in horror filmmaking over the last two decades as James Wan , and Insidious is a perfect example of how far-reaching the implications of his horror trendsetting can reach. After launching both a franchise and a genre-wide torture trend with Saw, Wan shifted the industry again by when he teamed with Blumhouse for his paranormal thriller Insidious and helped the burgeoning micro-budget studio earn their reputation as an outlet for experienced filmmakers to get a little money and a lot of creative freedom. As a result, Insidious is a singular film, rich with Wan's aesthetic and personality, and packed with an ample amount of his killer scare set-pieces. It's also a delightfully weird movie, and while the third act trip to The Further guts some of Wan's well-wrought tension, it's a wild black light neo-gothic trip down the rabbit hole that's a showcase in creepy imagery and eerie ambiance in its own right.

mama-cast

Mama may suffer from a fair share of structural flaws in the final act, but the feature debut from IT director Andy Muschietti ultimately thrives with the beating heart of a beautiful old-fashioned ghost story that's as chilling as it is tragic. It's easy to see why Mama won the heart of executive producer Guillermo Del Toro . Muschietti knows how to make a lot out of a little, creating chilling imagery through a combination of practical puppetry, digital effects, and pure physical performance from Javier Botet , crafting sustained tension through glimpses and glances at the titular spirit plaguing our heroes. Indeed, the film's most effective scares come when Mama is just off screen or quickly slipping past the corner of your eye, and she loses some of her impact when she's finally revealed in full. But in contrast, Jessica Chastain 's performance grows richer with every moment spent getting to know her character; a complicated woman with no desire for children who has to protect them against a spirit that wants nothing more. It's that push-pull between ferocious instincts, and Chastain's fantastic arc as she defends the children she never asked for, that make Mama such a rich and complex ghost story, and a surprisingly moving film.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

exorcism-of-emily-rose

Were it not for the heavy horror overtones,  The Exorcism of Emily Rose  would have probably been positioned as a prestige drama. Supported by an A-List cast that includes  Laura Linney  and  Tom Wilkinson , and a career-making utterly chilling performance from Jennifer Carpenter , the film dramatizes the real-life death of  Anneliese Michel , named Emily Rose in the film, a woman who was diagnosed with Epilepsy after a series of visions and fits. Uncured by conventional medicine, her family turned to the church in a brutal exorcism that ended her life. Working from a script he co-wrote with Paul Harris Boardman , director Scott Derrickson investigates the intertwined stories of Emily, the priest who was charged with negligent homicide (Wilkinson), and the Lawyer defending him at trial (Linney),  The Exorcism of Emily Rose  is a pensive portrait of faith and the cold sweat moment of realization that if you believe in god, you must also believe in the horrifying power of the devil.

The Skeleton Key

the-skeleton-key

The Skeleton Key is something of a forgotten gem. Perhaps that's because the marketing campaign made the film look painfully generic and critics by and large dismissed the movie for its lackluster plot, but what it lacks in narrative drive, it makes up for in swampy hoodoo spookiness and one of the finest cinematic twists since the internet hive mind started uncovering every surprise before it hatched. Set in New Orleans, the film stars Kate Hudson as a woman to takes a job as a caretaker to a sick old man ( John Hurt ) and quickly realizes he's deadly afraid of something he can't quite express. The occult elements lend The Skeleton Key style and personality, and with no gore or violence to speak of, director Iain Softley builds suspense through paranoid fear of the paranormal and the dread of what horrors await when you start to believe. It's not a perfect movie, and it's got some signposts of quadrant-concerned studio horror, but the immersive thrills and truly shocking reveals well outweigh the film; faults.

the-others-nicole-kidman

Alejandro Amenábar ‘s English language debut is a beautiful, elegant horror film with the kind of pedigree that earned it the all but unheard of, horror awards attention, Led by a commanding performance from Nicole Kidman , who was in the midst of a career surge, choosing consistently challenging and exciting material and The Others lived up to that description. As the overbearing and cripplingly tight-laced mother of two photosensitive children, Kidman carries the audience through the chilly corridors and bumps int he night with a compelling performance of a woman whose perfected social graces can't quite hide the simmering fear and madness inside her. An old-fashioned haunted house story with a refreshing, if not flashy, spin on the classic genre, The Others is a tightly wound and expertly constructed spookfest that hosts a knockout performance.

Drag Me to Hell

drag-me-to-hell

It blows my mind that Drag Me to Hell is rated PG-13. Sam Raim i returned to horror after five years web-slinging through his Spider-Man trilogy, and he returned with all the kinetic ferocity, spitball humor, and gross out gags that made his Evil Dead trilogy undisputed classics. For Drag Me to Hell , Raimi once again turned to the realm of demons on earth, this time with a terrifying gypsy curse, a soul-hungry lamia, and all the putrid perversities that follow. It's a warped, splattery carnival fun house of terrors -- Raimi coined the phrase "Spook-A-Blast" when describing the film, designed to deliver all the thrills and chills of his Evil Dead films without the explicit carnage, and he rose to the task with a film that fiercely intense and fearlessly absurd without relying on gore to get the scares across.

spooky movies pg

Stephen King adaptations have proven notoriously difficult to pull off, in pulling from one of the author's lesser-known novellas, director  Mikael Håfström  pulled it off by finding the line between the qualities that make King's work cinematic and the ones are best left on the page. For his horror thriller, set in a haunted hotel room and the personal hells that lie therein, Håfström makes the wise decision to pull back on King's trademark pulpy gore and scatological humor in favor of chilling ghostly thrills and psychological horrors. I n John Cusack , 1408 has the perfect King-ian everyman; a smartallec skeptic with a writer's wit and a survivor's heart, and a fine actor to lead the audience through his character's torment and descent into madness as the spirits of the hotel room attack him with visions of violence and hallucinations of personal tragedy. 1408 is laser-focused on the simple concept and a single character and the payoff is a rich exploration of both that finds both solid scares and satisfying payoff in the madness.

The Final Girls

final-girls-movie-image-2

The Final Girls is a slasher movie for slasher fans that takes meta-commentary to the next level. The film follows a group of friends attending an annual screening of a beloved campy 1980s slasher when they literally walk through the screen and find themselves face to face with the masked murderer for real, surrounded by the clueless camp counselors they know he's about to pick off one by one. Made with wit and clear love for the genre, The Final Girls is downright hilarious thanks to a killer comedy cast that includes Adam Devine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Malin Ackerman, and a stand-out performance from Angela Trimbur , but it also manages to pack in genuine stakes by taking the steps to let their characters transcend their genre stereotypes in surprising ways. Amongst the clever kills and rampant laughs, there are genuine and touching stories about friendship, motherhood, and grief, and each arc is followed through with though. The Final Girls is a rare film that manages to do something truly original with a genre that's long felt played out.

the-ring-samara

For my money, The Ring is the scariest PG-13 movie ever made. Even in his biggest blockbusters and animated children's fare, Gore Verbinski has always directed with a flourish for the odd, but with The Ring, he tilted that weirdness full-scale in the direction of unnerving terror. Thanks to the outstanding source material, the Japanese film Ringu, The Ring came with a knockout concept of unavoidable viral death and a villain built for iconography in Samara, and thanks to Verbinski's directorial talents, the film has an equal dose of style and technical precision. Make no mistake, Verbinski cribs freely from the visual stylings of J-Horror, but he filters it through a lens that is entirely his, imagining an onslaught disturbing imagery and ambient dread that crawls under your skin and sits there like a panicked ticking clock.

A Quiet Place

a-quiet-place-john-krasinski-noah-jupe

John Krasinski  sure pulled off a heck of a surprise with his third directorial effort,  A Quiet Place . A self-confessed non-horror fan, Krasinski channeled an intensely emotional tale of family survival through the creature feature genre and came up with one of the tightest, most compelling monster movies in recent memory. Running a trim 90 minutes,  A Quiet Place  follows the Abbott family through a post-apocalyptic earth where armored monsters hunt by sound. That means no talking, no sudden movements, and an entirely new way of living where the threat of sudden death looms over every moment. Krasinksi makes the most of the brilliant concept, creating a soundscape of silence that grabs the audience and drags them into the action, demanding silent stillness and gluing you to your seat.

A crowd-pleaser to boot,  A Quiet Place  channels a Spielbergian approach to monster horror, delivering a steady stream of thrilling action-packed set-pieces amongst the character drama, but the touching beats between the family are what really drive it home. All the performances are on point, including some impressive work from the young actors, but  Emily Blunt  is extraordinary as the mother, conjuring up the ultimate image of survival in a prolonged second act set-piece that will have you sweating buckets. Krasinksi roots his horror in the terrors of parenting and the primal anxiety to protect what you love, ensuring that you always root for the family,  mourn for their losses, and you share in their fears through every piano-wire tight moment of tension.

the-monster-squad

Siachen Studios

30 Best SpongeBob Squarepants Characters You Should Know

ENHYPEN 2024 tour

ENHYPEN Shares 2024 Fate Plus World Tour Dates

LLOUD Lisa

BLACKPINK’s Lisa Presents Own Management Company, “LLOUD”

35 must-watch pg-13 horror movies that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Best Pg13 Horror Movies

20 Best British Rock Bands Of All Time

Horror movies are famous for their haunting sounds, frightening visuals, and amazing storylines. There is another category that exists, PG-13 horror films. Do you know what PG-13 movies are? Actually, it includes certain content restrictions. The Motion Picture Association introduced the Pg-13 rating in 1984 which restricts children under 13 from watching a film without their parent’s consent or unless parents accompanied them. In fact, it includes suspenseful stories, and psychological thrills rather than explicit content.

Today, we are going to consider PG-13 Horror movies. There have been various movies that have been haunting the audience over the years. We have compiled a list of the best 35 horror movies that will keep you on the edge of your seat. So, let’s check out the list including films like The Ring, Arachnophobia, A Quiet Place to Get Out, and many more.

READ MORE- 15 Best Scariest Hindi Bollywood Horror Movies Of All Time

1- The Sixth Sense(1999)

The Sixth Sense is one of the best pg-13 horror movies. M. Night Shyamalan directed the film. The 1999 supernatural thriller film portrays the story of a young boy Cole Sear who can communicate with spirits. The movie captivates the audience with various thrills along with a spine-chilling climax.

2- The Ring(2002)

Next up, the 2002 horror movie “The Ring” is on the list. This popular film is adapted from the Japanese movie “Ringu”. Journalist Rachel Keller is investigating a mysterious videotape, several people died seven days after watching it.

3- Arachnophobia(1990)

Arachnophobia is a 1990 horror comedy movie directed by Frank Marshall. As the name implies, Archnaphobia is about the fear/phobia of spiders. A newly arrived Dr Ross Jennings came to know that the town gets attacked by poisonous Archanids.

READ MORE- 20 Best Horror Movies That Will Give You Goosebumps

4- The Skeleton Key(2005)

Lain Softley’s psychological horror movie The Skeleton Key was released in the year 2005. Caroline Ellis takes on a job as a live-in caretaker for an old couple in a secluded mansion. Afterward, she experiences supernatural activities in that mansion. The film unveils the power of Hoodoo magic.

5- 1408(2007)

1408 is one of the best pg-13 horror movies. It was adapted from Stephen King’s short story. Mikael Håfström is the director of the psychological horror film. Mike Enslin, is a writer famous for his investigation of paranormal phenomena. Even after the manager warned him, he wanted to spend a night in a hotel’s spooky room “1408”.

6- The Exorcism of Emily Rose(2005)

Scott Derrickson’s horror drama film The Exorcism of Emily Rose was released in 2005. It was loosely based on the real-life incident of Anneliese Michel. The film centers on the girl Emily Rose who faces exorcism. It blends horrific elements and courtroom drama.

READ MORE- 15 Horror Movies Based On True Stories

7- Drag Me To Hell(2009)

The supernatural horror movie Drag Me To Hell was released in 2009. Sam Raimi directed the thriller treat with horrifying twists. It follows the story of Christine Brown. Here you will see the devastating consequences of denial to someone.

8- The Others(2001)

Another psychological horror film on the list is the 2001 movie The Others. Grace Stewart lives with her children in a mansion. Soon after she learned the house is haunted and affects her family. Nicole Kidman portrayed the commendable role of Grace.

9- Mama(2013)

Mama is a tragic story of two young girls Lilly and Victoria. Their uncle brought them to a strange place where they experienced supernatural activities. Mama is an evil entity in that place. Later, some shocking truths came out about Mama.

READ MORE- 30 Scariest Best Horror Movie Villains Of All Time

10- The Haunting(1963)

The Haunting is one of the classic pg-13 horror movies. It was based on the novel “Haunting of Hill House” released in 1963. Dr John Markway invites a group of people to stay at the haunted mansion and investigate supernatural phenomena.

11- Lights Out(2016)

David F Sandberg directed the horror movie “Lights Out” based on his own short film. The film centers around the girl Rebecca who experiences something unusual in the dark. It’s an evil force that is related to her family’s past troubling everyone.

12- The Conjuring(2013)

The Conjuring includes suspense, a gripping story, and atmospheric horror, making it a perfect horror treat. James Wan directed the film based on the real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Loraine Warren. It depicts the story of a possessed farmhouse.

READ MORE- 15 Best Revenge Movies Of All Time  

13- Insidious(2010)

Insidious is another horror movie directed by James Wan. It depicts the story of a couple Josh and Renai who move into a new home with their three children. Soon after they realize something is wrong with their house and affecting their children.

14- Devil(2010)

The next one is the enthralling horror movie Devil which was released in the year 2010. The film centers around an elevator. Here a group of people is trapped in the elevator. It becomes more intriguing when they realize that some supernatural power or spirit is around them.

15- The Grudge(2004)

The Grudge is one of the most popular pg-13 horror movies. Takashi Shimizu directed the American remake of his Japanese film “Ju-on: The Grudge”. It follows a spine-chilling horror story of a possessed house in Tokyo.

READ MORE- Best 15 Psychological Thriller Movies You Must Watch  

16- What Lies Beneath(2000)

What Lies Beneath is a psychological thriller horror movie. The film follows the story of a woman Claire Spencer. Claire wants to find out if her house is haunted. So, she tried her best to know the truth but puts her life in danger in the process.

17- The Woman in Black(2012)

“The Woman in Black” is a horror movie based on Susan Hill’s novel. James Watkins directed the gothic horror. The film revolves around an advocate Arthur Kipps who came to a village to settle the affairs of his deceased client.

18- Happy Death Day(2017)

Christopher Landon’s Happy Death Day is a slasher movie. The film follows the story of a college student Tree Gelbmen. She gets trapped in a time loop in which she sees her murder again and again. Jessica Rothe played the commendable role of Tree Gelbmen.

READ MORE- 12 Best Witch Movies Will Scare You

19- Cloverfield(2008)

The monster horror movie Cloverfield was released in 2008. Matt Reeves is the director of the film. In this film, a gigantic monster attacked New York City and a group of friends unveiled the horrifying experience through their handheld camera.

20- The Mothman Prophecies(2002)

The Mothman Prophecies is Mark Pellington’s supernatural horror thriller film. It is based on real events and based on John Keel’s book of the same name. The story revolves around a strange creature “Mothman” and a reporter. In fact, it is one of the most famous pg-13 horror movies.

21- A Quiet Place(2018)

A Quiet Place is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror movie. As the name suggests, the film is about a quiet place. There are blind giant creatures who have a great sense of hearing. People can only save themselves by keeping quiet because any kind of noise will put their lives in danger.

READ MORE- 30 Best Movies Based On Books | Movie Adaptations

22- Prey(2019)

Frank Khaulfoun’s horror movie Prey was released in 2019. The film centres around a high school senior Loby. Loby finds a supernatural entity on the island. So, what else would happen there with him, watch the movie to know more about this intriguing story.

23- The Final Girls(2015)

The Final Girls is a horror comedy movie directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson. Max and her friends found themselves in the world of a slasher film “Camp Bloodbath”. Eventually, they confront their struggles. This film perfectly blends horror with comedy to entertain in the best way possible.

24- Warm Bodies(2013)

Warm Bodies is a romantic horror movie based on Isaac Marion’s novel of the same name. it follows the story of a Zombie “R” and a human girl “Julie”. The film comprises humor, horror, and romance. Nicolas Hoult and Teresa Palmer portrayed the roles of R and Julie.

READ MORE- Get To Know The Terrifying Monsters Of Stranger Things  

25- The Birds(1963)

Here is another classic horror movie, The Birds. It is loosely based on Daphne du Maurier’s short story. The movie depicts the story of a town in California. Suddenly, flocks of birds attacked the town and people want to save themselves from a mysterious incident.

26- The Possession(2012)

Ole Bornedal’s horror film The Possession was released in 2012. A middle-aged woman Em brought an antique wooden box from a yard sale. But soon after she gets possessed by an evil spirit. It is one of the best pg-13 horror movies.

27- Oculus(2013)

Oculus is a psychological horror movie directed by Mike Flanagan. The movie depicts the story of siblings Kaylie and Tim Russell. They want to prove that the antique mirror in their house is responsible for the suffering of the family.

READ MORE- 15 Best Wrestling Movies Of All Time

28- The Visit(2015)

The Visit is a found-footage horror movie released in 2015. M. Night Shyamalan directed the film. It follows the story of two siblings Becca and Tyler. They went on a visit to their grandparents’ home where nothing is normal. Eventually, they realize it is not safe to stay there anymore.

29- Poltergeist(2015)

Poltergeist is a horror film, a remake of the Poltergeist(1982) film. It revolves around a couple with three children who shift to a new home they got at an affordable price. At night, they started experiencing odd events there and the evil spirits possessed their youngest child Madison.

30- The Unseen(2019)

The Unseen is one of the most popular Pg-13 horror movies. It is a psychological horror film that revolves around Bob Longmore. Bob is suffering from a disease that gradually makes him invisible. He returns to the family for her distressed daughter.

READ MORE- 15 Best Inspirational Movies You Must Watch

31- Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark(2019)

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a horror film based on Alvin Schwartz’s children’s book series. A group of teenagers found a mysterious book in a haunted house. Shockingly, the stories in that book became real when they turn pages.

32- Van Helsing(2004)

Van Helsing is an action horror movie directed by Stephen Sommers. The film follows the story of a monster hunter Van Helsing with a mysterious past. Hugh Jackman portrayed the character of Van. It is a perfect blend of horror, action, and adventure.

33- The Last Exorcism(2010)

The Last Exorcism is a supernatural horror movie released in 2010. It follows the story of an evangelical minister who takes part in a documentary-style film to expose the tricks. In fact, he met a possessed girl during the investigation.

READ MORE- 15 Best Music Movies You Must Watch  

34- Get Out(2017)

Get Out is a psychological horror movie directed by Jordan Peele. The movie depicts the story of a young black man Kaluuya. He came to meet her white girlfriend’s family. Kaluuya started unveiling her family’s dark secrets soon after the meeting.

35- The Orphanage(2007)

The Orphanage is one of the best Pg-13 horror movies. This Gothic supernatural horror was released in 2007 and directed by J. A. Bayona. The plot follows the story of a woman Laura who returns to her closed orphanage. But things go upside down when she realizes some supernatural force exists in the orphanage.

indian web series list

25 Best Thriller Indian Web Series List [Updated 2024]

best Indian Stand Up Comedians

16 Best Indian Stand Up Comedians In 2024

Scariest Video Games

20 Best Scariest Video Game You Must Play

spooky movies pg

  • Celebrities
  • Entertainment News
  • Movie Lists
  • Video Games
  • General Hospital
  • Whatever Happened To
  • Days of Our Lives
  • The Bold and the Beautiful
  • Young and The Restless
  • The Walking Dead
  • Game of Thrones
  • Supernatural

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

Exploring the Appeal of PG-13 Horror

The allure of horror movies is undeniable, captivating audiences with thrilling narratives that tap into our deepest fears. The PG-13 rating plays a pivotal role, offering a balance between the intensity of horror and accessibility for a wider audience. In this curated list, we’ll delve into seven PG-13 horror films that promise to deliver spine-chilling entertainment for your weekend.

Unveiling The Sixth Sense

The 1999 classic The Sixth Sense remains a cornerstone of the horror genre, thanks in part to its compelling narrative and a twist ending that left audiences reeling. The story revolves around young Cole, portrayed by Haley Joel Osment, who confides in Dr. Malcolm Crowe, played by Bruce Willis, about his chilling ability to see the dead. This revelation sets off a series of events leading to a shocking discovery that Malcolm himself is one of the spirits Cole can see. Malcolm, why did you leave me? is a line that encapsulates the emotional weight and surprise the film delivers, cementing its status in horror history.

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

A Quiet Place and Its Silent Success

In 2018, A Quiet Place introduced audiences to a world where silence was not only golden but crucial for survival. Directed by John Krasinski and featuring Emily Blunt, the film’s unique premise utilized silence to amplify tension to an almost unbearable level. Its box office success was undeniable, with the sequel outperforming the original’s impressive $50.2 million opening weekend haul. This speaks volumes about the original film’s impact and the audience’s appetite for its quiet yet terrifying storytelling approach.

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

Insidious A Journey into The Further

The 2010 film Insidious took viewers on a harrowing journey into ‘The Further’, an astral realm filled with dark secrets and dangers. The central theme of astral projection created an eerie atmosphere that has been chilling audiences for over a decade. With an upcoming fifth installment set ten years after Insidious: Chapter 2 , it’s clear that this franchise continues to explore the supernatural with Elise Rainier’s team tackling psychic phenomena even beyond the grave.

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

Gothic Atmosphere in The Others

The Others , released in 2001, stands out for its gothic atmosphere and Nicole Kidman’s strong performance as Grace, a mother living in seclusion with her light-sensitive children. The story takes viewers through eerie twists and turns, culminating in a revelation that flips our perceptions upside down. It’s a film that masterfully utilizes suspense and narrative surprises to deliver a haunting cinematic experience.

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

The Return of Sam Raimi with Drag Me to Hell

Drag Me to Hell , released in 2009, marked director Sam Raimi’s return to horror after his stint with Spider-Man movies. Known for his ability to manipulate audience emotions, Raimi crafted a film blending horror with dark humor. Critics noted that it felt like a setup for an episode of The Twilight Zone , simple yet devoid of metaphor, aimed solely at scaring viewers profoundly.

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

The Ring Reshaping American Horror

The early 2000s saw the release of The Ring , an adaptation of the Japanese film Ringu that reshaped American horror. Its haunting visuals and storytelling techniques have become deeply ingrained in the genre’s DNA, influencing countless films that followed. The Ring not only captivated individual viewers but also shifted the entire landscape of horror cinema.

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

Daniel Radcliffe’s Ghostly Encounter in The Woman in Black

2012’s The Woman in Black saw Daniel Radcliffe step away from his iconic Harry Potter role to embrace the character of Arthur Kipps, a young father dealing with grief while encountering supernatural forces in a haunted house. The film effectively used classic ghost story techniques to create an atmosphere rife with tension and dread. It was an opportunity for Radcliffe to showcase his range as an actor and for audiences to experience a traditional yet thrilling ghost story.

7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

A Weekend of Diverse Horror Experiences

This selection of PG-13 horror films offers something for everyone – from psychological twists to silent terrors and gothic chills. Each movie brings its unique flavor to the genre while remaining accessible for a broad audience looking for thrills without an R-rated edge. So grab some popcorn and prepare for a weekend filled with diverse and engaging horror experiences.

Thanks for reading! How would you rate this article?

Click on a star to rate it!

As you found this post useful...

Would you like to share this post on Social media?

Tell us what's wrong with this post? How could we improve it? :)

Let us improve this post!

spooky movies pg

Steve Delikson

I cover updates on the latest celebrity gossip, TV show ratings, and interviews with actors and actresses from popular shows. I also do recaps of episodes and predictions for future storylines. My articles are an excellent resource for television fans looking to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the entertainment industry.

FanSided

5 scariest PG-13 horror movies to watch on Netflix

S ometimes you're in the mood to watch something spooky but not too spooky and that's the beauty of a PG-13 horror movie. Netflix has lots of terrifying horror films to stream , but they also have a strong collection of slightly milder PG-13 flicks that can be watched by younger viewers.

If you have teens who are looking to dip their toe into the world of horror, these films often function as the perfect gateway to see just how much they'll like it and if they're ready to venture into something more frightening.

From Insidious to lesser-known Mike Flanagan movies, here are some of the best PG-13 horror movies streaming on Netflix right now.

Insidious (2010)

You can't go wrong with this 2010 movie, considered a modern classic in some circles. From the team that brought us Saw , James Wan and Leigh Whannell, Insidious is a supernatural horror film centering on the Lambert family. When Renai (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Patrick Wilson) Lambert's youngest son falls into a coma, the family begins witnessing terrifying events that lead them to discover a dark family secret and the truth about their son's "illness." Insidious kicked off a massive multi-million dollar franchise that has since spawned five movies. The first and the fifth movies are now on Netflix.

Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

If you're a fan of Mike Flanagan's films and television shows like Oculus , The Haunting of Hill House , The Fall of the House of Usher , and Gerald's Game then you need to add Ouija: Origin of Evil to your watchlist. While both the 2016 sequel and its 2014 predecessor Ouija are streaming, I recommend skipping straight to this one since it's miles better than the first and serves as a prequel anyway. Starring Hill House vets Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, and Henry Thomas, Origin of Evil is a 1967-set film about a widowed mother who runs a scam seance business with assistance from her daughters and accidentally invites an evil presence into her home.

Lights Out (2016)

Teresa Palmer stars in this suspenseful movie based on a scary short film. If you're afraid of the dark, Lights Out is sure to get under your skin. Palmer plays a young woman who must protect her brother when he starts seeing an entity in the darkness. As she digs into the truth, she learns of a disturbing connection between the supernatural being and her mother, played by Maria Bello.

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

The Haunting in Connecticut isn't the most original horror film out there, but for a PG-13 movie it does have some nail-biting moments and frightening imagery. When Sara (Virginia Madsen) and Peter's (Martin Donovan) son Matt (Kyle Gallner) is diagnosed with cancer, the family is faced with the unknown as Matt starts witnessing paranormal activity around their home.

Before I Wake (2016)

Before I Wake is another underrated Mike Flanagan gem that is on Netflix and features a great cast with actors like Kate Bosworth, Jacob Tremblay, Annabeth Gish, and more. A dark fantasy film, Before I Wake hinges on Flanagan's talent for creating layered family drama amid horrifying circumstances. Tremblay plays eight-year-old Cody, the foster son of a grieving couple who previously lost their biological child. To their great surprise, Cody's dreams can manifest in reality—but so can his nightmares.

5 scariest PG-13 horror movies to watch on Netflix

  • Search Search Please fill out this field.
  • Sweepstakes

The 20 best PG movies on Netflix to stream now

From animated fare to magical musicals, here's a watchlist the whole family can enjoy.

Everett Collection (3)

Family night is a breeze on Netflix , where you'll find lots of kid-friendly PG movies. There are superhero epics and adventure films, fairy tale heroines and lots of talking animals that move into people's homes. The only problem is deciding which film to start with. 

Here's your guide to the best PG movies on Netflix.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a standout in the crowded field of recent superhero blockbusters and an imaginative, stunning sequel to 2018's Into the Spider-Verse. Miles Morales ( Shameik Moore ), a teenage Spider-Man of Black and Puerto Rican descent, is drawn back into the kaleidoscopic multiverse where he meets endless iterations of alternate Spider-People — and discovers a devastating truth that threatens his family. EW's Christian Holub said the movie "totally exceeds expectations when it comes to visual aesthetic and character development." (But be prepared for a cliffhanger ending that leads directly into a third film currently in production.) 

Where to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse : Netflix

EW grade: B+ ( read the review )

Director: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson

Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld , Brian Tyree Henry , Jake Johnson

Related content: How Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk became the coolest character in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

"It's a story you may think you know," says the cricket ( Ewan McGregor ), "but you don't." Indeed, Guillermo del Toro 's new stop-motion animated version of Pinocchio is something we've never seen before: A dark but joyous story about the virtue of disobedience set in Italy during Mussolini's fascist regime. Fashioned by a woodcarver (David Bradley) grieving over the loss of his child, the little wooden puppet (Gregory Mann) is a rambunctious, willful lad who refuses to be caged or silenced. His adventures take him to the circus, the Army, the depths of the sea, and the afterlife in this impressive Oscar-winning masterpiece.

Where to watch Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio : Netflix

Director: Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson

Cast: Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Christoph Waltz

Related content: Guillermo del Toro explains why his Pinocchio has so much fascism in it

Paddington (2014)

In Paddington , a talking teddy shows up at a London train station looking for a British explorer who was once nice to his family in Peru. The marmalade-loving bear is taken in by the kindly Brown clan, but Paddington soon finds himself imperiled when a sinister museum taxidermist plots to stuff and display him. The gentle character from author Michael Bond's book series is brought to convincing life in this adorable adaptation. EW’s critic perhaps said it best , writing, "In honoring a beloved child-lit figure, writer-director Paul King has taken to heart the instructions hanging from Paddington's neck: 'Please look after this bear. Thank you.' Mission accomplished."

Where to watch Paddington : Netflix

EW grade : A- ( read the review )

Director: Paul King

Cast: Hugh Bonneville , Sally Hawkins , Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent

Related content: Paddington credited with bump in sales of marmalade-making supplies

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

The titular swashbuckling tabby cat ( Antonio Banderas ) — a fan favorite from the Shrek franchise — discovers that his heroic adventures have already cost him eight of his nine lives. Suddenly faced with mortality for the first time, the effervescent Puss has to learn how precious his time really is. It's a more sincere and reflective take on the character, but the film is still filled with humor, adventure, and an adorable new addition: Puss' relentlessly upbeat puppy sidekick Perrito ( Harvey Guillén ). The animation is also top-notch, with a warm, painterly fairy-tale style that makes the Shrek universe look better than ever before.

Where to watch Puss in Boots: The Last Wish : Netflix

Director: Joel Crawford

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek , Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh

Related content: Harvey Guillén reveals how Puss in Boots: The Last Wish changed his life

Nimona (2023)

A futuristic fairy tale for everyone who feels out of place, Nimona stars Chloë Grace Moretz as a willful shapeshifter who insists on becoming the sidekick to a knight ( Riz Ahmed ) unfairly accused of murdering the queen. Able to turn into anything as long as it's pink, Nimona glories in the freedom of defining her own identity, but risks being labeled a monster. As EW's Christian Holub observed , "The story admiringly delves into how such monsters are in fact created by a society that refuses to accept their differences."

Where to watch Nimona : Netflix

Director: Nick Bruno, Troy Quane

Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Frances Conroy

Related content: The story of Nimona , the groundbreaking animated film that refused to die

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (2022)

Precocious student Matilda Wormwood (Alisha Weir) leads a spirited uprising against the status quo in this lively adaptation of the book and stage musical Matilda . The girl's disdainful parents, unimpressed with her intelligence and independent spirit, decide to send her to Crunchem Hall, where the ruthless headmistress ( Emma Thompson ) specializes in bringing troublemaking tykes into line. Weir's fierce performance anchors the magical elements of the plot as she fearlessly stands her ground. The film features catchy tunes with impressively athletic choreography, and the revolutionary anthem "Revolting Children" is especially rousing. 

Where to watch Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical : Netflix

Director: Matthew Warchus

Cast: Alisha Weir, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch , Stephen Graham

Related content: Nominated for Nothing: Matilda the Musical 's grade A take on a classic Roald Dahl story deserved more love

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023)

Everett Collection

In this claymation sequel to Aardman Animations' 2000 hit Chicken Run , the valiant fowls Rocky ( Zachary Levi ) and Ginger ( Thandiwe Newton ) are living peacefully after escaping from Mrs. Tweedy's farm. But soon a new threat arises: a modernized poultry processing plant is built nearby, which uses electric collars to subdue the chickens and make them into tasty nuggets. When Rocky and Ginger's daughter Molly ( Bella Ramsey ) is unwittingly trapped in the factory, it's up to the feathered fighters to mount a rescue. Typical for an Aardman production, the film is full of clever visual gags that punctuate a heartfelt adventure story.

Where to watch Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget : Netflix

Director: Sam Fell

Cast: Thandiwe Newton, Zachary Levi, Bella Ramsey, Miranda Richardson

Related content: 'No one in the U.S. would understand it': Inside the making of Chicken Run

Trolls (2016)

If the kids are having a down day, Trolls is guaranteed to pick them up with a dazzling Day-Glo rainbow of cheer. The high-coiffed Trolls spend their days partying in a foam-and-fleece forest where everyone loves fun, especially the peppy Princess Poppy ( Anna Kendrick ). When their community is assailed by the goblin-like Bergens, Poppy has to team up with Branch ( Justin Timberlake , who also co-wrote the film's Grammy-winning original song "Can't Stop the Feeling"), the only gloomy Troll. EW's Leah Greenblatt wrote that "the movie’s serotonin pumps like a fire hose. It’s almost impossible not to surrender to the bliss."

Where to watch Trolls : Netflix

Director: Mike Mitchell

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel , Gwen Stefani , James Corden

Related content: Trolls: How Justin Timberlake, Miyazaki inspired the directors

Bee Movie (2007)

Jerry Seinfeld stars in this apian adventure as a bee who learns the terrible truth about honey — that his cohorts are tricked into making the sweet stuff that people steal and sell. The outraged insect then befriends a human florist ( Renée Zellweger ) who helps him to bring legal action against this unfair exploitation. It's a delightfully offbeat premise, and seeing the world from a bee's eye-view provides a satisfying buzz, one EW's critic called "agreeably skewed fun" while asking, "Who’d have guessed that Jerry Seinfeld, the maestro of nothing, would spearhead a fairy tale about the inspiring glory of punching the clock?"

Where to watch Bee Movie : Netflix

EW grade: A- ( read the review )

Director: Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith

Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick , Patrick Warburton

Related content: Jerry Seinfeld apologizes for 'uncomfortable sexual aspect' of Bee Movie

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)

In Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie , fourth-grade pranksters George ( Kevin Hart ) and Harold ( Thomas Middleditch ) are at risk of being put in separate classes, so they hypnotize their grouchy principal ( Ed Helms ) into thinking that he's the tighty-whitied superhero Captain Underpants. It's not a subtle film by any measure — the villain is named Professor Pee-Pee Diahreeahstein Poopypants Esquire. But EW's critic said that the movie works "because it never tries to be more or less than what it is: A breezily surreal story about two best friends who love pranks and tree houses and drawing superheroes who wear their Underoos on the outside."

Where to watch Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie : Netflix

Director: David Soren

Cast: Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Thomas Middleditch, Nick Kroll

Related content: Kevin Hart creates wacky superhero in Captain Underpants movie trailer

The Willoughbys (2020)

Stuck with a mother and father who neglect and abuse them, the four young Willoughbys come up with a fiendish plot, sending their parents off on a vacation to dangerous places and hoping that they get killed. It's a grim premise, but the appealing characters and vibrant animation make The Willoughbys more uplifting than you'd expect, as the kids determine what kind of family they really want. The voice cast includes comedy powerhouses Will Forte as eldest son Tim, Maya Rudolph as the children's quirky nanny, and Ricky Gervais as the cat who narrates the film. 

Where to watch The Willoughbys : Netflix

Director: Kris Pearn

Cast: Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Ricky Gervais, Alessia Cara

Related content: Why Netflix's The Willoughbys are the perfect quarantine companions

Vivo (2021)

In addition to composing its songs, Lin-Manuel Miranda stars in Vivo , the story of a singing kinkajou who embarks on a dangerous but inspiring quest from Havana to Miami. When his street performer partner dies, Vivo is charged with delivering a romantic song to the man's lost love, a successful singer ( Gloria Estefan ) who's about to retire. Vivo is accompanied by Gabi (Ynairaly Simo), an irritating 10-year-old girl with a gift for music. EW's critic said that the movie "sort of delivers as an energetic caper, moving from one colorful locale to another," and Miranda's melodies make the journey worthwhile.

Where to watch Vivo : Netflix

EW grade: B ( read the review )

Director: Kirk DeMicco

Cast: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ynairaly Simo, Zoe Saldaña , Juan de Marcos, Gloria Estefan

The Sea Beast (2022)

In a world where enormous sea creatures threaten anyone who ventures out onto the ocean, it's up to brave heroes like the legendary Jacob Holland ( Karl Urban ) to hunt them down. But an orphan girl named Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator) stows away on what could be Jacob's final voyage and discovers that the beasts may not be as fearsome as they appear. Jacob and his protégée must face off against the monsters — both marine and human — in this tale of bravery and heart, which snagged a Best Animated Feature nomination at last year's Oscars and became Netflix's most successful original animated film. 

Where to watch The Sea Beast : Netflix

Director: Chris Williams

Cast: Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris

The Flintstones (1994)

With a sprightly "yabba-dabba-doo," The Flintstones unironically embraces its cartoonish origins as a live-action adaptation of the 1960s animated sitcom. John Goodman plays prehistoric suburban husband Fred Flintstone with his typical goofy charm, paired with Rick Moranis as his best friend and next-door neighbor Barney Rubble. The kitschy Stone Age gags are the heart of the film, along with the clever use of dinosaurs and animal-based gadgets constructed by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, culminating in what EW's critic called "a big, shiny package of comic nostalgia, as much a theme park as a movie."

Where to watch The Flintstones : Netflix

Director: Brian Levant

Cast: John Goodman, Elizabeth Perkins, Rick Moranis, Rosie O'Donnell

Related content: Halle Berry yabba-dabba-does love her Flintstones character: "Miss Stone is still the blueprint"

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)

Po's panda pop turns up in the third installment of the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and the long-lost father ( Bryan Cranston ) informs our hero ( Jack Black ) that there's a secret village of pandas living peacefully in the mountains. When a monstrous bull ( J.K. Simmons ) threatens the colony, Po has to transform a crowd of gentle bamboo eaters into a fighting force. "The plot is predictable enough as kids adventure movies go," says EW’s critic , but the connections to earlier films in the saga make it "just complicated enough to reward steady viewers."

Where to watch Kung Fu Panda 3 : Netflix

Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Alessandro Carloni

Cast: Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman , Angelina Jolie , J.K. Simmons

Related content: Kung Fu Panda 3 filmmaker explains why Kai is the series' first supernatural villain

The Angry Birds Movie (2016)

Ready, aim, fire! The Angry Birds have launched themselves out of their popular phone app and onto the big screen. On an island of high-flyers, Red ( Jason Sudeikis ) is known for his bad temper and furious outbursts, but when a crew of pigs suddenly appears and seems to be interested in the colony's eggs, Red is the only one who recognizes the porcine threat. EW's critic said that the movie "delivers a mildly diverting mix of winky meta-jokes and moral lessons, cannily aimed at both the next generation of tiny consumers and their more sophisticated parents."

Where to watch The Angry Birds Movie : Netflix

Director: Clay Kaytis , Fergal Reilly

Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad , Danny McBride , Maya Rudolph

Related content: The Angry Birds Movie : Jason Sudeikis, Bill Hader exclaim angry words — exclusive

Yes Day (2021)

Stressed parents Allison ( Jennifer Garner ) and Carlos ( Edgar Ramirez ) learn about the liberating power of "yes" in this winning family comedy. Allison's tired of her three kids calling her the "fun killer," so she and Carlos agree to observe Yes Day, a 24-hour period where they must agree to any crazy requests their children make. The little tikes, led by a pre- Wednesday Jenna Ortega , get their parents to dress in funny clothes, go through a carwash with the windows down, and take a trip to an amusement park, which turns unexpectedly chaotic.

Where to watch Yes Day : Netflix

Director: Miguel Arteta

Cast: Jennifer Garner, Edgar Ramirez, Jenna Ortega, Julian Lerner

Related content: The 10 best Jenna Ortega movies and TV shows, ranked

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022)

If you never expected to see Javier Bardem singing and dancing with a giant crocodile — and, really, who saw that coming? — then Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile will come as a delightful surprise. The film concerns young Josh (Winslow Fegley), who moves to New York City and discovers an amiable croc in the attic with the voice of Shawn Mendes . Naturally, the family finds it difficult to appreciate a reptile housemate at first, but when Lyle reunites with his old performing partner Hector (Bardem), they can't deny the magic that their new friend brings to their lives. (If only the neighbors agreed…)

Where to watch Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile : Netflix

Director: Will Speck, Josh Gordon

Cast: Javier Bardem, Constance Wu , Shawn Mendes, Winslow Fegley

Related content: Javier Bardem is singing and dancing with a reptile, and loving it

The Monkey King (2023)

Loosely based on a classic 16th-century novel, The Monkey King offers a modern spin on Chinese mythology. A self-proclaimed hero and candidate for immortality, a bold young chimp ( Jimmy O. Yang ) declares himself King of the Monkeys and decides to fight 100 demons to become a god. He's silly and arrogant, but also a fierce fighter, stealing a magic staff from the Dragon King ( Bowen Yang ) that the monster would very much like to have back. A pleasing mix of comedy, adventure, and mysticism, The Monkey King highlights a folk tradition often overlooked in kids' movies. 

Where to watch The Monkey King : Netflix

Director: Anthony Stacchi

Cast: Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Jo Koy

Spy Kids: Armageddon (2023)

The fifth film in the Spy Kids franchise, Armageddon reboots the series after a more than 10-year absence from the screen. When two married spies ( Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez ) go missing, young Tony (Connor Esterson) and Patty (Everly Carganilla) discover their parents' safehouse and learn how to become secret agents themselves. The villain is a game developer who's taken control of all technology, so naturally, the kids' familiarity with video games is a major asset in the world-saving department. There aren't a lot of surprises if you've seen the previous installments, but newcomers will enjoy it. 

Where to watch Spy Kids: Armageddon : Netflix

Director: Robert Rodriguez

Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Connor Esterson, Everly Carganilla

Related content: Here's a first look at Netflix's Spy Kids reboot with Gina Rodriguez and Zachary Levi

an image, when javascript is unavailable

‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Review: Diablo Cody Scripts a Faux Outrageous Undead Teenage Horror Comedy That Never Finds Its Joke

Kathryn Newton stars in an unfunny camp homage to the teen-girl-vs.-the-suburbs 1980s.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

  • ‘Ennio’ Review: Ennio Morricone, the Maestro of the Movie Soundtrack, Gets the Entrancing Documentary He Deserves 6 hours ago
  • ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Review: Kingsley Ben-Adir Inhabits the Reggae Legend in a Music Biopic That’s Anything but Revolutionary 1 day ago
  • ‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Review: Diablo Cody Scripts a Faux Outrageous Undead Teenage Horror Comedy That Never Finds Its Joke 2 days ago

4208_D006_00205_R Cole Sprouse stars as The Creature and Kathryn Newton as Lisa Swallows in LISA FRANKENSTEIN, a Focus Features release. Credit: Michele K. Short / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

The tropes of horror comedy go back a long way; the genre probably dates to “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” released in 1948, with a few electro-roots in “The Bride of Frankenstein.” Yet the good ones all share something: a combo of flavors — scary and funny, violent and knockabout — that’s bold and tart and bracingly blended. A good horror comedy is a genre smoothie that wakes you right up.

Yet “Lisa Frankenstein,” an undead teenage slasher romance that bills itself as a “coming of RAGE story,” strikes a fearless pose of look-how-bad-I-am bravado, as if it were up to something terribly rad. The film is set in 1989, which lends it a neo-’80s ersatz innocence, something that extends both to the filmmaking and the visual effects. It’s low-tech and patched together, like an indie comedy of the time.

This is the seventh movie written by Diablo Cody , the hipster screenwriter who followed her smash debut, “Juno” (2007), with “Jennifer’s Body,” which starred Megan Fox as a high-school cheerleader-turned-succubus, and you can see why the tropes of horror comedy would be near and dear to Cody’s heart. I personally think she’s already transcended this kind of material (her two best films after “Juno” are the ultra-realistic “Young Adult” and the empathetic nanny fantasy “Tully”), but her brand is edge, and “Lisa Frankenstein,” while neither scary nor funny (the way Zelda Williams has directed it, it sits in some corkscrew zone that feels more like “overly complicated SNL sketch”), skims off the top of a dozen once-cool sources.

Gazing at poor Lisa, who Newton endows with a sparkling array of moods given what a thin character she is on paper, we register the vestiges of that old punk paragon, the Underground Girl Who’s Too Cool To Think She’s Middle Class. She’s the heroine of “Desperately Speaking Susan,” she’s Molly Ringwald in “Sixteen Candles,” she’s Winona Ryder in “Beetlejuice,” and she’s any one of the murderous proto mean girls of “Heathers.” Newton keeps Lisa likable, yet you can like her without liking (or enjoying) much of anything she does.

Following a high-school rager in which she’s subjected to every level of humiliation, Lisa heads over to the Bachelor’s Grove cemetery, a leafy Tim Burton sort of place in which she takes sanctuary. That’s because it contains the grave of her fantasy dude — a young 19th-century dandy who haunts her dreams. Tonight, he will come back to life, a pale zombie who still looks more than a little…Byronic.

Cole Sprouse makes him a mute hunk monster-saint, like Edward Scissorhands without the hands, or a goth version of the pin-up creature from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” He’s passive and harmless-looking, yet he’s willing to do Lisa’s bidding. Since he’s missing one hand, they replace it by chopping off the school geek’s. More blood-spattering follows. By the time Lisa confronts the literary-magazine editor (Henry Eikenberry) she has a crush on, who is now in bed with her stepsister, Sprouse and his blade go right for the offender’s most precious part, which goes flying into the air in silhouette, to the two-ton ironic schlock tune of “On the Wings of Love.” If you’re not laughing yet, at no point ahead will you be.

The film’s title rather overstates the Frankenstein of it all. It’s mostly a matter of a “lab” in the garage that consists of a pink tanning bed with a short circuit. Empowered by her undead boyfriend/creature, Lisa grows more confident, and we can tell because she starts dressing less like a Kewpie doll and more like a Madonna-at-the-prom wannabe. She just wants to belong, something we suspected the moment we saw her lilt around the house singing REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” and we realized it was her self-mockery that’s the real put-on. She actually sings it with utter sincerity. As a famous monster of filmland once said: The horror!

Reviewed at Universal Screening Room, Jan. 31, 2024. MPA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 101 MIN.

  • Production: A Focus Features release of an MXN/Lollipop Woods production. Producers: Mason Novick, Diablo Cody. Executive producer: Jeffrey Lampert.
  • Crew: Director: Zelda Williams. Screenplay: Diablo Cody. Camera: Paula Huidobro. Editor: Brad Turner. Music: Isabella Summers.
  • With: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Lia Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, Joe Chrest, Carla Gugino.

More From Our Brands

The chiefs might have taylor swift… but the 49ers have los tigres del norte, music titan irving azoff just dropped $11 million on the beverly hills estate next door, connor stalions’ infamous michigan home hits the market, the best dumbbells, according to personal trainers and fitness coaches, star trek: discovery star sonequa martin-green teases a burnham and book reunion, plus a ‘big’ twist in final season — watch, verify it's you, please log in.

Quantcast

  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews

Lisa Frankenstein

Cole Sprouse and Kathryn Newton in Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

A coming of RAGE love story about a teenager and her crush, who happens to be a corpse. After a set of horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a journey to find love... Read all A coming of RAGE love story about a teenager and her crush, who happens to be a corpse. After a set of horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a journey to find love, happiness - and a few missing body parts. A coming of RAGE love story about a teenager and her crush, who happens to be a corpse. After a set of horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a journey to find love, happiness - and a few missing body parts.

  • Zelda Williams
  • Diablo Cody
  • Kathryn Newton
  • Liza Soberano
  • Jenna Davis
  • 14 User reviews
  • 45 Critic reviews
  • 51 Metascore

Official Trailer

  • (as Joey Bree Harris)

Henry Eikenberry

  • Michael Trent

Jennifer Pierce Mathus

  • Lisa's Mom

Luke Sexton

  • Axe Murderer

Ayla Miller

  • (as Ayla Diane Miller)

Jailyn Rae

  • Psychic Jenny

Bryce Romero

  • The Creature

Carla Gugino

  • All cast & crew
  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

21st Century Scream Queens

Production art

More like this

Out of Darkness

Did you know

  • Trivia Feature directorial debut of Zelda Williams , daughter of Robin Williams .
  • Goofs When Lisa and Taffy are talking over by the lockers, the same lady in a green dress can be seen waking twice in the background.

Taffy : Does he have more of a basketball bod or a football bod?

Lisa : He doesn't play sports, he's cerebral.

Taffy : He's in a wheelchair?

  • Soundtracks The Promise Written by Clive Farrington, Michael Floreale, Andrew Mann Performed by When In Rome Courtesy of Virgin Records Limited Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User reviews 14

  • JohnDeSando
  • Feb 9, 2024
  • How long will Lisa Frankenstein be? Powered by Alexa
  • February 9, 2024 (United States)
  • United States
  • Focus Features
  • New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
  • MXN Entertainment
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

  • Runtime 1 hour 41 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

Cole Sprouse and Kathryn Newton in Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

  • See more gaps
  • Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Production art

Recently viewed

IMAGES

  1. 13 Brilliant Spooky Movies To Stay In And Watch On Halloween

    spooky movies pg

  2. The 14 Spookiest Horror Movie Posters

    spooky movies pg

  3. 16 Classic Scary & Spooky Movies to Watch Every October · The RELM & Co

    spooky movies pg

  4. It's Spooky Season! The 10 Best Scary Movies of All-Time

    spooky movies pg

  5. 13 Spooky Movies to Get You into the Halloween Spirit

    spooky movies pg

  6. 31 spooky movies for 31 spooky days

    spooky movies pg

VIDEO

  1. छलावा (Part 1)

COMMENTS

  1. The 45 Best PG-Rated Scary And Horror Movies

    10 is a stop-motion animated film that has woven itself into the fabric of both Halloween and Christmas traditions.

  2. The 75+ Best PG-13 Horror And Scary Movies

    Venture into the carefully curated world of PG-13 horror movies, where viewer-driven ratings and enthralling narratives coalesce, providing an unrivaled selection packing the quintessential chills and thrills of the genre. The Grudge Insidious: Chapter 2 Escape Room Escape Room 110 20 28 More 131 of # of on 29 More The Village # The Visit on

  3. Best PG Horror Movies

    1. Jaws (1975) PG | 124 min | Adventure, Mystery, Thriller 8.1 Rate 87 Metascore When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down. Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary

  4. 100 Favorite PG & PG-13 Horror Films

    1. The Ring (2002) PG-13 | 115 min | Horror, Mystery 7.1 Rate 57 Metascore A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it. Director: Gore Verbinski | Stars: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox, David Dorfman Votes: 371,574 | Gross: $129.13M 2.

  5. 50 Best PG-13 Horror Movies (& Where To Stream Them)

    Updated Jan 21, 2024 The best PG-13 horror movies not only deliver many of the same kind of jump scares and horrific monsters of R-rated movies, some are horror classics. Summary The best PG-13 horror movies deliver terrifying scares and monsters without relying on excessive violence or sexual content.

  6. 10 Seriously Scary Horror Movies That Are Only Rated PG

    10 Tales From The Crypt (1972) For many horror aficionados, the title Tales from the Crypt will conjure up images of a very un-PG horror anthology series that aired on HBO in the '90s. However, before that campy show became a hit, Tales from the Crypt began life as a horror comic book in the '50s and was first adapted into this anthology movie.

  7. The 50 Best PG-13 Scary And Horror Movies

    COLLECTION12 LISTS Best PG-13 Movies PG-13 Comedies PG-13 Action PG-13 Fantasies PG-13 Romance Movies PG-13 Animated Movies PG-13 Superhero Movies PG-13 Suspense Movies PG-13 Hook-Up Comedies PG-13 Slashers PG-13 Horror Comedies The 50 Best PG-13 Scary And Horror Movies February 1, 2024

  8. Best Horror Movies Rated PG or G

    8 Twilight Zone: The Movie. Warner Bros. The '80s were definitely a peak in producing PG and G horror movies, which is partly why the MPAA eventually felt it necessary to create a PG-13 rating ...

  9. Scariest PG-13 Horror Movies, From 'The Ring' to 'Poltergiest'

    The natural response to hearing "horror movie" and "PG-13" in the same breath is, most likely, skepticism.How scary can a movie honestly be when its rating is a mere step away from Scooby-Doo ...

  10. 10 Truly Frightening PG-Rated Horror Movies

    There are numerous examples of PG-13 movies that deliver scares, gross-outs, and carnage, but even more relevantly, there are plenty of PG-rated movies that do so too. Non-kiddie PG horror is ...

  11. 54 Best Scary Kids Movies for Halloween

    Best & Popular TAGGED AS: Family, halloween, Holidays, Horror, kids (Photo by Buena Vista Pictures, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, TriStar, MGM / Courtesy: Everett Collection) 54 Best Kids Halloween...

  12. 5 scariest PG-13 horror movies to watch on Netflix

    The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) The Haunting in Connecticut isn't the most original horror film out there, but for a PG-13 movie it does have some nail-biting moments and frightening imagery ...

  13. The Spookiest and Scariest PG 13 Halloween Movies, Ranked

    The Ring [2002] Photo Credits: DreamWorks Pictures "Old but scary gold" is how kids from the 90s and early 2000s would describe it. Even today, it's still so frightening when I watch it, and I can't believe how this remade Japanese horror movie is rated PG 13.

  14. 15 Best PG 13 Horror Movies, Ranked

    Conall M. Growing up in the west of Ireland, I am passionate… From Under the Shadow to A Quiet Place (2018), here are some of the best PG 13 horror movies. We all want to have a light scare every now and again: not too spooky, but not too easy either.

  15. 11 Best PG-Rated Horror Movies For Halloween

    Movies like Gremlins, Beetlejuice, and The Nightmare Before Christmas offer a delightful balance of spooky and fun for all ages. From Monster House to Jaws, some classic horror films are...

  16. 10 Scariest PG-Rated Horror Movies

    6. Race With The Devil (1975) My local movie theater - shout outs to Hollywood Theatre in Portland - hosts an all-night horror movie marathon every October just in time for Halloween. The ...

  17. PG-13 Horror Movies That Prove Scary Doesn't Need an R-Rating

    A good PG-13 horror slasher is a rare bird, and Christopher Landon's horror movie by way of Groundhog's Day is easily one of the best. Happy Death Day stars Jessica Rothe as Tree (a very ...

  18. PG-13 Horror Movies (100+ Movies!)

    1. The Ring (2002) PG-13 | 115 min | Horror, Mystery 7.1 Rate 57 Metascore A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it. Director: Gore Verbinski | Stars: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox, David Dorfman Votes: 371,751 | Gross: $129.13M

  19. 35 Must-Watch PG-13 Horror Movies That Will Keep You On The Edge of

    1- The Sixth Sense (1999) The Sixth Sense is one of the best pg-13 horror movies. M. Night Shyamalan directed the film. The 1999 supernatural thriller film portrays the story of a young boy Cole Sear who can communicate with spirits. The movie captivates the audience with various thrills along with a spine-chilling climax. 2- The Ring (2002)

  20. 7 Top PG-13 Horror Movies You Can Watch This Weekend

    Exploring the Appeal of PG-13 Horror. The allure of horror movies is undeniable, captivating audiences with thrilling narratives that tap into our deepest fears. The PG-13 rating plays a pivotal ...

  21. 5 scariest PG-13 horror movies to watch on Netflix

    The Haunting in Connecticutisn't the most original horror film out there, but for a PG-13 movie it does have some nail-biting moments and frightening imagery.When Sara (Virginia Madsen) and Peter ...

  22. PG/PG-13 Horror Movies

    1. Gremlins (1984) PG | 106 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror 7.3 Rate 70 Metascore A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town. Director: Joe Dante | Stars: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, John Louie Votes: 244,880 | Gross: $148.17M 2.

  23. Top 20 PG-13 Horror Movies That Are ACTUALLY Scary

    These PG-13 horror movies are scary as hell! For this list, we'll be looking at the movies that manage to be terrifying even outside the R rating. Our countd...

  24. The 20 best PG movies on Netflix (January 2024)

    Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) DreamWorks Animation LLC. The titular swashbuckling tabby cat ( Antonio Banderas) — a fan favorite from the Shrek franchise — discovers that his heroic ...

  25. 'Lisa Frankenstein' Review: Faux Outrageous Undead Teen Horror Comedy

    Kathryn Newton stars in an unfunny camp homage to the teen-girl-vs.-the-suburbs 1980s. The tropes of horror comedy go back a long way; the genre probably dates to "Abbott and Costello Meet ...

  26. Horror movies rated 12 and PG

    Horror movies rated 12 and PG. 1. The Others (2001) In 1945, immediately following the end of Second World War, a woman who lives with her two photosensitive children on her darkened old family estate in the Channel Islands becomes convinced that the home is haunted. 2.

  27. Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

    Lisa Frankenstein: Directed by Zelda Williams. With Kathryn Newton, Liza Soberano, Jenna Davis, Trina LaFargue. A coming of RAGE love story about a teenager and her crush, who happens to be a corpse. After a set of horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a journey to find love, happiness - and a few missing body parts.