A trend that bothers me is people excusing bad horror movies because they’re rated PG-13. As a former child, I refuse to encourage kids to accept any crap handed to them. I know I still appreciate the titles that were actually good in my day. The films were crafted with care, and were dark, morbid, and actually a little scary. I firmly believe that kids today also deserve quality titles that lead them to appreciate the horror genre.
That’s why I did a little bit of homework out of spite and pulled eight PG-13 movies that are actually good. All of these titles are Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. They would also like a word with the craptastic movies that give tween horror a bad name.
A Quiet Place (dir. John Krasinski)
Where You Can Watch: Paramount+
A family attempts to find some form of normalcy after Earth is invaded by vicious aliens with ultra-sensitive hearing. PG-13 doesn’t mean kids should be safe, and one of the things working in this film’s favor is that they eat a kid up top. While the first two movies of this franchise deserve all of the critiques they get from POC critics, this installment is a pretty solid gateway horror title. That being said, I do prefer A Quiet Place: Day One and am sad it didn’t rate higher than the first movie.
Drag Me to Hell (dir. Sam Raimi)
Where You Can Watch: HBO Max, Peacock, and Tubi
A loan officer angers the wrong old lady and finds her soul cursed with damnation. We don’t watch this Sam Raimi moment for the lead. We watch this horror comedy for literally everyone else, including Justin Long, Octavia Spencer, and Bonnie Aarons. Not only is this a PG-13 movie where a woman’s soul is on the line, but it’s actually really good. Let the kids have an age-appropriate Raimi movie so they don’t turn out as broken as our generation is.
I Saw the TV Glow (dir. Jane Schoenbrun)
Where You Can Watch: HBO Max
A suburban teen is introduced to a mysterious late-night TV show. The impact of Jane Schoenbrun’s film continues to grow and cannot be overstated. While I Saw the TV Glow has made a lot of my friends cry, I’m more excited about all the kids who are discovering it. Representation fucking matters, and I’m happy kids have a PG-13 horror movie that will make some of them feel seen in a way that too many tweens in previous generations never got to experience. We need more intersectional horror, specifically queer intersectional horror, and the way this film has touched people is proof of that.
M3GAN (dir. Gerard Johnstone)
Where You Can Watch: Peacock
A robotic engineer makes a life-like AI companion for her orphaned niece and then realizes the doll has a mind of its own. M3GAN had us all in a chokehold in 2022. This Akela Cooper script birthed a character so beloved that M3GAN became an icon. While we all wanted a bit more blood and guts, it was hard not to have a good time with this movie at any age. It is also a very smart lead-in to so many conversations you should be having with the tweens in your life. This is easily one of my personal favorite PG-13 movies to come out this decade.
The Others (dir. Alejandro Amenábar)
Where You Can Watch: AMC+ and Shudder
A woman living with her two photosensitive children in an isolated estate begins to suspect her home is haunted. This Nicole Kidman-led gem is easily the scariest movie on this list. Chilling doesn’t even begin to describe this movie and what it does to you before the credits roll. If you know a tween ready to be scared, then put this haunted PG-13 film on. It has atmosphere for days, it’s unsettling, dark, and many people didn’t see the twist coming. I have been in love with this movie since I was a kid, and I hope it gives the children in your life nightmares.
Under the Shadow (dir. Babak Anvari)
Where You Can Watch: Netflix
A mother and daughter in 1980s war-torn Tehran must also contend with a supernatural presence haunting their home. A PG-13 international psychological horror movie is exactly what the kids want. Now that we’re here, this would make a cool double feature with The Others because there is enough overlap with these stories and vibes. Not only is this movie good and unsettling, but it might also encourage them to do some research about this war. It might also help them realize just how big Asia is and lead them to other horror movies from filmmakers in this region.
Vampires Vs. The Bronx (dir. Osmany Rodriguez)
Where You Can Watch: Netflix
A group of young people must defend their neighborhood from gentrifying vampires. This horror comedy was one of my favorite pandemic discoveries. It’s smart, fun, and effortlessly cool. The cast is adorable, the themes are more relevant by the hour, and it’s one of the movies I wish I had as a kid. You might hit play for vampires, but you’ll stick around because this movie has a lot of heart and jokes. That seems to be the perfect combo when dealing with vampires who want to suck the culture out of a neighborhood and the blood out of members of the community.
The Vigil (dir. Keith Thomas)
Where You Can Watch: AMC+ and Shudder
While standing vigil over the body of a member of an Orthodox Jewish community, a man comes up against an unspeakable evil. I love that this movie is PG-13 because the kids can get scared and learn a little about a religion they might not be familiar with. While this is by far one of the slowest burns on the list, it’s effectively creepy. I encourage you, and the kid you’re babysitting/visiting, to watch it with the lights off and the phones away. You really want to let this unsettling feeling wash over you for maximum scares.
Do you also enjoy these PG-13 horror gems? Then find me on Bluesky because that probably means we should be friends.
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