13 Family Films That Will Terrify Children
6. Coraline
Scariest Moment: When The Other Mother reveals her true form... and reveals to Coraline that all she wants from her is to take her eyes!
A visual treat from the minds of Neil Gaiman and Henry Selick that does a great job of depict how mundane childhood can be, until everything gets completely surreal. Of all the films on the list, Coraline is the one that children will probably relate to most, whatever their age. And as an adult viewer, you will certainly understand what Coraline is going through.
What stands out is how similar the Other World that Coraline discovers is to ours, but it seems so much more appealing. You almost don't want to leave it- but by the time you discover it's dark secrets, you'll be horrified it ever seemed enticing to you. The viewer falls into as much of a trap as Coraline does.
The film starts to get incredibly scary in the third act, but the film is creepy throughout, taking place in the unnerving other world with an unsettling soundtrack from the start. Kids will love it for its weirdness, but parents may be worried their own children will want to search for an alternate world of people with buttons for eyes.