A Glean movie guide
Spooky But Safe: Gateway Horror for Pre-Teens
Scares without the nightmares.
Thrills, chills, and supernatural adventures perfect for 12-year-olds.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Coraline
A visually stunning stop-motion masterpiece that balances dark fantasy with a brave protagonist.
Wandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, 11-year-old Coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life. In order to stay in the fantasy, she must make a frighteningly real sacrifice.
- 02
Monster House
A fast-paced animated thriller that turns a neighborhood mystery into a high-stakes haunting.
Monsters under the bed are scary enough, but what happens when an entire house is out to get you? Three teens aim to find out when they go up against a decrepit neighboring home and unlock its frightening secrets.
- 03
Goosebumps
A fun, meta-horror adventure that brings classic monsters to life with plenty of action and humor.
After moving to a small town, Zach Cooper finds a silver lining when he meets next door neighbor Hannah, the daughter of bestselling Goosebumps series author R.L. Stine. When Zach unintentionally unleashes real monsters from their manuscripts and they begin to terrorize the town, it’s suddenly up to Stine, Zach and Hannah to get all of them back in the books where they belong.
- 04
ParaNorman
A heartfelt story about an outsider that uses ghosts and zombies to explore bravery and kindness.
In the town of Blithe Hollow, Norman Babcock can speak to the dead, but no one other than his eccentric new friend believes his ability is real. One day, Norman's eccentric uncle tells him of a ritual he must perform to protect the town from a curse cast by a witch centuries ago.
- 05
Gremlins
The ultimate gateway horror film that perfectly balances mischievous creatures with dark comedy.
After receiving an exotic small animal as a Christmas gift, a young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet, which unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous creatures on a small town.
- 06
Ghostbusters
A legendary blend of supernatural scares and iconic comedy that never gets too heavy.
After losing their academic posts at a prestigious university, a team of parapsychologists goes into business as proton-pack-toting "ghostbusters" who exterminate ghouls, hobgoblins and supernatural pests of all stripes. An ad campaign pays off when a knockout cellist hires the squad to purge her swanky digs of demons that appear to be living in her refrigerator.
- 07
The Nightmare Before Christmas
A beautifully eerie musical that celebrates the 'spooky-cute' side of the holidays.
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.
- 08
Jurassic Park
A masterclass in suspense and creature-based thrills that provides big scares without graphic gore.
A wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening day, he invites a team of experts and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park and help calm anxious investors. However, the park is anything but amusing as the security systems go off-line and the dinosaurs escape.
- 09
Beetlejuice
A wild, surreal comedy that makes the afterlife look more eccentric than terrifying.
A newly dead New England couple seeks help from a deranged demon exorcist to scare an affluent New York family out of their home.
- 10
Super 8
A nostalgic sci-fi mystery that captures the intense thrill of a group of friends facing the unknown.
In late 1970s Ohio, a group of friends filming a homemade zombie movie witness a devastating train derailment. Soon after, their quiet town is gripped by unexplained disappearances, strange phenomena, and a growing sense of fear, as they uncover that something terrifying has been set loose.
- 11
The Witches
A dark fantasy classic featuring impressive practical effects and a truly memorable villain.
A young boy named Luke and his grandmother go on vacation only to discover their hotel is hosting an international witch convention, where the Grand High Witch is unveiling her master plan to turn all children into mice. Will Luke fall victim to the witches' plot before he can stop them?
- 12
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The series' first foray into darker territory, introducing iconic creatures and a moodier atmosphere.
Year three at Hogwarts means new fun and challenges as Harry learns the delicate art of approaching a Hippogriff, transforming shape-shifting Boggarts into hilarity and even turning back time. But the term also brings danger: soul-sucking Dementors hover over the school, an ally of the accursed He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named lurks within the castle walls, and fearsome wizard Sirius Black escapes Azkaban. And Harry will confront them all.