They only come along every once in a blue moon: the dueling movies. 1998 was an especially unusual year in that it saw two of them hitting theaters, with killer asteroid films "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon" going head-to-head within the same 12-month span as the animated insect flicks "Antz" and "A Bug's Life." There haven't been too many since then, save for the clash of the White House action-thrillers in 2013 with "Olympus Has Fallen" and "White House Down." Now, 2024 is bringing us the next big showdown between movies with remarkably similar premises.
The unexpected shared theme? Imaginary friends.
Okay, fine, so John Krasinski's family-friendly "If" and Jeff Wadlow's horror thriller "Imaginary" seem to have almost nothing in common besides revolving around children's imaginary pals. Nevertheless, there's no denying it's a little strange that we're getting two films based on that exact same premise in quick succession. The former of...
The unexpected shared theme? Imaginary friends.
Okay, fine, so John Krasinski's family-friendly "If" and Jeff Wadlow's horror thriller "Imaginary" seem to have almost nothing in common besides revolving around children's imaginary pals. Nevertheless, there's no denying it's a little strange that we're getting two films based on that exact same premise in quick succession. The former of...
- 2/6/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Halloween is the time of year when horror appeals to all ages and backgrounds, but especially so for the young and young at heart. Luckily, there’s no shortage of family-friendly frights on streaming or network TV. If you’ve already grown tired of the familiar staples that include enduring favorites like Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, Casper, Coraline, Don’t Look Under the Bed, Beetlejuice, and more, here’s the list for you.
This streaming guide is almost entirely dedicated to gateway horror titles released within the last decade, save for one deep-cut gem that’s finally found its way on streaming. Many of them are set on or around Halloween, ensuring proper spooky season viewing.
For those looking for brand new family frights to sink their fangs into this Halloween season, don’t miss these movies and shows.
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting – Netflix
Set around Halloween, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting...
This streaming guide is almost entirely dedicated to gateway horror titles released within the last decade, save for one deep-cut gem that’s finally found its way on streaming. Many of them are set on or around Halloween, ensuring proper spooky season viewing.
For those looking for brand new family frights to sink their fangs into this Halloween season, don’t miss these movies and shows.
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting – Netflix
Set around Halloween, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting...
- 10/20/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Because Halloween is the time of year when horror appeals to all ages and backgrounds, this week’s streaming picks are dedicated to gateway Halloween horror movies.
These movies capture the Halloween spirit and target the budding monster kid. More importantly, they make a great introduction to the genre thanks to the light scares and genre stalwarts behind them, from Sam Raimi to Guillermo del Toro and beyond.
Here’s where you can stream these five gateway Halloween horror movies this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Don’t Look Under the Bed – Disney+
High school student Frances Bacon McCausland (Erin Chambers) gets blamed for a series of pranks plaguing her small town. Frances suspects the culprit is new kid Larry Houdini (Ty Hodges), but it quickly becomes apparent that only she can see him. It turns out that Larry is an imaginary friend and Frances’ only...
These movies capture the Halloween spirit and target the budding monster kid. More importantly, they make a great introduction to the genre thanks to the light scares and genre stalwarts behind them, from Sam Raimi to Guillermo del Toro and beyond.
Here’s where you can stream these five gateway Halloween horror movies this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Don’t Look Under the Bed – Disney+
High school student Frances Bacon McCausland (Erin Chambers) gets blamed for a series of pranks plaguing her small town. Frances suspects the culprit is new kid Larry Houdini (Ty Hodges), but it quickly becomes apparent that only she can see him. It turns out that Larry is an imaginary friend and Frances’ only...
- 10/17/2022
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
For horror fans, the autumnal season is the time of year when we all get to be the belle of the ball. For a few weeks each year, our expertise in all things creepy and spooky is valued above all other film fanatics, and we're often tasked with providing as many film recommendations as possible for casual horror fans to cram into a month or two of viewing. Sure, there's bound to be requests for "the scariest movie ever," but as new crops of monster kids grow into their own year after year, there's an evergreen need for horror movies that adults can watch with their little ones.
Family-friendly horror movies are a great way to inaugurate younger viewers to one of the most prolific subgenres in all of cinema, as well as offer a safe outlet to begin processing negative emotions like fear, grief, sadness, and anxiety. It's a...
Family-friendly horror movies are a great way to inaugurate younger viewers to one of the most prolific subgenres in all of cinema, as well as offer a safe outlet to begin processing negative emotions like fear, grief, sadness, and anxiety. It's a...
- 9/3/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
It's nearly fall, but the spooky season is already here. Stir-crazed masses battling a lingering pandemic, climate change, and upheaval are pulling out the seasonal decor earlier, eager to change the vibe and settle into the oddly comforting world of the strange and the morbid. Over the coming weeks, theaters across North America will oblige and showcase an "X" prequel, a star-studded Olivia Wilde-directed thriller, the exceedingly creepy-looking psych-thriller "Smile," and Zach Cregger's rental home hellscape "Barbarian." As folks will start to pull out their sweaters and add a little pumpkin to their coffee, and they'll be in need of some at-home entertainment to match the oncoming autumn mood. For horror fans, the fall equinox (and the entire month that precedes it) is prime time, when the programming powers-that-be start adding a little more genre spice to their offerings in anticipation of Halloween.
Horrifying movies come and go...
Horrifying movies come and go...
- 9/1/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Gateway horror has waned in recent years. Several decades ago, it seemed that every network had at least one or two distinctly horror-themed shows aimed at young audiences. Currently, the vagaries of genre have shifted more toward fantasy and dystopia, though the advent of digital streaming has reignited interest in several classic pieces of '90s horror media.
These are the shows that an entire generation grew up with. Along with classic television movies such as "Don't Look Under the Bed" and "Cry Baby Lane," these shows gave young '90s horror fans their genre fix, all but guaranteeing a lifetime of horror loyalty. Some of these shows are...
The post '90s Kids Horror Shows That are Scarier Than You Remember appeared first on /Film.
These are the shows that an entire generation grew up with. Along with classic television movies such as "Don't Look Under the Bed" and "Cry Baby Lane," these shows gave young '90s horror fans their genre fix, all but guaranteeing a lifetime of horror loyalty. Some of these shows are...
The post '90s Kids Horror Shows That are Scarier Than You Remember appeared first on /Film.
- 6/6/2022
- by Chad Collins
- Slash Film
Lost Ones, a newly launched production company, is unveiling a North American distribution arm. The first film that the company will debut will be “Venus as a Boy,” an art culture romance that will premiere on video-on-demand on Sept. 24.
Utopia will handle worldwide sales of the film, which had its world premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. The company’s head of sales David Betesh will oversee the process. “Venus as a Boy” was written, directed and stars Ty Hodges, who previously appeared on Disney’s “Even Stevens” and “Don’t Look Under the Bed.” He appears alongside actress and model Olivia Culpo (“I Feel Pretty”), Trace Lysette (“Transparent”), Bai Ling (“The Crow”), and musicians Estelle and Stacy Barthe.
The film follows Hunter (Hodges), a freewheeling artist navigating heartbreak, addiction, and L.A.’s gallery scene. After refusing to sell a painting to an eager buyer, a chance encounter...
Utopia will handle worldwide sales of the film, which had its world premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. The company’s head of sales David Betesh will oversee the process. “Venus as a Boy” was written, directed and stars Ty Hodges, who previously appeared on Disney’s “Even Stevens” and “Don’t Look Under the Bed.” He appears alongside actress and model Olivia Culpo (“I Feel Pretty”), Trace Lysette (“Transparent”), Bai Ling (“The Crow”), and musicians Estelle and Stacy Barthe.
The film follows Hunter (Hodges), a freewheeling artist navigating heartbreak, addiction, and L.A.’s gallery scene. After refusing to sell a painting to an eager buyer, a chance encounter...
- 9/1/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Halloween is nearly upon us, and that means you’re probably looking for some spooky movies and shows to watch to get you in the spirit of the holiday. Of course, it’s easy to find a good slasher flick or psychological horror on various services, but trying to locate such content that’s family-friendly can sometimes be tough. The good news is, though, that you don’t have to look very far at all if you’re a Disney Plus subscriber, as the platform is filled to the brim with plenty of great Halloween stuff for viewers of all ages.
One option you’re certain to be happy to hear about is the 1993 comedy horror Hocus Pocus, which ranks as one of the most timeless Halloween classics of all time – proven further by its huge haul during its theatrical rerelease this year. This tale of a trio of evil...
One option you’re certain to be happy to hear about is the 1993 comedy horror Hocus Pocus, which ranks as one of the most timeless Halloween classics of all time – proven further by its huge haul during its theatrical rerelease this year. This tale of a trio of evil...
- 10/28/2020
- by Billy Givens
- We Got This Covered
Welcome back to Let’s Scare Bryan to Death! This month I’m chatting with Harmony Colangelo, a writer who specializes in transgender representation in media, including some great pieces on the recent vampire flick Bit and the cult classic Sleepaway Camp. She also just launched a brand new podcast with wife and (and previous Lsbtd guest) Bj Colangelo called This Ends at Prom, which is a delightful look at “teen girl” movies “through the lens of cis and trans femme perspectives.” It’s a fun, nuanced show and I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t yet had the chance.
Colangelo’s pick this month is an interesting one, as it finally gives me a chance to explore the wild world of Disney Channel Original Movies. Fans of the site of course know that Derek Anderson is our resident Dcom expert. Given the fact that the first...
Colangelo’s pick this month is an interesting one, as it finally gives me a chance to explore the wild world of Disney Channel Original Movies. Fans of the site of course know that Derek Anderson is our resident Dcom expert. Given the fact that the first...
- 10/21/2020
- by Bryan Christopher
- DailyDead
It’s finally October and every streaming service is making sure subscribers have a lot of suitably spooky content to check out this Halloween. In the case of Disney Plus, the Mouse House’s service has this week launched its “Halloween” collection which collates every single Halloween-related movie, short film and TV special/episode that can be found across the site right now.
Many of your all-time favorite family-friendly Halloween watches are housed in the collection, too, like seasonal mainstays Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas. Countless Disney lovers also have a lot of fondness for the Halloweentown films, all four of which can be found on D+. Elsewhere, you can catch Eddie Murphy vehicle The Haunted Mansion, classic animation The Adventures of Ichabod and Toad and the Twitches twosome.
As for the many TV episodes available, there are special Halloween-themed editions of beloved shows like Hannah Montana,...
Many of your all-time favorite family-friendly Halloween watches are housed in the collection, too, like seasonal mainstays Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas. Countless Disney lovers also have a lot of fondness for the Halloweentown films, all four of which can be found on D+. Elsewhere, you can catch Eddie Murphy vehicle The Haunted Mansion, classic animation The Adventures of Ichabod and Toad and the Twitches twosome.
As for the many TV episodes available, there are special Halloween-themed editions of beloved shows like Hannah Montana,...
- 10/2/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
It may still be over two months until Halloween, but that hasn’t stopped Disney+ from getting in the holiday spirit. A batch of 20 family-friendly horror films have dropped on the streaming service recently, providing you with an abundance of frights to get you gradually geared up for the best night of the year, with a few stand-out entries worth looking out for.
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is one of many anthology pics Disney released in the ‘40s, and is best remembered as a Boomer equivalent of Watership Down, The Dark Crystal or The NeverEnding Story in the “movies that traumatized children” category. Its first segment is based on classic kids book The Wind in the Willows, but the second, more relevant half adapts Washington Irving’s famous short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, with its rich but dark animation and foreboding tone and music terrifying many of its young viewers.
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is one of many anthology pics Disney released in the ‘40s, and is best remembered as a Boomer equivalent of Watership Down, The Dark Crystal or The NeverEnding Story in the “movies that traumatized children” category. Its first segment is based on classic kids book The Wind in the Willows, but the second, more relevant half adapts Washington Irving’s famous short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, with its rich but dark animation and foreboding tone and music terrifying many of its young viewers.
- 8/24/2020
- by Andrew Marshall
- We Got This Covered
“Sometimes there seems to be something out there. Sometimes I hear someone whispering in the wind.”
If you’ve listened to Daily Dead’s Corpse Club podcast, then you might know that half the time I open my mouth, it’s to talk about Disney Channel Original Movies (no matter what the topic of the episode is). I’ve always found great delight in how movies released on the family-friendly network can still retain nightmare-inducing thrills and chills, whether it be through a theater of frozen bodies in Halloweentown or the sharp-toothed imaginary friend in Don’t Look Under the Bed.
While the DCOMs have had their macabre moments, the truth is that previous generations of viewers got to experience an even more spooky side of Disney on the big screen. In the cinematic world following the release of John Carpenter’s Halloween, Walt Disney Productions wasn’t holding back when...
If you’ve listened to Daily Dead’s Corpse Club podcast, then you might know that half the time I open my mouth, it’s to talk about Disney Channel Original Movies (no matter what the topic of the episode is). I’ve always found great delight in how movies released on the family-friendly network can still retain nightmare-inducing thrills and chills, whether it be through a theater of frozen bodies in Halloweentown or the sharp-toothed imaginary friend in Don’t Look Under the Bed.
While the DCOMs have had their macabre moments, the truth is that previous generations of viewers got to experience an even more spooky side of Disney on the big screen. In the cinematic world following the release of John Carpenter’s Halloween, Walt Disney Productions wasn’t holding back when...
- 7/9/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
(Welcome to Out of the Disney Vault, where we explore the unsung gems and forgotten disasters currently streaming on Disney+.) Though not the first thing that comes to mind when you think Disney, there is a long history of horror and horror-adjacent productions in the Walt Disney Company. Many of them resulted in failed attempts at […]
The post Revisiting ‘Don’t Look Under The Bed’, the Last Original Horror Production By Disney appeared first on /Film.
The post Revisiting ‘Don’t Look Under The Bed’, the Last Original Horror Production By Disney appeared first on /Film.
- 1/17/2020
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
It’s a relatively contained secret that beneath the magic and the pixie dust, Disney has produced a whole lot of freaky stuff. And now that the House of Mouse has officially launched its expansive streaming site, Disney Plus, a large collection of that spooky material is available to cower over wherever and whenever you want!
Of course, this isn’t to say that there are blood fests on there – the company couldn’t even summon up the courage to include the R-rated Deadpool and Logan films – but rather point out that some of the studio’s most iconic features incorporate incredibly frightening scenes.
While the Mouse House has evidently filtered some of its more controversial content for Disney Plus – though they seem to have completely missed Dumbo‘s iconically problematic crows – Bloody Disgusting was still able to conjure up a video of some of the freakiest stuff to explore on the streaming service.
Of course, this isn’t to say that there are blood fests on there – the company couldn’t even summon up the courage to include the R-rated Deadpool and Logan films – but rather point out that some of the studio’s most iconic features incorporate incredibly frightening scenes.
While the Mouse House has evidently filtered some of its more controversial content for Disney Plus – though they seem to have completely missed Dumbo‘s iconically problematic crows – Bloody Disgusting was still able to conjure up a video of some of the freakiest stuff to explore on the streaming service.
- 11/15/2019
- by Luke Parker
- We Got This Covered
Before you spend Memorial Day weekend binging on every single Disney Channel Original Movie ever created (yes, all of them – from Don't Look Under the Bed to The Cheetah Girls), refresh your Dcom memory with these fun facts.
1. Zac Efron didn't sing in the original High School Musical.
Back in 2006, you may have thought you fallen in love with Efron's vocals in "Breaking Free" and "Start of Something New", but it turns out, it wasn't actually Efron you were falling for. Another Cinderella Story star Drew Seeley actually provided Troy's vocals for the first film (and he wrote the...
1. Zac Efron didn't sing in the original High School Musical.
Back in 2006, you may have thought you fallen in love with Efron's vocals in "Breaking Free" and "Start of Something New", but it turns out, it wasn't actually Efron you were falling for. Another Cinderella Story star Drew Seeley actually provided Troy's vocals for the first film (and he wrote the...
- 5/27/2016
- by Diana Pearl, @dianapearl_
- People.com - TV Watch
Before you spend Memorial Day weekend binging on every single Disney Channel Original Movie ever created (yes, all of them - from Don't Look Under the Bed to The Cheetah Girls), refresh your Dcom memory with these fun facts. 1. Zac Efron didn't sing in the original High School Musical.Back in 2006, you may have thought you fallen in love with Efron's vocals in "Breaking Free" and "Start of Something New", but it turns out, it wasn't actually Efron you were falling for. Another Cinderella Story star Drew Seeley actually provided Troy's vocals for the first film (and he wrote...
- 5/27/2016
- by Diana Pearl, @dianapearl_
- PEOPLE.com
Before you spend Memorial Day weekend binging on every single Disney Channel Original Movie ever created (yes, all of them - from Don't Look Under the Bed to The Cheetah Girls), refresh your Dcom memory with these fun facts. 1. Zac Efron didn't sing in the original High School Musical.Back in 2006, you may have thought you fallen in love with Efron's vocals in "Breaking Free" and "Start of Something New", but it turns out, it wasn't actually Efron you were falling for. Another Cinderella Story star Drew Seeley actually provided Troy's vocals for the first film (and he wrote...
- 5/27/2016
- by Diana Pearl, @dianapearl_
- PEOPLE.com
You get a lot of horror movies that are based around the same central antagonist (more or less): vampires, serial killers, ghosts and zombies. Lots and lots of zombies. But beyond that, and something that makes horror so great, is a plethora of other sub-categories that people know and love. For instance I have a few a friends who are just crazy about scarecrow horror. Sharks, clowns, animals. All ripe for the picking. And this go round, we get the severely under-utilized boogeyman.
The boogeyman seems like a no brainer when it comes to horror. Monster who lives in the closet or under the bed who terrorizes children at night. Despite the easy set up, the Man has rarely been done right in movies. The largest attempt, Boogeyman, and it’s subsequent sequels seem to consistently fall short of hitting the mark. Most of the time, the concept is handled best by kids movies,...
The boogeyman seems like a no brainer when it comes to horror. Monster who lives in the closet or under the bed who terrorizes children at night. Despite the easy set up, the Man has rarely been done right in movies. The largest attempt, Boogeyman, and it’s subsequent sequels seem to consistently fall short of hitting the mark. Most of the time, the concept is handled best by kids movies,...
- 7/24/2013
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Lee Martin's The Midnight Hour You may want to think twice about looking under your bed this May. Something much worse than dusty cobwebs may be waiting for an opportunity to meet you…or in this case, kill you. In “Don’t Look Under the Bed,” the popular horror TV series “Lee Martin’s The Midnight Hour” serves up a generous helping of evil as a schizophrenic—and in fact homicidal—child named Kathy meets her match when one of her victims invokes an unfettered demon for protection.
Don't Look Under the Bed is yet another solid entry in Lee Martin's The Midnight Hour. This episode plays up on the inherent fear of a monster lurking under the bed that I am sure many kids have had, including myself, but does so with a fresh twist. That's a consistent throughout the entire span of The Midnight Hour is that the...
Don't Look Under the Bed is yet another solid entry in Lee Martin's The Midnight Hour. This episode plays up on the inherent fear of a monster lurking under the bed that I am sure many kids have had, including myself, but does so with a fresh twist. That's a consistent throughout the entire span of The Midnight Hour is that the...
- 5/3/2011
- by Big Daddy aka Brandon Sites
- Big Daddy Horror Reviews - Interviews
Imagine the nostalgic charm of the hit TV series Are You Afraid of the Dark? combined with the gore of Tales From The Crypt and the nasty plot twists of the hit HBO series The Hitchhiker. Now utilize the anthology format of Tales From The Darkside. Throw in some dashes of The Twilight Zone and you have "Lee Martin's The Midnight Hour". Director and series host Lee Martin is bringing back the TV horror anthology format for horror fans with the first and only homegrown dramatic horror TV series from Michigan. No wonder the show is finding an increasing larger audience as it starts to accumulate an ever growing cult fan base as it takes all the elements of our favorite TV horror series and throws it into a single, cohesive narrative. Filming of the May 2011 episode entitled "Don't Look Under The Bed" has just finished. In it......
A typical...
A typical...
- 2/26/2011
- by Big Daddy aka Brandon Sites
- Big Daddy Horror Reviews - Interviews
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