Morbid Animated Movies for a Scary Sleepover

When people think about animated films, they often think of movies for children. That is for good reason because animation studios have created some of the most unforgettable, and magical children's stories in history - why, just think about Disney/Pixar's Toy Story (2005).

There are other times when it seems that the makers of animated films have temporarily forgotten about the tender age of its target audience. Granted, there are many animated films targeted towards adults, like Fritz the Cat (1972)... but I'm not speaking of those, that's a different article.

The targeted movies directly aimed at children. At first glance, we cannot wait to rush to the theaters with our kids. But then, soon after the film begins, we start to wonder..."is this really appropriate for kids?"

The Nightmare before Christmas (1993)

The title alone is a good indication that there may be certain parts of the film that may be too intense for little ones. Then there is the other thing...the whole Tim Burton & Danny Elfman pairing should always give rise to parental concern.

This insanely delightful film tells the story of Jack Skelllington, he is the Pumpkin King, and as such, he reigns over Halloweentown. One day, he discovers Chrismastown and he decided that he needs to reign there as well - look out Santa Claus (or ...Sandy Claws).

Coraline (2009)

One factor might have given parents cause for concern about the content of this film: Neil Gaiman. Gaiman is one of the most entertaining writers alive today, and his stories are stuffed full of color and imagination. The issue revolves around the fact that some of his works are considered to be "occult" in nature. The black button eyes on the alternate mommy creeps out even me...

Coraline is a little girl who moves into an English country home with her parents. Both of her parents are tied up with their work, so they unintentionally ignore Coraline. In the midst of her looking for ways to entertain herself, she stumbles upon an alternate world with new parents...and a sinister plot.

Monster House (2006)

What could be alarming about a Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis pairing? Plenty, Spielberg has an immense power to jolt an audience and Zemeckis is a master of special effects. True to form, there are some scary scenes Monster House (2006).

The story tells the tale of a couple of kids who discover that a house in their neighborhood, and its owner, harbors a dark secret. Is this house actually eating up lost items from neighborhood kids who mistakenly wander onto its property line? What about the missing people?

Spirited Away (2001)

In case you haven't heard, the Japanese have a particularly eerie way of telling a story when they so choose. In recent years, Japanese horror films have put Hollywood horror films to complete shame. Although Spirited Away (2001) is not a horror film, certain elements are a bit unnerving, particularly the constant and unpredictable shifting of good to evil.

Little Chihiro has moved to a new city with her mother and father. They become lost en route and they wind up in an abandoned amusement park. Without warning, Chihiro's parents morph into human pig beings. As she goes for help, she is "spirited away" into a weird and scary world full of witches and spirits. Can Chihiro find her way back to her parents? All kidding aside, this one might be a little too scary for kids.

Corpse Bride (2005 )

Well, here we are again, yet another Tim Burton & Danny Elfman pairing. It seems that when these two get together, nothing but highly entertaining devilry ensues. If the title alone doesn't hip you to the fact that it might not be the most wholesome movie around, nothing else will.

This movie tells the twisted tale of a young man and a young lady who are about to be wed in an arranged marriage. On the night before the wedding, the young man decides to go out for a walk. He gets lost and winds up in stepping all over a makeshift grave, then he eventually finds himself betrothed to the corpse of a dead bride...

Ironically, the films listed above are favorites of my kids and mine. I answered the question about appropriateness with the notion that there were a lot worse things in which to expose my kids than intense animated films. The next time you and your kids are looking for a couple of movies for a scary sleepover, pop one or two of these little gems in your Netflix queue.

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