The PG-13 rating, at least for horror, often induces derision or skepticism, like an instant shackle on the horror. A PG-13 rating broadcasts straightaway not to expect any excessive gore, violence, or any of the explicit fun stuff that tends to be horror’s bread and butter. But those things aren’t synonymous with horror’s true aim, which is to scare you silly.
Luckily, PG-13 horror has proven time and time again throughout the decades that it’s more than capable of inducing chills. Especially when it comes to the supernatural.
This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to PG-13 horror movies that bring the terror through ghostly jump scares, ominous atmosphere, and more. That the PG-13 rating means they also double as potential gateway horror for the budding monster kid is a bonus.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Dark Water – Arrow, Fandor, Kanopy, Midnight Pulp, Night Flight, SCREAMBOX
If there’s one thing this week’s streaming picks highlight, it’s that director Hideo Nakata is an under-celebrated master of scares. The filmmaker behind Ringu and Ringu 2 spins another long-haired ghost story, only this time, the scares are set against a family drama that’ll leave you reaching for the Kleenex. It follows Yoshimi Matsubara as she struggles to pick up the pieces of her life amidst a divorce, which means trying to raise her young daughter as her new single-mother budget forces her to relocate to a rundown apartment with constant water leaks. But these leaks stem from a supernatural problem, leaving mother and daughter trapped in a domestic nightmare. The potent J-horror scares reel you in, but it’s the somber examination of a family trying to tread water amidst great upheaval that’ll hit you hard in the feels.
The Ring – Hoopla
In this remake of Hideo Nakata Ringu, journalist Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) finds herself pulled into a nightmarish bid to survive a terrifying cursed when she begins investigating the mysterious death of her niece. The shocking reveal of that death would earn a spot on this list alone, but director Gore Verbinski doesn’t stop there when it comes to packing in the scares or unsettling horror imagery. The cursed tape that causes death seven days after watching it unleashes the wrathful, haunting tactics of Samara, a long-haired childlike entity that’s pure evil. Even worse is when Samara begins her slow crawl out of the well, then the TV, to claim her prey. When it comes to PG-13 horror, The Ring makes for requisite viewing.
Tourist Trap – AMC+, freevee, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Shudder, Tubi
A group of friends driving in the countryside find themselves stranded at a roadside attraction owned by the plucky Mr. Slausen. Of course, things are more than they appear to be as the friends begin disappearing one by one. This slasher with a supernatural twist brings the nightmare fuel in the form of deeply unnerving mannequins. Mannequins are already terrifying, with their life-like appearance and vacant eyes. But what if they unhinged their jaws and made eerie sounds as they closed in on their victim for the kill? You get one of the creepiest slashers hailing from the golden era of the sub-genre. While Tourist Trap is actually PG, not PG-13, it counts since it was released before the advent of PG-13 in 1984.
Under the Shadow – Hoopla, Netflix
Babak Anvari’s feature debut gives a compelling spin on the Djinn. Set in a war-torn Tehran in the late ’80s, Under the Shadow follows Shideh (Narges Rashidi) as she attempts to raise her strong-willed daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi) and restart her medical school education after her political activism got her banned. Anvari instills oppressive dread even before the supernatural entity latches on to Dorsa, which makes for a slow burn effort that bides its time getting under your skin. It makes the scares all the more effective when they arrive with a goosebump-inducing jolt. Under the Shadow’s unique perspective, atmospheric horror and exquisite scare-crafting make this underseen gem a must-watch.
The Woman in Black – MGM+, Paramount+, Prime Video
This gothic horror movie adapts Susan Hill’s 1989 novel and follows recent widower and lawyer Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) as he’s sent on assignment to sort the affairs of a deceased client. The caveat, of course, is that the client’s home is a desolate manor on a gloomy marsh. Oh, and it’s deeply haunted. Director James Watkins (Eden Lake, the upcoming Speak No Evil remake) maintains a dreary, foreboding atmosphere from the moment Arthur Kipps arrives at the estate. From there, Watkins keeps escalating the chills with spectral encounters and terrifying things that go bump in the night. While Arthur’s story adheres to classic haunted house tropes, the scares and production design ensure that The Woman in Black does just fine without the R-rating, especially when introducing younger audiences to the genre.