 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
R.L. Stine's Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It
- Review Date: September 3, 2007
- PG
- Genre: Horror
- 2007
Common Sense Media says
Tween-friendly, ad-happy Halloween fright fest.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that while this movie is from the same people who created the creepy, crawly series Goosebumps, it's more of an ad for products like Papa John's Pizza than anything else. Parents should also know that Cassie does some pretty antisocial things, like terrorizing her little brother with ghost stories, hiding in his closet to scare him, and filling a pinata with roaches so Priscilla will be covered in them -- all because she's angry that she had to move and Priscilla humiliated her. Parents should also know that the movie gets pretty scary at different points, especially when the kids attempt to kill The Evil Thing.
What's the story?
Cassie (Hannah Montana's Emily Osment) is new to town and fascinated by the occult; Halloween is her favorite holiday. At a mysterious Halloween store, a stranger (Saw's Tobin Bell) insists on selling her an old book called The Evil Thing. Stuck babysitting brother Max (Alex Winzenread) on Halloween night, she reads the book to him just before bed, despite the book's warnings not to read it out loud or think about its monster. Now she must save her brother and defeat this other-worldly creature before Mom and Dad get back from their Halloween party.
Is it any good?
All good scary movies depend on the active imagination of the viewer. Just consider the power of suggestion in The Blair Witch Project to terrorize people. R.L. STINE'S HAUNTING HOUR: DON'T THINK ABOUT IT makes good use of this technique. The whole story is based around one simple and irresistible order: If you don't want the boogeyman to get you, don't think about him.
What's great about Don't Think about It is that it's straightforward. The bickering between Cassie and Max is totally relatable to anyone with siblings, which makes the plot seem plausible and that much more scary. It's a more kid-friendly version of It, combined with a less evil version of The Craft. This campfire-style horror story is predictable to adults, but kids who've never seen any of those other movies may enjoy this and be on the edge of their seats for most of it.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why scaring siblings is fun and how to better express their feelings. How does Cassie get punished for terrorizing her brother? Do you think her punishment is fair?
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AGE
Great movie for young kids!
My MPAA Rating, PG: Some scary moments, violence, and thematic elements
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AGE
clever but scary
this movie freaked me out a bit but it was pritty good for tweens and up. (nobody under the age of 8 see this) it will freak them out!
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AGE
YAY FOR EVERYONE 10+
AAABBB3 SHUT UP NO GORE CHECK OUT MY BLOODY VALENTINE IF U WANT GORE.
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AGE
The Haunting Hour:Dont Think About It
i love this movie it was very good...i mean awesome
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Kid, 12 years old
March 26, 2011
AGE
Not good for younger kids
I like this movies especially because Hannah Montana's Emily Osment is in it. Its purpose doesn't even matter in life. It will scare little kids out of there minds. If your child is muture then let him or her watch it
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AGE
the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love it u shoud see it if you have not! i now i liked it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AGE
weird.
kind of weird and a little too long, but i think it is stupid that it isnt an hour long because it is haunting HOUR
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, adventures, book characters, holidays, monsters, ghosts, and vampires |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | Alex Zamm |
| Cast: | Brittany Curran, Cody Linley, Emily Osment |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 87 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | September 4, 2007 |
| DVD release date: | September 4, 2007 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | scary content and thematic elements. |
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