Gremlins (1984)

"Gremlins" is one of the best horror movies set during Christmas, as well as being one of the best horror movies with a PG rating ever made. It is a brilliant mix of horror and comedy, finely directed by Joe Dante with a heavy influence by producer Steven Spielberg. The soundtrack is incredibly catchy and easily becomes an ear worm when you least suspect it. The film's violence helped to encourage the rating of PG-13 to be created, mainly for the scene where a gremlin is killed by a microwave. The mogwai and gremlins were created with puppetry and not computer animation which is wonderfully; multiple puppets were created in all sizes for the various scenes that were shot.

Billy is given the most unique present a boy could ever have, a mogwai! Billy's dad found it while doing business in Chinatown and secretly bought the miniature creature from the owners grandfather. Billy is told the three important "rules" of owning the mogwai, named Gizmo; keep it out of bright light, never get it wet, and never ever let it eat after midnight. Of course all of these rules are broken in due time and that's when havoc breaks loose. When Gizmo gets wet, he multiplies. And when the new mogwai break Billy's clock and he feeds them after midnight, the cute fuzzy creatures become devilish and violent little imps. It's up to Billy, Gizmo, and Billy's love interest to save the town from Stripe and his horde of green misfits.

Gizmo

Stripe

Poltergeist (1982)

“Poltergeist” is still one of the best ghost movies ever made. How a PG rated movie ended up being so frightening is still a mystery; everything is so simple and yet so very effective. Just the opening scene where five year old Carol Anne is talking to the static of the television, with the flashing strobe light like effects, can be spooky if you’re in the right mood. Some of the special effects and the dangerous situations that involve the children are particularity effective. Even the music adds the right amount of suspense at the perfect moments. Both Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg were involved in this film, as director and producer respectively although there is debate about how much Hooper actually directed when Spielberg was on the set.

It’s interesting to see plot devices in this film that would later be the main focus for future ghost related films like “White Noise” and “Pulse”. I would not be surprised if the scene where Steven shows the children’s room to the paranormal research team possibly influenced a scene or two in “Evil Dead 2”.

The Freelings are a happy family of five living in a planned community in California. There is Steven who is a real estate developer; Diane is a stay at housewife, and the children Dana, Robbie, and Carol Anne. One day Diane and Carol Anne discover odd occurrences taking place in their kitchen, and then that night a tree in the back yard becomes animated and tries to eat Robbie. While Steven and Diane save Robbie, Carol Anne is “kidnapped” and taken to the Other-Side. Steven and Diane bring in a paranormal investigation team to help them Carol Anne. After witnessing several events, the team adds a spiritual medium, Tangina, to help bring Carol Anne back. With her help, Diane goes over and brings Carol Anne back, after which Tangina declares that the house is clean. But it’s not….

 Carol Anne as she is being taken.

Tangina

How did this scene make it into a PG movie?

Steven picks up Diane and Carol Anne after they cross back over.