Film

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Name: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Released: 2019
Cast: Zoe Colletti, Dean Norris, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Gil Bellows

A Halloween night descent into genuine creepiness. Four teenagers break into a haunted house and accidentally trigger a curse from a book of scary stories. It's a nostalgic creature-feature with real scares, clever use of practical effects, and the kind of rising dread that makes you grip your armrest. Perfect for viewers who love 80s-flavoured horror that respects the genre without irony.

TMDb rating

3.3

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like teen-led horror that leans on campfire-style mood and small-town unease more than gore, with a mystery you can piece together as you go.

Skip it if you want relentless scares or grisly set pieces, since this trades constant jolts for a slower, eerie build and restrained gore.

What it asks of you: At just under two hours, it settles in slowly, so expect a long wind-up before the scares pick up and a lot of small-town atmosphere in between.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

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The Conjuring2013

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Poltergeist1982

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Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

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But The central concept, while creepy, doesn't always hold up to logic. The film's slowness in the second half loses some momentum as exposition replaces dread.