Nightbooks(2021)
2021 · David Yarovesky · 101 min
Alex, a boy obsessed with scary stories, is trapped by a witch in her modern, magical New York City apartment. His original hair-raising tales are the only thing keeping him safe as he desperately tries to find a way out of this twisted place.
Fantasy · Horror · Family
6.1443 votes
TMDB score
1/5
Intensity
0/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How Nightbooks scares
Watching this feels more like reading a spooky bedtime story than sitting through a real horror movie, cozy and colorful even when things get tense. The pace moves gently, mixing fairy-tale wonder with light scares aimed at kids who like a little spookiness without nightmares. The witch and her magic apartment give it a classic storybook creepiness rather than any real dread, and there's basically no blood or violence. It's a good pick for family movie night or for younger viewers easing into horror.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Nightbooks rates psychological 2/5, visceral 2/5, gore 0/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 1/5.
- Psychological: 2 of 5
- Visceral: 2 of 5
- Gore: 0 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 1 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 30 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 10 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 15 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A family-friendly spooky tale that stays at a mild simmer throughout, with a few bursts of real tension near the end before settling into a gentler close.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3.
How scary is Nightbooks?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Nightbooks rates 1/5 — gentle by horror standards, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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