2. Jack Frost (1998)
You know what kids love? Christmas movies about talking snowmen brought to life by festive magic. You know what they don’t love? When the snowman is the reincarnation of a child’s recently deceased father who is destined to die when the holidays are over.
For those who haven’t seen it, that’s the plot of 1998’s Jack Frost. With Michael Keaton playing the ill-fated dad/undead snow lich, it’s a film that imprinted itself upon an entire generation of children as one of the most emotionally scarring pieces of cinema they’d ever seen. That isn’t to say it’s a bad film, but it’s incredibly and unexpectedly emotional.
Jack Frost was clearly made with families in mind, but its premise is far too sad for most children. A magical adventure about a boy coming to terms with his grief is a tough sell for many, and Jack Frost is likely to inflict serious emotional trauma on those who watch it. If you do risk it, prepare to sob uncontrollably.