{"id":244785,"date":"2026-06-07T09:30:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T09:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/07\/4-weirdest-childrens-movies-of-all-time-ranked-labyrinth-and-more\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T09:30:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T09:30:38","slug":"4-weirdest-childrens-movies-of-all-time-ranked-labyrinth-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/07\/4-weirdest-childrens-movies-of-all-time-ranked-labyrinth-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Weirdest Children\u2019s Movies of All Time, Ranked: \u2018Labyrinth\u2019 and More"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The summer of 2026 began with a <a href=\"https:\/\/kevinthecritic.com\/animal-farm-2026-the-worst-cinematic-barnyard-of-the-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">baffling animated adaptation of the classic English class novel <\/a><em>Animal Farm,<\/em> <strong>George Orwell<\/strong>\u2018s critique of totalitarianism.<\/p>\n<p>Why distributor Angel Studios thought today\u2019s children would be interested in a creepy-looking CGI animal movie about proletariat rebellion is a true mystery (they could just watch <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/this-2000-comedy-on-netflix-has-an-almost-perfect-rotten-tomatoes-score\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chicken Run<\/a>, <\/em>after all), and across-the-board negative reviews quickly put that sickly <em>Animal<\/em> to sleep.<\/p>\n<p>One positive result from that film\u2019s disastrous release is that it got <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/watch-with-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch With Us<\/a> thinking about some of the weirdest children\u2019s movies of all time.<\/p>\n<p>From a deranged <em>Wizard of Oz<\/em> sequel to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/news\/john-henson-son-muppets-creator-jim-henson-dies-sudden-heart-attack-age-48-2014152\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Jim Henson<\/strong><\/a> classic, we ranked the top weirdest children\u2019s movies of all time.<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/10-greatest-1986-movies-ranked\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__title-link related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/10-greatest-1986-movies-ranked\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">10 Greatest 1986 Movies, Ranked<\/span><\/a><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tThere are some years, like 1939, 1967 and 1999, that are famous for the movie masterpieces that were released during those pivotal periods. 1986 isn\u2019t one of those years, but that doesn\u2019t mean there weren\u2019t any classics released during that time. On the contrary, those twelve months gave the world such beloved fan-favorites as Ferris [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>4. \u2018Son of the Mask\u2019 (2005)<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Son Of The Mask (2005) Jamie Kennedy, Alan Cumming Comedy HD\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FKwtGHbpVDU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>When family man and aspiring cartoonist Tim Avery (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/jamie-kennedy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Jamie Kennedy<\/strong><\/a>) finds a mysterious mask delivered by his dog, Otis, he dons the mask at a Halloween party and finds himself developing strange powers. Meanwhile, his pregnant wife, Tonya (<strong>Traylor Howard<\/strong>), gives birth to a baby who is imbued with the powers of the mask. Together, dog and baby use the mask to create chaos for Tim and Tonya, who try to contain the damage being wrought. At the same time, the mask\u2019s owner, Norse god Loki (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/alan-cumming\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Alan Cumming<\/strong><\/a>), seeks to get his artifact back, but only ends up causing more problems.<\/p>\n<p>Those who were children in 2005 distinctly remember seeing TV ads for\u00a0<em>Son of the Mask<\/em> and feeling deeply unsettled, despite the fact that the movie is billed as a family-friendly sequel to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/jim-carrey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Jim Carrey<\/strong><\/a> movie <em>The Mask\u00a0<\/em>from 1994. What results is a catastrophe in just about every aspect, and one which effectively ended Kennedy\u2019s acting career after giving him the unfair expectation of following Carrey\u2019s performance. Cacophonous, unfunny and creepy in the worst ways,\u00a0<em>Son of the Mask<\/em> is unforgettable in all the wrong ways.<\/p>\n<h2>3. \u2018Chitty Chitty Bang Bang\u2019 (1968)<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (1968) | Official Trailer | MGM\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CV75eP3_WF4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>At the request of his two young children, Jemima (<strong>Heather Ripley<\/strong>) and Jeremy (<strong>Adrian Hall<\/strong>), eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/dick-van-dyke\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Dick Van Dyke<\/strong><\/a>) sets out to restore a broken-down race car and rename it Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. During their first trip in the car \u2014 accompanied by candy company heiress Truly Scrumptious (<strong>Sally Ann Howes<\/strong>) \u2014 Caractacus tells Jeremy and Jemima a fantastical story in which Chitty has magical powers, and is instrumental in battling a kid-hating Baron (<strong>Gert Fr\u00f6be<\/strong>) and his henchman known as the Child Catcher (<strong>Robert Helpmann<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p>If your parents showed you <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang<\/em> when you were a kid, it\u2019s likely that you probably don\u2019t remember the somewhat intricate plot, because you were too busy being traumatized by the Child Catcher. Helpmann\u2019s performance as the Child Catcher is iconic, but it\u2019s almost <em>too <\/em>good. While the movie features some unforgettable songs and a great performance by the always delightful Van Dyke, <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang<\/em> is largely looked back on with fear by grown-up kids for the terrifying Child Catcher and his giant net.<\/p>\n<h2>2. \u2018Labyrinth\u2019 (1986)<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Labyrinth (1986) Official Trailer - David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly Movie HD\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O2yd4em1I6M?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In a moment of frustration, young Sarah (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/jennifer-connelly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Jennifer Connelly<\/strong><\/a>) wishes that her baby half-brother Toby (<strong>Toby Froud<\/strong>) would be whisked away by the goblins from her book, <em>The Labyrinth<\/em>. But what Sarah doesn\u2019t realize is that her wish carries very real consequences, and thus Toby really does disappear. The Goblin King Jareth (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/david-bowie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>David Bowie<\/strong><\/a>) appears before Sarah, informing her that she has thirteen hours to solve his labyrinth or her little brother will be turned into a goblin forever. After Sarah accepts Jareth\u2019s quest, she finds herself on a fantastical journey in which she meets various strange, helpful and malevolent creatures.<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/5-great-horror-movies-and-shows-for-kids-to-watch-in-october-2025\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=400&amp;h=225&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=200&amp;h=113&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=300&amp;h=169&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=400&amp;h=225&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 400w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=600&amp;h=338&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=800&amp;h=450&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=900&amp;h=506&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 900w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=1000&amp;h=563&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1000w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/coraline.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=675&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"Coraline (voice: Dakota Fanning), Wybie (voice: Robert Bailey Jr.) in Coraline\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__title-link related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/5-great-horror-movies-and-shows-for-kids-to-watch-in-october-2025\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">5 Great Horror Movies and Shows for Kids to Watch in October 2025<\/span><\/a><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tHalloween is just a few weeks away, and it\u2019s officially the spookiest time of the year. Parents who want to share their love for horror with their children don\u2019t always have a lot of options. For example, Weapons features children, but it\u2019s probably a bad idea to take small kids to see Weapons in theaters. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Labyrinth<\/em> is a terrific film, but it\u2019s also a very unnerving one, and kids\u2019 movies that are good but also scary are necessary in building character. Directed by none other than<strong> Jim Henson<\/strong> and filled with creations from his Creature Shop, <em>Labyrinth <\/em>might be a little spooky and unsettling at times, but it\u2019s a childhood classic for many who grew up with it; an enchanting, unique fantasy with gorgeous special effects and an antagonist performance that feels tailor-made for Bowie.<\/p>\n<div id=\"news-block\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form  \">\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-narrow.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"newsletter-form__background background-narrow\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-wide.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"newsletter-form__background background-wide\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-signup__success\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<h3>Thank You!<\/h3>\n<p>You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2>1. \u2018Return to Oz\u2019 (1985)<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Return to Oz (Theatrical Trailer)\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/14EEGw_sdDQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>This unofficial sequel to the 1939 <em>Wizard of Oz<\/em> classic combines elements of multiple Frank L. Baum novels to create a disturbing dark fantasy film. <em>Return to Oz<\/em> follows Dorothy Gale (<strong>Fairuza Balk<\/strong>) in the aftermath of her journey to Oz, and her insistence on having gone there troubles her Aunt Em (<strong>Piper Laurie<\/strong>) and Uncle Henry (<strong>Matt Clark<\/strong>). So, what do they do? They bring poor Dorothy to a sanatorium. Dorothy quickly escapes and is transported back to Oz, but it\u2019s not all songs and sunshine anymore. The Yellow Brick Road is reduced to rubble, and the Emerald City is in ruins. It\u2019s up to Dorothy to save Oz and her friends, who have been turned to stone.<\/p>\n<p><em>Return to Oz<\/em> might actually be <em>too <\/em>creepy for a kids\u2019 movie, with some genuinely terrifying imagery courtesy of its dark narrative and the characterization of a creature known as the \u201cWheelers.\u201d But while <em>Return to Oz<\/em> was a bit too weird to receive a rosy place in people\u2019s childhood memories, it has gained an adult cult following. In particular, fans of the <em>Oz<\/em> books view it as a more faithful interpretation, but ultimately, <em>Return to Oz<\/em> is an incredibly unique film overall, with technical craft and filmmaking flair that finds greater appreciation in mature audiences.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/4-weirdest-childrens-movies-of-all-time-ranked\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The summer of 2026 began with a baffling animated adaptation of the classic English class novel Animal Farm, George Orwell\u2018s critique of totalitarianism. Why distributor Angel Studios thought today\u2019s children would be interested in a creepy-looking CGI animal movie about proletariat rebellion is a true mystery (they could just watch Chicken Run, after all), and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":244789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-244785","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244785"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244785\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/244789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=244785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=244785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}