You know what I love? I love that there are perfect people with whom you…
Perfect people you… want to take to a cocktail party where you don’t really know the hosts or anyone else.
Perfect people with whom you…. want to jean shop.
Perfect people with whom you… want to deconstruct a meal, analyzing if it would be improved with the addition of fresh mint.
Perfect people for whom you want to… cook. Overwhelmingly impressed and thankful.
The perfect person with whom to walk the streets of New York.

My mother is the perfect person with whom to watch a scary movie. “Oh, forget this,” she would say covering her eyes. Or, “What kind of movie did you drag me to?” Or, “Oh, no. I can’t. I just can’t.” All animated and horrified. It was the best. Now, when I say scary movies, I don’t mean horror films. None of us are into those. They just never appealed to me. The original Halloween movie is still the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. When I say “scary movie” what I mean is psychological thriller. “The music! Oh forget this. Stephanie, they’re playing the fricken music!” The suspense music, just hearing it around my mother makes me lose my shit. Full on tears streaming from my red face as I gasp for breath. It’s not just movies. She’s afraid of heights, and when I recently dragged her on a very high slide at a water park, waving her hand “no” clutching the railing. “No,” she said gravely. “This, this, no.” She began to panic, and again, I couldn’t catch my breath, I was laughing so hard. It’s strange these little insights into what delights us.

Nothing delighted us more than when my mother was scared of something we deemed silly. My kids crack up in the same way I did around my mother, when they see that I’m disgusted by something. Like when we dog sit for my father, and his wet furry dog leaps onto the sofa beside me, smelling like a foul gutter rat. I dry heave, and Abigail suddenly can’t breathe, wild with laughter. I absolutely love those moments; it’s such a strong connection. I don’t know that I can explain it, but I think it’s a maker of memories, those times when you can’t breathe because you’re laughing so hard.

I can’t say if the movies below will inspire screams of laughter, but I can say that it’s worth a try. Because when it happens, it’s magic. Even if you pretend you’re so scared you can’t look, I’m guessing you’ll delight your kiddos, and they’ll love being unafraid of something their own parents can’t tolerate.

FOR THE ADULTS
Fatal Attraction
Basic Instinct
Flowers in the Attic
We Need to Talk About Kevin
The Fall
Children of the Corn
Jaws