Movies like Parents (1989)
The best movies like Parents (1989) are Fright Night (1985), Hold the Fort (2025) and Night of the Demons 2 (1994). If Parents hooked you with its horror and comedy, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedTo Be or Not to Be (1942)7.8/10 from 883 votes
- NewestBuddy (2026)Released 2026
Fright Night (1985)
Charley Brewster, a high school student, accidentally discovers the true and creepy nature of Jerry Dandrige, his dashing and enigmatic new neighbor; but no one seems willing to believe him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHold the Fort (2025)
A HOA turns out to be more troublesome than usual in this wildly amusing, FX-heavy freak-out about newly minted suburbanites unexpectedly forced to take part in a struggle against monstrous forces.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNight of the Demons 2 (1994)
Angela, the hostess from hell, summons her army of teen demons when teenagers from St. Rita's High School decide to party at the haunted Hull House on Halloween.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly (1970)
A wealthy, fatherless British clan kidnap bums and hippies, forcing them to participate in an elaborate role-playing game in which they are the perfect family; those who refuse or attempt escape endure ritualistic murder.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe People Under the Stairs (1991)
Trapped inside a fortified home owned by a mysterious couple, a young boy quickly learns the true nature of the homicidal inhabitants, and secret creatures hidden deep within the walls.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBuddy (2026)
Inside the colorful world of "It's Buddy!", a group of children spend their days singing, dancing, and helping Buddy - bright orange unicorn - spread happiness. But when one child refuses to play along, Buddy is not pleased and cracks begin to appear in this seemingly perfect world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Haunted House 2 (2014)
After exorcising the demons of his ex, Malcolm starts afresh with his new girlfriend and her two children. After moving into their dream home, Malcolm is once again plagued by bizarre paranormal events.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThey Will Kill You (2026)
A woman answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious New York City high-rise, unaware that she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThir13en Ghosts (2001)
Arthur and his two children inherit his uncle's estate: a glass house that serves as a prison to twelve ghosts. When the family, accompanied by a nanny and an attorney, enter the house they find themselves trapped inside an evil machine 'designed by the Devil and powered by the dead' to open the Eye of Hell. Aided by a ghost hunter and his rival, a ghost rights activist out to set the ghosts free, the group must do what they can to get out of the house alive.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCobweb (2023)
Eight year old Peter is plagued by a mysterious, constant tapping from inside his bedroom wall—one that his parents insist is all in his imagination. As Peter's fear intensifies, he believes that his parents could be hiding a terrible, dangerous secret and questions their trustworthiness.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisInsidious (2011)
A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisYear 10 (2024)
After the fall of civilization, the few survivors have been driven to cannibalism. A young man must confront a violent tribe that has murdered his father and stolen the medicine that keeps his girlfriend alive.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Boogeyman (2023)
Still reeling from the tragic death of their mother, a teenage girl and her younger sister find themselves plagued by a sadistic presence in their house and struggle to get their grieving father to pay attention before it’s too late.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNo One Gets Out Alive (2021)
An immigrant in search of the American dream is forced to take a room in a boarding house and soon finds herself in a nightmare from which she can't escape.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
SnoozefestMovies like thisScary Movie 2 (2001)
A group of students visit a mansion called "Hell House," and murderous high jinks ensue.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
SnoozefestMovies like thisClown (2014)
A loving father finds a clown suit for his son's birthday party, only to realize the suit is part of an evil curse that turns its wearer into a killer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
SnoozefestMovies like thisGinger Snaps (2000)
The story of two outcast sisters, Ginger and Brigitte, in the mindless suburban town of Bailey Downs. On the night of Ginger's first period, she is savagely attacked by a wild creature. Ginger's wounds miraculously heal but something is not quite right. Now Brigitte must save her sister and save herself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Evil (1978)
Shortly after moving into a dark, brooding mansion, a psychologist and his co-workers are terrorized by a horrible evil being.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Deliverance (2024)
Ebony Jackson, a struggling single mother fighting her personal demons, moves her family into a new home for a fresh start. But when strange occurrences inside the home raise the suspicions of Child Protective Services and threaten to tear the family apart, Ebony soon finds herself locked in a battle for her life and the souls of her children.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Boy Behind the Door (2020)
Bobby tries to save himself and his best friend when they are kidnapped on their way home from school.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOut of Plastic (2024)
An obsessed engineer and their unlucky friend discover the price of creation when plastic becomes the consumer. A modern twist on the classic creature horror genre, Out of Plastic explores the will of humanity to find permanence on Earth - through whatever means necessary. Since the first synthetic plastic created by Leo Baekeland in 1907, engineers have searched for ways to improve and expand on plastic. In this horror short, an engineer takes on the ultimate mission - replicating the immortality of plastics into a living organism.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror & comedy
Reggie (2019)
When mild-mannered slasher Reggie is recognized while on the job, his entire way of life is changed forever.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror & comedy
The Day of the Beast (1995)
When a rogue priest discovers the exact date the Antichrist will be born, he enlists a Death Metal record store clerk and a cheesy TV psychic for an urban spree of gore, sacrilege and twisted humor to prevent the Apocalypse.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTo Be or Not to Be (1942)
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisIn China They Eat Dogs (1999)
Arvid is an ordinary bank clerk who lives a rather unassuming life with his dear girlfriend. But his life is turned completely upside down when he bravely manages to avert a robbery against the bank where he works.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMars Attacks! (1996)
A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world's major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, "come in peace." U.S. President James Dale receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler that the Martians' mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPaul Mooney: A Piece of My Mind - God Bless America (2014)
The venomous, no holds barred style of standup comedy legend Paul Mooney is on full display in this concert special. The vitriolic funnyman spares no politician or pop icon from his scathing wit, throwing jabs at Sarah Palin, Mel Gibson, Tiger Woods and many others. Defiant, socially relevant and always hilarious, it’s a legendary Mooney performance, taped live at the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisKilling the Devil (1970)
A lonely woman gets more than she bargained for when she begins wooing Mr Devil, an insatiable glutton who turns out to be the boyfriend from Hell.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
D'Unbelievables D'Telly (1998)
Irish Comedy Starring Jon Kenny & Pat Shortt
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Like Parents and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Parents?
The closest matches to Parents are Fright Night (1985), Hold the Fort (2025) and Night of the Demons 2 (1994). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Parents?
Start with Fright Night (1985), the closest match to Parents.
What is the highest-rated movie like Parents?
To Be or Not to Be (1942), rated 7.8/10 by 883 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Parents?
Buddy (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Parents?
Yes: Fright Night (1985), Hold the Fort (2025) and Night of the Demons 2 (1994).
How are movies similar to Parents chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Parents, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.