Dickens & Rumi
Cover of Imaginary

film

Imaginary

2024

When Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.

Ages 15+Source checked

Why this age? Sustained supernatural terror, children endangered and abducted, disturbing transformations, a character mauled to death, stabbing, pursuit, implied psychological torment, and fire make this unsuitable for younger viewers. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

Quick view

At a glance

Recommended age15+

Strongest cautions

  • Frightening scenes5/5
  • Violence4/5
  • Death of a character3/5

Strongest positives

  • Courage & resilience4/5
  • Creativity & curiosity3/5
  • Diverse representation2/5

What’s in it?

Products & advertising1/5
Why this rating?

No focus on product placement or commercial merchandising.

Death of a character3/5
Why this rating?

An elderly character is mauled to death, and the story involves serious threats to children and adults, though deaths are not pervasive.

Graphic injury3/5
Why this rating?

Some blood is present, particularly during the mauling and stabbing sequences, but it is not excessively graphic.

Strong language2/5
Why this rating?

Specific language is not documented, but the PG-13 horror rating is consistent with occasional mild-to-moderate profanity or insults.

Romance1/5
Why this rating?

Features an established married couple, but romance is not a focal point of the story.

Frightening scenes5/5
Why this rating?

Supernatural horror is central, with a monstrous bear, frightening transformations, nightmares, missing children, stalking, another dimension and sustained peril.

Alcohol or drugs1/5
Why this rating?

Minimal or background references to substance use, if any.

Violence4/5
Why this rating?

Characters are stalked, attacked and pursued; a child is nearly injured, a character is stabbed, and the creature is killed by fire.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience4/5
Why this rating?

Characters enter a dangerous supernatural realm, confront traumatic memories, rescue Alice and resist the creature despite intense fear.

Creativity & curiosity3/5
Why this rating?

The imaginary-friend mythology, scavenger hunt and inventive supernatural realm encourage imaginative concepts, though they are used for horror.

Diverse representation2/5
Why this rating?

Includes a mixed-race family dynamic, though not central to the supernatural plot.

Kindness & empathy2/5
Why this rating?

Family members protect and rescue one another, and cooperation helps defeat the threat, though the story centers on fear and betrayal.

Positive messages2/5
Why this rating?

The film emphasizes protecting children, confronting trauma, family cooperation and resisting manipulative evil, within a bleak horror framework.

Good role models2/5
Why this rating?

Jessica, Taylor and others show persistence and protective courage, although some adults make harmful choices and the family is dysfunctional.

Family discussion

Talk about it

Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What did courage look like in this story? Was being brave always the same as being fearless?
  2. Which moment felt most tense or frightening? What helped the characters handle fear?
  3. Which choice in Imaginary would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in Imaginary, and what caused that change?
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These content notes are a starting point, not a guarantee. Review the evidence and use your own judgment before choosing a title.

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