THE HOLE: Dir: Joe Dante. Starring: Chris Massoglia, Haley Bennett, Nathan Gamble.

Teen brother Dane and Lucas relocate to a new town with their single mother and in the basement find The Hole. Not just any old hole – this one is bottomless and harbours strange and unnatural things. Along with new neighbour Julie they investigate and spooky exciting adventures ensue as the hole appears to conjure up their worst fears.

Director Joe Dante brings a sure touch and a solid understanding of good old-fashioned storytelling, expertly mixing thrills and chills with family fare.

It's not a recipe that is easy to find and there are few films around that achieve the balance.

What makes The Hole so good is that it gets the tone so exactly right.

Dante knows that kids love to be frightened by movies, but in the right way.

He made Gremlins many years back and here again captures the fine line between creepy and fun without resorting to anything unpleasant.

This is the sort of film that people used to call ‘Disney Movies' because they work for the whole family, but unlike much Disney output, it is neither sentimental or patronising and the kids act much like real kids.

If you're looking for an equivalent, think The Spiderwick Chronicles, another fantasy/horror film that kept family issues centre-stage while engaging in a slightly scary teen adventure. And, despite obvious 3D shenanigans (the blu-ray is also in 3D) it works just fine in 2D.