Check Yourself Before You Rec Yourself, October 2022
Mia Wasikowska in Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak. Property of Universal Pictures and Legendary Entertainment
October is my favorite month, and although there are plenty of non-movie-related things to do, the best part about October for my family and me is binging horror movies.
If you missed my last horror recommendations post, you can find it HERE, but I’ve got some fresh new picks for you this year.
Note: I didn’t include Shudder recommendations in this post, but if you’re a huge horror fan, you should check it out! It’s only $5.99 a month and has an impressive selection of horror movies, from classics from the 1970s and 80s to new horror movies that are shudder exclusives. If you’d like some recommendations from Shudder, feel free to reach out to me!
Now let’s get right into it!
NETFLIX:
The Ritual (2017) - If you like spiritual folk horror movies like The Blair Witch Project or The Wicker Man. The last time I did a horror movie recommendations post, I listed this in my honorable mentions but didn’t write about it in depth. The Ritual is a highly eerie film about a group of friends who, after suffering a tragedy, reunite to hike the woods in northern Sweden, where they encounter an ancient evil beyond anything they could imagine. With a small and relatively unknown cast (Rafe Spall, Timothy Spall’s son, plays Luke, the lead), The Ritual concentrates all of its energy on creating unease in its isolated location. The backdrop of the woods creates a disorienting atmosphere that is frightening enough on its own and calls back to films like The Blair Witch Project. David Bruckner (now known for directing the recent Hellraiser reboot and 2020’s The Night House) takes the film in an unexpected direction but still keeps the viewer captivated. It’s equally frightening and tragic as we explore how the trauma of losing a friend to violence can consume us. If you’re looking for something darker in tone and pretty bleak, check out The Ritual.
Crimson Peak (2015) - If you like gothic horrors like Interview with the Vampire or Sleepy Hollow. Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak failed to captivate audiences like del Toro’s past film, Pan’s Labyrinth. It’s considered a return to gothic ghost form similar to his 2001 film The Devil’s Backbone. Mia Wasikowska plays Edith Cushing, a wealthy heiress and aspiring author, who iis swept off her feet by the wealthy and handsome English Baronet Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) and moves with him to Allerdale Hall, his family’s estate. Like most gothic 19th-century horrors that take place in a dilapidated English mansion, ghosts begin to make appearances to warn Edith that the Sharpe family is not what they seem. Del Toro is a modern-day horror master known for using practical effects that are horrifying and impressive. Like the ritual, Crimson Peak relies more on its characters and atmosphere to carry the film than its horror elements. The period costumes and production design of the house are stunning. Jessica Chastain shines as Thomas’ sister Lucille, who is both devious and alluring. If you’re not a huge horror fan but like the occasional gothic story, there’s plenty of good to be found in Crimson Peak.
Fear Street Trilogy (2021) - If you like teen horror like Scream or Friday the 13th. Last summer, Netflix released a trilogy of three horror movies based on the R.L. Stine teen series “Fear Street.” Released in three installments spread over three weeks, the films take place in different decades, the first in 1994, the second in 1978, and the third in 1666. Each film has different characters and storylines, but all eventually intertwine when they discover that they are tied to a dark curse that has plagued the town of Shadyside for hundreds of years. The cast is full of primarily unknown teenagers, many of whom play roles in all three films, and every one of their performances is fantastic. My personal favorite of the bunch is Fear Street Part Two: 1978. Heavily inspired by the Friday the 13th films, it follows two sisters, Cindy (Emily Rudd) and Ziggy (Sadie Sink of Stranger Things fame), who spend their summer at their local summer camp. Things get deadly when Cindy’s boyfriend and fellow counselor, Tommy, becomes possessed and goes on a murderous rampage during a game of capture the flag. This film pulls no punches, and I will warn you there’s a fair amount of child murder, although nothing graphic is shown. Although it’s pretty heavy on the murder, Fear Street Part Two: 1978 is a blast and a perfect movie to watch with a group of friends or family, and I would recommend all of the films in the trilogy.
Honorable Mentions: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Apostle, There’s Someone Inside Your House
AMAZON:
Hellraiser (1987) - If you like body horror or other Clive Barker films like Candyman or Prince of Darkness. Although I’m not big on body horror, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser is an undisputed classic. Based on his novella The Hellbound Heart from 1986, the film follows Frank Cotton, a sexual sadomasochist who has seen and done it all and is looking for more of a thrill. He finds a puzzle box called the Lament Configuration Box, which, when solved, summons a race of demons known as Cenobites, led by Pinhead, the lead Cenobite. When Frank summons the Cenobites, he gets much more than he bargained for and his journey to resurrection begins. I avoided this movie for a long time, even though it’s considered a horror movie staple, but I enjoyed it when I did watch it. If you’re not big on sadomasochism and extreme violence, this may be a pass for you. Still, it’s an interesting relic of the 1980s and displays some excellent practical effects designed by Bob Keen, who later went on to do the effects for Candyman. If you’re sensitive to gore, I would still recommend giving it a watch. If I can handle it, it’s likely you can too.
Hell House LLC (2015) - If you like other found footage ghost movies like Grave Encounters or As Above So Below. 2015’s Hell House LLC is a frightening ghost story about a group of young 20-somethings who open a Haunted House in the fictional Abbadon Hotel in upstate New York. On opening night, 15 tour-goers and staff are killed in a “malfunction” in the house. The film is a documentary about the events leading up to the tragic night and how the hotel's history plays into the deaths. Found footage films can be hit or miss for me, but Hell House LLC nails it. Director Stephen Cognetti does an excellent job of ratcheting up the tension throughout the movie, and although you think you know how everything ends from the opening scene, the climax is not what you expect. There is a terrifying moment involving clown dummies in the hotel’s basement that stuck with me for days after I first saw it. It’s far and away one of the most successful found footage films I’ve seen and keeps your attention for the entire movie, and it’s a tight 83 minutes, so nothing feels dragged out. Hell House LLC spawned two sequels with diminishing returns, but all three are still worth checking out.
House on Haunted Hill (1959) - If you like other classics like Nosferatu or Cat People. I had to include a classic here, especially one starring the late great Vincent Price, king of horror from the 1930s all the way until the 1980s. Directed and produced by William Castle, a horror king in his own right, House on Haunted Hill is about Frederick Loren (Price), a wealthy weirdo who invites five guests to stay at his house for one night. If they are able to do so, they will win $10,000. What seems like a simple task becomes a fight for survival. Although slightly hindered by the technology of the time, House on Haunted Hill holds up as a genuinely entertaining and tense horror. There are some moments that leave you with chills, and the end is satisfying. Vincent Price is captivating and charismatic and steals every scene. There are a few twists and turns, and it’s another film that doesn’t overstay its welcome, clocking in at 75 minutes. House on Haunted Hill would pair well with Crimson Peak, so if you’re in the gothic horror mood, throw those on for a spooky double feature.
Honorable Mentions: Fright Night (2011 remake), Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Jennifer’s Body
HULU:
The Blair Witch Project (1999) - If you like movies like The Descent and Paranormal Activity. The Blair Witch Project was a cultural phenomenon when it premiered at Sundance in January of 1999. It became one of the highest-grossing films of all time and one of the most profitable horror films. The marketing for the film pushed that it was a true story and that what you were seeing was real. This film coined the term “found footage,” although Paranormal Activity is often credited for popularizing the genre. It follows three friends, Heather, Josh, and Michael, who venture into the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland, to make a documentary about the local town legend, the Blair Witch. Soon they lose their way in the woods and eventually begin to wonder if they’re losing their minds. Although it starts off a little slow, the final moments of the film are some of the most chilling moments in horror. The three actors’ real names are used to add to the authenticity and uneasiness, and their performances often seem genuine. Most of the dialogue is improvised, and the script mainly outlined the plot and story beats only. Although it’s not one of my favorite horror movies, it’s another staple that every horror fan should watch at least once.
Fresh (2022) - If you like horror comedies like Jennifer’s Body. Fresh is another new release that was a pleasant surprise this year. I first saw it virtually at the Sundance Film Festival, but it was released on Hulu shortly after. The film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Noa, a woman who has had no success on dating apps. When she meets Steve (Sebastian Stan) in the produce aisle at the supermarket, she’s immediately charmed and quickly begins dating him. But when they go away on a romantic vacation together, she discovers Steve is not who he says he is. It’s relatively easy to discover the “twist” early on in the movie, but it’s fascinating the way the first 30 minutes of the movie play out as a very effective rom-com before switching gears and entering the horror realm. Edgar-Jones and Stan have chemistry to spare, and Stan is having the best time chewing every line. There’s a fair amount of gore, but it’s not as excessive as Hellraiser or similar films. Fresh lives up to its title and serves up an interesting take on modern dating and how difficult it can be to have success.
The Exorcist III (1990) - If you like detective stories or possession stories like Seven. The Exorcist III is loosely connected to the first film, but it’s one of the best films of the 1990s. George C. Scott plays an unhinged detective William Kinderman who investigates a series of murders that bear a resemblance to the Gemini Killer (Brad Dourif, one of my favorite character actors of all time), a serial killer who was executed fifteen years ago. He discovers that the Gemini Killer is possessing his old friend Father Damien Karras, who was one of the priests who exorcised Pazuzu from Regan in the first film. There are some really harrowing sequences, including one wide shot in a hallway that lasts almost 5 minutes. George C. Scott and Brad Dourif both give great unhinged performances, and their characters have an intense discussion halfway through the film that is captivating. The climax of the film is over-the-top, gory, and lots of fun to watch. Even if you haven’t seen the first or second Exorcist films, The Exorcist III demands to be seen by anyone who appreciates a good serial killer film or a film with some top-tier acting.
Honorable Mentions: Lights Out, No Exit
HBO MAX:
Barbarian (2022) I can’t compare this movie to others that you might enjoy without the risk of spoiling things, but I cannot sing the praises of Barbarian enough. In a year full of, unfortunately, relatively stale movies, Zach Cregger’s Barbarian came out swinging. It scored a massive $42.1 million at the box office next to a mere $4 million budget and has an impressive 92% Rotten Tomatoes score. I went into Barbarian completely blind, having only seen the poster, and didn’t know what to expect, but I was blown away by the creative filmmaking and storytelling. That’s all I’ll say about it, except that you should check it out as soon as possible!
Doctor Sleep (2019) - This is also streaming on Hulu, but watch it on HBO Max as a double feature with The Shining (1981)! Unfortunately, Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s follow-up novel to The Shining was a box office flop in 2019, likely due to poor marketing. Ewan McGregor plays a grown-up Danny Torrance, who is struggling with alcoholism like his late father, Jack. He attempts to block out his shine with partying and booze until he hits rock bottom and moves to a small town in New Hampshire to start fresh and get sober. Danny’s life seems to be on the up and up until a young girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran), whose shine surpasses Danny’s, contacts him for help when Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson, doing some of her best work) and her tribe of psychic vampires begin hunting her for her shine. Mike Flanagan’s filmmaking style is much more different than Kubrick’s, so although there are several horror elements throughout the film (including one very intense child murder scene–viewers beware), the film’s focus is Danny and Abra’s relationship and Danny’s journey of healing. Flanagan does justice to both the movie The Shining and the book, and Doctor Sleep received the stamp of approval from King himself. If you’re a fan of The Shining or Mike Flanagan’s other work (Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House, Hush, or Gerald’s Game), I recommend checking out Doctor Sleep.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (1986) - If you like horror comedies like Tucker & Dale vs. Evil or The Cabin in the Woods. I might lose my horror fan card for this one, but I am not a fan of the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre from 1974. Maybe it’s because I came to the film much later in life, but I do not find it scary. In fact, I find it ridiculous and unintentionally comedic. When I expressed this to one of my good friends who is a fan, he informed me that Hooper had intentionally put in the black comedic elements in the first film, but they were missed by the general audience and were overshadowed by the horror. He asked me if I had seen Part 2, which I had not, and when we watched it together one day, I was beside myself with glee. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 is a straight horror comedy, and Hooper goes overboard with the black comedy elements to ensure the audience would pay attention to them. Dennis Hopper plays an insane Texas Ranger who is trying to help DJ Vanita “Stretch” Brock battle leatherface and his gruesome family, who have relocated to an abandoned amusement park. There are some great and gory kills and a hilarious scene where Dennis Hopper tries out various chainsaws at a hardware store and swings them around with reckless abandon. If you haven’t seen The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2, give it a watch.
Poltergeist (1982) - If you like movies about ghosts like The Conjuring or The Changeling. Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist is the polar opposite of 1974’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. With a much bigger budget and assistance from Steven Spielberg himself, Poltergeist is a polished horror about a family living in the planned community of Cuesta Verde, California, who begin to experience strange phenomena in their house. A very young Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams play Steve and Diane Freeling, parents of three children, Dana, Robbie, and Carol Anne. Things escalate when Carol Anne (Heather O’ Rourke) disappears from the house one rainy night, and paranormal experts Tangia Barrons (Zelda Rubinstein) and Dr. Lesh (Beatrice Straight) are called in to help. Poltergeist is one of the rarer well-rounded horror films that hinge on strong performances as well as its scares. I recently rewatched it, and it was even better than I remembered. There are some genuinely terrifying moments throughout the movie, and it’s just as much of a familial drama as it is a horror movie. The tension rises steadily throughout the film and builds to a climax that is exhilarating and moving. If you’re not a fan of gore but want to watch something that will creep you out, Poltergeist would be a good choice.
Honorable Mentions: Young Frankenstein, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Tusk, Malignant
That wraps it up for this recommendations post. If you watch any of these this weekend, let me know what you think of them! Happy Halloween, and happy watching!