2025 October Challenge

Going into this year's spooky season, I had had a couple of ideas for an overall theme to the viewings - one was to watch a couple of full franchises like Child's Play or Halloween and the other was to celebrate the 10th anniversary of doing the October Challenge by revisiting all of my favorites from the previous nine years - but we ended up just watching a bunch of random, for the most part, movies again.

We started very early in September, but still barely managed to get to 31 movies watched, and the whole exercise seemed a little off to me. I can't explain why, but I just wasn't ensnared by the spooky spirit this year. Even writing this blog piece, I'm not really feeling it and am doing it to just keep the tradition alive. I'm hoping next year is better! 

The highlights of the month (rewatches not included), from best to worst:

The Worst of the Worst

* I wish I had as much fun watching the movie as Art does killing people *

Terrifier 3 (2024) -- 2/10    Considering how popular the Terrifier movies are and how ubiquitous Art the Clown is online and at stores like Spirit Halloween, my opinion of the series has to be in the small minority. I liked the first film - it was lean and mean, packing in some great kills and a wonderfully fun central performance. The sequel was 45 minutes too long and filled with gore for gore's sake. This most recent entry is a little shorter, but somehow even worse. The Christmas setting is a huge positive for me, but it can't save the movie. Huge plot points are skimmed over (or entirely omitted) and major characters are killed off screen. It seems that, in an effort to reduce the run time a bit, the filmmakers decided to cut out actual story beats instead of trimming away 25% of the gory attack scenes. This seems like the work of a college freshman instead of a guy working on his fifth feature film.

* The worst part of the movie: this tiny, blue alien who may or may not be real *

Street Trash (2024) -- 2/10    Sometimes I wonder why I pick the movies I pick. Out of the literal hundreds of available titles, I also stumble upon a handful of completely unknown (to me) and awful horror flicks each October. My wife routinely gives me a hard time for adding these to our list of potential viewings. This remake of a cult favorite from the 80's has some impressive physical effects and that's about all I could give it credit for. The writing and acting are bottom of the barrel and the whole thing felt like a chore to sit through. 

* It's hard to enjoy your art book when flanked by two nearly naked young women *

Knock Knock (2015) -- 3/10    Eli Roth strikes again. At this point, I'm just a completionist fool, a glutton for cinematic punishment. Knock Knock looks good - both the cinematography and the actresses - and it's unintentionally hilarious in parts, but that's about all the positives I can think of. Keanu Reeves has almost always been a terrible actor, but he's otherworldly bad here, especially in his big monologue near the end. It's the kind of performance that Nic Cage could have probably pulled off, but he's smart enough not to work with Eli Roth.    

A Step Up, But Still Not Good

* You shouldn't wander around strange houses in the dark *

Match (2025) -- 5/10    This one has some really interesting and somewhat unique moments that elevate a pretty tired, basic plot. I was surprised with how well acted and written the lead character was. Humberly Gonzalez really gives it her all and hits a good balance between hysterical fear, intense pain, and unrelenting desire to overcome her awful circumstances. There's a scene about a third of the way through that will definitely have you wondering "What the fuck am I watching?" and the gore often times seems like gore-for-gore's sake. If these characters were 50% smarter and made more human-like decisions, it would improve the movie's score by a point or two.

 

* This is one of the best and most disturbing 'eye trauma' scenes I've ever seen *

Dead & Buried (1981) -- 4/10    The above mentioned AWESOME syringe to the eye scene is, by far, the highlight of this well regarded "oldie" that I found a bit too silly and shallow to be actually good. The premise - a small town full of murders who attack interlopers - was interesting, but probably should have been either 20 minutes longer or 30-40 minutes shorter. It either needed more fleshing out, of the characters and plot, or to be reduced to an hour long TV episode of The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror. The acting, for the most part, already seems made-for-TV worthy, so the actors wouldn't have had an issue with the latter option. 

Worth Watching Once

* It's all fun and games until the vicious killers join in *

Severance (2006) -- 6.5/10    A pretty effective UK horror comedy. Not exactly scary, but there are some solid moments of dread and a bunch of interesting kills. The film's low budget is evident in some scenes - especially those with the dreadful CGI blood - but overall, it's not a hindrance. The performances are all average-to-solid, but the writing is where this one shines. It's laugh out loud funny in several moments and clever pretty much throughout. The characters are well drawn and make human-like decisions, which is not always the case in horror movies or comedies. I'm happy to have stumbled across this little flick! 

* One of the many references to The Shining, an easy way to score points from me *

The Substance (2024) -- 6.5/10    I was really looking forward to this one and was slightly disappointed, but it's still interesting, well made, and full of fun performances. The production design and cinematography were magnificent and both Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley were fantastic, but the movie really starts to drag near the end. The last 15 minutes or so go completely off the rails and while I understand what the filmmakers were going for, and laughed several times at the tremendous amount of over-the-top gore, I think it just missed the mark. The whole film takes place in a slightly surreal and fantastical world and I would have liked it if they leaned more into that, playing up the satire more. 

Very Good and Highly Recommended

* Hey, this is how they usually have to get people to watch Eli Roth movies... *

The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) -- 7/10    I knew practically nothing about this film before watching it and that's definitely the way to go. There are twists and turns throughout and - maybe more importantly - the story beats and character actions often went in different directions than what I expected. All the main performances are very good, with the standouts being Glen Close turning in her normal, fantastic work and newcomer (at the time, at least) Sennia Nanua really dazzling as the titular girl. Both of their characters are really well developed, interesting, and three dimensional. I was somewhat disappointed by the final few scenes and that's the only thing holding this one back from an 8/10. Endings are tough to stick sometimes and reading online, I guess the book that the movie is adapted from had the same issues. 

* Gladys - one of the best horror villains in recent memory *

Weapons (2025) -- 7.5/10    For about half of the movie, Weapons doesn't really feel like a horror movie. But that changes when Gladys arrives on the scene. Portrayed by a nearly unrecognizable Amy Madigan, the character is equal parts mysterious, funny, and terrifying and she elevates the entire film, especially with the climatic sequence. I'm not sure how well the movie will hold up to repeat viewings once you know the answers to the mystery and are aware of what to expect, but for an initial watch, it's one of the best of the season, for me. With this and Barbarian under his belt, I'd say I'm on board for whatever writer/director Zach Cregger does next, but since that's going to be a Resident Evil movie, I'm not quite so sure. Maybe he'll surprise me! 

The Best of the Best

* This cat has the same wide-eyed look that was often on my own face during my viewing *

Bring Her Back (2025) -- 9/10    After seeing Talk to Me, probably the best horror film of 2022, I was definitely game for whatever the directing duo of Michael and Danny Philippou made next. Somehow, they topped themselves with this one. Equal parts terror, suspense, dread, and gore mixed with perfectly placed moments of humor and genuine heartbreak, this film is a marvel of horror filmmaking. Every performance is pitch perfect, the screenplay is great, and the direction is fantastic. It's bleak and devastating, like a lot of my favorite horror films, and it might leave you rattled, but I've been thinking about it on and off for days and I'm excited to watch it again sooner than later. Do yourself a favor and check it out! 

Full list of what I watched during the month, in chronological order:

* = rewatch


Terrifier 3 (2024) -- 2/10

Knock Knock (2015) -- 3/10

* It (2017) -- 8/10

* It: Chapter Two (2019) -- 8/10

Severance (2006) -- 6.5/10

The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) -- 7/10

I See You (2019) -- 3/10

Night Shift (2023) -- 2/10

Bring Her Back (2025) -- 9/10

The Boogeyman (2023) -- 3/10

Cat People (1982) -- 3.5/10

* End of Days (1999) -- 5/10

The Substance (2024) -- 6.5/10

House of Wax (1953) -- 3/10

Azrael (2024) -- 3/10

Street Trash (2024) -- 2/10

Match (2025) -- 5/10

* The Orphanage (2007) -- 7/10

* Honeymoon (2014) -- 5.5/10

The Lost Boys (1987) -- 3/10

* Maximum Overdrive (1988) -- 2/10

Weapons (2025) -- 7.5/10

Truth or Dare (2018) -- 4/10

* From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) -- 8/10

Dead & Buried (1981) -- 4/10         

* The Skeleton Key (2005) -- 6/10

Maniac Cop (1988) -- 4/10

The Exorcism (2024) -- 3.5/10

Bloody Axe Wound (2024) -- 2/10

* A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 (1987) -- 2.5/10

The Empty Man (2020) -- 5/10

Average rating of the 31 titles: 4.95/10 ---  Pretty much the average of all 10 years so far. 


Did any of you watch any good horror movies recently? Any that you'd recommend? I'm always on the lookout for new movies to watch!

Thanks for reading!

2024 October Challenge

It's the most wonderful time of the year again, everyone! This year, we continued our recent trend of starting the "October" Challenge earlier and earlier and began in the first week of September. Not technically playing by the rules, but it's within the spirit of the game, I think. Thanks to another disappointing Braves playoff run, I had plenty of nights free to watch horror movies. The results weren't exactly great, but no matter the quality of the movies, I generally have a fun time.

Most of the movies were watched with my wonderful wife, some with her and our son, and a few on my own. Our son has discovered the joy of watching "so bad, they're good" movies so we managed to slide in some of those this Challenge, too.

I recently saw a meme on Reddit about how horror fans have to suffer through a tremendous amount of terrible movies just to find the occasional great one and that fits this year's Challenge perfectly. Horror has long been one of my favorite genres, but man, there are a TON of awful movies. I'll keep searching for those diamonds in the rough since they always seem to make the perilous journey worth it in the end.

The highlights of the month (rewatches not included), from best to worst:

The Worst of the Worst

* A terrible scene from a terrible movie *

Honeydew (2020) - 1/10    There are few worse films than a poorly made, pretentious, and unscary horror film. Less than 2% of my nearly 4,000 ratings get this lowest grade possible - I generally look pretty hard to find some sort of redeeming element - but Honeydew would probably earn a 0/10 if that was an option. The characters are stupid, the plot is uninteresting, the "twists" are unconvincing, and the filmmaking style is overbearing and just plain bad.

* Any other year this would have been the worst of the Challenge *

Rattlesnake (2019) - 1/10    Bailed out by Honeydew from being the worst of the worst of the worst! One of the worst side effects of the streaming revolution is that so many crappy movies are pumped out into the world and you can't really tell from a short synopsis/thumbnail which are terrible and which are decent. If Rattlesnake had been made 20 years ago, I'm sure it would have premiered on the Lifetime channel. It's that kind of movie - sloppily and cheaply made with a script that never made it past the rough draft stage.

* An interesting concept, but terrible execution - pun fully intended *

Funhouse (2019) - 2/10    A horror flick set inside a reality TV show where people are locked in and forced to compete to the death could make for a really fun, interesting 90 minutes of entertainment. Unfortunately, other than the concept and a couple of decent kills, Funhouse doesn't do anything well. I'm sure this will be one of those movies I completely forget about in a year or two.

* Behold the subtlety of Graham's performance *

Suitable Flesh (2023) - 2/10    Heather Graham is one of those actresses who are serviceable (at best) in a very small range of movies. If she's not playing Roller Girl, I'd rather never see her in a movie. She's definitely not skilled enough to play a believable psychologist, much less one going through all the convoluted things happening in this mess of a movie. By the time it gets a little bit interesting (during the final 10 minutes or so), it's too late to salvage anything.

* Good lighting and skimpy costumes can't save this one *

Alone at Night (2022) - 2/10    It might seem like I'm purposely looking for bad horror movies, but I swear I'm not! Before each Challenge, I go through all my different streaming platforms and add pretty much every horror flick that looks/sounds like it might be at least decent. This one didn't turn out to be decent - just more forgettable trash.

* I bet Rock had more fun at the Oscars than he did on set here *

Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) - 2/10    I've now subjected myself to nine Saw movies over the last 20 years. I've seen all of them except for the most recent, Saw X from last year. Other than being a completionist, I don't know why I keep forcing myself to sit through them. So far, I thought one was okay (Saw II, which gets a 5/10) and pretty much hated the rest, for an average rating of 2.56/10. Usually these movies have some fun traps and decent gore, but Spiral can't even manage that. The inclusion of Sam Jackson is the only bright spot I can remember and it's not all that bright, to be honest.

* Worst theater experience ever? *

All the Creatures Were Stirring (2018) - 2/10    Every Challenge, I try to watch at least one anthology series film and this year, I really struck out with this one. Comprised of six shorts and one truly awful and baffling wrap around story, All the Creatures Were Stirring falls flat on just about every level. The filmmaking is universally bad (even using the dreaded "Day for Night" technique at one point), the writing is abysmal for the most part, and 90% of the acting is over the top and amateurish. Out of the six shorts, I kind of liked one of them - a twist on the premise of A Christmas Carol - mostly because the curmudgeonly main character was well acted and funny. This was only 80 minutes, but felt much longer.

A Step Up, But Still Not Good

* Video games can get so frustrating... *

Choose or Die (2022) - 4.5/10    This might be an example of very low expectations just being slightly surpassed, but I kinda had fun with Choose or Die. The first half or so is really solid, but it loses steam by the end. There are definitely worse movies to spend your time on, as you can tell from the beginning of this list.

* Your first time might get bloody *

Excision (2012) - 4/10    Dark comedy and/or satire is notoriously difficult to pull off and when you have an inexperienced cast and crew, it's even harder. Excision has some interesting moments (and a terrific ending), but what stood out most was the general vibe and world building. The whole movie has a John Waters-lite feeling, but I might only be thinking that because Waters himself has a cameo. With two or three tweaks, this could have been a standout of the Challenge.

* Such pretty hair... *

The Green Inferno (2013) - 4/10    Eli Roth is a terrible filmmaker, a substandard actor, and an overall douche-tastic person so I don't know why I've seen so many of his movies. I guess just like with the Saw franchise, it just shows what a glutton for punishment I am. The Green Inferno has a God awful opening 45 minutes full of amateurish acting and Roth levels of directing and during any other time of the year, I would have bailed on it. During the Challenge, though, we don't quit on any movies and I'm grateful for that rule in this instance. The last hour was interesting, exciting, and gory - exactly what I was hoping for.

Worth Watching Once

* Who makes Steve Guttenberg a star? Steve Guttenberg does! *

Lavalantula (2015) - 6/10    With a movie about a Los Angeles volcano spewing giant fire-breathing spiders across the city, you know what you're getting into. If you're in the mood for a "so bad, it's good" movie, this one delivers and I thoroughly enjoyed all the shoddy special effects, over the top performances, and generic writing. I can't remember the last time I saw Guttenberg, but he held his own here, never quite overplaying his role. I'm optimistic about the sequel, too, but doubt we'll get to that anytime soon.

* Protect that kitty at all costs! *

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) - 6.5/10    I didn't love the first two films in this franchise and wasn't in a big hurry to see the third installment, but was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. A lot of this is due to the wonderful performance from Lupita Nyong'o. She is just terrific from beginning to end here, which shouldn't surprise me as she's often great. She imbues the movie with a lot of heart and pathos, plus she's got a cat! I still think the general conceit of this universe doesn't make sense and the decisions the humans make are mostly silly, only working to drive the plot. I'm sure there will be more and more installments, but I doubt I'll like any of them more than this.

* Okay-ish villain, but easily the best title of the Challenge *

It's a Wonderful Knife (2023) - 5/10    Horror comedies are very hit-or-miss for me and while this one isn't a home run by any stretch, it's a solid base hit. The movie is buoyed by a strong cast and better than average character development (courtesy of writer Michael Kennedy, who also wrote the very enjoyable Freaky), but... something just didn't work all that well for me. I guess the premise and wonderfully cheeky title maybe set my expectations too high. I will gladly give it another go sometime - maybe even during the Christmas season - and see if my rating changes.

* Never open a box that mysteriously arrives in your home *

The Collector (2009) - 5/10    Pitched as a Saw prequel, this would have easily been the best film in that pitiful franchise. Knowing those producers, they probably would have ruined this one, though. As it stands, it's just a schlocky torture porny romp through a house filled with traps. The gore is solid and some of the kills are very inventive and/or so over the top that they're interesting. I'm thinking specifically of the bear trap room and the protagonist chucking a dog at the villain in an attempt to slow him down. What more can you ask for in a flick?

* Mr. Crocket says "Turn it up!" *

Mr. Crocket (2024) - 5.5/10    There are moments of Mr. Crocket that are really good, but they're spaced out pretty far and everything in-between is just okay. I'd recommend giving this one a shot, though, because it's fairly original with an interesting villain, a terrific lead performance from Jerrika Hinton, and some very good practical gore effects. Knowing how Hulu operates, I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Crocket returns for another adventure and I'd be perfectly fine with that.

* The Djinn - Mr. Tricky Trickster *

Wishmaster (1997) - 5.5/10    A very entertaining and very mid-90's flick about an evil genie who generally tricks people into wishing for things so he can kill or maim them in clever ways. Andrew Divoff plays the baddie with an amazing amount of gusto, but never goes too over the top unlike some other actors - ahem Chris Lemon cough who definitely didn't inherit his father's talents cough - and is actually quite menacing at different times. The practical makeup effects by master Greg Nicotero are downright great and add a nice touch to the film. Many of the kills would rate amongst the best of the Challenge and, really - what more can you ask for from a slasher?

Very Good and Highly Recommended

* A mostly peaceful meal before the terror really starts going *

His House (2020) - 7/10    This one has been in our Netflix queue ever since it came out, but for some reason we kept putting it off, but I wish we hadn't - it could have really helped fill out some of our lean years for the Challenge. Highlighted by two phenomenal lead performances and a very creepy atmosphere, the movie works on a few different levels. Extreme horror fans might not find is scary enough, but I am often fine with being unsettled or disturbed, compared to outright scared. If you want to consider this one a a drama with horror elements, that may get you closer to the truth, I suppose. Whatever genre it falls in, His House is very good.

* Dear God, please turn me into Sydney Sweeney *

Immaculate (2024) - 7/10    I'll be honest, I wasn't planning on watching this one due to the casting of Sydney Sweeney - someone I only really knew as the newest "It Girl", seemingly mostly due to her being blonde and having huge tits. After seeing her performance, though, I will gladly check out some of her other work because she was fantastic as a young nun dealing with an unwanted pregnancy and sinister men in the church. For 95% of the movie, she's completely covered in heavy nun uniforms, so this wasn't at all sleazy or leering like I thought it'd be. There are jump scares, moments of dread and unease, and a crazy final act. If you're at all into religious horror, check this one out right away.

* Maxine does Hollywood *

MaXXXine (2024) - 7/10    The third and final entry in Ti West's trilogy falls right between the other two for me - better than Pearl, but not as good as X. Maxine is the sole returning character from X and she's in Hollywood, killing it as a sex worker across various platforms. Mia Goth again shines in the lead role, but she's not quite the badass that I was expecting and the movie's final act hurts my overall score. Kevin Bacon steals every scene he's in as a sleazy, despicable southern private investigator. His last scene is one of the best of movie and something I'll remember for a long time.

* I love horror movies with bad ass female protagonists *

Let Us Prey (2014) - 7.5/10    After a shockingly bad opening credits sequence featuring lame CGI crows and credits out of the normal order, this movie picks up and stays up for the duration. The central story is interesting and kept me guessing for a while and all the performances are solid, which makes everything else so much more effective. The scares are mostly of the jump variety or related to the short bursts of extreme gore, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Pollyanna McIntosh's protagonist has a satisfying character arch (with her backstory sprinkled throughout) and kicks a lot of ass, in all sorts of different ways. Let Us Prey is definitely one of the bigger surprises of the Challenge for me!

* Johnny Carson never had this happen on his show! *

Late Night with the Devil (2023) - 7.5/10    As a lover of late night talk shows - including Johnny Carson, who's mentioned throughout this film - I had a blast with this movie, for about the first 3/4 of the run-time. The ending isn't terrible or anything, but it was definitely the weakest part and left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Despite that, there is plenty to recommend. Starting with David Dastmalchian's terrific lead performance. He captures the dual nature of a television star wonderfully, going back and forth among many different emotions and moods. He's been steadily working in Hollywood for more than 15 years, but this part proves that he can lead a film and I hope he gets a lot more opportunities to do so. All the rest of the performances are very good, too - especially Ian Bliss as a sceptic guest, doing his best to disprove the paranormal occurrences - and the writing allows for most of the characters to grow and develop. There are a lot of comedic moments, a couple of hard-hitting dramatic ones, and a few scares, but this is definitely on the "tamer" side of horror.

* Oh, what a cute napping partner! *

Sting (2024) - 8/10    I was able to convince both my wife and son - two movie lovers who suffer from arachnophobia - to watch this one since the trailer spoils that the titular spider is not of this earth and not realistic. Well, for the first big chunk of the movie, it's a very realistic looking critter (with advanced abilities) and it even creeped me out. There are moments of comedy, gore, and honest-to-goodness family drama. The movie isn't silly, per se, but I think the filmmakers purposely made it a little campy in parts and the balance of fun/easy going to creepy/nerve-wracking really worked for me. I had a blast from start to finish and the 90 minutes flew by.

* Be careful or she might sic a wooden man after you *

Oddity (2024) - 8/10    This is one of those movies where I think it's best to go into completely blind. That's how I did it and I was consistently surprised throughout the entire runtime. There's no big twist or anything, but I don't think the plot took one turn that I was expecting. At times, it's a bit of a slow burn, but the burn is worth it and resulted in something I'll probably return to another time or two in the future. Check it out!

* One of many, many shocking/disturbing scenes *

The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007) - 8/10    There are two subgenres of horror that I generally don't like - torture porn and found footage - so it's to my immense surprise that one of my favorite films from this year's Challenge combines them both, along with the faux documentary approach. The Poughkeepsie Tapes is unlike almost anything I've seen and I doubt I'll forget it anytime soon. I'm not sure if the filmmakers ever intended to actually trick people into thinking the events covered were real, but I'm not surprised that one of the first Google searches is "Is The Poughkeepsie Tapes real?" The way the film is structured - a documentary which includes footage from a killer's personal VHS library mixed with interviews from law enforcement and the family of victims - definitely makes it seem real. There are several scenes/moments of intense dread or extreme gore that I think will probably be seared into my memory for the foreseeable future. If that doesn't sound like something you want, I wouldn't necessarily blame you, but I love extreme horror movies from time to time.

The Best of the Best

* Nope. Just...nope *

Infested ("Vermines") (2023) - 9/10    A very late entry in the Challenge and it soars to the top of the list! When a French apartment building is infested by a foreign species of poisonous spider, all hell breaks loose. If you have even the slightest bit of arachnophobia, I'd recommend steering clear of this one. My wife managed to watch the whole thing, but it was touch and go for most of the time and I really thought she was going either start crying or throw up, or maybe both, but she avoided doing either. The French have made some phenomenal horror films over the last 20-ish years and Infested joins their ranks as one of the best - a creature feature that is creepy, disgusting, and downright terrifying at different times. The human characters are interesting and have a surprising amount of depth and are well acted across the board. While some (200 giant Huntsman spiders!) of the spiders were real, I imagine most were CGI creations, but it's a great sign when I couldn't tell for sure. The morning after watching this, I had to kill two different spiders in my home and I was still effectively creeped out.

Full list of what I watched during the month, in chronological order:

* = rewatch


Choose or Die (2022) - 4.5/10
Immaculate (2024) - 7/10
Lavalantula (2015) - 6/10
* Little Monsters (2019) - 8/10
Funhouse (2019) - 2/10
* Eden Lake (2008) - 8/10
Suitable Flesh (2023) - 2/10
Rattlesnake (2019) - 1/10
Alone at Night (2022) - 2/10
Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) - 2/10
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) - 6.5/10
* The Shining (1980) - 10/10
Excision (2012) - 4/10
His House (2020) - 7/10
Sharknado (2013) - 4/10
The Tall Man (2012) - 3/10
Honeydew (2020) - 1/10
It's a Wonderful Knife (2023) - 5/10
Cottage Country (2013) - 5/10
The Green Inferno (2013) - 4/10
The Collector (2009) - 5/10
Sting (2024) - 8/10
Mr. Crocket (2024) - 5.5/10
The Block Island Sound (2020) - 6/10
Let Us Prey (2014) - 7.5/10
MaXXXine (2024) - 7/10
Oddity (2024) - 8/10
Lucky (2020) - 2/10
All the Creatures Were Stirring (2018) - 2/10
Splice (2009) - 4/10
It's What's Inside (2024) - 1/10
Wishmaster (1997) - 5.5/10
Late Night with the Devil (2024) - 7.5/10
The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007) - 8/10
Infested ("Vermines") (2023) - 9/10 

* Trick 'r Treat (2007) - 6.5/10


Average rating of the 36 titles: 5.13/10 --- almost identical to last year's average! 



Did any of you watch any good horror movies recently? Any that you'd recommend? I'm always on the lookout for new movies to watch!

Thanks for reading!

2023 October Challenge

The 8th annual October Challenge started even earlier (mid-September) than usual and probably should be retitled the "Fall Horror Movie Challenge" or something similar at this point, but I'm sucker for keeping the title as is. Even with the earlier start date, I got fewer movies in than in previous years. Some of that was being busy with other things, but a lot of it was just apathy. I just wasn't as interested this year, which is disturbing since it's one of the main things I look forward to each year. Oh, well. Maybe next year will be more fruitful in quantity and quality. 

The highlights of the month, from best to worst:

The Worst of the Worst

* Staring blankly with a plain background. Pretty much a perfect representation of the movie *

Bad Things (2023) - 1/10   If you like The Shining, but think there's too much excitement, the characters are too interesting, the soundtrack is too memorable, and the filmmaking is too masterful and you're looking for a cheap clone, Bad Things is just the movie for you! If that doesn't describe you, I would highly recommend skipping this one entirely. 

* The lighting was one of the few positive elements *

Revealer (2022) - 1/10    Horror movies have some of the best premises but are so often let down by their executions and Revealer is no different. I thought I'd be watching an interesting, funny, and sexy little movie, but instead, I got this mess - pretty much a two-hander where both hands are poorly acted and even more poorly written. Plus the stripper character isn't even good-looking enough to distract you! 

* A life lesson for all teenagers: don't play with swords *

Super Dark Times (2017) - 2/10    Oh my Lord, I can't stand teenage boys. As the father of a pre-teen, I'm dreading him turning out to resemble any of the annoying douchebags in this movie. Other than featuring insufferable characters, this movie is also dreadfully boring with a runtime that seems much longer than 103 minutes. The story itself and somewhat compelling conclusion - the only redeeming elements -  have been done better before. Pretentious filmmaking at it's worst. 

* "See, I told you, the script says to act as badly as possible." *

Spirit Halloween: The Movie (2022) - 2/10    I, for one, am utterly and wholeheartedly shocked that the corporate-sponsored kiddie-centric horror flick didn't turn out to be better than this. It gets one point for featuring Christopher Lloyd, who seemed to be trying his best. 

* Blankly and boringly staring, just like I was throughout the movie *

Malevolent (2018) - 2/10   Florence Pugh is one of my favorite young actresses working today, so I quickly added this movie to our watchlist when I saw it pop up on Netflix. I wish I hadn't noticed it. There are some creepy and unsettling moments, but they're too far and few between and you have to put up with lackluster characters and performances across the board. Easily the worst I've seen from Pugh, who didn't seem invested in her character or the film at all. 

A Step Up, But Still Not Good

* Trust me, it's bigger on the inside *

Dave Made a Maze (2017) - 3.5/10    This movie is carried almost entirely on its premise - a man builds a seemingly small cardboard maze in his living room, but once inside it's enormous and features deadly traps and creatures - and its tremendous, homemade-y production design. It's a wholly unique movie, but not necessarily an entertaining or fulfilling one. I don't know what the budget was, but I imagine it was microscopic compared to most of the movies in this blog entry, and that certainly shows at times, especially with the level of performers involved. I loved the cardboard sets and spent most of the time wishing I could just watch a behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the film. 

* Uncle Sam wants you... to die *

Uncle Sam (1996) - 4/10    This is a prime example of a schlocky, fun, and entirely stupid horror movie that seems like it should have been made in 1986 rather than 1996. A movie like this needs to be lean and economical, moving from one scene/kill to the next. If ten or fifteen minutes were shaved off, it would probably earn a 5/10. There are fun kills and over-the-top performances, but not enough to reach the level of something like Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Zombeavers, or Halloween 3: Season of the Witch. 

* Maybe being an atheist hurt my chances of liking this movie? *

Saint Maud (2019) - 4/10    I had high hopes for Saint Maud since I've been hearing/reading good things since it came out a few years ago. I guess I don't know what I was expecting, but this certainly wasn't it. The two main performances are quite good and I loved the ending, but was mostly bored through most of the movie. I do somewhat wonder if I would rate it higher after a second viewing, knowing what kind of movie to expect. 

* One of the few NYC-specific scenes and probably my favorite of the whole movie *

Scream 6 (2023) - 4.5/10    The first Scream film is very good, but nowhere near one of my favorites of the genre. Most of the sequels - except for the fourth, which is just awful - are all okay. Nothing more, nothing less. Generally, there are some good kills, nice production design elements, and some well-written characters brought to life by decent actors. The most recent installment is no different. It has all those aspects plus the standard plot/plot twists that don't make much sense if you even think about them a tiny bit. I was intrigued by the idea of Ghostface being in NYC, but that element isn't really utilized and this one could have been set anywhere without much changing. Also, too many characters are seemingly murdered and then revealed to have survived at the very end, I guess just to make sure they're available for Scream 7. 

Worth Watching Once

* Richard Brake, chewing up the scenery *

Bingo Hell (2021) - 5/10    We started out this year's Challenge with a decent entry. A fun and well-made little horror comedy. Nothing that I'd necessarily recommend to a friend, but I don't regret watching it. The cast elevates a pretty average script and helps make their characters much more believable and memorable. Plus, the tremendous Richard Brake gets to shine as the villain. Anytime he's on-screen - which, unfortunately, wasn't that often - I was enthralled. 

* "You don't understand, I'm contractually obligated to be here!" *

Jaws 2 (1978) - 5/10    The original, classic, and infinitely rewatchable Jaws has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, but I never really felt like exploring the sequels. After reading some positive thoughts about the second installment, I decided to give it a shot. I can't imagine ever watching this one again, but it wasn't bad or anything. Not having Robert Shaw or Richard Dreyfuss really hurts - and seems to have inspired Roy Scheider to mostly phone it in - but the basic story and action are still compelling. I don't think I'll be proceeding with the last two entries in the series, though, since I feel confident judging them solely on their reputations. 

* How long would it take for pedos to start abusing the M3GAN toys? A day? An hour? *

M3GAN (2022) - 5/10    This is pretty much exactly what I thought it'd be after seeing the trailers last year. It's fun, but never really funny. There aren't any scares to be found and there's not an original thought or element in the whole production, either. Thinking about it now, it's hard to remember what I even liked about the movie, but when it finished, I didn't hesitate to give it an average score of 5/10. I know there's a sequel in development - of course there is - but I don't see how that could even be remotely watchable unless they take a completely different and new approach and it's hard to imagine Blumhouse making any changes to their winning formula.  

* Stupid sexy Nazi... by the end, she's wearing nothing at all *

The Devil's Rock (2011) - 6/10   I'm a sucker for a horror movie set during WWII and was instantly drawn to this one. While not great, there's enough here to recommend if you're into the war, occult, or seductive villainesses. There are only three major characters and all three actors do a solid job, plus most of the makeup and effects are decent, except for the main demon design which is, unfortunately, kind of laughably bad. 

* The unique lighting and graphics are just one aspect to enjoy *

Creepshow (1982) - 6/10    This one had been on my watchlist for years, but was never available on any of our many, many streaming services. I happened to find the Blu-ray for cheap and picked it up. I wasn't exactly blown away, but I do think I'll enjoy this more with repeat viewings. Like most anthology movies, the quality of the five shorts varies quite a bit. The best of the bunch - "The Crate" featuring Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau (above) - is just a tremendous little story with intrigue and enough length to develop the characters. 

* Vloggers at the exact moment they realize what a bad situation they're in *

Superhost (2021) - 6.5/10    This was another random selection that I had never heard of before, which sometimes is the best way to approach a movie. All three leads are quite good - especially Gracie Gillam as the titular host - and the story flows well, never getting bogged down. The two "heroes" aren't the most likable people and I was kind of rooting for the villain by the end. The movie lacks the tension that a film like this really needs to excel, though, which is what holds it back from getting a higher score. 

* A mother and daughter, fighting against the unknown *

Relic (2020) - 6.5/10    I had high hopes for this one and was left a bit disappointed. While there are definitely horror elements present, especially in the final act, this one felt much more like a standard drama for most of the runtime. That's not necessarily bad or anything, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. The plot, characters, and performances are top-notch, but everything gets pretty heavy-handed by the end.   

Very Good and Highly Recommended

* Sure, Pete Davidson stars in this. Don't let that discourage you *

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) - 7.5/10    Conversely, I didn't expect much of anything from this one and was left very pleasantly surprised. I'm a generation older - with an even older mentality, most of the time - than these characters, so I couldn't really relate to them, but the story and characters were still very engaging, plus nearly all the actors did a fine job. Yes, that even includes Pete Davidson. The plot has lots of little twists and turns and the conclusion actually does a good job being surprising, but not nonsensical. I'll definitely watch this one again at some point. 

* The British troops in happier, simpler times *

Dog Soldiers (2002) - 7.5/10    I'm not sure how many good werewolf movies there are, but there can't be too many. If you're looking for one, I'd definitely point to this low-budget offering from Neil Marshall, the director of The Descent. While the image quality is less than ideal and the frenetic and choppy editing style made my wife tune out pretty quickly, I really enjoyed the movie. The budgetary constraints lead to some interesting choices when it comes to filming and designing the creatures, but that just adds to the charm, for me at least. If you have a hard time deciphering foreign accents, you might need to enable subtitles, but that's not much of a stumbling block for most people these days. If you give it a chance, you'll end up with an entertaining, exciting, and oddly emotional soldiers versus werewolves flick that should make for a quality evening in front of the TV.  

The Best of the Best

* Never, EVER make friends with strangers. It's not worth it *

Speak No Evil (2022) - 8/10    Like in previous years - I'm specifically thinking of Raw and Train to Busan - my favorite film of the season is a foreign language offering, this time from Denmark/Netherlands featuring Dutch, Danish, and (a tiny amount of) English. The movie starts out innocently but soon turns unnerving, then creepy, then horrific. It's a tremendous achievement in the way that the story and characters lure you in and slowly turn up the heat, like a frog slowly boiling alive in a pot of water. By the end, you might wish you had jumped out sooner due to the traumatic and violent nature, but it's not something I'll forget anytime soon.  

Full list of what I watched during the month, in chronological order:

* = rewatch

Bingo Hell (2021) - 5/10

The Nun (2018) - 5/10

* Sinister (2012) - 7.5/10

The Devil's Rock (2011) - 6/10

Malevolent (2018) - 2/10

Uncle Sam (1996) - 4/10

Scream 6 (2023) - 4.5/10

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) - 7.5/10

Super Dark Times (2017) - 2/10

Dave Made a Maze (2017) - 3.5/10

Jaws 2 (1978) - 5/10

* Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) - 7/10

Speak No Evil (2022) - 8/10

The Wretched (2019) - 2.5/10

Spirit Halloween: The Movie (2022) - 2/10

* The Thing (1982) - 9.5/10

Bad Things (2023) - 1/10

Creepshow (1982) - 6/10

* The Hills Have Eyes (2006) - 8/10

Revealer (2022) - 1/10

Creepshow 2 (1987) - 3/10

Superhost (2021) - 6/10

Saint Maud (2019) - 4/10

Dog Soldiers (2002) - 7.5/10

Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 (1990) - 4/10

M3GAN (2022) - 5/10

Relic (2020) - 6.5/10

* Shaun of the Dead (2004) - 9/10

Cobweb (2023) - 3/10

* The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) - 7.5/10

Eyes Without a Face (1960) - 3/10

* Apostle (2018) - 9/10

Average rating of the 32 titles: 5.14/10 --- better than last year! 

Did any of you watch any good horror movies recently? Any that you'd recommend? I'm always on the lookout for new movies to watch!

Thanks for reading!