1 Week Till Halloween: 20 Films I Recommend Watching to Celebrate Spooky Season
By: Myriam Akbar
For what feels like the horror community’s holiday season, I have chosen twenty films from various sub-genres to recommend watching before the month of October is over. Some new and some old, but all worth checking out.
If you’re a fan of cult-related horror, I have three that are incredibly chilling both visually and conceptually speaking. Last Shift and Malum are essentially the same film in different fonts. This is due to the fact that Malum is actually a remake of Last Shift, by the same director. The plot follows a cop working a lonely late night shift, when she finds herself getting terrorized by supernatural forces. While there’s differences in plot, the meat of the story is the same. However, the original uses subtle methods of storytelling and creating fear and the remake is more exaggerated. They’re both within the top five scariest films I have ever seen. I did a double feature and for the first time in a long time, had trouble sleeping. The Black String is one that I recently discovered and with time have realized how great it is, despite its flaws. The plot follows a man who believes he is part of a supernatural scheme, after an unusual one-night-stand. There’s good acting performances, wicked visuals, and a thought-provoking ending.
For the slasher lovers, I am recommending five that are very different from each other but certainly worth checking out: Sissy, Bruiser, Party Line, Valentine, and There’s Nothing Out There. One that I discovered earlier this year doesn’t get the praise and recognition it deserves, considering the films it inspired within the sub-genre. There’s Nothing Out There features a horror trope, made popular by Scream: the resourceful horror buff that attempts to solve the mystery of who the killer is, based on his knowledge of the slasher formula. However, this film came out five years before Scream and I’ve never heard anyone mention it.
The supernatural sub-genre is exceptionally diverse, for many reasons. Concepts and plots can differ based on setting, entities, powers, mythology, culture, religion etc. The five I am recommending are Separation, Heartless, Rita, The Devil Conspiracy, and Dolly Dearest. These include concepts of possessed drawings, deals with the devil, magical powers, demons and angels, as well as object sentience. One that I would like to highlight is Rita, because it’s based on a horrific real-life event that took place in 2017. This haunting and heartbreaking tale depicts a fire that killed 41 girls in a state-run institution. However, the film intertwines dark fantasy and horror elements that creates an atmosphere of shock and hopelessness. Due to the abuse these individuals endured and the brutal ending to their lives, I believe it’s a critical watch because they deserve to have their story told.
Two psychological thrillers I want to showcase are simply two of my favorite films of all time. From beginning to end, Frailty is just phenomenal and the plot twist has always stuck with me. The rawness, structure of the scriptwriting, and acting performances are top notch. Similar to that of Rita, The Silent Twins is based on a true story—one that I think more people should be familiar with. The plot follows twin sisters with selective mutism, who wrote fiction and were institutionalized for crimes; such as arson and vandalism. The mystery of their story lies within what would spoil the most shocking and heartbreaking aspect of the film, so I won’t say more. The film is unique, visually striking, and thought-provoking. I want to also recommend a third from this sub-genre, Don’t Tell a Soul because the concept is simplistic, unusual, and inventive. A security guard falls down a hole, while chasing two teen brothers and attempts to convince one of them to help him get out. It’s twisty, brutal, intense, and heartbreaking at times.
Three underrated throwback films I don’t see enough of the horror community discussing is Mirror, Mirror, Thinner, and Tales From the Hood. Mirror, Mirror is a campy supernatural film involving a demonic piece of furniture that aids a teen outcast in her acts of revenge. While Thinner has some outdated themes and cultural misrepresentations, the concept is one of a kind. A man is cursed as an act of revenge, resulting in him quickly losing weight and questioning reality. Not only is it unique, but terrifying to think about experiencing it. I also think the visual imagery and practical effects certainly makes the film worth the watch. Tales From the Hood is one of my top five favorite horror films of all time and I think it’s one of the most successful anthologies to date. It features concepts associated with race and injustice, chilling and memorable visual imagery, and culturally significant themes. In my opinion, it still holds up today and is as relevant as ever.
Lastly, I want to recommend an indie horror sci-fi film from this year—Marshmallow. I watched this due to the gleaming reviews I saw online and it did not disappoint. In fact, I was incredibly impressed and watched it again the next day. The plot follows a young summer-camper who investigates a mysterious figure lingering about. It’s both simple and complex, unique, humorous, mysterious, and has a great plot twist.
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