Ben McBride

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 26 - AUDITION. This slow burn Takashi Miike film has a permeating sense of unease throughout its runtime before it erupts in its nightmarish finale. I hadn’t seen this one before and I found it quite compelling.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 25 - THE BOOGEY MAN. This is my kind of ‘80s haunted killer mirror lunacy. One could question whether the title is really all that apt here but I like that it is slightly deceptive as it is kind of fitting with the movie’s bizarre nature.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 24 - THE KEEP. This was a first time watch for me and I kinda loved it. What surprised me most about the movie was the scope and mythic nature of the story. It feels big, almost cosmic, and has a ton of atmosphere, which is enhanced by the score from Tangerine Dream.

There’s also a number of visuals/effects that I really like, including Molasar’s design/execution, as well as fun bursts of color in the film’s more fantastical moments. Don’t hate on me, but… this might be my favorite Michael Mann movie.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 23 - HUSH. This cat-and-mouse home invasion movie from Mike Flanagan is an effective and thrilling movie. Kate Siegel does a fantastic job carrying the film and selling the intensity and scares.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 22 - THE ROOST. This movie-within-a-late-night-horror-TV-host-program is fun and also happens to be Ti West’s first (and perhaps lesser known) film. It’s more lo-fi than I expected but it managed to slowly engross me over its run time.

It’s an imperfect but interesting watch, especially after having seen Ti West’s numerous other films. The movie feels like it would fit into one of Vinegar Syndrome’s HOME GROWN HORRORS collection box sets. It just has that regional filmmaker DIY vibe.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 21 - HALLOWARRIOR. I went into this blind & at first I wasn’t sure if I was vibing with it, but it just kept taking me in directions I wasn’t expecting & I liked its unique weirdness. It’s kind of just the sweetest movie at its core, but also with fucked up shit that happens.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 20 - TROLL (1986). I love this delightful B-movie from director, creature designer and special makeup effects artist John Carl Buechler. Not only does the movie serve as the “real” origin of Harry Potter (wink wink) but it has an earnest sense of fantastical fun to it.

The practical effects are quite enjoyable (keep in mind it is a lower budgeted affair), of which you can see some GHOULIES love in the mix. Plus it has the always entertaining Michael Moriarity, a pre-SEINFELD Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and randomly Sonny Bono.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 19 - PERSONAL SHOPPER. This supernatural genre-blending drama feels a bit uneven but I found it interesting nonetheless. It’s kind of hypnotic, yet just shy of feeling fully cohesive. I’m actually curious if a rewatch would result in further appreciation for me.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 18 - OTHER MOMMY. This one was getting some really poor reviews but I still wanted to give it a shot, albeit with lower expectations. And quite honestly, I didn’t think it was that bad.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 17 - SUSPIRIA (2018). Luca Guadagnino’s “cover” of Argento’s original film is an interesting one. He makes some really smart choices in expanding upon Argento’s and I really loved the wild ending (pre-epilogue).

I still prefer the 1977 version with its beautiful/colorful cinematography but this is a solid interpretation of the material. Plus we got Tilda Swinton (playing an impressive three roles) and Mia Goth in the mix.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 16 - PRIMATE. Pop quiz hot shot, your trusted familial chimpanzee gets rabies and starts acting like a slasher villain, what do you do? What do you do? This thrilling animal attack movie is good ole popcorn entertainment. And the kills in this are BRUTAL.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 15 - DEAD KIDS. This is kind of a strange movie and I’m here for it. It’s almost like a Cronenberg-esque version of DISTURBING BEHAVIOR. It was released in the U.S., under the title of STRANGE BEHAVIOR, and has been cited as the first horror movie ever to film in New Zealand.

It also features a score from Tangerine Dream. I watched the International Cut (the U.S. Cut is shorter by about 2 mins) and really just found myself vibing with its weirdness. If you like offbeat horror movies then this might be up your alley.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 14 - BACKROOMS. Another hit horror movie from this year offers up some liminal horror to unnerve us. This was my second time watching it and some of the psychological thematics still feel a little murky to me, albeit interesting and ambiguous.

I like its visuals and design, which makes it feel unsettling but also kind of comforting in a way. I’d be curious to see what Kane Parsons does next with the property, that or I need to dive in to his YouTube work to see if I can get more clarification on what the story is exactly.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 13 - ERNEST SCARED STUPID. Part of the fun of Halloween season is revisiting some of your favorite holiday-centric comfort movies. This is one such movie for me.

It features cool & goopy special effects from the Chiodo brothers, who even repurpose some of their KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE creature designs for the trolls. It’s cheesy sure, but it is an Ernest P. Worrell movie so if you’re familiar with Ernest you kind of know what to expect.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 12 - BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA. I love this movie. It’s an absolutely gorgeous film with its costuming, production design, practical & optical effects, and dreamlike-aesthetic. The cast is stacked and features one of Gary Oldman’s best performances.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 11 - STUDENT BODIES. This comedic meta slasher feels a little like a proto-SCREAM by way of AIRPLANE. There is a little slow down in the third act but ultimately this one is a fun time and provided some genuine laughs.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 10 - OBSESSION. Curry Barker started out strong with his first film, MILK & SERIAL (available on YouTube), and for his second at bat he came swinging for the fences. OBSESSION is easily one of the best horror movies of the year and is subtextually complex and unsettling.

Inde Navarrette gives one of the best performances of the year, one that reminded me of that final shot in PEARL with Mia Goth trying to smile while the brimming emotions try to escape. For anyone who somehow missed it in theaters, this is an enthusiastic recommendation.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 9 - THE FOG. During the Halloween season, John Carpenter is required viewing in my household. And since I just started Apple TV+’s WIDOW’S BAY, this felt like a perfect movie to pair with that.

I love the cast (which brings a number of HALLOWEEN cast members along for the ride), the gorgeous Northern California coastline, and those shadowy and vengeful spirits of yore. Carpenter’s direction and score are another highlight for me that makes this one a nice and cozy fall watch.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 8 - HELLRAISER. Since the HELLRAISER: REVIVAL video game is out today, I thought it appropriate to revisit the original film. While the movie is gruesome, the practical effects in it are pretty awesome.

[31 DAYS OF HORROR] DAY 7 - BLOODY TENNIS. Fresh out of Fantastic Fest, this horrific tennis academy tale is mainly inspired by Italian horror, namely SUSPIRIA, with a dash of Julia Ducournou’s RAW.