Best in Show: Winter Horrors (Pt. I of II)

Despite the unseasonably warm weather, winter should be starting up any moment. As the days get shorter, the nights longer and cold weather starts setting in, icy shapes start to form and things can get little spooky. And, while horror films have a tendency to chill bones even in the dead of summer, it's those set in winter that'll leave you absolutely frozen with fear. These movies often utilize their settings' harsh temperatures and climate with incredible force, creating an experience that can feel urgent, claustrophobic and completely terrifying. So as the snow runs scarlet and the dread fills you up, grab a blanket and get ready for some wild rides.



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10. Dead Snow

Dead Snow is a ridiculous movie - no one is arguing that. The film follows a group of friends vacationing deep in the Norwegian wilderness when they are come upon by zombies. And not just any zombies- Nazi zombies. Even weirder, these oddly sentient beings use weapons to slaughter their victims. A true splatter film, this comedic, bloody movie is honestly, a little terrifying. Through all the comedy - whether it is a Molotov cocktail accidentally missing a window it needs to go through or pretty much any interaction with the Nazi zombies - Dead Snow actually has plenty of scares.

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9. The Blackcoat's Daughter

Arguably one of the best films to come out of 2016, The Blackcoat's Daughter is best described as a small flickering candle in the middle of nothingness. Chilling in the best way possible, this film deserved the accolades it received as we followed a student trapped at her school with only another student during a holiday break. The Blackcoat's Daughter is a beautiful master class of the slow burn. It is completely restrained; grounded in realism, despite its supernatural elements. It's the type of movie that some will hate, but most will feel compelled to drudge through the dark and unwelcoming atmosphere.

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8. Misery

What winter horror movie list would be complete without at least one entry for Stephen King, who hails from a place known for particularly rough winters. Misery is perfect for this time of year given its winter-based story, country home furnishings and muted-tone sweaters and clothing worn by its characters. Aging relatively well, most people know the story of the obsessed young woman who captures her favorite author after a car accident and imprisons him in a remote cabin. Misery is a hazy and fantastic journey with some out-of-this-world scenes worthy of the history books.

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7. Devil's Pass Despite some terrible CGI toward the end of this movie, Devils Pass is a horrific endeavor most comparable to The Blair Witch Project. Following a group of American students who set off into Ural Mountains to uncover the truth of the real-life Dyatlov Pass incident, this found-footage feature is best reserved for a cold night. Deeply unsettling and able to perfectly capture the fears of things that go bump in the night, Devil's Pass is an underrated gem worth watching - even if the end reveal is a little laughable.



6. The Thing 

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A bona fide classic, the 1982 version of The Thing is a legendary horror film featuring a group of researchers burrowed away at a base in Antarctica. Iconic to this day, this movie has everything representative of harsh climates; from ice and huskies, to snowmobiles and giant puffy coats. The Thing has some pretty incredible special effects given the year it came out and the setting is fantastic for an extra cold day. Sure, the average person will never find themselves in the coldest place on earth, but who among us hasn't felt like a winter day isn't the coldest day recorded?

Review: The Elf

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After the beaming success Krampus, it seemed only realistic that viewers would receive plenty of yuletide horror, whether they wanted it or not. After all, while not the first, Krampus encapsulated everything holiday horror could and should be. It featured plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, some good scares and a hilarious cast. The fact is horror films set on Christmas should never be taken as straight up genre fare. Unfortunately for The Elf, the only things not taken seriously are the filmmaking and acting.

Following a young man who discovers a haunted elf toy among items he inherited in an old toyshop, The Elf makes clear attempts at copying the successes of classics like Child's Play with very, very little success. Built around the man's night terrors surrounded by his return to his hometown, this film makes little effort to clarify, establish plot points and create in-depth characters; opting instead for tossed in features from better films.


The Elf stars Gabriel Miller (Manifesto) and Natassia Halabi (Born to Be Blue) as couple, Nick and Victoria. They're flanked by a host of supporting characters playing family members, car accident survivors and an awkwardly portrayed trash friend. Each is pretty much universally bad. Miller and Halabi have the chemistry of a two pieces missing from different puzzles and neither is very good at pretending to be afraid or courageous. Neither seem fully damaged enough to garner sympathy, either. But, while the acting by the two main stars is bad, the supporting cast though? It’s much, much worse. As noted, there's some pretty flat characters meant to add fodder to the kill count, but probably the most worthwhile to rip on is Victoria's trashy urban friend who was clearly an actress's really terrible character choice.


Other flaws in the film include the dialogue, props, score and visual effects. The dialogue is disingenuous and more like a bad Lifetime movie, although that would be an insult to the cheesy entertainment of those flicks. The props seem desperately placed together; mismatched furniture, time pieces and garage sale finds, making for something less eclectic and more blaringly cheap. Then there's the overuse of sound and music to attempt to create atmosphere and visual effect failures that could have easily been avoided using a still doll. All of this creates a truly unpleasant time.


It's not as if this movie shouldn't exist. It should - if only as a reminder that no matter your goal, whether it be financial or emotive, creating a film needs some sort of core heart. The Elf is not joyous or enjoyable. It's a miserable and unfunny feature. It's missing in The Elf. This film is offensive to the eyes of fans, terrible resume builders for the cast and crew and deserves little to no acknowledgement past discussing its eventual tossing in the trash. 0 out 10.

 

Review: Dismissed

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It's always a little uncomfortable when a child star transitions into adulthood. If done well, this move can come with an entirely new fan base and well deserved accolade. Done poorly and the complete brand change can feel rushed, phony and problematic. Especially in acting, many young stars have found it difficult to move from small screen kid’s television shows to big screen or primetime adventures. Look no farther than Disney which has churned out star after star with some great successes and some awkward failures. Currently on an uptick though, is one of the breakout stars of The CW's Riverdale, Dylan Sprouse.

With his latest feature, an Orphan-esque teen horror film titled Dismissed, the future seems bright for Sprouse, even if the resulting film is ridiculously shallow entertainment. Dismissed follows a new high school student, Lucas, who's hell-bent on receiving an A and getting into Harvard. Things transpire as one might guess when he receives a B on a paper that looks more like a novel than an assignment. Dismissed also stars Kent Osborne (Adventure Time) as the offending teacher, Chris Bauer (The Wire) as Lucas's father and Rae Gray (Fear the Walking Dead) as a victim of Lucas's villainy.


Dismissed is most reminiscent of a Lifetime movie, but with a horror edge. Like a paper-thin Orphan, it definitely is a tossed together project meant to capitalize on Sprouse's recent fame. The plot is far-fetched, the dialogue is often ridiculous and the characters are sometimes flat. Dismissed isn’t even all that interesting given the plethora of other, more superior obsession stories available. Yet, there is something oddly satisfying about this movie.


Despite its many flaky shortcomings, this film finds the light in its actors. Each of the actors is fantastic in their relatively melodramatic and over-the-top roles. Osborne's plays a caring father who will do anything to protect his family well, even if his dramatic dialogue is a bit cheesy and Gray's Becca is scarily gullible. But as mentioned, the truest star is Sprouse who captures the meticulous and unhinged Lucas well.


How does Dismissed end? Exactly how you think it will. This movie offers no surprises, no shock value and very little scares. But as a whole, Dismissed makes it far on its short little legs. It’s an easily digestible, stupidly enjoyable endeavor that anyone could rip apart but most will probably just rather sit around and invest around a television with friends. 6 out 10.

Review: Woodshock

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Despite what can feel constant ignorance of award shows and critics, horror movies - even modern ones - often go hand-in-hand with art. Brimming with metaphors and featuring some of the best camerawork in the business, horror films can be tasteful and fantastic pieces of cinema. Movies like The Witch and most recently IT are genre films deserving of recognition, and even films like The Neon Demon are more reliant on its art than its horror. So why is it then, that when these artful indie horror movies are bad, they're incredibly bad? Well look no further than Woodshock.

Written and directed by costume designer sisters Kate and Laura Mulley, Woodshock is exactly the type of movie you'd expect from costume-designers-turned-first-time-directors. Missing a concrete plot and dosed in antiquated furniture and décor, this film follows a woman who becomes infatuated with a mind-altering drug. It stars Kirsten Dunst (The Beguiled), Joe Cole (Green Room) and Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones).


Kirsten Dunst who has thankfully been on an upward trend in the past years has never seemed more lost in a role. Melodramatic and one note, the troubled young woman she plays is less inspired and more stiffly automated. The emotional depth that she found in films like The Beguiled and on the television series Fargo, are gone and in its place is a woman simply going through the motions of an indie thriller with little depth.  The one brighter spot in this film comes from Asbæk who is the most understandable character throughout.


Nightmarishly bland and unnecessarily sheepish, this drearily artsy film has little substance even if it’s somewhat pleasing to the eyes and ears. In an attempt to find meaning behind the film, it's clear that the directors chose eclecticism and tack on as many spiraling, reflective objects they could find and hoped for the best. The fact is, underneath it all, this movie is distant and cold - its characters feel flat and drifting.


Woodshock will likely be forgotten and it’s probably for the best. No matter its deeper meaning, its purpose or the creators' intention, nothing feels realistic or interesting in what ends up feeling like a tossed together piece. There's obviously a vision, but it could use a revision and then maybe another. Dunst and the others deserve better than this muted kaleidoscope of a movie. So do critics and viewers. 3 out 10.

Review: Nails

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Whether snowed in at an empty hotel, stuck on a ski lift or trapped within an elevator, horror movies have made the most out of stationary locations. Often creating a sense of claustrophobia, audiences cringe at the inescapable horrors that surround these films' characters. From classics like The Shining to more modern fare like Devil, movies featuring a closed in location have proven to be effectively secluded - even in the middle of cities or busy buildings. The latest film to capture this is Nails.

Starring self-described scream queen Shauna Macdonald (The Descent) as Donna, Nails finds ghostly scares limited to a hospital bed. After a car accident, Donna becomes disabled and forced to rehabilitate in a spooky older hospital with a dark past. Each night, suspicious things happen around her and she is unable to defend herself or prove these issues. Like sleep paralysis, this movie uses her inability to move to create tension. It also stars Leah McNamara (Lily) as Donna's daughter, Gemma, Steve Wall (Vikings) as Donna's husband, and comedian Ross Noble as Donna's nurse and confidante.


Nails is impressively compact. It's the kind of movie that works because of its characters and scenery, not its story. Macdonald's performance elevates the one-room horror flick way beyond what this otherwise practical horror story could have been. Nails, the central antagonist is less the center than the background device at which the characters are propelled; only providing scares but never amounting more than the one dimension he began the story as. MacDonald in - all her horror glory is impressive - and deserving of a lot of credit. Without her in the hospital bed, this movie could fall apart easily. But, her ability to convey terror is as impressive as ever.


The most glaring flaw in Nails is its dependence on horror conventions. With plenty of bump-in-the-night scares and dreadfully empty stares into dark corners, Nails does little to create anything fresh. But, that doesn't mean it’s not still at least a little scary. Filled with deeply embedded tension and an atmosphere that is dreary and filled with shadows, Nails does succeed at creating horror, even if it’s not the type of horror that's quite uniquely terrifying.


Overall, for a typical ghost tale, this indie flick is impressively put together. There's a deeply unsettling atmosphere, some terrific acting and a well-established actress at the help. Nails may not be overly creative in its execution, but it’s an entertaining and relatively scary endeavor. Nails shouldn't be as worthwhile as it is, but the core of this film is haunting even if it fails to exceed expectations of what a ghost movie can be. 7 out 10.

Review: Like.Share.Follow

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In recent years, horror and technology have converged. From found-footage films that use drones to entire plot lines needing the internet or Skype to function, these movies have a growing history in the genre. Building on this new world of digitalization and tying into last week's list of these movies is the newly released Like.Share.Follow.


Following a semi-famous teen Youtuber and his friends, Like.Share.Follow. is a winding exploration of obsessive celebrity culture and the length fans believe themselves to be a part of the lives of constantly status updating celebrities. Released alongside Totem by Cinemax, The movie takes a turn when a young woman decides to take her obsession to the next level and go from online-stalker to physical stalker, as she seeks out and becomes romantically attached to the Youtuber. The film stars Keiynan Lonsdale (Insurgent) as Garret, the Youtuber who is tricked into a relationship with his obsessive fan, Shell, played by Ema Horvath (Burning Kentucky).


Like many teen horror films, the quality of Like.Share.Follow. resides mostly in entertainment value, rather than actual scares. And unlike the aforementioned and previously reviewed Totem, Like.Share.Follow. is truly fun. Far more watchable thanks to Lonsdale who carries a large portion of the film on his charisma alone, Like.Share.Follow. isn't all that groundbreaking or original. But, it's definitely better than the comparative Totem and certainly way more enjoyable to watch. Horvath is also great in her role as the unhinged girl who simply cannot process that what she's doing is quite insane.


Like.Share.Follow. works best as an exploration of youth and digitalization. The very intimate nature of social media and the connection celebrities now must maintain with fans is on full display throughout the movie. Despite it's been there-done-that stalker premise, the heavy hand of modern life helps it stand out. This isn't just another recreation of The Roommate or Misery, it's its own thing altogether. It’s the type of movie that in a world of short attention spans is capable of holding audiences attentions with all its new gizmos and gadgets and atmosphere of “what-ifs.”


Like.Share.Follow. does the most with its stale narrative. With plenty of youth-driven plot devices and a great final punch, it's hard to deny the movie's personality. Turning out great performances by young stars and capturing the unhinged nature of stan culture, this movie is worth sitting through - even if you find that your phone is out the majority of the time. 6 out 10.

Best in Show: Digital Damnation (Pt. II of II)



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5. Bedeviled

Recency bias aside, Bedeviled does a fantastic job at capturing youth digital culture. The very basis of this film surrounds an app that seems like a must-have, but later turns into a must-be-stopped. With plenty of creepy scenes and a devilish voice crackling through mobile devices, Bedeviled is perfectly entertaining, even if a little silly. This film feels fresh thanks to its pairing of teenagers' attachment and need for their phone at all times and a demon that comes along with it.

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4. Kairo (Pulse)

Kairo, a Japanese horror film that finds a number of victims battling an internet ghost, is a well-regarded classic. It's a slow-burning, dual-storyline flick that was one of the first digital horror movies of its kind. With a fantastic soundtrack, dreadfully tense moments and effective acting all make for a film that Is really well put together, even if early-2000 visuals run rampant in Kairo, taking away some of its power. But, despite this hurdle, Kairo is still scary - scary enough to watch now, even If our computers are very different and the impact of some of the more special effects are antiquated.

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3. The Den 

In The Den a young researcher's social experiment goes horribly wrong when she witnesses a murder on an online video chat room. In doing so, she unbeknown to her becomes the killer's next target. Easily one of the scarier found-footage films to come out of the modern era, The Den is intensely grounded, ensuring a terrifying time for those who live alone. The Den use of idle time spent with digital strangers to instill fear and it’s very effective.

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2. Ringu/The Ring

The Ring was all the rage when it was released. One of those Asian-import remakes that managed to capture at least some of the original's fantastic horrors. Easily one of the most iconic horror films of all time with a ghoulish figure that has been recreated over and over, Ringu and The Ring are certainly classics. Each features the ghastly Samara who kills her victims seven days after they see a disturbing VHS tape. Later adapted for the more modern era, but better left in the day of VHS shelves, this franchise is deservedly a forefather of technological horror.

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1. Sinister

While Ringu and The Ring are often considered the best of the best when it comes to horrific technology, it's hard to argue the deeply disturbing effectiveness of Bagul moving through pictures and video tapes. Sure, Ringu is a classic, but it continues to age and in a world where VHS isn't even accessible to most, it feels dated. Even with the follow up Rings, the magic seems almost lifted from these terrifying horror films. But, what has yet to be effected by time is the continually scary Sinister. More transcendent of time than The Ring franchise, the evil demon at the center of Sinister needs only images of himself to move among worlds - something that works especially well in homes filled with screens. From laptop images to pictographs to moving videos, Bagul can visibly stand the test of time and could continue to do so in theaters, even if its lackluster sequel underwhelmed.

Best in Show: Digital Damnation (Pt. I of II)

As new technologies come forward, older generations seem more and more troubled by these progressive inventions. From fears of robot domination to unnerving sources of knowledge in phones, the real life horror of some advances is mostly overreaction. But, in the horror industry, the digital era comes with a bed full of terrifying possibilities to strike fear in viewers. From VHS tapes to Skype, filmmakers have plenty of options to terrify audiences of every age. Unfortunately, some of these films just can't capture terror. But, while movies like The Circle failed to make an impact, others like those on this week's list can stun and scare. These movies use current, real-life technology to make audiences afraid of their computers, media players and phones. They're not quite as futuristic as say, I, Robot, but that's what makes them even more haunting - they could (probably not, though) happen.

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10. Friend Request

The constantly to-be-released Friend Request isn't the scariest film, but it does a lot for the digital era of horror. Featuring some predictable, but good scares on Facebook and a curse caused by a mysterious and troubled Facebook friend and classmate, Friend Request makes the most of its mostly unfortunate lines of dialogue and subpar plot. One jump scare in particular is especially fantastic - so fantastic in fact, that it could elevate the film to slightly above average, rather than mediocrely watchable.

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9. Like.Share.Follow

Part teen drama, part horror film, this new horror film doesn't break any ground, but it does a lot to pass the time. Exploring obsessive internet stardom and the way in which young people become obsessed with internet-famous stars, Like.Share.Follow. follows a stalker who becomes far too attached to a charming Youtuber. As the film progresses, nothing quite unpredictable happens, but for those searching for a more relevant and grounded film, this one's it. It's a dark and scary spiral to mediocre insanity - but it’s worth every second thanks to Keiynan Lonsdale (Dance Academy: The Movie) who's charisma all but carries the film on his back.

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8. Ratter

Could strangers - and the government - be watching us through our laptop webcams? The jury is still out on that one, but in Ratter it takes this idea as fact and runs far with it. Make no mistake, this film, which follows a young woman who moved to New York City for school and later encounters a stalker, is a dreadfully slow burn. With nearly all the movie playing out with increasingly suspicious moments, the terrifying encounter with the stalker is dark and disturbing. Ratter is a home invasion flick where the invader is almost entirely on the outside of the home.

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7. Stay Alive

Horror video games have their own special place in genre fans' hearts. For years, their existence has pushed boundaries, terrified players and made the horror experience more immersive and interactive. But, what happens when a horror game transcends into real life? That's the premise of 2006's Stay Alive. While somewhat dated, this entertaining and intriguing horror film found a group of friends attempting to outlast their characters in a video game with real world consequences. The premise of dying in a game and in turn, actually dying isn't necessarily the most groundbreaking, but it is creative. Like Jumanji for teens, Stay Alive is crazed and unrealistic, but deeply terrifying.

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6. Unfriended

The surprise hit that is Unfriended was pretty revolutionary given that it takes place entirely on computer screens. The fact that it pushed the genre in a new, exciting direction and was able to create real scares and enough steam to impress audiences is shocking, but not undeserved. While it's hard to believe audiences paid to go to a theater to look at a computer screen, it’s not so hard to see why this movie was successful. In the digital era it represented so much of youth culture and the virality of online content. It showed consequences, that, while outlandish, were terrifying and carried quite the anti-bullying message.

Review: Bedeviled

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Netflix can be a great place to find horror films to watch. But, among the typical favorites there's a lot more that's better left unseen. Films that are so mediocre it feels weird that they'd even be offered. Thankfully, this isn't the case with the easy-to-watch addition of Bedeviled; a movie that, like Unfriended and Friend Request pairs modern technology with horror.

Very much like an extended short, this breezy teen horror flick follows a group of teens in the digital age who download an app similar to Siri. However, unlike the helpfulness of the Apple AI, Mr. Bedevil has far more sinister and tricky intentions. After the death of a friend, the group she was a part of soon attempts to figure out what happened and uncovers way more than they bargained for. Its pinnacle teen horror and definitely entertaining, if nothing else.

Bedeviled is directed and written by Abel and Burlee Vang (Sentient). It stars Saxon Sharbino (American Vandal) as Alice, Mitchell Edwards (Dismissed) as Cody, Alexis G. Zall (Ouija: Origin of Evil) as Nikki, Victory Van Tuyl (Castle) as Haley and Brandon Soo Hoo (Ender's Game) as Dan. Each of the young stars is fantastic playing young phone-obsessed, yet relatively in-depth teens.  The true standout is naturally the central character, played by Sharbino, but in whole these youthful stars seem willing and able to invest in the sometimes cheesy characters that come from teen horror in a way that is refreshing and determined.

Brimming with effective jump scares and camera work similar to films like The Conjuring, Bedeviled isn't the most original or ground breaking, but it is pure fun. And, while it does suffer from some of the glossy any-town finish that seems to always come with teen horror, the youth-charged film is able to surpass expectations and thus, excite audiences. There's just something compelling about this movie that gets more things right than it does wrong. It captures the issues of high school while also steering clear of straight up melodrama and even when it gets a little tedious, it's quickly wound back to a good scare.

Bedeviled won't win over non-horror fans. But, in a world saturated by some truly awful choices, genre enthusiasts should find plenty to hold them over. The cast is great in their roles, the main antagonist is creepy and the jump scares, while somewhat predicable, succeed through creepy voices, jittering limbs and aggressive chase. Bedeviled doesn't try to recreate the wheel but it certainly keeps it greasy-quick. 7 out 10.

 

Review: Totem

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Is teen horror making a comeback? It certainly seems like it. For quite some time, this subgenre has burned out slowly; most notably with the crash and burning of the glossy, mediocre and boring Ouija. But, with films like Wish Upon and Amityville: The Awakening, it looks as if were in a renaissance. But, while film makers turn back toward these films, the question remains: will audiences be willing to stick around and watch? Totem would suggest that the answer is no.


Released by Cinemax and already in the peripheral of 2017's more impressive releases, Totem follows a teenager with a creepy relationship with her father, who in turn must protect them from a supernatural force that invades the house when the father's new girlfriend moves in. If the premise sounds unoriginal, it's because it mostly is. But if only to exasperate the film's flaws, the movie's eventual reveal and overall execution are equally as poor and unoriginal as the premise.


Totem stars Kerris Dorsey (Ray Donovan) as daughter/sister-turner-caretaker, Kellie, Ahna O'Reilly (The Help) as the dismantling newcomer, Robin, James Tupper (Revenge) as the father and Lia McHugh (Hot Summer Nights) as Kellie's sister. Across the board, each is equally tepid in their role. McHugh is somewhat more acceptable as the oddball youngster with little understanding, but outside of that, this cast sloppily fills the roles in a way that makes them seem tacked onto the project. Dorsey looks to be having fun in her chaotic role but her relationships between the other characters are unanimously cringe and Tupper, while making a valiant effort to create a dad whose try his best, never seems to have any real empathy or depth.


Narratively, Totem is a sloppy. Whether it’s the lack of commitment to character development or the lack of a consistent villain, there are just too many inconsistencies. What begins as a supernatural flick diverges into a crazed slasher far too late, Kellie's sister is odd but no one quite ever figures out how or why exactly. Instead it’s mentioned frequently, but only in passing, and Robin is maybe younger than the father but it’s never laid out fully how big the age difference is or what exactly the problem is.


The biggest flaw of all is how plainly boring Totem is. There isn't a single moment of tension, a single half-heartedly thrown in laugh or even a character that's worth rooting for. Totem has a lot of things working against it and does little to push forward. It's difficult to say Totem deserves to go unseen but, in a landscape with far better movies, the small release of it is completely warranted. 3 out 10.

Review: Better Watch Out

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At what point is it too early for the holidays to consume our lives? This is a question asked by people across the United States almost immediately after Halloween. The Christmas creep - that quickly expanding period of time at which commercial winter takes over retailers across the country - is officially upon us. So then the question becomes for horror fans specifically: what can we watch to join in the festivities? Sure there's a few great holiday horror films out there (they'll get a list of their own in December), but for fans looking for movies that are just casually Christmas themed, options are limited. Which makes the release of the wild Better Watch Out even greater.


A Christmas film at its core, but one that could transpire at any point in time, Better Watch Out follows a babysitter who must protect her charges during a home invasion. Without giving much away, this film isn't what you'd expect and the twist in the story accelerates the film's tension and its quality. Better Watch Out stars Olivia DeJonge (The Visit) and Levi Miller (Pan). It also features supporting roles for Ed Oxenbould (The Visit) and Aleks Mikic (Secret City).


The standout of the film is undeniably Miller who portrays the seemingly innocent and somewhat immature Luke, a kid just beneath where he could viably watch himself. Then there is DeJonge who especially impressive as the young babysitter prepared to move into a new chapter of her life and Oxenbound who plays the whinier friend of Luke well. If it had been said that the young stars of The Visit would break out into absolute horror stardom, it probably wouldn't have been that surprising. But, it doesn't take away from their fantastic turns in this new film.


Better Watch Out is bonkers. While not necessarily scary, there is a plethora of entertaining scenes, dialogue and of course, deaths. There is a youthful atmosphere to this film that recent releases like The Babysitter attempted to capture but with shakier results. Each character is visibly having fun in their roles and it makes the movie a joy to watch. Better Watch Out plays out a twisted and swerving plot that never lets up. It's entertaining, gory and offers a feast for the eyes. 


No one needs to wait until Christmastime to see Better Watch Out. Even with its terrific overflow of string lights and gaudy decorations, the furnishings of this film are blissful background to fantastic characters and an insane story. There's no shortage of jovial fun, but it's also just a really effective thriller with a young and vivacious cast. Better Watch Out glows brighter than all of the colorful lights that adorn its setting. 8 out 10.

Best in Show: Thanksgiving Horror (Part II of II)

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5. The Awakening
In horror, the proper atmosphere can go a long way. This is why a film like The Awakening is so incredible. Dull and hazy, this movie is chilling. The Awakening is cold. It's the type of film that features a world where every single character is unwaveringly chilly. Even the ending does little to satisfy the onslaught of breezy dread that'll make audiences want to curl into a ball. Like so many movies on this list, there are no warm inviting evenings or cold, but comfy nights.



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4. Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County
When the original The McPherson Tape - later remade as the larger budget, Alien Abduction: Incident of Lake County - first came out, it was met with the type of fervor a real life unexplainable experience might have. People watching thought what was happening in the movie was true and although it's aged a bit, the horror remains just as terrifying. A mockumentary with plenty of steam in its engines, this movie follows a family settling in on a Thanksgiving dinner when an electric outage leads to the uncovering of a UFO. Filled with terror, the Thanksgiving dinner quickly becomes absolutely horrific chaos.





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3. The Visit

Despite the snow on the ground, there's something very Thanksgiving-esque about The Visit and its kitschy setting. Without direct mentions to any holiday seasons, viewers can easily settle in to a film that is most definitely set outside of Christmas or Chanukah. With mostly warm grandparents, foods baking in the oven and sweaters galore, The Visit has this familiar and cozy atmosphere - even if the eventual reveal is everything but. The Visit is sometimes comical, sometimes tense and in the beginning, very homey, making it the perfect movie to curl up around and watch.

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2. Kristy

Explicitly set during a college's Thanksgiving vacation, the indie slasher, Kristy, has never gotten the love it deserves. Spooky, dimly lit and incredibly ferocious, this film follows a student who decides to stay back on campus while most students go home. From empty corridors to entirely empty buildings, the film's isolation is something completely opposite of typical Thanksgivings. But, it's spot on this list is more because of the fact that it’s a great movie that is specifically set during Thanksgiving, even featuring its own very college dinner.

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1. The Witch

Want to feel like Thanksgiving is upon us?Watch The Witch. Easily one of the most iconic horror movies of the modern era, this period piece seems destined for November viewing. Inclement, grey weather, the constant threat of winter and the colonial characters are sure to immerse audiences in a world where a Thanksgiving feast is absolutely necessary but absent. The Witch is a stunning film; whether you're a fan of horror or otherwise, yet its best reserved for a time after Halloween when winter is upon us and stomachs crave turkey and corn.

Best in Show: Thanksgiving Horror (Part I of II)

Despite the horror of spending time with extended family around a table filled with food, Thanksgiving has remained a relatively untouched topic in horror. Sure, some films do touch on it and one, rather obnoxious killer turkey film (Thankskilling) is out there to enjoy (?), but pickings are slim. So what separates this list from any other fall horror list, well the films that made it on our Thanksgiving Horror countdown are movies that are either directly related to the pilgrim holiday or help set up the cold winter ahead. They're brooding, dark films lit by candles and backed by transitioning weather.

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10. Boogeyman

Boogeyman isn't a great movie, but it's one of those films that is actually set around Thanksgiving, warranting tis inclusion on this list. Unlike outwardly bad films like the aforementioned Thankskilling, there is real potential with this film. While it is otherwise wasted on cheap jump scares and quickly aging plot devices and tension, this ghoulish story does provide some sense of nostalgia for typical mid-2000s horror. Currently in a bit of a dark ages, these movies may be reflected on fondly in years to come for their cheap tricks and cracked acting.

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9. Hush 
Is Hush about Thanksgiving? Is it even about a family? No and no. But, what it is is a movie that finds a young woman, staying warm in otherwise cold weather, hunted by a man in a hat and jacket. The cold evening is obvious in this one and will chill you to the bone. Like many of the movies on this list, it's a bit of a stretch but in the world of autumnal movies, this one is definitely set later in the year. There are no warm oranges or nights in a sweater y a campfire. It's clearly not winter, but it's most definitely not before Halloween.

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8. The Village

There are plenty of reasons to have qualms with The Village. Critically panned and relatively predictable, the one thing this M. Night Shyamalan film gets right is it’s deeply fall atmosphere. The small, cut off town at the center of this movie is deeply unnerving, but also extremely communal; something those hesitant to celebrate Thanksgiving will resonate with.

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7. Shelley

An IFC Midnight original, Shelley is a prenatal Danish horror movie featuring plenty of warm flickering lights and chilled woods. Set in a remote cabin, Elena is tasked with being a live in maid for a couple with sinister intentions. Easily one of the more underrate films of the last few years, Shelley is a sleepy and bone-cold movie that'll leave viewers deeply unsettled. Definitely more of a late-fall movie than a spooky Halloween flick, Shelley may not feature a feast, but it does feature enough transitional climate to make the perfect film to watch on Thanksgiving.

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6. Howl

There's something very cold and distant about this indie werewolf flick. Filled with dark scenery, Howl is a British horror film that takes place entirely on a train. The exterior shots are rainy and dense fog continuously rolls through. Add on the brooding forest surrounding the stranded and jacketed passengers and this movie's tone is undeniably chilled. But, unlike wintery films featuring characters trotting away from dangers in the snow, these victims can all run - that is, if they don't get caught first.

Review: Super Dark Times

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In a landscape of ghouls, ghosts and aliens, sometimes thrillers featuring ultrarealistic horrors can be overlooked. Movies like We Need to Talk about Kevin are deeply disturbing because of the actual accounts they've pulled inspiration from and the possibility of its terrifying plot happening to you or someone you know. Others like The Gift or The Invitation are a little more outlandish, but also ground themselves in scares that feel authentically human. Similar to these is the indie master class in tension, Super Dark Times.

Easily one of the most impressive thriller releases in years, Super Dark Times is a sinister coming-of-age film following a group of friends covering up the accidental stabbing of one of their friends. As each are experiencing all that comes with being a teenager, they increasingly become unhinged in an attempt to maintain some sense of normality. Super Dark Times stars Owen Campbell (As You Are) Zach, Charlie Tahan (Charlie St. Cloud) as Zach's more introverted best friend, Josh, Elizabeth Cappuccino (Jessica Jones) as Zach's love interest, Allison, and Max Talisman (Children of Ether) and Sawyer Barth (Public Morals) as aryl and Charlie.


Campbell is especially effective given his trotted territory of coming-of-age films like the lighter Perks of Being a Wallflower. He conveys a sense of burdened youth that is truly compelling to watch. But, the others are nearly as fantastic. Tahan's ability to present a struggling young person and Talisman's purposeful annoyingness are all well thought out and executed. Then there's Barth who's younger character is also one of the film's most strong-willed.


As the movie plays out with its fantastic cinematography and camera work, viewers can expect to be enveloped in this grim world of hazy tones and New York suburbia. The tense atmosphere culminates to an impending dread and while there are no big surprises here, the terrifying intrigue never dies down. Everyone knows this movie won't have a happy ending because, unlike pure fiction, the grounded story of Super Dark Times suggests that everyone - no matter their intentions - pays for their actions and choices.


Super Dark Times is a brooding and terribly dismantling film. It's disturbing plot, reminiscent of the violence acted out among youth in real life, hits close to home. It's beautifully shot, filled with tension and ends with the type of foresighted explosion that still doesn't take any of the punch away. Like so many movies before it, Super Dark Times wants you to know what's going to happen, but makes it more disturbing than originally thought. 8 out of 10.