I wish you a happy Halloween, some great cinema fright fests and spooky decorations galore.
For personal reasons, this Halloween season is not happy for me. I do not feel like sharing the specifics, but there have been scares and worries that I had never expected and that I could never imagine. Things are thankfully getting better now, but I cannot help feeling sad at the randomness of hardship that sometimes comes our way and that can be the most excruciating punch in the gut.
Writing has always been my passion, joy, comfort and salvation. This time is no different, so I thought that I would tell you about some of my recent and upcoming horror choices, as well as offer some recommendations.
Last horror film watched: No One Will Save You
Next horror film to watch: The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Top five horror films to see:
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Willow Creek
Lake Effect
Evidence
Afraid
Here are some recommendations, in case you find yourself in need of chills:
Duel
A
petrifying classic that Steven Spielberg made when he was only 24, this
breathless road thriller creates a monster out of a truck chasing the
hapless salesman played by Dennis Weaver, who cannot seem to be able to
shake his pursuer.
The Shining
An
adaptation of Stephen King's novel about a writer's descent into
madness, this movie boasts an ominous ambiance and fantastic acting by
Jack Nicholson and the late and great Shelley Duvall.
The Invisible Man (2020)
A
new perspective on the classic story by H. G. Wells, this Leigh
Whannell chiller offers great acting, subtle scares, an oppressive
atmosphere and some cool surprises. The opening scene alone is worth the
price of admission.
Barbarian
This
Zach Cregger debut tells the story of a woman about to share a rental
home with a complete stranger. There is nothing else that you need to
know before watching. Nerve-shredding scares and twists abound in this
tale of humanity at its worst.
Abigail
If
you like your horror with a dash of dark humor and blood by the bucket,
check out this new addition to the vampire sub-genre. The stacked cast
includes Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens and Giancarlo Esposito, and the
movie features a star-making performance by the effervescent Alisha
Weir.
Man Vs.
When
a survivalist is dropped into remote wilderness to film a new episode
of his show, he soon finds out that the rugged terrain is not the only
thing that he will have to survive. Blending horror with science
fiction, this Adam Massey movie is a showcase for some gorgeous shots of Ontario
and gives us a particularly clever creature antagonist.