Film, life and everything in between

Friday, October 25, 2024

Happy Halloween

                                       Halloween Stock Photos, Royalty Free Halloween Images | Depositphotos

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.