Okay, it's time for my annual 2024 Horror Media Watchlist, so without further ado --
Late Night with the Devil
Kind of a slow start to the year, but Lisa Frankenstein starts off strong as a really fun romp through 80s horror and teen flick nostalgia. Absolutely loved this one, and was surprisingly boundary-pushing for a pg-13 horror comedy.
I had an alright time with Late Night with the Devil and its recreation of that era of television was genuinely impressive but the pacing felt very strange in the last third, as it seemed to me like we kind of jumped straight to a conclusion. Still definitely a good film though and worth a watch. Also, the whole use of AI thing sucks too, found out about it after watching and ethics aside, it just kind of looks bad.
Abigail was phenomenal as usual for Radio Silence. It was campy, but still had some stuff to say about second chances and parenthood. The setting was exquisite and felt so lived-in. It was somehow both terrifying and cozy. It was definitely a mood.
Melissa Barrera was fantastic as Joey, there's a really incredible dance sequence/possession sequence set to a Danzig song that's just so perfect. Kevin Durand is funny af, and Dan Stevens is a madman as usual. What I'm saying is, this is my top spot.
Exhuma was pretty solid, not expecting it to be so overtly political (not to say horror, or even art isn't inherently political, but this film feels pretty nationalist, especially in the back half)
Absolutely loved the theme of taking back land from colonizers/wealthy, etc. It did feel a bit like the villain lost a bit of intensity in the final confrontation. (Their first experience, where you just see a looming seven foot tall figure was quite intense)
Not sure if I'd place it higher than The Wailing or The Handmaiden for examples but solid entry into the Korean Horror canon.
The First Omen was a lot better than I expected, mostly because I had no expectations for an Omen movie in 2024. It's got a really cool 70s grit melded with a modern flair that just kind of works. There's some really nice candle-lit scenes that were impeccable. The themes of bodily autonomy were predictable, but well-executed. Pretty darn solid.
Lovely, Dark, & Deep was a pretty good folk/cosmic horror that uses shallow focus way better than Army of the Dead ever did. I liked Georgina Campbell's performance and I loved the scenic shots in this movie. It reminded me a lot of Spring and The Battery and how those movies could look just so peaceful despite the horrors.
Lumberjack the Monster may be the most grounded Takashi Miike film I've seen in ages. It's also a pretty fascinating exploration of the hypothetical scenario of psychopaths bearing the weight of their guilt by finally being able to empathize and how that would play out. It also in a broader sense explores the prevalence of clinical psychopaths in society which is uh, a real problem. There's a line that stuck out to me based on the Hypocrisy of the character, and it was something like "judge me based on my actions, not my personality" and yeah, they were right, but also this character was indeed morally bankrupt. I think it may have been used as a 'broken clock is right twice a day' sort of moment. Anyway, this is all to say, it was an interesting movie with interesting questions without any easy answers.
Lowlifes was great up until the ending which I felt was unearned. I understand that the intention was clearly to upend expectations, but wouldn't it be a bigger shock if the poor rural folks were trusted by the authorities? I thought it was going to be a cool 'working class folks defeat symbol of their oppression' kind of story but it seemed the twists were mostly just for shock value. Still a great movie up to that point but I think your mileage may vary depending on how you interpret/feel about that ending.
I quite liked Blackout despite it's admittedly obvious low budget. It's thematic depth and gore wasn't half bad. I also thought it was a genuinely neat idea to use lycanthropy as metaphor for alcohol addiction (note the liquor consumed every time he 'blacks out' / 'becomes a monster'). The social commentary was a bit more direct/ham-fisted but I didn't hate it.
Here for Blood was just delightful, campy dumb fun. It's basically Evil Dead with a wrestler protagonist. There's at least a handful of really good gags with some solid mileage.
At the time I'm writing this Alien Romulus is probably tied for my personal top spot even with the iffyness around Rook (I understand Fede Alvarez reached out to Ian Holm's family, I also know his family and friends said he would've loved it and it honours his place in the franchise, it's just really distracting ya know?)
It's easily the best after Alien and Aliens even with that blemish - the themes around immigration under capitalism/bureaucracy is a strong one and an angle not really explored yet in the series, it's cool seeing the coal miners and the really bottom rungs of Weyland-Yutani society and how they struggle. At least Ripley was part of a flight crew. Also Rain and Andy (especially Andy) are interesting new characters and give stellar performances and that ending did the impossible and made me feel like Prometheus maybe sort of belongs with the rest of the franchise. I'm excited to see where they take it next.
Maxxxine was a pretty solid closer, but I think Pearl edges it out. It just had a bit of funky pacing, and pulled its punches more than I expected. The ending though was pretty rad, coalescing around the series-long theme of fantasy encroaching on reality and addiction. Spoilers ahead: In X and Pearl, Maxine and Pearl's pursuit of fame is the fantasy they're trying to make reality, and Maxine's coke addiction reflects her obsession with stardom. It does much the same here in Maxine's finale where she has two dream sequences. I think the first implies she feels she doesn't deserve the fame as she sins and executes her (admittedly murderous cult leader) father saying her father's mantra of 'a life I don't deserve' after imagining an absurdly large premiere for her B-movie. The second is right after she completes her film, and I think it's meant to be her realizing that stardom/fame is a high she'll be constantly chasing to fleeting returns like her coke (she does one more bump in her trailer right before wrapping filming), the pertinent line here is 'I just wish it would never end'.
Oddity was fun, and a pretty good slowburn. I just wanted more use of the cursed items. The film teases us with a menagerie of Darcy's oddities but we only see her use two in her revenge plot. Those two items of course have exceedingly creepy results but it's still a smaller payoff than what I had hoped for.
Infested scared the shit out of me, and I would not reccomend it to fellow arachnaphobes. That said it is a good film. There's a clear, if blunt allegory here around bigotry (infested are the spiders but they're also the residents of this public housing complex). There's a standout terrying sequence involving a chase, a crank flashlight and some massive fucking spiders. I felt my chest tighten during this whole scene (well I mean during the entire movie really)
In a Violent Nature was really quite good, and was a more palatable piece of experimental filmmaking compared to last year's Skinamarink. The central conceit this time is what if we followed the slasher's perspective in a slasher film? Also the ending of this one was very fascinating so...more spoilers! Our final girl is rescued by a passing trucker who tells a story of her brother being attacked by a wild 'bear' in these woods and how sometimes animals don't really have a reason for what they do, basically comparing Johnny to the brutality of nature itself. The entire time our trope-focused brains are expecting a jump-scare that never comes, essentially putting us into the traumatized shoes of this poor final girl. Johnny also subverting expectations seemingly does rest after completing his quest for the necklace, and doesn't pop out for any final surprise showdown. Leaving it ambiguous as to whether he's simply a brutish force of nature or has some level of acuity to him.
Well, Longlegs is emerging in the top 3 with Romulus and Abigail. Longlegs starts off as a grimy 90s set detective thriller (something like Seven, or Silence of the Lambs) but quickly morphs into something with far more 'legs (bad joke I know). That initial act, is supposed to set you up to shock you when supernatural elements start coming into play, but there's enough weirdness early on to mitigate the tonal shift. In the best possible way, this feels like a big budget X-Files or Twin Peaks episode. Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt and Nicolas Cage all give committed fascinating performances. The depth of the acting is equally matched by the thematic depth of the story, parental-child conflict that's just so juicy. Lee's mom in particular is interesting in how she feels justified in doing what she does to 'protect' Lee. T-Rex rules, this movie rules, and there's a solid undercurrent of dark comedy.
So I'm going to tackle Terrifier 1-3 as one entry as it's an entire series I watched this year. Terrifier 1 I'd say was mediocre outside of David Howard Thorton as Art himself who was menacing and hilarious in equal measure, sometimes within the same scene. Besides that though, the plot was relatively non-existent and it lacked much in terms of character. Victoria, at least in this outing, was barely a character let alone a compelling final girl. The second movie however improves upon these weaknesses while keeping the good. This one actually had a pretty great, fantasy infused, sometimes surrealist story about a demon clown versus a prophesized maybe Nephilim figure in Sienna. Her brother, Johnathan, is also a sympathetic figure and is sort of representative of young men who are struggling silently with mental health, as authority figures constantly ignore his honest pleas for help throughout the movie. Both Sienna and Johnathan are also grappling with the loss of a loved one in their apparently mentally unstable father (who may have had visions of Sienna's ascension as an angelic figure to thwart Art), and adds to this theme or perhaps I'm giving the film too much credit. Regardless, this was a far more balanced, and enjoyable entry. Terrifier 3, finally, keeps up the higher quality y of 2, while dialing back a bit on the fantasy and bringing back some of the grit of the first film. Tonally, this is maybe the best of the bunch and you can clearly see Leone's improvement as a filmmaker across the series. Despite maybe his biggest flaw, that being not perhaps the best at editing and cutting down scenes, still being present. I also really enjoyed Sienna's battle with PTSD from the last film (and honestly just continue to dig her as a character, she's definitely one the better modern final girls we've had).
Speaking of Terrifier, I also watched Stream. While not directed by Damien Leone, it did have his VFX work in it for the kills. There's not much to speak to in terms of the plot, and is in many ways, a no frills slasher film but it is that back to basics approach that works in its favour. It also has like Wishmaster before it, a stacked cast of horror royalty including Jeffrey Combs, Danielle Harris, Tony Todd and more. I did really love the setting of a hotel locked down for a murder stream, as it works effectively as a thematically peaceful location thrown into turmoil.
Salem's Lot was really not good. I DNF it about thirty minutes in. The only enjoyable part of it was the giallo-inspired lighting which was admittedly a cool choice but when the characters, the mood, the setting, etc. all feel incredibly hallow then it doesn't really matter all that much.
VHS Beyond was another great entry in a series that's been on a hell of a run since VHS '94. This time, the shorts are all centered around science fiction concepts. For me, my favourites were easily the opening action horror segment with the monster hunting SWAT team, and the plane crash set-piece. That was truly unreal given the limitations these films generally set on themselves.
The Substance is the true heir to the Cronenberg body horrors of yore. Demi Moore gives a heartbreaking performance, the effects are insane, the plot even more insane. The scene with the reflection in the door knob is tragic and horrifying and will stick with me. Goddamn this movie was good.
2024's Nosferatu film was maybe Robert Eggers best yet. The new prologue, and the additional themes make it more of a tale of a survivor confronting the looming shadow of their childhood abuser. The attention to historical accuracy and detail, like all of Eggers films, was appreciated and left us with a very unique take on Orlok. The use of shallow focus, muted colours and candle lighting in a number of scenes worked wonders for making this an extremely atmospheric film. There were scenes I wanted framed in my house. This movie is gorgeous. Additionally the cast kills it. Just absolutely demolishes their roles, in particular Nicholas Hoult and LIly Rose-Depp. Their performances are a wild mixture of love, shame, grief, and rage and it's a wonder to watch.
Gamera : Guardian of the Universe
The Witch Part 1: Subversion
Thanksgiving was a really fun whodunnit slasher and definitely a more accessible Eli Roth film than his usual fare. Still has some punches of brutal gore spread throughout though.
The Exorcist 3 has a lot of dialogue but so much of it is so captivating that a scene can go by with nary a scare and you'll still be entertained by the performances.
Watcher by Chloe Okuno was a bit of a sleeper hit for me. It was pretty much a riff on Rear Window, but was actually up to the task. A taut thriller, with another really great Maika Munroe role.
The Night House may be my new favourite David Bruckner directed feature, and holy shit that Rebecca Hall performance? Unreal
I did really enjoy Jennifer's Body but perhaps it's because I saw it first but as far as Diablo Cody-written films go, I did prefer Lisa Frankenstein. There was still quite a bit to enjoy here. The comedy did feel a little crueler though, which depending on your mood can be good or bad. I think I was just in the mood for something a bit lighter and was taken off-guard by how much was surprisingly poignant in this film. Great movie regardless.
Beau is Afraid was an incredibly indulgent, surrealist horror that was perhaps the most anxious film I've ever seen. Deeply upsetting and unsettling, this was yet another Ari Aster joint. Is it his best? Maybe not, but it's absolutely worth watching.
I finally got around to watching The Collector/Collection series and it did not disappoint. It's a bit darker and came in the wake of Saw, but unlike that franchise hasn't overstayed its welcome. Both entries are solid, and a bit more campy/fun. This series also gives you a well-developed, fun protagonist to follow in Arkin. Even if we never get a third entry, the two films that are here are great. The first is basically a cat-and-mouse tense duel between Arkin whose robbing a house to pay off his famlily's debts and the serial killer occupying it the same night. The second follows a rescue operation meant to free one of The Collector's victims, and Arkin is brought along as their guide. Keep in mind though if you check this one out there's a trigger warning around animal death. I was able to handle it mostly due to the absurdity of it (acid death, the cat was pretty obviously a puppet prop, dog exploded into giblets) but it is intended to be a bit darker than something like say, Malignant.
Frankenstein's Army was pretty rad and had just a treasure trove of great practical effects. The creatures are really inventive here and are more or less the star of the show in an otherwise relatively conventionally structured found footage movie.
Lord of Illusion is another fun Clive Barker film, like Nightbreed, but with a detective played by the incredible Scott Bakula in pursuit of a case involving an illusionist, the illusionist's wife and a cult in the desert. Like all Barker films and stories, it's weird, the good kind of weird and has some really fun vibes. I mean, it's a seedy underbelly society of wizards? What's not to love.
Terrifier 1 and 2 I already discussed above so we'll skip over those here.
Urban Legend is another great slasher from the 90s that came in the wake of Scream. Interestingly I watched it around when I saw Stream and like that film it's clearly a love letter to the genre as it features both Robert Englund and Brad Douriff and both are great in their all too brief appearances. The film is a very fun whodunnit with murders planned around famous urban legends like 'the person in the backseat' or some sort of hanging one I've never heard of. The cast is pretty great and understand the assignment, and it's definitely a solid contender in the same league as say, I Know what you did last summer.
I liked but didn't love Don't Look Now as while the performances were exceptional and Donald Sutherland is exceptional as always, and the film has great tension. It felt a little padded out to me, or I just did not feel out the pacing as well as I would've liked. Still, a really intriguing film though, and that image of the raincoat was very striking. Definitely recommend it for Sutherland though as he makes for an excellent father trapped in his grief.
Bride of Frankenstein was somehow even better than the first film, despite only really being the latter half of the novel and a few additions. Those additions are quite interesting though because Dr. Pretorius puts a mirror up to the good Dr. himself, and illustrates that while Henry may have had folly in creating life, he had something of a moral code, and a sense of some ethics. Pretorius, meanwhile, is more than willing to manipulate everyone given his "my one weakness" speeches. That ending is heartbreaking and moving, wow.
Nosferatu (1922) holds up better than Dracula '31 which I feel isn't a hot take but maybe mild at best. It had a larger influence on cinema as a whole I think. The rising out of the coffin sequence is iconic.
Night of the Hunter is elevated by Robert Mitchum's terrifying preacher serial killer and its dreamlike atmosphere. It's dark fairytale stylings almost remind me of a Del Toro film if it were maybe decades ago. The child actors also do a surprisingly convincing job for what they had to do. The basement scene will be etched into my brain for a LONG time.
Cure is a haunting mystery-thriller in a similar vein to Silence of the Lambs with a bit more of an occultist lean. Kurosawa's use of long, tracking shots gives the film a bit of a patient, meditative feel which works in contrast to our explosive protagonist. Like it's antagonist, the film's dialogue can have a hypnotizing quality to it and the film lingers in the mind long after.
True Detective : NIght Country
SurrealEstate is a low budget Canadian series about a realtor who sells haunted houses genrally dealing with the spirits haunting said abode. It's got a case-of-the-week structure but generally serves well above it's punching weight. It doesn't hurt that a fair number of episodes in both seasons have been directed by Danishka Esterhazy, the director behind the Banana Splits movie, and the Slumber Party Massacre remake, both pretty fun B-horror projects.
True Detective : Night Country is absolutely incredible, blogged about it already but I really loved Issa Lopez's direction and the story's use of magical realism and surrealism.
Parasyte: The Gray expands the manga/anime franchise to a concurrent invasion taking place in Korea. Tonally and thematically, they nailed it.
In particular, that second novella is incredible. It's subversive ending was truly devastating and left me thinking about it long after. But both are fantastic slices of cosmic horror.
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
I seen one person online describe The Hollow Places as 'The Gilmore Girls meets horror' and I'm pretty sure they meant it in a reductive way but that's fuckin' awesome.
Signalis is games as art in the best way, it is beautiful and moving and horrifying in ways that are unimaginable. On my first playthrough I got the 'Promise' ending which I felt was a brutal but beautiful ending given the dystopian setting. Also, hell of a romantic story. I've said this before in relation to films like Shape of Water and Spring, but horror and romance pair together better than you might think.
Withering Rooms released into 1.0 this year, and oh boy, this game is one of those types that at one point only existed in the mind of an overly excitable fan of the genre. It borrows essentially the best parts of Clock Tower, Dark Souls, Castlevania, Silent Hill, and roguelikes and somehow becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Incredibly, it feels both nostalgic and fresh at the same time and this OST is batting way above average. This might be my personal game of the year.
Crow Country is incredible, and makes for a great survival horror entry point. Some really cool environmental themes and world-building that go in truly unique directions. As a bonus, the chunky block people made the ol' brain-box think of Final Fantasy 7 and it felt weirdly cozy for a horror game.
Definitely didn't expect to add Anodyne to the year-end rap-up when I started playing it. I didn't know that this cute looking Zelda clone had so much surreal horror. There's bosses experiencing suicidal ideation and Youngtown seems to be an expression of violent thoughts. I get the game seems to be some commentary on grief/trauma/depression of some kind, but does anyone else feel the line about something from the stars towards the end + all the talk about The Seeing One seem to imply some eldritch horror? or is it just me. I think something can be an allegory and have a more direct plot going on at the same time. This game was a total blast for the 9 or so hours it took to beat.
Okay, while I don't have a fully rounded perspective on Still Wakes the Deep as I haven't finished it yet, what I have played has been wonderful. It's somewhat of a walking sim, with a bit more gameplay. Namely a number of stealth segments -- the game manages to be quite tense and horrifying. It's basically Scottish The Thing, and boy what a fun premise that is. There seems to be a number of themes of corporate overreach, and environmental damage -- the implicit creatures being some sort of response to these actions, and I'm a sucker for pro-worker themes so I think Still Wakes the Deep will be a favourite of mine in the end.
