Whispers in Static

31 horror movies in the 31 nights of October **spoilers ahead

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8 - Spring

Synopsis: After his mother's death, Evan travels to Italy to clear his head. He meets a charming woman whose seemingly perfection is masking a dark secret.

Year/Country: 2014 | US/Italy

Subgenres: body horror, creature feature

Reason for watching: This was from the same director and writer of two previous films I've watched (The Endless and Resolution) and enjoyed. I heard it was part of the same world as those movies (but didn't really see that connection).

Highlights: interesting premise.

Lowlights: a bit slow at times

Rewatchabilty: yes

Overall review: Another movie to add to this year's list of "kinda horror, I guess" - I really found this to be more romance than anything. Still, I enjoyed the movie and the story

Who should watch it?: Science Fiction fans

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7 - 28 Years Later

Synopsis: Nearly 3 decades after the spread of the rage virus caused the British isles to be quarantined, a community has found a way to exist on a small island connected to the mainland by a causeway only accessible during low tide. However, new mutations are underway in the infected.

Year/Country: 2025 | UK/US

Subgenres: zombie, thriller

Reason for watching: Definitely was eagerly anticipating this one and held off until October. I really love the original.

Highlights: The first thirty minutes or so of the movie were pretty on brand for the franchise (which I love). The main character is 12 year old Spike played by Alfie Williams who deserves a special shout-out - love to see a strong performance by a child actor.

Lowlights: Overall does not meet the hype. Strangely disjointed in style and plot. While it's a zombie movie I'm not sure if I really feel like it's horror.

Rewatchabilty: Despite my reservations, I would say yes. Particularly since it's part of a new trilogy, I can already see myself rewatching it.

Overall review: I wanted to like this movie more than I did, but still I liked it enough to watch the sequel after it releases next year. The movie felt a little bit like it was not fully developed - the first half hour felt different than the rest and the ending felt really like just a tag on to intice people to watch the next movie. There was also this artistic choice to include other clips and imagery but it randomly went away, so stylistically it felt a little unfinished too. It was suspenseful and I enjoyed the acting, but overall I felt a little disappointed.

Who should watch it?: Even though it's a zombie movie, so there's certainly blood, gore, and violence, it felt more suspenseful than horror so I would say it's actually pretty accessible to a diverse audience (as long as you don't mind seeing a lot of nudity and giant zombie genetalia).

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Weeks 2 and 3 Rankings

Just three movies the last couple weeks...

28 Weeks Later

I Know What You Did Last Summer

War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds was really bad (and new for me). The other two were alright.

Comparisons to Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB, as well as rankings for the month so far after the cut.

Rotten Tomatoes

28 Weeks Later (73%)

I Know What You Did Last Summer (47%)

War of the Worlds (4%)

IMDB

28 Weeks Later (6.8)

I Know What You Did Last Summer (5.8)

War of the Worlds (2.5)

October 2025 Rankings So Far

28 Days Later

28 Weeks Later

Scream VI

The Last Man on Earth

I Know What You Did Last Summer

War of the Worlds

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6 - War of the Worlds

Synopsis: Will Radford has spent years watching everyone, including his own family, through his work with the Department of Homeland Security. When some unknown forces arrive from the sky and begins its attack, he’s forced to see what his obsession has cost him.

Year/Country: 2025 | US

Subgenres: science fiction, thriller, spend, sentient machines are scary, screenlife

Reason for watching: was browsing Amazon Prime since my membership is ending to find something to watch, this was listed as horror (it's not really) and the description sounded fun (again, not really)

Highlights: At first I thought the screenlife style of having everything on a computer was sorta interesting (but it got old)

Lowlights: pretty much everything - the writing, the acting (sorry Ice Cube), the logic around data, the cinema style, the blatant product placement

Rewatchabilty: no

Overall review: oof. Not a good watch. Very flat. Not scary.

Who should watch it?: no one, eek. Not really a horror movie, just horrible.

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5 - 28 Weeks Later

Synopsis: 28 weeks after the rage virus is unleashed on the UK, it has finally been eradicated. The US military helps bring folks back to the British isles but it's only a matter of time before that all falls apart.

Year/Country: 2007 | UK/US

Subgenres: zombie

Reason for watching: Gearing up to watch 28 Years Later

Highlights: the opening is so iconic and an awesome start. Good bones to the story

Lowlights: definitely missing some of the magic of 28 Days Later - it also just feels more American action flick which is never really my favorite thing.

Rewatchabilty: yeah, despite its flaws it's still Rewatchable

Overall review: Not really in the same league as 28 Days Later but still a fun zombie movie. I'm not very into military things so that aspect makes me lose interest a bit.

Who should watch it?: Zombie fans. Action movie fans (maybe)

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4 - I Know What You Did Last Summer

Synopsis: Four teens on the precipice of adulthood accidentally hit a pedestrian with a car and decide to cover it up. A year later, they reconnect when a hook-wielding killer claiming to know what they did last summer is after them .

Year/Country: 1997 | US

Subgenres: teen screams, slasher, urban legend

Reason for watching: Picked at random. It is a rewatch but I don't think I've seen this movie for over 20 years.

Highlights: Good premise. I love an investigation (though their research into who the person they killed was a little short).

Lowlights: Characters are a bit flat (I blame the writing) and can be pretty annoying. It's predictive.

Rewatchabilty: Meh. Maybe.

Overall review: I think I find this one fun for the nostalgia factor. I have a soft spot for the era and love a teen slasher flick. I'm also a fan of Lois Duncan who wrote the original source material (and I just recently found out she lived the bulk of her life in my hometown). But the characters are not super enjoyable so I didn't find myself rooting for them.

Who should watch it?: 90s kids

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Week 1 Rankings

This year will likely be a small viewing total again. This time due to welcoming my baby bat into the world - my firstborn baby turns 5 months this month so I'm watching movies in bits and pieces mostly. Nonetheless, here we go with the first week of the month rankings..

28 Days Later

Scream VI

The Last Man on Earth

I think 28 Days Later is the clear winner here and if pressed i think it's one of my favorites, despite haven't seeing it in ages. Scream VI is a good solid watch if you like slasher films and don't mind a standard formula. The Last Man on Earth is fun but of that older era so less scary. However, solid start to the month with good movies.

Anyway, comparisons to Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB rankings as well as overall rankings for the month so far behind the cut…

Rotten Tomatoes Rankings

28 Days Later (87%)

The Last Man on Earth (79%) [+1]

Scream VI (77%) [-1]

IMDB Rankings

28 Days Later (7.5)

The Last Man on Earth (6.7) [+1]

Scream VI (6.4) [-1]

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3 - Scream VI

Synopsis: The Carpenter sisters hope for a new beginning in New York City a year after the latest Woodsboro killings. But their fresh start quickly turns into another nightmare when a new Ghostface emerges, forcing them into a deadly fight for survival once again.

Year/Country: 2023 | US

Subgenres: slasher, teen screams

Reason for watching: This was sitting on my list from last October, so I thought I would give it a shot.

Highlights: It's formulaic, which is strangely comfortable to watch (as comfortable as watching gore can be, I guess).

Lowlights: It's so formulaic and doesn't really add anything that new to the franchise.

Rewatchabilty: Meh. Maybe, I suppose but I would recommend many of the other Scream movies first.

Overall review: I felt a little hesitant about this movie following Melissa Barrera (Sam Carpenter) being fired from the upcoming seventh Scream movie due to making pro-Palestinian posts. However, after watching it, I would say anyone feeling like you should boycott this movie I'm here to tell you that you aren't missing a whole lot. It's a solid slasher/teen scream film but doesn't push the genre and is not particularly gripping (though it is fun).

Who should watch it?: I'm not sure who the ideal audience is, except maybe Jenna Ortega fans.

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2 - 28 Days Later

Synopsis: Jim wakes up from a coma in a deserted London 28 days after a "rage" virus is release from a research lab. It turns out the Rage has turned folks into zombies.

Year/Country: 2003 | UK/US

Subgenres: zombie

Reason for watching: With the new 28 Years Later still on my radar, I thought it would be good to do some rewatching of the others, particularly since they have not been covered here.

Highlights: Still holds up nicely. It was a pleasant surprise to see the Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) in this as I didn't realize he was. The music is great. The best zombie movies are some sort of societal or political allegory, and 28 Days Later definitely fits this.

Lowlights: It somehow felt smaller than I remembered, but that's a pretty minor lowlight.

Rewatchabilty: Definitely.

Overall review: Like any pandemic sort of movie, this does hit a little different in a post-2020 world (particularly that abandoned London). I love this film and think it's really a huge influence and really propelled me into zombie fandom - a fandom that hit so hard that I actually wore zombie print heels at my wedding. The quick moving zombies were a huge game changer.

Who should watch it?: Zombie fans

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1 - The Last Man on Earth

Synopsis: Following a global pandemic that killed the infected and brought them back to life, Dr. Bob Morgan is left alone to survive in a world of vampires.

Year/Country: 1964 | Italy/US

Subgenres: apocalypse, vampires, zombies, science fiction

Reason for watching: I was looking for a soft start to the season, so I decided to go with a classic. I'm a fan of Vincent Price and the Richard Matheson novel I Am Legend (the source material for this movie long before the Will Smith movie). Since I had never seen this movie, it seemed promising.

Highlights: Great atmosphere. Loved all the non-dialogue bits.

Lowlights: The vampires were really not very scary as they were quite unintelligent and slow which made it a little silly. They really did feel as bit more like zombies, which isn't a lowlight in and of itself but they just didn't feel like such an urgent threat.

Rewatchabilty: Maybe.

Overall review: While I see this as a classic, it would not be high on my recommendation list as a horror film, I think it fits better as science fiction. The story was interesting and I like to think a vampire bat was the hero (since it's thanks to one that our main character was immune to the disease) which is a welcome change in pandemic narratives. I love Vincent Price but I'm not sure that he was cast right in this role but it also could've just been it's an old movie with monsters that weren't very scary.

Who should watch it?: Fans of classics or apocalyptic movie completionists.

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October 2024 Rankings

Due to some health stuff, this month's viewings were a little slimmer than usual, but here are the ranking for what made it on my watch list:

The Omen

Scream 4

Scream 5

Tomie

Shocker

Spiral (Rasen)

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

Alison's Birthday

Scream 3

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2024 - Weeks 2 and 3 Rankings

Here’s my rankings of the past couple weeks' movies…

Scream 4

Scream 5

Alison's Birthday

Scream 3

While it's fun to watch sequels in succession, it makes for less interesting comparisons I think.

Anyway, comparisons to Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB rankings as well as overall rankings for the month so far behind the cut…

Rotten Tomatoes Rankings

Scream 5 (76%) [+1]

Scream 4 (60%) [-1]

Scream 3 (40%)

Alison's Birthday (not rated)

IMDB Rankings

Scream 5 (6.3) [+1]

Scream 4 (6.2) [-1]

Alison's Birthday (5.9)

Scream 3 (5.7)

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9 - Alisons Birthday

Synopsis: During a seance session with her teenage friends, 16-year-old Alison gets a message from beyond the grave not to go home for her 19th birthday. When that time comes around, there is a sense of unease as she returns home to her aunt and uncle's house.

Year/Country: 1981 | Australia

Subgenres: supernatural, cult

Reason for watching: Just a random pick. I was looking for something with a ghost and while this wasn't quite what I was looking for I don't regret it.

Highlights: Good bones here. Interesting story. Liked the tie to Celtic myths.

Lowlights: While there were things that made the movie fun (the synth music, the way Alison's age was displayed on screen) they really were detrimental to the horror and I don't think they would've been effective even in the early 80s (but since that was before my time, who am I to assume that).

Rewatchabilty: Nah

Overall review: The characters were good, the story and premise were good. I liked it overall but did not find it scary.

Who should watch it?: folk horror fans

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8 - Scream

Also known as: Scream 5 | Scream V

Synopsis: Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town's deadly past.

Year/Country: 2022 | USA

Subgenres: slasher, teen scream

Reason for watching: This was a rewatch but it's all leading me to finally watch the newest Scream.

Highlights: The new cast members are good and bring you into the world quickly. The original cast members do not feel overused either.

Lowlights: IMO probably the most predictable of the franchise

Rewatchabilty: This was my second watch but I'm not eager to watch it again.

Overall review: Pretty good new take on the franchise and doesn't feel as overdone as you'd maybe think. Scream is pretty solid as a franchise, and the large number of sequels haven't ruined that...yet...

Who should watch it?: modern horror fans with a soft spot for 90s slashers

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7 - Scream 4

Also known as: Scre4m

Synopsis: Many years after the last string of murders, Sydney Prescott has written a book and returns home to Woodsboro as part of the book tour. Unfortunately the ghostface killer has also returned.

Year/Country: 2011 | USA

Subgenres: slasher

Reason for watching: Another first watch of a Scream movie. Making my way to getting them all up here.

Highlights: Sydney is awesome in this one. Really engaging story. Great kills. I'm not sure when I decided Dewey is the best, but he kind of is.

Lowlights: Also pretty "meta" as is the case for Scream in general but it wasn't too bad.

Rewatchabilty: Sure, I'd rewatch this.

Overall review: The best Scream movie since the original. Really fun look at the genre and sequels/reboots overall. Also, pretty predictive about the world as it felt even more relevant today (such as influancer culture).

Who should watch it?: Horror film fans who don't take the genre too seriously

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6 - Scream 3

Synopsis: The latest movie adaptation of the Woodsboro murders, Stab 3, is in production in Hollywood. However, a murderer has their sight on the cast and bringing Sidney Prescott out of hiding.

Year/Country: 2000 | USA

Subgenres: slasher

Reason for watching: A plan for this year is making my way through the rest of the Scream franchise. I've seen the 5th one, but I hadn't seen this one.

Highlights: Something I love about the Scream movies all around is that they don't take themselves too seriously and really just try to be fun takes on the genre. Random Jay and Silent Bob cameo was pretty funny.

Lowlights: Definitely the weakest and the least scary of the franchise - relies too heavily on being "meta."

Rewatchabilty: Maybe as part of an overall rewatch of all the Scream movies.

Overall review: Well, it's campy and fun. But, I don't think it's a great horror film. Yes, there's suspense and in true slasher flick fashion plenty of gore (though not as much as the other Scream films I think) but I found it mostly to be an exercise in trying to be self referential to the franchise in order to wrap it up.

Who should watch it?: Wes Craven fans, particularly those that like comedy.

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2024 - Week 1 Rankings

Here's my rankings of this month's movies so far...

The Omen

Tomie

Shocker

Spiral (Rasen)

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

Good picks this week. The Omen is well above the rest but overall, I'd recommend any of these. The rankings are, as always, highly subjective and rooted in my own preferences. I do think that Shocker is probably something most people might like more than Tomie but I love j-horror and teen drama. Likewise I think Spiral might not be for everyone. The Last Voyage of the Demeter might also have a more wide appeal than anything aside from The Omen.

Anyway, comparisons to Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB rankings behind the cut…

Rotten Tomatoes Rankings

The Omen (85%)

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (50%) [+3]

Tomie (38%) [-1]

Shocker (30%) [-1]

Spiral (Rasen) - n/a, no tomatoscore, not enough reviews but one critic review is 2/5 and one is 6/10

IMDB Rankings

The Omen (7.5)

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (6.1) [+3]

Shocker (5.5)

Tomie (5.2) [-2]

Spiral (Rasen) (5.2)