Honestly since the pandemic, I don't really get out to watch movies much; but I have a ton of favorites!
I'm a huge horror junkie, so a few of my recent favs include Skinamarink, Hereditary, and Caveat. But my all-time fave is the classic Haunting from 1963. I'm just so impressed by how close they stayed to the book, and the creeping dread of never seeing the cause of the haunting itself. That 'breathing' door effect aboslute terrified me as a kid haha.
"SCREAM ...no one will hear you! RUN ...and the silent footsteps will follow! For at the Hill House, the dead are restless!"
Apparently you can watch the movie via the Internet Archive! You can find that Here.
Skinamarink was an unusual (and I think probably divisive) movie. Personally, I loved it because it so very unexpectedly hit me in the lizard-brain fear that I get when I'm having a sleep-paralysis episode. It carries the liminal feeling of being a child awake past bedtime - or that null feeling of being left alone while a family member is in the hospital. Another high-specific feeling haha...but I guess what I can really say is that either you feel the movie - or you don't.
"˙˙˙ƎS∩OH SIH┴ NI"
You can find Skinamarink on Shudder for sure. They offer a really generous trial, and sponser a billion people on youtube, so it should be relatively easy to find a code. Or, you know 🏴☠️
Hereditary was another one that totally caught me off-guard. Prior it its release in 2018 I swear there hadn't been a good horror movie for years. So when it came out, I was 0% prepared. The emotional rawness of Toni Collette's performance, the gaslighting, and the paranoid helplessness really spoke to me. They aren't horror elements by themselves, but wrapped up in the supernatural elements they really create an atmosphere of tension, and a feeling of being hunted.
Needless to say, I loved this movie. It, however, remains a 'sometimes food'. There are a few scenes that I consider personally very upsetting, so I have to be in the right space to go back to it.
You can find Hereditary on Tubi right now! You can find that Here.
Last on my list is the movie Caveat.
I'm finding it hard to describe this one without spoiling anything! Caveat is a psychological thriller first, and a supernatural one next - which creates one heck of a matyroshka of a story. The main character, Isaac, is offered the job of watching his landlord's niece - which...ok sounds normal enough - but stipulations of that job include being locked into a chained vest and only permitted in certain areas of the house. Also it's on an island. This was just such an odd mix of story elements that I had to keep watching to find the reasons why.
The movie does not rely on jump scares, which is refreshing in a horror movie. Instead, the film relies on pushing into the opposite - slow paced shots that force you to sit with the unease. Did I mention the rabbit?
Just imagine having to sit through a long scene with this thing. How did they make it feel like it's looking straight at you, and directly behind you at something else all at the same time?? A+ props department, A+
This is another one available on Shudder. Again...may I also recommend 🏴☠️
See Also ::: Possum (TW: sexual violence), Incantation, and The Ritual
I hope you enjoyed my list! Go pop some popcorn, turn out the lights, and pre-game that spookie season!
