TheSonomaDude
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Sonoma's HORROR FILMS FOR HALLOWEEN

Not all of these are all-time classics but I love these films and they all capture something great about the horror genre. Some are well known, some are obvious picks, and some you may have never heard of.
1American Gospel
Tall Tales Vol. 1

AMERICAN GOTHIC (1987)

A fairly ignored slasher thriller from the late 80's that is by no means perfect, but it's certainly better than its reputation, or lacktherof, would suggest. In a sea of boring Halloween-ripoff slasher films, this is one that goes against the grain and tries some new tricks, most of which I feel work pretty well. The performances from the evil elderly couple are delightfully over-the-top and the death scenes are often quite ridiculous, yet it's strange that the campy vibe adds to the tension of the film.
2Angst
Angst

ANGST (1983)

This Austrian horror film isn't known by many, but it's downright mean. The violence in Angst is raw, brutal, and unglamorous. Rather than relying on stylized or exaggerated gore, the film presents murder in a way that feels uncomfortably real. Getting into the head of serial killer and being asked to level with his reasoning puts the audience in a horrific position, but it works very well. Definitely one of the ugliest films ever written.
3Matsuo Kazuko
夜のハスキー第２集

AUDITION (1999)

I really don't want to explain this one, you just need to see it for yourself. I had zero clue where this was going and no matter how off the rails it feels, it keeps going further and further off the rails in ways you'd never predict.
4Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath

BLACK SABBATH (1963)

The atmosphere Mario Bava creates is killer in all of his movies, but it truly shines in Black Sabbath. I want to live in a world where purple and green lights are constantly blazing through every window, and shining through the cracks of every door. Where dense fog rolls in at the drop of a hat, and someone is always skulking, creeping at every window and door. Man, this is one of the best-looking horror films ever made.
5Green Jelly
Musick to Insult Your Intelligence By

THE BLOB (1988)

It may be somewhat sacreligious to include the remake and not the 50's original, and I mean yes, I do really like The Blob from 1958 for its 50's cheese…but cmon, The Blob from 1988 is just so damn visceral and unforgiving. This is a flick where absolutely nobody is safe, and nobody is just guranteed to get out alive. Helpless old men? Mothers? Kids? The cat? Nope, they're not only dying, but they're dying slowly and painfully. You don't even know who the main character is until the second act, because every "main character" Chuck Russell presents gets turned into a bloody pulp just as you get to know them. These special effects have aged gracefully over 35 years, and that 80's atmosphere is wonderfully crisp.
6Tim McGraw
Live Like You Were Dying

BONE TOMAHAWK (2013)

S Craig Zahler has only made three films, but he's developed a passionate fanbase that I'm gladly a part of. His films don't offer much on the visual spectrum, infact Bone Tomahawk sometimes looks like it was shot with an iPad, but he instead brings wonderfully conlficted characters with lavish dialogue. He's the kinda guy you can spot his writing from a mile away, similar to Tarantino or Sorkin. Bone Tomahawk is a great period-piece horror film set in the Wild West, but it doesn't get nasty until the last 10 minutes, and boy, those last 10 minutes are rough to watch. The lack of any musical score forces us to get into its world built solely by characters and atmosphere without any cinematographic trickery.
7Brood
Plugged

THE BROOD (1979)

I'm not really crazy about David Cronenberg's earlier works, but this was the first film where his abilities really started to shape up for me. Its the first film of his where his visual style and grasp on direction really starts to shine through, all for the better. The characters this time around are very multi-dimensional, particularly Nola, our central protagonist, whose emotional struggles really resonate. The ending of this film is absolutely bonkers too.
8Felis Catus
Banquet on the Moon

CAT PEOPLE (1940)

I'd like to see more horror films prior to the 50's, because Cat People proves it's possible to make scares that last 80 years. There are some legitimate scares here that work some eight decades after its release. I vastly prefer this film to the 80's remake, this one is just too creepy.
9John Carpenter
Christine

CHRISTINE (1983)

The first of many from one of my favorite filmmakers, a guy I could ramble about endlessly. John Carpenter has a lot of horror films under his belt but Christine usually isn't listed amongst his top works, though few seem to dislike it either. Carpenter was a better craftsman than most of his contemporaries, and this film would probably be completely ignored if he hadn't directed it the way he directed everything: fucking brilliantly. The '57 Plymouth Fury that can drive itself appears to be the main focus of the story, yet the film gradually settles on the horrors of friendship and betrayal; though you might think the horror comes from the ruthless sentient car, the real horror is how it affects its driver and the people around him, and what they're forced to do to intervene and save his life. Top-notch OST from Carpenter too.
10Curse of the North
The Empress

CURSE OF THE DEMON (1957)

Curse of the Demon excels at creating an extremely haunting atmosphere, relying heavily on suspense and suggestion rather than overt scares or violence. This is the kind of film I'd never want to see colorized; that black and white is just too gorgeous. Tourneur upgrades his atmosphere with the use of shadows and fog creeping through dense trees. The feeling of an unseen, lurking threat is palpable throughout the film, and titular demon is a shockingly haunting visual effect even all these years later.
11Goblin
Zombi (Dawn of the Dead)

DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978)

This movie came out in 1978 but it's still absolutely nuts today. George A Romero created one of the most perfectly-paced horror films ever made. The shopping mall is such a brilliant location for a horror film and Romero delivers on so many endless possibilities that could occur there, made even better by the excellent characters that inhabit those scenes. There's such an energy to this film that's missing in the horror genre, even in films I love, and that music by Goblin is beautiful.
12Death
Scream Bloody Gore

DAY OF THE DEAD (1985)

I guess this one is usually considered to be the black sheep of Romero's original zombie trilogy, but on certain days I'd call this the best. I really dig the underground bunker setting; it's an idea I think most post-apocalyptic settings would have somewhere in their world, but they never explore them. Day of the Dead also has some of the great gore special effects ever manifested, with some kills that are still utterly gruesome decades later.
13Jimmy Mackey & The All Stars
Tex-Star Recovered Singles: 1958-1962

DEAD BIRDS (2004)

A lesser-known one for sure, Dead Birds is low budget period piece demonic possession film set in the Wild West. It's a great companion piece to Bone Tomahawk, even though this one feels much cheaper and at first comes off as something the SyFy Channel might make. But the script is so visceral, so mean-spirited, and so unapologetically vehement, that it constantly keeps you guessing. No woman, old man, or child is safe from painful deaths, no plan is sure to work. If you ever wanted to know what would happen what a really good SyFy Channel original would feel like, it'd probably be something like this. I personally have a soft spot for period piece horror and this is one of the better ones.
14Deadly Spawn
Forced Into Atrocities

THE DEADLY SPAWN (1985)

The Deadly Spawn is a no-budget creature feature that's just as gorey as it is cheesy: extremely. Yet, despite its budgetary limitations, this one deeply bothers me more than films 10x its budget. Revolving the story around a normal wholesome suburban family is a smart way to root for the characters, because nobody wants to see any member of a family, whether it be mom, dad, brother, or sister, get flayed, shredded, and torn to pieces by an alien that looks like Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors if it were assimilated by The Thing. Those practical effects are pretty damn good, too. It should be campy, yet I'm always left mortified.
15Deep Purple
Burn

DEEP RED (1975)

The first of many from the great Dario Argento.
16Entity (SWE)
The Lasting Scar

THE ENTITY (1982)

I didn't see this one until recently but I'm enomred by The Entity. It's exceptionally acted, thoroughly gripping, and downright shocking. I was nervous that the film would get repetitive but director Sidney J. Furie does a great job keeping the film fresh. There's some great practical effects here too. Martin Scorsese called this one of his favorite films of all time I can see why he, or anyone, would love it.
17Evildead
Annihilation of Civilization

THE EVIL DEAD (1981)

This was one of the films that piqued my interest into horror cinema. Similar to The Deadly Spawn, The Evil Dead is low-budget, amateur, and a bit cheesy, yet I always forget just how gruesome and unforgiving the film really is. Raimi and his team's inventive camerawork elevated the film and added a layer of creativity that only took off with the sequel (see below). Again, I always return to this one expecting something campy, but there's some legitimately disturbing imagery in here that leaves me cold and silent after every watch.
18Deicide
Deicide

EVIL DEAD 2 (1987)

I'll never get the "sequel or remake" debate because this is clearly a sequel. Evil Dead 2 is a lot goofier than its predecessor, so much so that I almost don't view this one as pure horror because of how intentionally silly it gets. Yet, it's certainly spooky, and the creative filmmaking applied to this movie is some of the coolest I've ever seen. This is one that gets filmmakers excited; all the crazy camera tricks make you go "whoa, how'd they do that?" I doubt this one will scare anyone but it's certainly entertaining and worth watching solely for the brilliantly outlandish ideas Raimi and his team came up with.
19Mike Oldfield
Tubular Bells

THE EXORCIST (1973)

The Exorcist would never not make this list. William Friedkin was one of the best autuer directors to ever come out of the United States. He's a genius and his craftsmanship is front and center here. Is it crazy to think this film from 50 years ago is more technically powerful than that shitty Exorcist Believer film from last year? No?
20Laura Marling
Once I Was an Eagle

EYES OF LAURA MARS (1978)

Admittedly the ending of this film is pure nonsense and it's obvious the studio changed the more ambigious ending from John Carpenter's original screenplay into something more mainstream and palatable. Eye-rolling "twist" aside, Eyes of Laura Mars is nonetheless an outstanding thriller, and Irvin Kershner, pre-Empire Strikes Back, gets some top-notch performances out of Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Dourif, and René Auberjonois.
21Eyes Wide Open
The Upside Down

EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1960)

I couldn't imagine watching this in 1960. The film’s graphic scenes, particularly the facial surgery sequence, were considered shocking for the time and I still find them quite shocking. The mask worn by our main protagonist is hauntingly effective: plain, doll-like mask conveys both innocence and terror, symbolizing her loss of identity and humanity. You never see any facial expressions, yet you always know exactly how she's feeling. Georges Franju is great at building tight thrills out of thin air, better than most directors are today.
22Fiend Without A Face
Fiend Without A Face

FIEND WITHOUT A FACE (1958)

Not at all related to Eyes Without A Face, Fiend is probably the most graphically violent American horror film from the 50's. Some might find the concept of an invisible killer to be a way to save up on the budget, and it probably was, but you really feel as if these characters are being strangled, eaten, and mutilated by a force that's really there. It also forces the characters to use context clues and other cues, like sound, to figure out where the monsters are, and Crabtree does a great job overcoming the limitations of the 50's to deliver these concepts.
23The Flys
Holiday Man

THE FLY (1986)

David Cronenberg's breakthrough with the mainstream conscious, and good for him. It's hard to remake a classic horror film and demand respect, yet this film did it immediately. Jeff Goldblum should've absolutely landed an Oscar nomination for his role as Seth Brundle.
24Frailty
Frailty

FRAILTY (2001)

Actor Bill Paxton did a phenomenal job stepping into the role of director to make, what may be surprising considering his image, a truly nightmarish horror thriller. Seemingly innocent at first, the film slowly spirals down as a normal loving father, played by Paxton, forces his sons to help him "kill demons" for what he thinks is in the name of God, though his sons see it as downright murder. This screenplay is airtight and goes back and forth between two narratives, one helmed by Paxton, and the other led by Matthew McConaughey. Frailty barely has any foul language and hardly a single drop of blood, yet its ideas linger. Additionally, this is one of Paxton's finest performances, and he's thoroughly intimidating all while coming off as a caring dad who's only protecting his kids from "evil".
25John Carpenter
Halloween

HALLOWEEN (1978)

Another essential classic that would cause some uproar if it weren't included. It's in the name for fuck's sake! Although this film isn't too crazy story-wise, it's JohnCarpenter who elevates this film into masterclass status. His direction, his editing, his musical score, his atmosphere, his distinctive style. if anyone else made Halloween, I doubt many would be talking about it.
26John Carpenter & Alan Howarth
Halloween III: Season of the Witch

HALLOWEEN: SEASON OF THE WITCH (1983)

A sequel to Halloween that has nothing to do with it. When it was first released in 1983, audiences and critics universally lashed out against the film nearly on one sole critique: "where's Michael Myers?" Thankfully, people have come around to recognize how stylized and atmospheric the film really is. Although Carpenter handed the direction duties to film school friend Tommy Lee Wallace, he clearly had a huge role in the film and it reeks of his auteur style, including one of his all-time greatest musical scores. I don't think this film is excellent or anything, but it's a solid late-night horror flick that lays beautifully into that retro 80's nostalgic atmosphere Stranger Things clearly tries hard to emulate. I'd watch it just for its vibes.
27Halloween
Don't Metal With Evil

HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS (1988)

I almost didn't include this one, because by no means is it excellent. But hey, this one is fun and it captures the October spirit really well, more so than almost any film I can think of. I prefer this to Halloween 2 and any film that came after it. There's a part where Michael Myers picks up a rifle...but STABS someone with it instead of shooting them. C'mon, that's funny.
28The Haunting
Survivor's Guilt

THE HAUNTING (1963)

Robert Wise was another one of those genius directors who wasn't known for horror, but absolutely nailed it with his one take on the genre. This is one of the best psychological horror thrillers ever made, and it holds up exceptionally well.
29Hour Of The Wolf
Decompositions: Vol I

HOUR OF THE WOLF (1968)

Here's a great film from a director who should've dipped himself more into the pool of horror. The film delves into the darker aspects of creativity and the toll it can take on an artist. His visions reflect his inner fears, doubts, and repressed guilt, particularly concerning his relationships and artistic failures. I guess as an aspiring artist I can relate, though maybe that's pretentious. It is a haunting and disturbing depiction of a great mind unraveling, and it's one of the best films about a sane man going insane.
30John Carpenter
Classic Themes Redux

IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994)

More from Carpenter? We ain't done yet. Though the 90's were pretty hard on the man, In The Mouth of Madness is often seen as his sole gem amongst a decade of duds. Although Carpenter was usually pretty straight-forward with his storytelling, Madness is the most cerebral, meta, and arthouse film he ever made, but it was absolutely mandatory for this story to work. Much like Sam Neill's lead character here, the audience never fully knows if he actually exists, or is just a fictional character in a book written by an author with God-like power. Of course, it goes without saying that the film is extremely well shot and very tightly crafted, but combined with the screenplay and highly ambiguous ending, I call it top 5 Carpenter.
31No Innocent Victim
No Compromise

THE INNOCENTS (1961)
32Space Invaders
Invasion on Planet Z

INVADERS FROM MARS (1986)

Tobe Hooper was always a one-hit wonder director from me, but if I had to pick another film I liked from him (take a guess which one I like the most), I'd take Invaders From Mars. Certainly nothing revolutionary or genre-defining by any stretch, Invaders From Mars is still a well-shot film that works more than it should. It's oftentimes cheesy and relies heavily on cheap cliches ripped straight from the 50's, but certain moments will suddenly become genuinely eerie before it returns to the world of camp as if nothing ever happened. I think Hooper made this film not as a kids movie, but with kids in mind; this was meant to be the kinda film you'd discover on late-night TV as a 10 year old, it scares the crap out of you, and then you go talk about it with your friends in the school cafeteria. After all, some of the horror films that stuck with us the most were the ones we saw late at night.
33Disasterpeace
It Follows OST

IT FOLLOWS (2014)

One of my all-time favorites, regardless of genre or time period. I saw this in theatres completely blind of the plot, and it sucked me in and spat me out. I don't think I was the same person for like a week. I really cant think of many films that nail atmosphere, suspense, and dread quite like this one. I cant wrap my head around why/how people don't like It Follows, it's almost the perfect modern horror film.
34Blonde Kwaidan
Chapter 1

KWAIDAN (1964)

I've worshipped names like Carpenter quite a bit on this list, but Masaki Kobayashi might be the greatest director of all time. Kwaidan is more spooky than it is horrific, but each of the three stories presented in this anthology are all wonderfully haunting in their own ways. I wish Kobayashi would've made more horror films because his ability to build atmosphere is impeccable.
35Lawnmower Deth
The Return of the Fabulous Metal Bozo Clowns

THE LAWNMOWER MAN (1992)

An underrated cyber horror film. The funniest thing about this film is that it has absolutely nothing to do with the original Stephen King work it claims to be based on, but good for it. Some have mocked the early 90's CGI but I find them gnarley and creepy; modern polished CGI imagery, or something you'd see in a Pixar movie, wouldn't be nearly as horrific than these unpolished shapes, disgusting textures, and uncanny body movements. Horror about lobotomization, atomic deconstruction, and a God-like person using theirs powers for cruelty are all themes that disturb me, and Lawnmower Man delivers on all fronts.
36Legion (ESP)
Lethal Liberty

LEGION: THE EXORCIST (1990)

You might not think The Exorcist 3 would be any good, especially after how abysmal The Exoricst 2 is, but you'd be wrong. This film was directed by William Blatty, the author of the original book the first film is based on, and he never directed again after this movie, which is a shame because he had a great understanding at direction, camerawork, and pacing. The ending is a bit ridiculous but everything beforehand works shockingly well, and Brad Dourif's performance as the Gemini Killer is one of the best from any movie on this list.
37The Rolling Stones
Flowers

MIDSOMMAR (2019)

Most of the films on this list were before my time, but here's another that I was lucky to witness on the big screen. I wasn't huge on Ari Aster's debut, Hereditary, and I've always found it too aimless and style-over-substance to be the classic most hail it as, but all of that is made up with Midsommar. On top of the outstanding cinematography and atmosphere, Aster does an impeccable job depicting anxiety and depression as a driving force for Florence Pugh's character. This is certainly one of my favorite horror films.
38Douglas Pipes
Monster House

MONSTER HOUSE (2006)

Here's one that mixes things up a bit. It's a good fun horror film for the kids. I saw this in theatres and loved it, and I think it holds up really well. I'm surprised people don't really talk about this one anymore. Gil Kenan does a great job utilizing the animation medium and he captures that retro 80's atmosphere that would become really popular in stuff like Stranger Things.
39Mosquito
The Originol Soundtrack

MOSQUITO (1994)

My grandpa worked on this film, so maybe I'm biased. Similar to The Deadly Spawn, Mosquito is another zero-budget creature feature low on production value and heavy on gore. Nearly everything is inconsistant here: some of the practical bug effects are great, while the stop motion is anything but, and the acting ranges from piss poor to surprisingly good, with Gunnar Hansen (best known for playing the original Leatherface) proving he should've been known for more than a few roles. Yet, despite how campy this film gets, there are a genuine supply of good ideas scattered all over the script.
40Romero
Take the Potion

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)

Of course, could this list exist without this one? Night of the Living Dead has aged quite gracefully over the years, and the way the characters constantly butt heads on survival strategies makes the film ripe for conversation: who's right and who's wrong? You can see where each character is coming from with their ideas.
41Michael Abels
Nope

NOPE (2022)

Nope was another one I am very grateful to have seen in theatres, as it's one of the best theatre-going experiences of my entire life. Peele's blooming aeutur style is on full display here and its technical abilities are to be reckoned with. I usually don't care about the Oscars, but when I saw Nope got snubbed in cinematography and sound, two categories it easily should've won, I think I actually shut my computer off and went on a walk.
42Sabbat
Karmagmassacre

ONIBABA (1964)
43Peeping Tom
Peeping Tom

PEEPING TOM (1968)
44Alan Silvestri
Predator

PREDATOR (1987)

It's just as much an action flick as it is a horror film, but things get very horrific as the thrills ramp up in the second act. The idea to start the film off as a mindless shoot-em-up featuring buff, larger-than-life action heroes makes the second act even more suspenseful when a bigger, larger bad guy shows up with the ability to turn them to pulp with little effort. John McTiernan was a great director and did a great job stringing the thrills together in this movie.
45John Carpenter
Prince of Darkness

PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1987)

I know a lot of people who really like Prince of Darkness, and I only kinda do. I've never been sure of how much sense the plot makes, and I wish the film would've stuck to its more philosophical 1st act instead of dropping it to become a pretty typical zombie/demonic possession flick. With that said, this is Carpenter we're talking about, so you know it's always going to be a pretty thrilling ride. This one makes the list because of how much I adore this film's atmosphere: this features some of Carpenter's best cinematography, some of his best music, and some of his best individual scares.
46Quatermass
Quatermass

THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT (1955)

One of the best horror films of the 1950's, with some genuinely horrific body horror ideas.
47Repulsion
Excruciation

REPULSION (1965)
4845 Grave
Sleep In Safety

RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
49Roadgeek
Sugarloaf

ROADGAMES (1981)

An exceptionally-shot Australian horror film with outstanding action cinematography, a movie that works just as much as a mystery as it does a horror film. In fact, I'd argue the film's tense mystery 'who dunnit' elements keep the film throurouhgly engaging more so than your average slasher fair.
50Santa Sangre
Feast for the New Gods

SANTA SANGRE (1989)

Alejandro Jodorowsky is another one of my favorite directors, and here's his take on the horror genre. Holy crap, he nails it. There hasn't been a horror film like this since. That's all I'll say.
51Shining (SWE)
Fiende

THE SHINING (1980)

It might be illegal to exclude The Shining from a list like this, but this is a movie I'd vouch for and recommend no matter how obvious and well known it may be. Stanley Kubrick was always a very cold and visceral director, so it's no shock that he nailed a cold and visceral story. It's just rare to see horror films directed and edited with this caliber of expertise, and it's laid the template for nearly every A24 "elevated" horror film made ever since, even the ones I really love.
52Splinter
Bleed the Sun

SPLINTER (2008)

An indie film from my home state of Oklahoma, though I didn't know that the first time I caught it with my dad on late night TV back in the day. It's not perfect, but it's a lot more shocking than anyone might guess. I'm not squeamish on gore or violence, but Splinter has one scene that has me shielding my eyes every single time, a scene where a character is forced to snap his own arm off to save his life...two years before 126 Hours! Shea Whigham delivers an outstanding performance as a no-nonsense criminal you end up rooting for, and the creature is ingeniously horrific. Nothing spectacular, but it's nasty.
53Goblin
Suspiria

SUSPIRIA (1977)
54Goblin
Tenebre OST

TENEBRAE (1982)
55Devourment
Molesting the Decapitated

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974)

Obvious choice? Absolutely. Do I regret it? You couldn't pay me to. The first time I saw this, I got the opertunity to see this on the big screen, projected on 16mm film, and that might be the reason I adore it so much. This was never meant to be high def, shot on digital 4K, with well known actors. It was meant to be small, gritty, and ugly. This is one of the best films ever made, regardless of genre.
56Them
Them

THEM! (1954)

One of my favorites from the 50's Atomic Age of horror. It's obvious to see this film's influence on the genre in movies like Aliens, Tremors, and The Thing just name a few. It's a well-made horror film and I think even younger audiences could appreciate that. The pacing, suspense, and slow-building mystery have aged gracefully and work surprisingly well even 70 years later.
57Ennio Morricone
The Thing

THE THING (1982)

One last entry from John Carpenter and…c'mon. This is probably my favorite film of all time, period, and it's certainly my favorite horror film. I don't really care that most people hated this film upon its 1982 release; loads of films took years to be appreciated, and this film was clearly ahead of the curve with its nihilism, paranoia, and frigid unforgiveness. I've heard naysayers argue this film is only loved for its practical effects, and while they certainly deserve applause for aging like fine wine over 40 years, I'd always argue this film is worth watching for its story, its pace, and its paranoia. There's a conversation to be had about almost every turn this film makes, and we're still talking 40 years later. A filmmaker could only dream of accomplishing such a feat.
58This Night Creeps
Hear a Body Tone

THIS NIGHT I'LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (1967)
59The Three Tremors
The Three Tremors

TREMORS (1990)

I've met a lot of people who ask "when you recommend Tremors, you recommend it as a guilty pleasure, right" or "isn't that movie so-bad-it's-good?" Hell no. I think people have a hard time swallowing that Tremors, the 'giant worm movie' is legitamately well made, tightly written, has latchable characters, and a perfectly-paced 3-act structure. Even Roger Ebert, who gave this one 3.5/4 stars, started his review by stating he was "embarrassed to admit" he liked Tremors. Why? Is it just supposed to be bad beacuse of the premise? Making the film a comedy was ingenious because that makes the characters funny, which means they're likable, and if they're likable, you don't wanna see them die; it's thrilling when they don't make it out, and just as thrilling when they do.
60Sasquatch
Sasquatch

WILLOW CREEK (2013

Here's one I don't expect everyone to love, and I'm not totally sure if I do. The "found footage" subgenre of film as a whole is hit-or-miss. A big point of criticism against Willow Creek is that "nothing happens", but isn't that how found footage would go in real life? I've seen lots of found footage horror films and Willow Creek is the only one I felt was actually real. These are real characters, actually in the woods, actually using a cheap camcorder and not some $500k studio Panavision camera, there's no 'REC' hud template flashing in the corner. As someone who's edited documentaries for work, this film perfectly captures the mundanity of actual found footage. The best scene of the film is a shot of the characters hiding in a tent as Bigfoot looms outside; one uninterrupted take that lasts 17 minutes. If that doesn't sound engaging, you wont like Willow Creek.
61Wolf
Black Wings

WOLF CREEK (2005)

Wolf Creek is probably the most famous Australian horror film of all time, and for good reason. The first half of the film is pretty slow and mostly features the main cast driving around Australia dicking around, but that only allows the second half to be even more jarring and macabre. When stuff gets going, it's unlike any horror film I've ever seen. It's essentially the Australian Chainsaw Massacre, and John Jarratt acts one of the greatest villain performances of all time.
62Benjamin Wallfisch
Alien: Romulus

BONUS: Alien Romulus

I just saw this one in theatres and had zero expectations, but really liked it. Probably the best horror film I've seen since Nope in 2022. I'd like to see it again to get a better opinion.
63White Recluse
This EP Got Us Blacklisted

BONUS: Check out this short film I made for my senior thesis in film school, kinda horror I'd say but more psychological thriller than anything. There's certainly stuff I'd do differently now, but hey, it got me into grad school, and it was a great learning experience. My actors were wonderful, I'll say that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK-oYMbyJVw&t=1s&ab_channel=WITHOUTFEAR
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