It’s 2025! I hope that you had a great holiday season and were able to spend it with family, Friends, pets and plants as I know that is what I did. But 2024 was also a very interesting year for cinema in the theaters as Hollywood had a rough time with the actors’ and writers’ strikes in 2023 and this caused many films to be delayed and shifted around as well as allowed some more indie films to get their time to shine. But sadly for me, at the start of the year I had some medical issues that kept me out of the theater, so I saw way fewer movies than I normally do including missing some bigger released films like Dune Part 2, Madame Web, The First Omen, Gladiator 2, Kraven The Hunter, Joker 2, to name a few. But I still tried to go and see as many horror films that I could as I am always loyal to my favorite genre! This update might not be as epic as years past, but I do think that you all will have a blast sitting here at the Rotten Ink Theater with me as we talk about the movies I saw in the theater in 2024.
I only got to see a small amount of films in 2024, and the ones I did get to see were mostly horror as that is my favorite genre but I did get to see the following films Deadpool And Wolverine, Twisters and I.S.S. So yeah, not a lot to work with here, but I did still try and see every horror film I could…while I missed some due to health issues, I was able to checkout a good amount this year on the big screen so let’s just get to my countdown of the best horror films I saw in the theater in 2024!
# 41
Social media stars Sam and Colby along with friend Nate are heading to Nevada in order to investigate the legendary Skin Walker Ranch to look into all the paranormal goings on in the area from UFO sightings, skin walker spottings and even the ghost of a Native American shaman who is said to protect the land. The three friends stop at Boot Hill to visit the graves of the people killed in the old west town before starting their creepy investigation that takes them all over the ranch, hearing all kinds of noises, having some communications with the other side, getting spooked and finally learning what it is all about. This film is clearly made for a younger audience and is a weird mix of documentary and horror film as parts are clearly set up all the while they are also trying to tell you about the legends of the area. The film really does feel like one long YouTube video with very little scares being shown and lots of stock footage used over and over again to get the story moving. While this was not for me, I am very happy to see that the pairs’ fans really enjoyed the film and wish the pair of young filmmakers the best of luck on all their future projects. The film did well for the pair at the domestic box office bringing in $1,755,000 on an unknown budget, and I am sure this will lead to more of their paranormal investigating films to make it on the big screen.
# 40
In the White Pines woods an undead killer Johnny, who committed a massacre there many years ago, returns after his mother’s locket necklace is stolen from his grave by a group of friends who are staying at a nearby cabin. Johnny is on a mission to get the locket back and as well kill as many people as he comes across on this quest. In the end Kris is the only one left alive, and she tries to return his locket, but is this enough to save her life? Watch this indie slasher film to find out for yourself. This is a film that is not for everyone as it is really slow moving and very boring in spots as much of the film is just Johnny walking slowly around the woods…and I mean A LOT of this film is this. The ending is also pointless and has long dialogue moments that go nowhere and have zero payout, and for me the sin this film commits is that it really is very boring in long sections of the runtime. As for the stuff that works for it, some of the kills are gruesome and well done. I also didn’t mind the killer Johnny as he is kind of cool looking and has a classic slasher kind of backstory. Some of the shots are good when not static and boring and the sound is well done and is like a character of its own. The film did well for IFC Films on a limited release bring in $4,229,999.00 at the domestic box office on an unknown budget. This was a film that I could not get into, but I can see why some horror fans enjoy it.
# 39
Actor Tony Miller has just come off a battle with drugs & alcohol and has been cast in a horror film called “The Georgetown Project” where he plays a priest who tries to save the life of a possessed young woman, but after the start of filming Tony seems to be losing his mind as something has taken over causing him to act strangely at home as well as on set. His daughter Lee, along with her girlfriend and star of the film Blake and man of God Father Conor, try to save her father’s very soul as a demon clearly has a hold of him and a showdown takes place on the closed down film set that pits daughter and father against one another, but is his daughters love and the power of Christ enough to set his tortured soul free or will evil come out on top? Watch this possession film to find out for yourself. This is a pretty fun demonic possession film that for the most part just blends in with all the other films that have this same plot, but what does set this one apart for most of the others is the casting as Russell Crowe, David Hyde Pierce, Chloe Bailey, Ryan Simpkins and Sam Wothington are all great in their roles and give solid performances with what they are given to work with. The film scares are delivered by the overuse of jump scares as well as just the subject matter of demons and lost faith. One other note I should say is the Kevin Williamson is one of the film’s producers. The film did ok for Vertical Entertainment at the domestic box office bringing in $4,530,418.00 on an unknown budget. While it’s not a ground breaking film, I did have a good time seeing this in the theater.
# 38
Curtis works for a marketing company and has a loving wife Meredith and three kids Iris, Preston and Cal. As apart of his job he has a smart AI device called AIA put in, and their lives change as it does things to make their lives better. Slowly Curtis starts to question the company behind AIA and also the device itself as something just seems off about them both, and when a strange person from a motorhome appears and does strange hand gestures it’s the final straw and Curtis tries to get AIA out of his home and away from his family, but this AI does not want to leave without a fight. This is a fun sci-fi horror film that brings some jump scares as well as brings to light the unknown dangers of AI. The film is well acted and stars such names as John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, David Dastmalchian, Ashley Romans, Lukita Maxwell and Keith Carradine. The film did okat for Sony at the domestic box office bringing in $6,725,687.00 on a budget of only $12 million. While the trailers made it look like a ghost movie, it really is not, and while it got very mixed reviews from critics and fans, it was a fun film to see on the big screen and is one that I will watch again on home media.
# 37
One year ago a super moon turned millions of people into werewolves when they looked up at it, and now a group of scientists are trying to figure out how to block the effects of the moon this year as well as protect those who were effected last year and have a craving to become the beast again by using a spray. Wesley Marshall, a former military man, is part of this scientific group and is also watching after his sister in law Lucy and niece Emma after his brother passed away during the first werewolf outbreak. After the experiment goes wrong at the lab and chaos is breaking loose, Wesley does what he must to get to what is left of his family to protect them against the horrors of the werewolves that are roaming around outside as their ranks get growing and people keep dying. This is a horror action film that feels like a slightly bigger budget direct to Sy-Fy movie that has some truly unintentional goofy moments and characters that made really dumb decisions. The film does have practical effects werewolves so that is a plus. The film stars Frank Grillo, Katrina Law, IIfenesh Hadera, Lou Diamond Phillips and James Michael Cummings as the leads and all do their best in what they are given. The film has lots of shaky camera moments and over uses blinking lights so be warned. The film did ok for Briarcliff Entertainment at the domestic box office bring in $1,903,905 on an unknown budget. If you like werewolf films filled with action and goofy moments, check this one out.
# 36
The Ghostbusters are back in New York, but while busting they are also causing damage to public property and this makes them a target of Mayor Walter Peck who has for decades had issues with the team, and worse he forces them to take Phoebe Spengler off the team due to her being only fifteen. So while her mother, brother and former science teacher are busting ghosts, she is forced to hang around the firehouse…but things change when she meets a ghost named Malory in the park as well as when original Ghostbusters Ray Stantz & Winston Zeddemore research and unleash Garakka a evil spirit who can control other ghosts as well as cause the world the freeze! Now the current Ghostbusters with the remaining classic Ghostbusters must team up along with a goofball that is the Fire Master (their only hope to defeat Garakka) in order to save New York once again as well as prove to the Mayor that Phoebe is an important part of the team. This fifth film in the Ghostbuster movie plays hard on people’s nostalgic love for the series as we have returning characters like Slimer and Walter Peck, plus gadgets and vehicles, and while it was a fun popcorn movie, it is kind of a mess as it has too many characters who offer nothing to the story, plot holes, character changes that are puzzling and a main villain that they seem to forget the powers they gave him. The film has original cast members like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, William Atherton and Annie Potts returning and new regular cast like McKenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Logan Kim and Celeste O’Conner as well coming back. Plus Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster and Emily Alyn Lind appear. The film is light on busting ghosts, brings a few laughs, has some cool effects and should be seen if you are a fan of the series. The film did well for Columbia Pictures bringing in $113,306.664.00 on a budget of $100 million showing that this series still has some life in it. While it is one of the weaker Ghostbuster films, it is one that I picked up for my home media collection.
# 35
The Keenan Family has headed to Pine Hills Hotel for a bonding experience but unbeknownst to them and the small amount of other guests, it’s been taken over by Mr. Lockwood and four masked killers who are playing a game for the rich people that are watching them via a live stream and placing bets on who will survive, what killer will have the most kills points and so on. But while the guests are dropping like flies, these killers underestimate the Keenan family, as they are not going down without a fight in this lockdown hotel from Hell. This gruesome film is brought to you by the same people who have made the Terrifier series so that means lots of over the top gory kills and psycho killers who love what they are doing to other people. The film is packed with some awesome actors who are both in main roles as well as in cameos and this includes such names as Jeffrey Combs, Danielle Harris, Tony Todd, Tim Curry, Bill Moseley, Terry Alexander, Felissa Rose, Mark Holton, Dee Wallace, Tim Reid, Daniel Roebuck and David Howard Thornton with Charles Edwin Powell, Sydney Malakeh, Wesley Holloway and others being main cast. The film while reminding me of a mix of “Slashers (2001)” and “The Game (1984)” has a good plot but is over long in its runtime making some of it drag a little. The film had a limited release and did well for Iconic Events Releasing at the domestic box office bringing in an unknown profit on a unknown budget. While it had flaws, it is always great to see Danielle Harris on the big screen as well as Tim Curry and to support indie horror.
# 34
Christopher Robin survived the Hundred Acre Woods massacre and in many peoples eyes, he is the one who killed all those people, but he knows that it was Pooh Bear and Piglet that killed them all, and worse they are still out in the woods and are now joined by Owl and Tigger with their killing ways. Now Christopher is on a mission to prove the town wrong and get to the history of Pooh that just might tie into the disappearance of his brother when they were kids. And when Pooh and his friends start a rampage around town that kills a bunch of ravers, Christopher’s parents and even his young sister goes missing by their hands and this causes Pooh and Christopher to have a showdown that will leave only one alive…and I am not telling you who survives and what is left of them. This slasher film is a bloodbath when Pooh and his friends go on their killing sprees as they rip off heads and shred flesh with their claws, but some moments that focus on Christopher Robin do tend to drag…oh and they also act like the first film was just that a film based off the massacre. They also changed the look of Pooh and Piglet, and the new designs are well done as are the looks of Owl and Tigger. The films stars Scott Chambers, Tallulah Evans, Ryan Oliva, Marcus Massey, Lewis Santer and Simon Callow all who do good in their roles. The film did okay for Fathom Events for its limited theatrical run bringing in $533,144.00 on an unknown budget. If you liked the first film or just enjoy slasher films starring public domain characters made popular by Disney, then this one is for you.
# 33
Gabriel Goodman is an ex-priest who now works for NASA and is sent to an observatory that they lost contact with after it was reported that they made contact with something weird coming from an old satellite. As he travels to this remote area he gets a call from Archbishop Jenkins who tells him that this also might be a matter for the church as well due to Sister Agnes being seen around the area speaking of nightmares and Hell coming to Earth. When Gabriel arrives he finds that everyone inside is dead, and that the head doctor has been taken over by a demonic being called The Necronaut and is trying to send a demonic message across the world to usher in Hell on Earth. Gabriel along with Agnes must do what they can to avoid being corrupted and stop this end of days before it can happen…but can they do so or is mankind doomed? This is a fun and weird end of days fright flick that takes elements from many other films like Hellraiser, Event Horizon and Hellmaster (as it makes sense on this one as they are both directed by the same guy). The film has some great practical effects and some okay digital ones and has a pretty gross eyeball-cutting scene. It also builds a interesting story, world and monsters but suffers from a goof of a hero who makes dumb choices and does not sell any of the terrors he is seeing.The film stars Jon Bennett, Cassandra Schomer, Bo Shumaker and Doug Bradley in lead roles. The film had a very limited release in theaters and brought in unknown profits at the domestic box office. While not a groundbreaking film, it really was a fun watch on the big screen and is one that I would watch again.
# 32
Haley along with six of her friends have rented out a mansion to celebrate a friend’s birthday when they find a very old deck of tarot cards and she gives everyone a reading including herself. When the party is over and they all head home, they start dying one by one from mysterious deaths and after a few, they all realize they are dying by their read horoscope and each victim is meeting their fate at the hands of the final cards each drew like The High Priestess, The Hermit, The Fool, The Devil, The Magician, Death and The Hangman as the tarot cards were cursed may centuries ago by The Astrologer and whoever does a reading with those cards has doomed the person who had their signs read. Now Haley and her remaining friends must race against the clock to break the curse and stay alive. This is a paint by numbers PG-13 horror film that is still pretty entertaining and has some cool monsters causing deaths to those foolish enough to have their fortunes read with their cursed deck of cards, and I think they could have a franchise on their hands if the film would have done a little better. The film is a mixed bag when it comes to acting as some of them are really bad and the character Paxton played by Jacob Batalon is very eye rolling. Other actors in this film include Harriet Slater, Adian Bradley, Avantika, Humberly Gonzalez and Larsen Thompson to name a few. The film did okay for Screen Gems at the domestic box office bringing in $18,771,004.00 on a budget of $8 million. Not a bad film but also not a great one but is one I will watch again and possibly buy on home media.
# 31
Ray Waller is 3rd baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers who was once a powerful hitter and is now dealing with having M.S. and he moves his family into a home that has a massive natural spring swimming pool that ends up doing wonders in his therapy and he starts to slowly feel better the more he is in the pool water. But the pool also has a very dark side as many of people have drowned in it and his wife, daughter and son have seen and heard things while in this pool. And when Ray is taken over by the spring pool water, a sacrifice must be made and his family must fight to stay together as well as try and save not only each others lives but that of their ill father…can they do it or will the pool claim another life. This was the start of horror films in the theater for 2024 and for the most part was a great way to kick it off, as it was a fun little chiller film set around a cursed swimming pool and yes, it’s a film about a cursed pool that houses spirits. The film relies on jump scares to bring the chills and the look of the spirits is interesting and creepy. The film is well acted and stars Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon, Amelie Hoeferle and Gavin Warren who make up the family. The film did well for Universal at the domestic box office bringing in $32,494,740.00 on a budget of $15 million. Worth a watch if you find water, pools and evil spirits scary and is one I got on DVD when released.
# 30
Allison Chambers witnesses her girlfriend Melissa being killed by a masked killer all right before the town’s election for Mayor and worse people all around town are now being killed by this crazed killer and at this point everyone is a suspect as many of these people are connected to Allison in some way, but when suspects are found are they the true killer or is something more sinister at play. This is a pretty fun slasher film that does suffer a little from an over long runtime and some predictable moments but when the killing starts up, it really is a scream. The masked killer is cool looking as the mask is cool and the weapon of a gavel with a knife that pops out of the bottom is an interesting weapon. The film stars Noami Grace, Olivia Nikkanen, Emilia McCarthy, Andrew Stewart-Jones, Kate Edmonds and William Russ to name a few. The film did okay at the domestic box office on a limited run bringing in unknown profits on an unknown budget. While this was not a great slasher film, it was an ok one to see in the theater on a cold winter night. Also I have to say that Grace, McCarthy and Nikkanen should be hired to be in more Horror Films.
# 29
Belinda and her husband Norman are struggling to pay bills and they have a child on the way, but their lives are about to change when his father dies and his overly religious stepmother Solange comes to live with them and with her comes money as well as lots of issues that include her being racist, having bathroom accidents, claiming the Holy Spirit is in her, trying to name and raise their child when born and as well trying to turn Norman against his wife Belinda by claiming she is abusing her and their daughter. But what will happen when it all comes ahead when Belinda and Solange clash for the home, the baby and the attention of Norman. This is a very strange and fun religious horror film that sets an overbearing stepmother against a new mother who is well educated and has faced being treated poorly due to her race and one will have to go…but which one will be left standing. The film stars Brandy, Kathryn Hunter, Andrew Burnap and Neal Huff who are all great in their roles, and I have to say we need more horror films starring Brandy! The film did ok for A24 at the domestic box office bringing in $3,092,269.00 on an unknown budget. The film faced very harsh reviews but it’s a very weird and fun film that has gross moments and a very sinister old crazy lady as a main villain and is worth checking out if you like the indie films of A24.
# 28
On New Years Eve 1999 high school best friends Eli and Danny are heading to a party with the idea of finally kissing one of their female classmates as Eli has been crushing on popular girl and hacker Laura and finally wants to make his move, but as the clock strikes midnight the Y2K virus takes effect via the internet and has turned the machines against mankind by not only killing them but also forcing them to get a chip into their mind that will cause them to be their slaves. But Eli is not going to stand by and watch this happen and people he cares about have either been killed or chipped so along with Laura, Ash, CJ and Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit) come together to stop the machine uprising and shutdown Y2K once and for all. This is a pretty fun horror comedy that is a love letter to the late 90’s in all things pop culture. The Y2K Robot machines are pretty cool as they are made up of things like computers, VCRs and pagers, and I have to say that I think that some of the jokes work, while others do not. The film is well casted with such names as Rachel Zegler, Jaeden Martell, Lachlan Watson, Julian Dennison and Daniel Zolghadri make up the main cast and all are fantastic with Watson and Zegler stealing the show for me. The film did pretty well for A24 at the domestic box office bringing in $4,210,306 on a $15 million budget. If you like the 90’s and horror comedies, make sure to check this one out.
# 27
Jessica moves back into her family’s home after her father is put into a home, along with her is new husband Max and his two kids Taylor and Alice. Things are going pretty well at first as Jessica remembers nothing of her childhood just that she was raised by her grandparents at a very young age and now she is doing her best to be a mother to her stepdaughters, all the while working as a children’s book artist and writer. But things start to get really weird when Max goes on tour with his band and young Alice makes an imaginary friend by the name of Chauncey who appears as a stuffed bear and who ends up being very mean making her do things she doesn’t want to do like hurt herself as well as speaks very meanly to her in-between telling her he is her best friend. You see Chauncey was Jessica’s old imaginary friend, and he is mad that she left him behind. In the end Chauncey kidnaps Alice and takes her to his realm of make believe to lure Jessica in as claiming his one time best friend is his goal and he will do whatever it takes to do so from killing to tricking. This is a fun kid friendly PG-13 horror film from Blumhouse and Lionsgate that brings a spooky teddy bear to the big screen that is more than meets the eye as he can grow into a monstrous bear or even show his true form that is like a spider with white TV like eyes. The film also uses lots of particle effects and that’s always a plus. The film is well casted with such names as DeWanda Wise, Pyper Braun, Taegen Burns, Dane DiLiegro, Betty Buckley and Tom Payne all making up the main cast and doing great in their roles. This is like a kids version of Insidious as there is even a Blue Door like the Red Door and a spooky realm that you must enter. The film did well for Lionsgate at the domestic box office bringing in $28,009,161.00 on a budget of around $12 million, showing the smaller budget Horror Films can bring in the people to theaters. This was another case of a film getting hate on the web from the old guard horror “fans” but make up your own mind and give it a watch.
# 26
Nolan and Samuel are twin brothers who live with their Momma in an old home in the middle of the woods as she told them that world has ended and that there is evil all around and that they must only leave home with a rope around them that is attached to their home as if they let go the evil will get inside and this will cause them all to die. But when young Nolan starts to questioning his mother’s sanity and if the evil is really out there, things start falling apart and this leads to a series of tragic events that will change this isolated family’s lives forever…but is the evil real or is it all just in her head…watch this creepy film to find out for yourself. Never Let Go is one of those films that mostly takes place in one setting, the family home that is surrounded by woods and this setting is what helps bring the uneasy feeling while viewing. The film stars Halle Berry, Percy Daggs, Anthony B. Jenkins and Stephanie Lavigne all who do great in their roles with Berry as Momma stealing the show. The one thing that did make me a little annoyed with some of the characters is the decisions they made, as at times they caused the chaos they faced. The evil also delivers some great spooky moments as over all it’s a pretty fun fright flick. The film did very poorly for Lionsgate Films bringing in only $10,306,106.00 on a budget of $20 million. While it did perform badly, make sure to check it out as it’s not a bad film at all and is worth a watch.
# 25
Outsiders Owen and Maddy meet in school and bond over the spooky teen TV show called “The Pink Opaque” about two girls that fight supernatural monsters together even though they are far apart. And while they enjoy the show together as well as separately, things are very rough in their everyday lives as they battle their own sexuality, their parents, their fears & sadness and when Maddy goes missing and his mother passes away, Owen is all alone and starts working jobs as well as trying to be a man, but his life is once more turned around when Maddy shows back up after missing for over a decade and tells him that the show they watched and their lives are not what they seem. But what is real and what is not real will come into play for Owen and make him second guess everything and everyone that has ever been in his life. This is your typical A24 horror film that has lots of art house mixed in and makes you have to think about the story you are seeing before your eyes on the big screen. The film deals with lots of depressing topics and feelings that teens face, as well as makes you face that things you remember might not be what you they are. There are creatures in the film as they are part of the TV Show but the horror really comes from the unknown. The film is well casted with Justice Smith & Brigette Lundy-Paine playing Owen & Maddy, and they are fantastic! Other cast members include Helena Howard, Lindsey Jordan, Emma Portner, Fred Durst, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael C. Maronna & Danny Tamberlli to name a few. The film had a limited release in theaters and did pretty well for A24 at the domestic box office bringing in $5,017,817.00 on a $10 million budget. This film will not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it and will watch it again to see what I missed.
# 24
Ryan and Maya are driving through Oregon to get to Portland as she has a big job interview, but after stopping at a diner for lunch in the very small town of Venus, their car won’t start and has to be towed to the local garage and they have to stay the night in a Airbnb out in the middle of the woods. What starts out as romantic turns into a nightmare when three strangers wearing masks (Man In The Mask, Dollface & Pin-Up Girl) all show up to torment them and uses knives, truck and axe to do so. They chase the couple all around the home and through the woods to in the end stabbing them both and leaving them for dead…but Maya survives. This is a relaunch of the film series and is a strange way to kick off a new trilogy as in many aspects it just feels like a remake of the first film from 2008 with just some more modern changes. The Strangers are as creepy and sadistic as ever as they clearly enjoy playing their cat and mouse games with their victims and being a slasher, the film was far less bloody than I was expecting. The film is well cast with Madelaine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez, Rachel Shenton, Richard Brake making up some of the main cast, and The Strangers this time were played by Matus Lajcak, Olivia Kreutzova and Letizia Fabbri. I do need to say that Madelaine Petsch needs to be cast in more Horror Films! The film did well for Lionsgate at the American box office bringing in $35,202,562.00 on a budget of only $12 million. While this was by far not the best film in The Strangers film series, it still had some good spooky moments and was worth the watch in the theater.
# 23
Cooper seems like a great dad as he is a firefighter who is taking his daughter Riley to a Lady Raven pop concert for getting good grades and best of all he has gotten her great seats, but things get a little stressful for Cooper when he notices that the venue is swarming with police officers and surveillance cameras. He learns from a staff working selling tour merchandise that the cops are there to bust a serial killer called The Butcher…and unknown to them all, Cooper is The Butcher and now must find a way to exit the building while not tipping his daughter off that something is wrong, but as this killer meet his match in a pop singer and an elderly criminal profiler? Make sure to watch this entertaining horror thriller from M. Night Shyamalan and find out if this killer can get away with his horrific crimes or if his slashing ways comes to an end. This is a very creepy film as you watch the killer Cooper who cares about his daughter but also will do whatever he can to not be caught and that means other people’s wellbeing are no concern of his. The film is well acted with Josh Hartnett playing Cooper and other names in the cast including Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donoghue, Hayley Mills, Alison Pill and Jonathan Langdon. The film did ok for Warner Brothers at the domestic box office bringing in $42,777,281.00 on a budget of $20 million showing once more that horror almost always turns a profit at the theaters. This is one that I got when released on home media.
# 22
Jack Delroy is a late night talk show host for a program called Night Owls and his ratings over time are dropping and this causes him to panic and want to go all out for his 1977 Halloween Special and have a massive ratings hit. So he invites a psychic, a skeptic, a parapsychologist and a young girl named Lilly, who was the only survivor of a mass suicide committed by a demon worshiping cult and who is said to be possessed by a demon. And things turn really sinister and wrong for Jack, his guests, crew and audience when that demon decides to come out and play and bring some of Jack’s dark secrets to the light as well as cause death, panic and fear…this is one live broadcast that the network never wanted people to see again. This film plays like a mix of a documentary as well as a re-airing of that tragic show and for the most part it really does a good job of pulling it off. The film has some creepy moments with Lilly being the main source of those moments as well as brings some laughs and Jack and his show are just cheesy late night fun. The films stars David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Josh Quong Tart and Michael Ironside to name a few of the leads. The film did well for IFC Films at the domestic box office bringing in $10,001,000.00 on an unknown budget. This creepy little film is not for everyone, but if you enjoy films like The Last Broadcast or WNUF Halloween Special you will dig this one. It’s one I bought when released on home media. Also the film had some protest over using some AI images, silly as they are not that in your face.
# 21
Mina is a young woman who cannot get over the death of her mother in a a car accident and while working for a pet shop, she is asked to deliver a bird to a zoo. Along her journey her car breaks down and she finds herself running from unknown creatures in the woods and having to find shelter in a building that has been dubbed the coop by the three other people that found themselves suck in the woods that are Madeline, Ciara and Daniel. Every night they stay inside this building that has a massive thick glass window and are watched by the creatures. But as time goes on Mina and the others want to make an escape and they learn what these creatures are as well as who and why the strange glass bunker was made. But when some of them make it out alive, they are not fully out of the woods as something has followed them out and doesn’t want their race’s story and secrets out. This is a very cool creature feature film done with a twist and is done by Ishana Night Shyamalan, the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan and is her first movie as director and writer, and she does a great job. And what the creatures are is pretty interesting, and not the classic folklore beings you would expect. The film is well casted and acted as such names as Dakota Fanning, Olwen Fouere, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan and John Lynch all shine. The film sadly did not do all that well for Warner Brothers at the domestic box office as it brought in $19,071,404.00 on a $30 million budget. While the film did not do that well, I for one loved it and got it once released on home media.
# 20
The town of Clover Falls is the stalking ground for a masked supernatural serial killer named Roger Bladecut who has been killing people for decades and even has videotaped his crimes to turn them into movies that the townspeople rent from the video store he owns. He has a daughter named Abbie who has to take over the killing business when he starts to have some health issues from decades of past wounds, but when she falls in love with Sam Crane and becomes pals with all her friends that have all been selected to be slaughtered for the next film she must figure out a way to save them, all the while dodging her father who is now on a rampage as he wants them dead and his daughter to come back to the family business of killing. What can Abbie do to save Sam, the woman of her dreams as well as not betray her father who is counting on her for the slaughter. This is a very fun slasher film that showcases what a young woman has to put up with when her father is a true urban legend psycho killer and all she wants to do is please him but also have happiness in her own personal life. The film has some bloody kills and is well casted and acted with such actors as Sari Arambulo, Molly Brown, Billy Burke, Eddie Leavy, Margot Anderson-Song, Angel Theory and Jeffrey Dean Morgan making up the main cast. The film was released very late in 2024 and had a very short limited release for RLJE Films and it looks like it will be making them a good amount of extra cash. Worth watching for sure and is one I will buy on Blu-Ray when released.
# 19
Lydia Deetz has grown up: her husband died in the Amazon, her daughter Astrid barely speaks to her, she sees ghosts and now has a TV Show about it, her manager is trying to become her new husband and worse of all she gets word from her step mother Delia that her father Charles has passed away, eaten by a shark after surviving a plane crash. Lydia, Astrid and Delia head back to the old house in Winter River for the burial services and wake for Charles where Astrid meets a boy who ends up not being what he seems and Lydia must call on Beetlejuice to help save her daughter from the other side, but Beetlejuice needs help to survive his soul sucking ex-wife who is back and looking for revenge…but can these two truly trust one another. This was such a fun sequel that was long overdue and brought Beetlejuice back to the big screen for old fans as well as new, as watching this gross jokester undead goof again made me feel like a kid. The film also wins big points with me for using lots of practical effects as well as bringing back Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara to their iconic roles but also brought in Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe, Burn Gorman, Arthur Conti and Danny Devito into the mix. The film did really well for Warner Brothers at the domestic box office bringing in $111,003,345 on a budget of $100 million. A really fun film that should prove to Warner Brothers that sequels to some of their iconic films like Beetlejuice, Gremlins, The Goonies and The Lost Boys should be given proper sequels, a must see for fans of the original film.
# 18
Maxine Minx is living in Hollywood in 1985 and is trying to breakout of just being a porn actress and auditions and gets the lead role in the film “The Puritan II”, but her past is about to catch up to her as a killer wearing black gloves is killing those close to her, a private detective is harassing her on the paycheck of the killer, two homicide detectives are wanting to question her and the director of the film is pushing her to focus as this could be her big break into fame. But Maxine is not going to go down without a fight as she wants to be famous no matter the price and whoever gets in her way be damned. This third film in the X series is a mix of 80’s Slasher with some Giallo thrown in for good measure as the plot really is Maxine Minx being taunted, tormented and stalked by a faceless killer in black gloves all the while the serial killer the Night Stalker is prowling the streets and Hollywood is not missing a beat. Mia Goth once more shows why she is the new “It” actress in horror as she kills it playing Maxine again, and other actors like Elizabeth Debicki, Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan, Moses Sumney, Bobby Cannavale and Lily Collins all kill it in their roles. The film did okay for A24 at the domestic box office bringing in $15,097,632.00 on an unknown budget. While not as good as X or Pearl, this film still is a very entertaining, great watch and has ushered in a new horror franchise for sure, also the Bates Motel and Home from Psycho appears in this flick.
# 17
Sienna Shaw and her brother Jonathan were the sole survivors of the Miles County Massacre on Halloween being done by Art The Clown and while he has tried to move on by going to college, she has spent years in an asylum and now that she is out and living with her aunt she is trying to get her life back in order but things will never be the same as Art The Clown is back as well and he has backup with Victoria Heyes. They are on another killing spree this time during Christmas and like before Sienna and her family and friends are on the chopping block as there is something more demonic at play this time around and Sienna will need all her chosen one powers to truly stop this killer clown from Hell. This third film in the super popular Terrifier series is filled with gore, over the top kills and a decent story this time around. Sienna Shaw is a fantastic character and is one of modern slasher films best final girls, and the actress that plays her, Lauren LaVera, is awesome and I hope to see her in more horror films! David Howard Thornton is truly Art The Clown and has taken a mute character and given it so much personality in his face and movements. Other cast members include Samantha Scaffidi, Elliot Fullam, Margaret Anne Florence, Kailey Hyman and Alexa Blair Robertson. The film also has lots of cool cameos from the likes of Jason Patric, Chris Jericho, Clint Howard, Tom Savini and Daniel Roebuck. The film did well for Cineverse at the domestic box office bringing in $53,981,071 on a budget of $2 million. If you liked the first two films in the series, make sure to give this one a watch as well as it’s a blood splattered good time.
# 16
Lisa Swallows is a teenager who witnesses her mother be killed by a masked killer and is now very much the odd kid as she barely speaks, has a strict stepmother, a goofy father and no boys pay attention to her. The only things she has in life is her music, crush on Michael the school’s paper editor, her caring cheerleader sister Taffy and the local abandoned cemetery that she relaxes in. But after a freak thunderstorm and an odd lightning strike in the cemetery, a member of the Frankenstein family (called The Creature) comes back to life to show his love for Lisa and the two end up becoming friends and lovers but there is a catch as Lisa and The Creature have to kill people in order to replace his rotting of missing body parts! With the police closing in as the bodies are found, Lisa must make a decision to face the crimes or end it all for true love. This is a very fun PG-13 horror comedy that takes place in the same universe as Jennifer’ Body and brings a new twist to the Frankenstein story. It was also very much inspired by the classic Universal Monster films as posters, masks and art from those films are featured throughout. The humor is silly and hit the mark for me and it is well casted with such names as Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Carla Gugino, Joe Chrest and Henry Eikenberry making up the leads and really Newton is fantastic as Lisa. Sadly the film did not do well for Focus Features at the domestic box office bringing in $9,774,285.00 on a budget of $13 million. It’s a shame that moviegoers did not support this film in the theater as it’s really good and one that I ended up buying when released on home media. Also the film has a great soundtrack!
# 15
Kabir and his wife Jyoti are heading to their farmhouse along with their teenage daughter Janvhi and young son Dhruv for a relaxing time, but while getting there they meet Vanraj at a restaurant who ends up buying the parents tea and gives their daughter a laddu that ends up allowing him to take control of her actions, and this is unknown to them all until that night during a massive thunderstorm Vanraj appears at the home and takes control of Janvhi making her hurt not only herself but also her family for his amusement as he wants her parents to willingly give her to him as he has evil plans for the young teen. And after many attacks, being stabbed and finally Dhruv being seriously injured Janvhi is given to this mad man with black magic powers…but Kabir has others plans as he wants to get his daughter back and free from his control as well as end his evil ways once and for all, but can this father’s love truly stop evil or will his daughter be lost forever, checkout this great film and find out for yourself. In 2024 Bollywood Horror has been killing it delivering some truly amazing films to the big screen that are bringing the chills and thrills and this remake film of the 2023 fright flick “Vash” did just that! The film is draped in black magic and the character of Vanraj is such a creep who really gets enjoyment of tormenting a teenage girl and her family, but even when the family fights back he seems to get joy from it. The films cast is fantastic as our main cast is played by Ajay Devgn, R. Madhavan, Jyothika, Janki Bodiwala and Anngad Raaj who all rock their roles and are very believable as a family and a evil sorcerer. The film did well at the worldwide box office bringing in $1,503,613.00 with a budget of ₹ 65 crore showing that Horror is a hit around the globe. If you like Bollywood horror films, creepy thrillers or films about black magic make sure to check this one out.
# 14
The always rainy town of Tumbbad is cursed by the greedy and now forgotten God known as Hastar who had stolen all of his mother goddess’ gold but was defeated by his siblings when he tried to all steal all the food, and for this he has been banished to forever live inside her womb and those greedy enough to look for his gold will face a brutal death or can become an immortal monstrous slave to the beast as all they will do is eat and sleep all day long. Vinayak Rao has grown up in Tumbbad and has always been into finding the treasure of Hastar that is said to be hidden inside, and as he grows older and with the help of his cursed Grandmother he truly finds the hiding place of Hastar and has a way to distract the God in order to gain more coins and become very rich by doing so, and as he gets older and has a family he teaches his son how to raid for the gold and even ends up sacrificing one of his friends who wanted to steal from him to Hastar. In the end Vinayak and his son while in the womb must truly work together to survive as Hastar as well has a sinister plan himself that will leave one of them undead and the other broken emotionally. This film was released in 2018 and in 2024 finally was released in the local theaters here in America, and I found it to be a really good and creepy Bollywood fright flick complete with a demonic looking greedy God and even a Evil Dead deadite style grandmother. The film is really about the horror and does not have musical numbers done by the cast as it plays for the scares. The film is a mix of digital and practical effects and both are pretty well done with their being lots of blood and some gruesome moments. The film stars Sohum Shah, Anita Date-Kelkar, Ronjini Chakraborty, Mohammad Smad and all do fantastic in their roles. I am not sure what the film did domestically in America during this run for Blooming Lotus Media. A really good Bollywood horror film and I am looking forward to watching Part 2 when it’s released.
# 13
Ben Dalton has lost his big job and moved from America to England for it, so to get a fresh start he along with his wife Louise and daughter Agnes go to Italy for holiday where they mean Paddy, his wife Ciara and their son Ant and they all hit it off. After the holiday is over Paddy, who is a former doctor invites Ben and his family to come stay a week with them at his farm house in the middle of nowhere, but things start to get really weird as Paddy and Ciara start to act strange and over bearing as they also witness Paddy be very strict and cruel to his own son who is mute. This peaceful week spent with new friends turns into a nightmare when Ant alerts Agnes to what is really going on and now Ben and Louise must figure out a way to get away from Paddy and the farmhouse before its to late. This film is a remake of the 2022 Danish horror film that keeps to core of the story but of course adds in its own twists and turns and delivers a entertaining thriller with two insane baddies in Paddy and Ciara. The film stars James McAvoy, Aisling Franciosi, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Alix West Lefler and Dan Hough all who do a great job on their roles. The film also makes great use of the songs Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex and Eternal Flame by The Bangles. The film did well for Universal at the domestic box office bringing in $36,931,420.00 on a budget of $15million. The film is really good, and McAvoy makes some amazing sinister faces in this fright flick.
# 12
Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are missionaries for the Morman Church and are out trying to spread their message when they come across Mr. Reed, a man who lives out in a strange home who invites them in to chat about religion as a snow storm starts blowing in. But soon the two young girls find that they are trapped in the house with Mr. Reed who is trying to make them question their faith, lives, choses and more as he sets them to witness a miracle, but when the ladies question him on his words, things just get worse and more out of control for them…but will Mr. Reed change their minds or take their lives as Barnes and Paxton must fight for their lives. This is a really interesting horror film that is faith based and has the villain trying to break the will and faith of his captives in order to try and “teach” them a lesson and when the true intensions of Mr. Reed is shown you see just how evil that guy is. The film is well cast with Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East playing Barnes & Paxton and Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed and all are amazing in their roles other cast members include Topher Grace and Elle Young. The film did well for A24 at the domestic box office bringing in $27,791,987 on a budget of around $10 million. If you like your horror films with a dash of art house, make sure to check this one out as it was a great watch.
# 11
Gretchen moves with her father, stepmother and half sister to a resort in the Bavarian Alps and from the start she notices that something is not right when she takes a job working the front desk at the lodge as women seem to be always getting sick and acting really weird just like her boss Herr Konig, who is also employing he parents to design a new building, and the front desk closes at a certain time every night. One night after leaving work late, Gretchen is attacked by a strange woman and this triggers events that has a siren song being sung from the woods, people dying of strange causes, her young sister to fall ill, her getting questioned by a former cop and also being targeted by the people of the lodge town who are in power. This is a very strange and yet great indie horror film that has some really creepy moments with a female monster that leaves her offspring in the bellies of human women in order for them to raise, and its setting of a lodge town with people of power in on this strange act and protect the monster just adds to the over all weird factor of the film. It is well acted with Hunter Schafer being outstanding as Gretchen and other cast members like Jessica Henwick, Dan Stevens, Jan Bluthardt, Marton Csokas and Greta Fernandez all great in their roles. This is one of those films that was met with mixed reviews and in some cases judged a little too harshly as people acted like the plot was hard to follow…it’s not. The film did well for Neon at the American box office during its limited run bringing in $5,324,184.00 on a budget of $7 million. A good little spooky film that shows Neon is closing in on A24 when it comes to the strange indie horror films in the theater.
# 10
King Kong is living in Hollow Earth and is being watched by the people of Monarch and the massive Titan is lonely as he has not found any of his kind. Meanwhile Godzilla is on a rampage as he is attacking other Titans and stealing their powers as its clear that he is gearing up for something big…and this big event is the coming of The Scar King, another primate Titan who is very cruel and has an army of Kong-like apes at his order as well as an ice breathing Titan that he controls by using pain with the goal of taking over the world and ruling everyone and everything…so Kong must team with Godzilla and the reborn Mothra in order to save Hollow Earth as well as the above Earth from total destruction. This is yet another great film in Legendary Monsterverse series and is packed with lots of giant monster fights as well as for me its always great to see King Kong on the big screen. The film stars such actors as Rebecca Hall. Kaylee Hottle, Dan Stevens, Brian Tyree Henry, Fala Chen and Alex Ferns all who do a great job in their roles. One part of the movie that had the audience and myself laughing is when Kong uses Suko, a small primate Titan, as a weapon, no joke it was the funniest thing I’ve seen on the big screen this year. The film did really well for Warner Brothers at the domestic box office bringing in $196,350,016.00 on a budget of $150 million showing that these giant monsters are a draw at the theaters. This is one I bought on home media when released. Also I hope they keep making these Monsterverse films as I will continue to watch them in the theater.
# 9
Rain and her android “brother” Andy are stuck on Jackson’s Star where she has to work for travel freedom and watched as both of her parents died from working the mines for Weyland-Yutani Corporation, but she soon finds a way out when her friends discover an abandoned spacecraft that they can steal the cryostasis chambers to escape to the planet Yvaga and stop being slaves for a cooperation that does not care about them. But once they get to the spacecraft, they find that it’s filled with face huggers as well as Xenomorphs that go on the attack and bring down these friends one by one. And Rain along with Andy (who gets an upgrade) must escape this infested ship all the while Andy’s new program is turning him into a company droid and wanting to do what is right for them and not his friends, but can Rain save herself and what is left of her friends and will she be able to remove the upgrade and get Andy back…watch this great Alien sequel and find out for yourself! I am a fan of the Alien films, and while the past two sequels before this were sort of bland, I feel Romulus has gotten the series back on track and has introduce to very likable characters to the universe with Rain and Andy. The Xenomorphs look great, as do the face huggers. The film packs in lots of creepy settings as well as great scares and even has some Easter Eggs throughout that are connected to the other films in the series. The only thing I was not a super fan of was The Offspring that was a human and alien hybrid. The film did well for 20th Century Films at the American box office bringing in $105,313,091.00 on a budget of only $80 million showing that this series has lots of gas still left in the tank. This is one that I look forward to watching again.
# 8
Ruhan Randhawa is a con man who goes around exercising ghosts from people’s homes, he is also a problem solver as he can make it seem like a person was possessed in order to cover up for mistakes that would get them into trouble with loved ones. But Ruhan once more finds himself in a real haunted palace when he is forced to help Meera (who has footage of him being a fraud) and finds that this mansion is being haunted by Manjulika, a woman who was burned alive for killing her own brother, and returned in order to cause death, chaos and fear, but when strange women start to show up to the estate as well as a few goofballs from Ruhan’s past things start to get a little more terrifying as Manjulika is out for blood and revenge and will not let anyone leave alive as this evil spirits true motives as well as story needs to be told and forgiveness needs to happen and at the center of it all is Ruhan who once more shows that he can be a true hero when need be. This third film in the Bhool Bhulaiyaa series is lots of fun as the humor and horror just mix really well here as the scares play creepy when they need to and for laughs when needed. The character of Manjulika is an interesting one as what you think you know about them just might not be the full truth as the true story comes to light in the end and shows why it’s been on such an evil path for all these years. The film stars Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri all who do great in their roles. The film did well for in the domestic release as it brought in $2,230,000.00 on a unknown budget. The Bhool Bhulaiyaa series is really great stuff, and I cannot wait for a fourth film in the series to be made.
# 7
Abigail is a young ballerina who is the daughter of a very dangerous, rich and violent crime lord who is kidnapped by a group of six people who were hired to do so in order to extort money from her father, but these criminals soon find that they have been tricked by Abigail, who is the one who set this all up as she selected these people who were all responsible for actions that effected her father’s empire…as she is a vampire and her father is Count Dracula and blood will be spilt (or is that drank?) as she takes out her revenge on them as they try to fight to stay alive. This once more proves that the classic Universal Monsters have lots of life in them when they are tackled by the right creative teams, that treat them as scary films and don’t treat them like dated spooky jokes. The film has lots of blood splatter and even some gore and Abigail is one deadly vampire who loves to torment her victims all in the attempt to get her father to pay more attention to her. The film is very well cast with such names as Melissa Barrera, Kathryn Newton, Alisha Weir, Dan Stevens, Will Catlett, Kevin Durand and Matthew Goode all being fantastic as their characters, and I have to say that I think Kathryn Newton is truly becoming one of my favorite horror actresses in these modern days. This is the third attempt from Universal to breath new life into Dracula, and I think this is the best of the modern takes as it was better than “Last Voyage Of The Demeter,” a film I really enjoyed and it was a million times better than the horror comedy mess that was “Renfield” and I hope Universal sticks with making these films scary. One thing I do have to say is that while this is a great film I do wish it was a more modern take of the 1936 film “Dracula’s Daughter” that is one of my favorite sequels in the world of classic Universal Monsters. The film did pretty well for Universal at the domestic box office bringing in $25,867,515.00 on a budget of $28 million, showing that classic monsters truly never go out of fashion. This is one that I loved seeing on the big screen and is one that I bought on home media when released.
# 6
Thevan is a singer who escapes slavery and is trying to get back home to his mother but finds that he cannot when a river and waterfall stands in his way, but while trying to figure out another way, he stumbles into an old rundown mansion in the woods and meets its owner Kodumon Potti who invites the man to stay and when Thevan agrees he soon finds that his host is a black magic sorcerer and that he cannot ever leave and also is in this mansion alongside a Cook, a visiting succubus, a constant rain storm and even a goblin…but not all is what it seems as this mansion is filled with lies as well as is truly cursed! Will Thevan be able to escape or will he forever be stuck in this truly evil mansion watch this black and white Bollywood Horror Fright Flick and find out for yourself. This is a very creepy black magic supernatural horror film that is a slow burn that as the time passes more is uncovered and the feeling of dread builds. The songs and score is also fantastic and help add to the spooky nature of the film. The films stars Mammootty, Arjun Ashokan, Sidharth Bharathan, Manikandan R. Achari and the lovely Amalda Liz and are all fantastic. The film did well at the domestic world box office for Night Shift Studios bringing in $1,388,375 on a budget of ₹27.73 crore showing that horror is popular all over the world. If you like slow burn horror with some supernatural black magic tones and a goblin make sure to give this one a watch!
# 5
Lee Harker is a young FBI Agent who is also partly psychic that is on the case to hunt down and kill a serial killer called Longlegs who has caused the deaths of families over the decades, and the deeper Harker gets into the case, the closer she gets to realizing that her past might just be connected to this crazy devil worshiping killer who has dark powers that force his victims to follow his orders, but is Agent Harker able to solve this killers demented puzzles or will she just have to stand by and watch as more families fall victim to his satanic plan. Make sure to check out this horror thriller and find out for yourself. This is a creepy film from Oz Perkins, who is the son of Anthony Perkins who horror fans know best as Norman Bates in the Psycho film series, that is about a weird satanic cult who gets joy in killing kids and their families on the kids’ birthdays. Nicolas Cage plays the killer known as Longlegs with Maika Monroe playing FBI agent Lee Harker other actors in the cast include Blair Underworld, Alicia Witt, Michelle Choi-Lee, Dakota Daulby and Kiernan Shipka to name a few. The film again proves that Neon is creeping up on A24 for being the must watch company when it comes to indie horror in theaters as I found this one to be a really interesting and creepy watch and is one of Cage’s best performances in horror in many years. The film did well for Neon at the domestic box office bringing in $74,045,655.00 on a budget of $80 million. One I got when released on home media, as I wanted to watch it again. Also this film got a lot of unwarranted hate from viewers, but don’t listen to reviews from critics nor friends and go see the films that get this treatment for yourself.
# 4
Sam is a woman in New York hospice care who was once a published poet and is now spending her remaining days with treatments and her support cat Frodo, when she heads to the city on a field trip with other residents to see a puppet show, the world changes in a instant as things start falling from the sky and monsters start attacking anyone making noise. Now Sam along with other survivors in the city must find a way to stay alive and get to the water as the creatures cannot swim, and on her journey to get pizza before her life ends ,she meets English man Eric who is a law student and the two start up a friendship that sees them watching out for each other, but can they survive or will they make too much noise and become just another bloodstain on the streets of NY, watch this third film in the A Quiet Place series and find out. This is a really fun creature feature, and it’s great seeing these noise sensitive monsters running loose in a big city like New York as it also shows that these creatures are all over and humans are being hunted down and slaughtered in their homes and streets. The creatures are as deadly as ever and deliver many scares with several being jump scares, and its also very well cast with names like Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou and Alex Wolff all doing fantastic in their roles. The film did great for Paramount at the domestic box office bringing in $138,930,553.00 on a budget of $67 million. Over all while it didn’t bring anything super new to the series, it was one heck of a good film and is one I bought when released on home media.
# 3
Skye Riley is a pop star who has had a rough past year as she had become an addict and a crash left her badly injured and her actor boyfriend dead, but she is on her comeback tour and things are looking up for her that is until her dealer she buys pain pills from takes his own life in front of her with a big smile on her face and now the entity that drove him insane has latched itself onto her and she is starting to fall apart with everyone around her thinking she is using again. But when she meets the brother of a man who died at the hands of the spirit she starts a plan to try and stop this Smile Entity once and for all, but will she be able to do so or will this mega star just be another victim spreading this evil beings agenda to the next person. What a fun and bloody sequel that feels right at home with the original film, and Naomi Scott who plays Skye is fantastic in the role and the pop songs will be stuck in your head days after seeing it. The film was way more bloody and violent than I was expecting and some of the deaths were really gross and well done. Other cast members include Rosemarie DeWitt, Dylan Gelula, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Ray Nicholson and even a cameo from Drew Barrymore. Smile 2 did great at the domestic box office bringing in $68,967,012 on a budget of $28 million showing that Paramount is not just back in the horror business but also they have the start of a great franchise on their hands. A great film and one I bought when released on home media.
# 2
Ellen Hutter is newly married to her husband Thomas who is being sent away by Knock, his boss at the real estate agency he works for in order to sell a very old property in Germany to Count Orlok, a very creepy nobleman from Transylvania who turns out to be a Nosferatu who has set his sites on Ellen who has had a bond with for many of years in her loneliness and along with plagued infected rats he arrives in Germany looking for her to finish their link and along the way Orlok makes her pay for falling in love with another by making her friends pay with their lives. Thomas must escape the castle and return home and along with Doctor Sievers and Professor Von Franz he must save the soul of his wife as well as his village from the plague of Nosferatu. This film is a really great remake of the 1922 silent classic, and the cinematography is stunning and beautiful. It is filled with some great scares, creepy moments, blood and even a few boobs and shows that classic Horror and characters like Count Orlok are truly timeless if done right. The film is well casted with such names as Bill Skarsgard, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney and Willem Dafoe make up the leads. And I have to say Skarsgard was fantastic as Orlok and Depp ended up surprising me in her performance. The film did well for Focus Features at the domestic box office bringing in $45,201,020 on a budget of around $50 million as of this writing. A fangtastic and creepy classic horror film that is one I will buy once on physical media.
# 1
Elisabeth Sparkle is an aging health show star who is turning 50 when her boss decides to let her go, and after having a car accident and meeting a young doctor who gives her a flash drive that is an advertisement for a medial injection called The Substance her life changes as it allows her to spawn a second half that is younger named Sue…but the catch is that they need to switch back and fourth every seven days or there are terrible changes for Elisabeth. And when Sue wants to stay around longer than the seven days, Elisabeth is drained of her age and finds herself becoming a twisted looking being, but can Elisabeth stop Sue as this is the part of her that is becoming the superstar she has always wanted to be or will Sue take over and have to find her own better side…watch this twisted and gross body horror film and find our for yourself. The film feels like a mash off films like Basketcase, Society and many of the films of David Cronenberg as it has lots of gross moments and the human body being distorted. The film is also filled with lots of blood and nudity and delivers a really interesting watch. The film is well casted as Demi Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle and is fantastic as I have always been a big fan of hers, other names in the cast include Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Gore Adrams and Oscar Lesage to name a few. The film did okay for Mubi at the domestic box office bringing in $16,443,999 on a budget of $17.5 million. If you like gross horror with beautiful ladies make sure to give this one a watch.
2025 here on Rotten Ink I think that I am going to celebrate horror in general and that means I will be having lots of updates that will feature Horror Comics, Horror Hosts, Horror Themed Wrestlers and Horror Films! But do not worry I will also have plenty of none Horror updates for those of you who enjoy the less spooky ones. But our next one will be a spooky one as it will be a “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update and will be about the 1978 version of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and the FotoNovel released to promote it! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a film or two and as always support your local Horror Host! Oh and a tip if you come across some people who seem odd and point at you and then shriek a god awful sounding scream…run as they might be a pod person!
