1 - Slumber Party Massacre A favorite slasher, felt like a great kickoff to spooky season.
2 - C.H.U.D.* Heard about this one for a long time; best part was by far the practical effects on the C.H.U.Ds, especially the shots of the claws.
3 - Company of Wolves Great spooky season movie, personal favorite, and some of my favorite werewolf scenes in cinema.
4 - Rosemary’s Baby What’s left to say? Classic.
5 - Identity* More thriller than horror, but I absolutely loved it. Great pacing, ok reveal.
6 - Skeleton Key Probably my favorite PG-13 horror movie. Always a great watch.
7 - Tales from the Hood* Personally, I didn’t think it lived up to its reputation. Some solid moments but largely felt ham-fisted with the message, which made it feel largely boring.
8 - Tucker and Dale versus Evil If you know, you know. Classic.
9 - Bloodsucking Bastards If you haven’t seen it, definitely give it a shot. Really fun, blood-splattered horror comedy.
10 - Species Not perfect but actually better than I remembered. Worth a rewatch if you haven’t seen it in a while. Unless you hated it.
11- You’re Next One of my favorite recent action horrors.
12 - Ready or Not (reaction: see movie 11)
13 - The Menu First rewatch, loved it just as much as the first time. One of my favorite recent horrors.
14 - Evil Dead (original) Do I need to even explain? Always fantastic.
15 - John Carpenter’s Vampires I know it has a lukewarm reception, but I really enjoy this take on vampires.
16 - Sleepaway Camp Absolutely wild film, bad and fun in all the best ways.
17 - Village of the Damned Not a perfect film but very watchable, hence the rewatch this season.
18 - The Mist A favorite this time of year, always fun to watch.
19 - They Live! Maybe stretching the definition of horror but…classic.
20 - The Haunting of Julia AKA Full Circle* Interesting though a little flat. I really enjoyed it, but the narrative was better than the pacing. Good turn in the plot. Recommended, especially for fans of films like Don’t Look Now.
21 - Hounds of Love* Good. Bleak. Not fantastic but very solid. Worth checking out.
22 - Grim Prairie Tales* Was hoping for more. The wraparound was the best part of the anthology, though it had its moments.
23 - Dust Devil* Loved it. Third act was a little weak compared to the setup, but a definite recommendation. Great practical effects and cinematography.
24 - X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes* Fun watch, but it really wasted its potential. On a short list of movies that I would argue could use a solid modern remake.
25 - Velvet Buzzsaw* Solid. Very slow and not even a slow burn in the sense that it ramps up in the last act, but definitely worth a watch. Loved the premise, liked the execution.
26 - Terrifier 3* Absolutely loved it. Not without faults (like the cinematic style’s bad graininess or some awkward transitions), but majorly outweighed by the fun and the spectacle of it all. Great Sequel to T2, can’t wait for 4.
27 - The Mutilator* My least favorite movie I’ve seen in a long time. Effects were good, everything else was below “so bad it’s good” level of filmmaking.
28 - Frankenhooker I’m wearing my Frankenhooker shirt as I write this, so you can assume how much I love this movie. It’s something I can watch anytime.
29 - Tremors A favorite since childhood, and just as fun as the last time I saw it. Complete banger.
30 - The Relic One of my favorite monster movies, always a good time.
31 - Trick r’ Treat Must watch for me every Halloween season. If you’ve watched it you know, if you haven’t…you should. Happy Halloween!
Oh man, sorry to hear yours is closing! Ours nearly did when the landlord raised the rent but damned if the community didn’t fundraise so that the owners could buy the theatre. It was adorable.
There’s something magic about an Indie theatre. If you ever make it out to Vancouver BC, come to the Rio, I’ll buy you a drink.
That is basically exactly what’s going on for me, my theater is the Grand Illusion in Seattle, they’re priced out of their rent and are doing pop-ups while they build/fundraiser a new theater. Some of my favorite movie-going experiences have been there!