100 Days of Horror 2023: The First 50

I took a year off from this last year to do the standard “31 Days of Horror,” but I’m back again with a (let’s face it, kind of insane) challenge of watching a new-to-me horror movie every single day for 100 days, leading up October 31st! To allow myself some grace, I am including both shorts and features in this list … and since I’m more than halfway through now, I wanted to log everything on the Splatter site.

Here are the first 50 films I’ve watched this year:

Day 1: INFINITY POOL (2023)
Directed by Brandon Cronenberg

James (Alexander Skarsgård) & Em (Cleopatra Coleman) Foster are staying at a luxury resort when they meet Gabi (Mia Goth) & Alban (Jalil Lespert) Bauer, who convince them to take a road trip down the coast — despite the warnings from resort staff not to leave the grounds. A tragic accident on the way home puts James in a dangerous situation. I’m deliberately being vague because most of my enjoyment while watching this film derived from not knowing a lot about it.

I don’t think there’s anything new being said here — but the *way* it’s said is pretty interesting. It has great performances from both Skarsgård & Goth, and hoooo boy were those masks creepy, but I coulda done without about 20 minutes so it moved along a bit faster. I still think this is worth a watch, tho ANTIVIRAL remains my fave from this Director.

Day 2: THE SILENCE (2019)
Directed by John R. Leonetti

Teenager Ally (Kiernan Shipka) has struggled with her over protective parents (Stanley Tucci & Miranda Otto) since losing her hearing a few years earlier. When a horde of sightless bloodthirsty creatures that hunt by sound is released from a mine, she and her family must use their silent communication skills to try and survive.

This is basically a much smaller budget A QUIET PLACE with weird prehistoric bat creatures instead of monstrous aliens. I chose this based solely on the cast — but outside of a few gruesome death scenes and a third act twist which I kinda enjoyed, it fell pretty flat. The creatures are more cute/bad CGI than terrifying, and the ultra cheesy ending was awful. It also really bugged that even tho they all knew how to sign, they continued to whisper to each other, which is uh, something you probably shouldn’t do when it could mean your death. Shoutout to John Corbett as BFF “Uncle” Glenn, aka a completely unnecessary character.

Day 3: THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CHILDREN (2023)
Directed by Roxanne Benjamin

Margaret (Alisha Wainwright) & Ben (Zach Gilford) join friends Elle (Amanda Crew) & Thomas (Carlos Santos) for a quiet weekend in the woods. After returning from a hike to some mysterious ruins, Ben notices Elle & Thomas’ kids are acting strangely and engaging in increasingly dangerous behaviors.

I love me some evil kids — and the actors who play them in this one (Briella Guiza & David Mattle) are really solid. I have also always loved Benjamin’s work (XX; SOUTHBOUND; the V/H/S anthologies) and this film is a total VIBE. A fun ride with great music and a cool retro aesthetic that throws some thrilling curveballs.

Day 4: INFLUENCER (2022)
Directed by Kurtis David Harder

Alone in Thailand after a fight with her boyfriend, popular Instagram influencer Madison (Emily Tennant) runs into CW (Cassandra Naud), a local who rescues her from a creepy man at the bar. After Madison’s passport is stolen, she has to extend her trip while she waits for a new one and CW offers to show her some secret photo-worthy spots. Things take a dangerous turn from there — and I’m gonna be vague again because this film‘s got some layers and I don’t wanna spoil any of them!

I really dug this one because it went in directions I didn’t expect, and the leads are both very very good. Harder also directed SPIRAL (from 2019, not the SAW-quel) which I also very much enjoyed, and it’s clear he has a knack for telling smart, tense stories. Interested to see what he puts out next!

Day 5: A HOUSE ON THE BAYOU (2021)
Directed by Alex McAulay

To try and save her fractured marriage, Jessica Chambers (Angela Sarafyan) takes her husband and daughter on a week long vacation to a secluded mansion in the Louisiana bayou. When two locals show up unexpectedly, the family finds themselves trapped in a dangerous situation.

Oooof this was something. It kinda felt like a direct to TV horror film from the 90s … and it might have been more tolerable if the main villain didn’t say “Grand Pappy” literally every 5 minutes. It starts in one direction, tries to jam a twist in, and then goes completely off the rails. Too many nonsensical threads to tie together. Also THAT ENDING. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I thought I would.

Day 6: AFTER MIDNIGHT (2019)
Directed by Jeremy Gardner & Christian Stella

After his girlfriend Abby (Brea Grant) disappears, Hank (Co-Director Jeremy Gardner)’s house starts getting attacked by a mysterious monster in the surrounding woods. Unable to catch it or convince any of his friends that it’s real, he becomes more and more desperate and unhinged.

I absolutely adored this clever mumble-horror that serves both as a contemplation on long term relationships and a tense thriller with some well placed jump scares. I’ve also never seen a better use of Lisa Loeb’s “Stay” in my life. Incredible indie storytelling by Gardner & Stella — and the list of producers includes one of my fave filmmaking duos: Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead.

Day 7: SLASH/BACK (2022)
Directed by Nyla Innuksuk

Bored one day, four teen girls in the remote community of Pangnirtung (Canadian territory of Nunavut) take one of their dad’s boats and venture off to “the land” — a place forbidden to visit without adults. While there they encounter a ferocious polar bear and after shooting it realize it wasn’t *just* an animal. With their parents busy at a big celebration, the girls must defend themselves and their siblings from bloodthirsty invading aliens.

This is such a smart indie sci-fi-horror! I am in love with everything about it; the cast — Tasiana Shirley as Maika, Alexis Wolfe as Jesse, Nalajoss Ellsworth as Uki, and Chelsea Prusky as Leena were all so authentic and amazing; the music by The Halluci Nation featuring Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq; the heavy nods to/inspiration from John Carpenter’s THE THING! When those girls got their weapons together and suited up to kick some alien ass, my heart swelled. Huge applause all around.

“No one fucks with the girls from Pang.”

Day 8: RAVENOUS (aka Les Affamés, 2018)
Directed by Robin Aubert

In rural Quebec a small group of survivors band together to try and find a safe place to live during a zombie apocalypse.

This has such great character building and atmosphere. And I loved the way the zombies would scream-yell; so “human” (as opposed to standard zombie groans) and so frightening. It also had a spectacularly bloody — and bleak — finish.

Day 9: BACKCOUNTRY (2014)
Directed by Adam MacDonald

Alex (Jeff Roop) takes his girlfriend Jenny (Missy Peregry) on a backpacking trip to a trail he loved when he was younger. Confident he knows the park well enough, he refuses a map from the ranger and also breaks the rules by going off the regular path. Things take a dark turn once the couple realizes they’re lost and a black bear is following close behind them.

This does such a good job setting things up for impending disaster! A tense encounter with a stranger ramps up the tension, and the signs that the bear is approaching make the eventual confrontation all the more terrifying. A solid thriller with a very, very, VERY gory conclusion.

Side note that MacDonald followed this feature with his second film, PYEWACKET, which is amazing.

Day 10: THE GHOUL (2016)
Directed by Gareth Tunley

After the police discover a strange double murder, former homicide detective Chris (Tom Meeten) goes undercover as a patient to investigate a psychotherapist who may linked to the deaths. As his therapy sessions continue, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur — splitting him into two distinct personalities.

There are definite LOST HIGHWAY comparisons to be made here (but like in a very subtle, British way), and this is wayyyy more thriller than horror; no blood or splatter here – but still interesting! I enjoyed the weird hints at occult beliefs, and Meeten is fantastic in his dual role. It drags for sure so you’ll need some patience, but overall it’s an impressive piece of low-budget cinema.

Day 11: THE MAFU CAGE (1978)
Directed by Karen Arthur

Since the death of their father, Ellen (Lee Grant) has taken care of her mentally-ill sister, Cissy (Carol Kane). Cissy keeps a variety of primates in the crumbling mansion they inherited with the intention of studying them and illustrating their likeness for a book. But Cissy’s fits of rage have dispatched more than one pet and when Ellen starts a romance, her beau becomes the object of her sister’s anger.

This film is WILD on so many levels! Steeped in gorgeous 70s aesthetic, with Kane looking like an untamable animal in giant kaftans and piles of jewelry. The levels of trauma that broke her (including incestuous abuse) always showing through her big, beautiful eyes. There are plenty of scares here, as you never know what’s gonna set Cissy off, and both actresses are incredible in their roles. A bleak, fascinating watch.

Shoutout to Alexandra Heller-Nicholas for writing about Arthur in Women Make Horror, because otherwise I would have never known about this film — from the same filmmaker as one of my fave erotic thrillers: LADY BEWARE (1987).

Day 12: MIDNIGHT KISS
Directed by Carter Smith

A group of longtime queer besties head to the desert for their annual New Year’s Eve tradition: a game called Midnight Kiss, in which they head to the clubs where each one finds a complete stranger to kiss at midnight. But there’s another game being played by a masked killer with a revengeda: to kill everyone playing.

A solid, but basic, slasher — in which there are a few surprises, but sadly not as many kills as I was expecting. Still enjoyable enough! Part of Hulu’s “Into the Dark” series.

Day 13: LIGHTS OUT (2016)
Directed by David F. Sandberg

In an effort to protect her little brother and help her mother treat her mental illness, Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) uncovers a long-buried secret — one so dark that it has manifested itself as a dangerous supernatural entity that appears to torment the family as soon as the lights are turned out.

TBH I only watched this because Maria Bello is in it (man I say that about SO MANY films)! At times I found the creature to be kinda cool, but whole movie is just jump scare after jump scare and it wears pretty thin after the third time. Also most of the plot points seemed to be ripped straight outta Ringu — Diana really ain’t that far away from Sadako. Too bad this film isn’t as good as any version of that story …

Day 14: RUN SWEETHEART RUN (2022)
Directed by Shana Feste

Cherie (Ella Balinska), agrees to meet a wealthy client for dinner as a favor to her boss. To her surprise, Ethan (Pilou Asbæk) is charming, polite, and handsome so she decides to stay for a drink after dinner … during which Ethan viciously attacks her. She’s able to escape but getting away from this man for good isn’t going to be as simple as going to the police.

I really dug this one! Thought I was going into a standard stalker/slasher — but that is not at all what this is, and I was continually surprised by it. Balinska is fucking fantastic, and Asbæk is great at playing evil. There are a few 4th wall breaks that I was initially annoyed with but by the end I thought they made sense. And the short role by Shohreh Aghdashloo thrilled me, because I love that woman so much. I was very entertained.

Day 15: IN FABRIC (2018)
Directed by Peter Strickland

Recently divorced bank clerk Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) decides to try dating and hits “the sales” to find an outfit for her first dinner date. Helped by the prose-spouting Miss Luckmore (Fatma Mohamed), she purchases the perfect red dress — the only one of its kind in the store. Strange things start happening as soon as she wears it, and her world is thrown into dangerous turmoil.

Everything about this is bizarre and WONDERFUL. The retro setting; the mannequin-worshipping shop clerks; the manic boutique owner; the quirky humor; the gross bros who run the bank … it’s all so great. Clever commentary on consumerism, corporate bullshit, and femininity.

Day 16: SKINAMARINK (2022)
Directed by Kyle Edward Ball

Two children wake up in the middle of the night to find their father missing, and strange things occur within their house: doors and windows disappear, and a disembodied voice starts directing them to harm themselves.

More experimental/art film than narrative feature (which I knew going in). Unsettling is a good word for it — everything is designed to feel “wrong,” and that part definitely works. I think this could have been much more effective as a 15-20 minute short, but it didn’t work for me as a longer film. Side note: I watched this with my headphones on which I don’t recommend because I nearly blew my eardrums out on the incredibly loud SURPRISE noises.

Day 17: THE INVITATION (2022)
Directed by Jessica M. Thompson

Struggling artist Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) takes a DNA test and discovers she has a long-lost family who lives in the English countryside. She takes her new cousin up on an enticing offer to attend a lavish wedding and is quickly charmed by the handsome host — but after some frightening dreams, she uncovers the real reason she was invited.

This has abysmal reviews on Letterboxd, but I very much enjoyed it! Kind of feels like a 90s-horror, Full Moon Entertainment flick. Grand sets, gorgeous costumes, and a fresh spin on a familiar legend. I dunno; I just had a lot of fun watching.

Day 18: KINDRED (2020)
Directed by Joe Marcantonio

After visiting her boyfriend’s overbearing mother and announcing their plans to relocate to Australia, Charlotte (Tamara Lawrance)‘s boyfriend Ben is killed in an accident. Alone, grieving, and unexpectedly pregnant, she finds out that Ben’s mother (Fiona Shaw) and stepbrother (Jack Lowden) intend her temporary stay at their house to be a much longer visit. As her pregnancy progresses, they confine her to smaller and smaller spaces “for the baby’s safety.”

YIKES this was a tough watch. Lots of layers here; grief, gaslighting, generational mental illness, losing control/choice of and for your own body, being considered unimportant and without rights if you’re not married, not having anyone believe you’re in trouble, even your friends — and of course, this all happens to a Black woman, surrounded by white people. It’s a heavy, believable, and devastating horror story. Really well done.

Day 19: THE APOLOGY (2022)
Directed by Alison Locke

On the 20th anniversary of her daughter’s disappearance, Darlene Hagen’s ex-brother-in-law arrives unexpectedly as a Christmas surprise — bearing gifts and a long-buried secret.

As soon as I saw the cast (Anna Gunn, Linus Roache, Janeane Garofalo!!!), I decided to watch this. This one-location thriller turns quickly from quiet terror to home invasion, and relies on the strength of its performances; in which both Gunn and Roache are fantastic. (Garofalo is barely in it, but I loved seeing her on screen again.) Linus Roache once again plays a terrible man who takes what he wants and acts like it’s not his fault. Not really that gory, but OOF the horror of being a woman and the grief of loss is really heavy here.

Day 20: BONES AND ALL (2022)
Directed by Luca Guadagnino

Maren (Taylor Russell) sets off on a solo road trip to find her birth mother, and meets Lee (Timothée Chalamet), a traveler whom she forms an immediate connection with. As the two drive across the country together, they face dangerous adversaries and fall in love — with their “otherness” bringing them together.

I did not expect to love this as much as much as I did. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and bloody and wonderful. Coming of age cannibalism; of COURSE Guadagnino did this perfectly. Also did this movie actually me make me like Chalamet?! I think it did (his KISS “Lick It Up” dance is pretty fucking good).

So many lines from this are gonna stick with me, but this is the one stinging me the hardest right now: “The world of love wants no monsters in it.”

Day 21: AFTER.LIFE (2009)
Directed by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo

After a fight with her boyfriend (Justin Long), Anna (Christina Ricci) gets into a car accident and finds herself on a mortician’s table able to speak, but not move or feel anything. As she questions the mortician (Liam Neeson), he tells her she’s dead and just has to accept it — and the only reason he can hear her is because he has the gift of being able to communicate with the corpses that end up in his funeral home.

This definitely had some good moments, but it drew things out too long and fell kind of flat. I enjoyed the push-pull of whether or not Anna was actually dead or if Neeson was a serial killer who tortured people psychologically by burying them alive, but I was pretty bored by the time they reveal what’s what.

Day 22: FROM BLACK (2009)
Directed by Thomas Marchese

Recovering drug addict Cora (Anna Camp) has been consumed with guilt since her son went missing seven years ago. In a group meeting for grieving parents, she meets Abel (John Ales), and he presents her with a way she can get her son back by performing a “ritual” … which will only work if a heavy price is paid.

Really loved the set up and the actual ritual sequences, but once the demon showed up — even tho it’s admittedly a pretty cool design — it got really silly. Still an enjoyable watch! I especially appreciated seeing Camp on screen again, as she’s one of my favorites from TRUE BLOOD.

Day 23: MEN (2022)
Directed by Alex Garland

After the death of her husband, Harper (Jessie Buckley) escapes to a remote country cottage for a healing solo vacation. But her dreamy paradise is continually interrupted by men who impose themselves on her in all sorts of ways.

The cult of patriarchy destroys another woman. An exploration of grief, guilt, and all the bullshit women have to put up with our entire lives. It looks GORGEOUS and I can’t get over the insanity of having Rory Kinear play every single man in the film — but I’m still processing whatever that last 15 minutes was. I’m 50/50 on Garland’s other features (LOVE Ex Machina; HATE Annihilation). This one falls somewhere in-between.

Day 24: THE INTRUDER (2019)
Directed by Deon Taylor

Scott (Michael Ealy) and Annie (Meagan Good) decide to move from the big city to a lush old estate in the country. They find the perfect house for sale by owner Charlie Peck (Dennis Quaid) — but after purchasing, Charlie keeps finding excuses to turn up to “help” them settle in.

Really dug the 90’s thriller feel of this one, and Quaid is definitely doing the MOST here and an obsessed stalker … including an homage to Jack Torrance. I dunno, what can I say? It’s predictable and stupid, but it’s fun enough!

Day 25: ISOLATION (2005)
Directed by Billy O’Brien

Dan (John Lynch) and Orla (Essie Davis) are being paid to run fertility experiments on livestock by John (Marcel Iures) on Dan’s remote farm. When the experiment goes awry, John quarantines the farm — trapping Dan, Orla, and two strangers on the run from the law (Ruth Negga & Sean Harris) on the grounds with a bloodthirsty monster.

I don’t know why I haven’t ever heard of this one before, because it’s pretty great! Mad science via genetic engineering, with a solid cast. The monster is weird and gross; organic-looking and terrifying! And with it comes a lotta body horror; both cow and human. The coda is a bit cheeky, but otherwise this film plays it straight, and it absolutely works. I really enjoyed this. Trigger warning for the animal violence; it’s legit hard to watch.

Day 26: BLACK BOX (2020)
Directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour

After losing his wife and his memory in a car accident, Nolan (Mamoudou Athie) is left as a single father who can’t take care of his daughter until he gets better. He decides to try a new experimental treatment by Dr. Brooks (Phylicia Rashad) to regain his memories, but starts seeing a terrifying, bone-cracking figure each time he goes under in his sessions.

This took a hard turn away from anything I thought it would be, and I loved it! Very clever — great writing, and the cast was perfect. Amanda Christine, who plays Nolan’s daughter, Ava, brought me to tears several times. Layers of story here on generational trauma, learned abuse, and more. This one really surprised me.

Day 27: BAD THINGS (2023)
Directed by Stewart Thorndike

When Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) inherits a hotel from her grandmother, her partner Cal (Hari Nef) convinces her to stay the weekend on the property with their friend Maddie (Rad Pereira) and Maddie’s ex, Fran (Annabelle Dexter-Jones). As tensions rise between the four friends, Fran starts to see ghosts appear around the hotel and Ruthie’s behavior because more and more erratic.

This is an interesting one! Heavily influenced by The Shining, while also being a fresh take. It’s a real slow burn but quickly ramps up the terror in the last third. It’s not gonna be for everyone, but I’m glad I watched. Thorndike has a really cool perspective. I’ve been meaning to check out her other feature LYLE, and this has convinced me to watch it sooner rather than later.

Day 28: DEADLINE (2009)
Directed by Sean McConville

Screenwriter Alice (Brittany Murphy) decides to stay at an isolated mansion for a week to make her screenplay deadline and finds a stack of home videos in a box left by the previous owners. She watches the tapes and is introduced to Lucy (Thora Birch) & David (Marc Blucas), with each tape revealing David becoming more and more unhinged — and reminding Alice of a traumatic incident with her own ex-husband.

Interesting premise and it’s always a pleasure seeing Murphy and Birch on screen, but this dragged on wayyy too long and I just got so bored. Shout-out to Tammy Blanchard as Alice’s girlfriend (she played Eden in Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation), and also to the fabulous house that served as the set. Also a TW for some extremely upsetting domestic violence.

Day 29: NOCEBO (2022)
Directed by Lorcan Finnegan

While receiving some devastating news from one of her factories, children’s fashion designer Christine (Eva Green) is attacked by a tick-infested dog and bitten by one of the ticks. Months later, she’s barely able to function due to mysterious pains and memory loss when a woman named Diana (Chai Fonacier) shows up claiming to be a caregiver hired to help. One night after quickly relieving Christine’s pain, Diana reveals that’s she’s a powerful Ongo (a Filipino witch) who has come to help free Christine from her troubles.

While it’s fairly easy to see where the story is going early on, I very much enjoyed the performances in this (Chai is simply AMAZING), and the weird, disturbing imagery (the ticks made me so very uncomfortable!!) It’s a solid supernatural thriller. Finnegan also directed VIVARIUM, which I liked, but my favorite of his remains his first: WITHOUT NAME.

Day 30: THE HOLE IN THE GROUND (2019)
Directed by Lee Cronin

Sarah (Seána Kerslake) and her young son Chris (James Quinn Markey) have recently moved to the country. One night after having a fight about why Chris’ dad isn’t with them, he runs off into the forest where Sarah finds him near a large sinkhole. After they return home, Chris exhibits stranger and stranger behavior and Sarah becomes convinced that he’s no longer her son.

This was much better than I anticipated it would be! Visually stunning, and the reveal did not disappoint. Both Kerslake and Quinn Markey are so good in their roles, and the score and soundscape did a fantastic job underlying the sense of dread. Not as bloody as Cronin’s second feature (EVIL DEAD RISE, which I absolutely love), but still a great watch!

Day 31: THE FINAL WISH (2018)
Directed by Timothy Woodward Jr.

After his father dies, struggling lawyer Aaron (Michael Welch) returns home to comfort his mother (Lin Shaye) and finds an interesting relic in his dad’s antique collection: a decorative urn with ancient writing. As Aaron’s subconscious wishes begin to come true, he discovers there’s a deadly price to paid for each one.

Outside of Lin Shaye being her Lin Shay’iest and a brief cameo from horror royalty Tony Todd, nothing about this is good. Clichés abound; the characters are one dimensional; the mythology is an inconsistent mess; even the kills are pretty dumb. One thing that seriously bugged was the fact that except for one wish, he never says any of them out loud! There are definitely better “wishes gone wrong” movies you could choose.

Day 32: SLUMBER (2017),
Directed by Jonathan Hopkins

When sleep paralysis Doctor Alice Arnolds (Maggie Q) treats a family of four who experiences a mass sleep walking event every night, she is struck by the son’s resemblance to her own brother — who died in a tragic accident during his own sleep walking episode. To help them, and herself, she must put her rational beliefs aside to fight an ancient nightmare demon.

You know I love my lady Maggie Q! The science stuff in this is clearly crap and it’s unbelievable to me that an expert in this area wouldn’t know about all the folklore surrounding it and would need to rely on someone else telling her, but sleep paralysis stuff is always terrifying to me even when it doesn’t quite land. Shoutout to 80’s Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy as an over-the-top Grandpa! He *almost* turns this film from slow-moving thriller to camp classic.

Day 33: BROOKLYN 45 (2023)
Directed by Ted Geoghegan

On an evening in 1945, Clive “Hock” Hockstatter (Larry Fessenden) invites his lifelong friends Marla (Anne Ramsay), Archie (Jeremy Holm) & Paul (Ezra Buzzington) over for cocktails. Clive soon reveals that he wants to hold a seance to contact his dead wife, Susan, who committed suicide just a few months earlier. After the group makes contact with the spirits, Clive makes a devastating choice that pits the friends against each other.

I enjoyed this talky supernatural period piece! Great performances and fun special F/X, with a slick plot that keeps you guessing. Most horrifying cocktail party ever.

Day 34: EXISTS (2014)
Directed by Eduardo Sánchez

A group of friends hit something with their car on the way to party at a remote cabin in the woods and find themselves being stalked by a vengeful Bigfoot as a result.

Another effective found footage nightmare by Sánchez (THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT 1999)! The FF device is that one of the friends is a YouTube vlogger who decides to document everything (with multiple GoPros and handhelds). The characters aren’t particularly likable and make some dumb-ass choices, but this it tight, tense, and has some incredible attacks. One of the best Sasquatch films I’ve seen.

A note that there are a lot of shaky handheld sequences for sure, but they’re balanced out by static camera placements so I managed to make it all the way through without getting motion sick.

Day 35: ESCAPE ROOM (2019)
Directed by Adam Robitel

Six strangers receive an invitation to play an immersive escape room game for a chance to win $10,000. Initially excited to play for the money, they quickly find out they’re actually playing for their lives.

All the praise I heard about this one was warranted! It’s a lot of fun, and the sets are incredible. I LOVE Deborah Ann Woll and I’m a huge fan of Taylor Russell, so I was pleased they’re both in this. The bridge to the sequel was a bit silly — which I’m sure the entire film will be — but I’ll probably give it a whirl since it’s by the same director.

Day 36: HATCHING (2022)
Directed by Hanna Bergholm

Under pressure to get a spot in an important gymnastic competition and feeling neglected by her picture perfect vlogger mother, Tinja finds a bird’s egg and decides to incubate it. When it hatches, she discovers the creature that emerges is closely connected to her and also has a deadly temper.

Weird and brilliant! Preteen emotions and worries manifested as a killer monster — with some real uncomfortable body horror sequences. Both Siiri Solalinna who plays Tinja & Sophia Heikkilä who plays her mother are FANTASTIC. In Finnish with English subtitles.

Day 37: GEOMETRIA (1987)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro

Criterion Channel has a lot of horror shorts right now, so I decided to check some out! This one is about a boy who keeps failing geometry, so he summons a demon to help him out — along with an extra favor. It’s funny and I loved the bright colors, which is very different from GDT’s usual palettes. Also appreciated the demon being heavily inspired by Regan/Pazuzu and the goopy practical F/X.

Day 38: HAIR WOLF (2018)
Directed by Mariama Diallo

Another horror short on the Criterion Channel! The staff at a Black hair salon encounter a terrifying monster: a white woman who invades their space demanding braids, and then starts infecting them one by one with racist beliefs.

Such a clever and funny take on white people stealing Black culture — I did a spit take at the, “Faaaaadddees” zombie, and loved the “Thriller” homage.

Day 39: CHILDREN OF THE CORN (2020)
Directed by Kurt Wimmer

Conceived as sort of a “prequel” to the original Children of the Corn, the story takes place in Rylstone — a small town whose corn crops are failing due to the GMOs sprayed on them. When the town’s adults agree to destroy the crops, a young girl named Eden convinced a band of children to violently stop them in service to “he who walks.”

It’s not like the 1984 version is a masterpiece, but nostalgia over movies seen when you’re young plays a large part in how much you love films later on, and Isaac & Malachai have always loomed in my nightmares. I don’t think Eden was a bad sub for Issac at all; in fact I rather enjoyed watching her evolve into an evil cult leader but I’m not sure she’d make the same impact on kids now that the OG duo made on me.

I was also afraid that the plot was gonna go one, very stupid way they hinted at in the beginning and so when it didn’t, I was very pleased. And even though I didn’t find the monster scary at all, there is a pretty great splatteriffic scene near the end. That said, there’s nothing particularly innovative in this version, and the way they made 99% of the adults the worst people on earth kinda took the horror out of them being slaughtered by the kids. In conclusion, this was neither the worst or best thing I’ve ever seen; it was just okay.

Day 40: KILLER BOOK CLUB (2023)
Directed by Carlos Alonso Ojea

After a “Killer Clown” prank that Angela and her book club friends stage ends in tragedy, they pledge to keep quiet about what really happened. Unfortunately for them, a witness begins writing an online book describing what happened and adding daily chapters detailing who in the group will die as revenge — then acting out the killings in real life.

I really enjoyed the 90’s slasher throwback feel of this. Very well done, and so much fun! There are some CGI blood splatters which bugged me a bit, but I can overlook that because everything else is great. Also another fantastically creepy killer’s mask to add to the list of good ones! Definitely worthy of the buzz it’s getting. Spanish with English subtitles.

Day 41: THE DEVIL’S HARMONY (2019)
Directed by Dylan Holmes Williams

Working my way through more Criterion horror shorts! A bullied girl gathers an enchanted glee club that sings all the jocks at her school to sleep. A fun horror-comedy about revenge; such a unique take on how to take down obnoxious jerks, and I loved the serenade at the end.

Day 42: TAMARA (2005)
Directed by Jeremy Haft

After Tamara (Jenna Dewan)‘s whistleblower article about drug use by the school’s star athletes gets published, the jocks seek revenge by exploiting her crush on Mr. Natolly — their kind English teacher. Their prank ends in a deadly accident, but Tamara’s obsession with witchcraft allows her to rise up and wreak bloody havoc.

Kind of a mashup of THE RAGE: CARRIE 2, THE CRAFT & JENNIFER’S BODY — without the charm of any of those inspirations. This had its moments, including some inventive punishments, but sadly the ending was wholly unsatisfying. A much better viewing option for Jenna Dewan + magic is “The Witches of East End.”

Day 43: PERPETRATOR (2023)
Directed by Jennifer Reeder

Just gonna drop the IMDb logline here, since I can’t find a better way to describe it: Jonny Baptiste is a reckless teen sent to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie. On the event of her 18th birthday, she experiences a radical metamorphosis: a family spell that redefines her called Forevering. When several teen girls go missing at her new school, a mythically feral Jonny goes after the Perpetrator.

Truly unique; inspirations are drawn from various sources, but in terms of the story — I really can’t think of anything else I’ve seen that’s similar to this! Also really appreciate how much this did with a small indie budget. My only criticism is that it takes a bit to really get going, but the second half more than makes up for it. I particularly love the party scene. Campy, weird, and very, very bloody. I’m into it.

Side note: I need every one of Alicia Siverstone’s costumes in this movie immediately.

Day 44: WHITE ECHO (2019)
Directed by Chloë Sevigny

Another horror short on Criterion! A dreamy story about 5 women who stay at an old house and call forth the spirits on a Ouija board — resulting in a weekend of powerful connection. Quiet and beautiful, with a little punch of horror at the end. Loved the witchy vibes.

Day 45: THE DEAD DON’T DIE (2019)
Directed by Jim Jarmusch

The residents of a small town find themselves in danger when zombies rise from their graves and start infecting others.

A little slow moving, but that’s typical of Jarmusch’s work. Talky, meandering, and packed with recognizable actors (Bill Murray! Tom Waits! Steve Buscemi! Danny Glover! Tilda Swinton using a sword!) — with the addition of blood and gore. I’d watch it again just to see zombie Iggy Pop and hear Adam Driver say, “ghouls.” I’m in the minority here, but I very much liked this. Please note that in this apocalyptic scenario, I am absolutely Caleb Landry Jones’ snarky movie-obsessed gas station owner: “The motel in Psycho wasn’t broken up into little bungalows!”

Day 46: BODIES BODIES BODIES (2022)
Directed by Halina Reijn

Bee (Maria Bakalova) accompanies new girlfriend Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) to a remote mansion for a weekend of partying with Sophie’s rich friends. Trapped inside during a storm, they decide to play a murder mystery game — but when one of the victims is found actually dead, the survivors have to figure out which one of them is the killer.

I found this to be both thrilling and funny! Lots of clever digs at youth and privilege, and it does a great job throwing suspicion on every character. I was 100% surprised by that ending and laughed very very loudly at the reveal. Super fun!

Day 47: AGNES (2021)
Directed by Mickey Reece

When Sister Agnes becomes possessed by a demon, the church sends a pair of priests to perform an exorcism on her. As a result of that ritual, Agnes’ friend and confidant Sister Mary has her faith shattered and leaves the convent.

This is definitely not anything like the usual! What starts out as high camp criticizing Catholicism’s cult of celebrity and heinous abuse cover-ups via an expletive-filled demon expulsion takes a hard turn into a sad, dramatic tale of grief and struggle that ultimately shows how few safe spaces there are for women. You could cleanly split this film in half and end up with two complete shorts. Fascinating in that capacity, if nothing else.

Day 48: SIGNIFICANT OTHER (2022)
Directed by Dan Berk & Robert Olsen

Ruth (Maika Monroe) reluctantly agrees to go on a remote hiking trip with her boyfriend, Harry (Jake Lacy). While exploring on her own, she finds a mysterious liquid that changes everything for the couple.

I dunno what I was expecting, but it was not this! Cleverly done, lots of gore, and some great surprises. I also find it *really* interesting that there seem to be so many horror movies where a man is stoked to be out in the woods and the woman with him is only going along with it to placate him …

Day 49: TIME OF MOULTING (2020)
Directed by Sabrina Mertens

Growing up in an isolated farm house with her parents — a mom who’s still stuck in the past, and a dad who’s physically abusive — Stephanie retreats into her own world, enmeshing pain and violence with sex as she grows older.

Described as “The still life of a family in 57 pictures,” this is a quiet, slow moving art house horror does an effective job showing how isolation and generational trauma cause someone to unravel over the years. Not bloody or gory, just very, very unsettling. Set in the 70s with an authentic vintage aesthetic; German with English subtitles.

Day 50: ELIZABETH HARVEST (2018)
Directed by Sebastian Gutierrez

New bride Elizabeth (Abbey Lee) arrives to her new home with her husband, Henry (Ciarán Hinds) and meets his son, Oliver (Matthew Beard) and his assistant, Claire (Carla Gugino!!!). After being shown around the house, Henry tells her there’s only one place she can’t go — so of course as soon as he leaves she goes there, and discovers a clone of herself.

This one is pretty interesting! It asks some good questions about scientific responsibility, men feeling ownership over women, and cycles of abuse. Reminded me of the Hulu Into the Dark installment, ALL THAT WE DESTROY, which has a similar story. Bad men doing very bad things, aided by the women who love them.