100 Days of Horror 2024: The Last 50

Wrapping up my 2024 challenge of watching a new-to-me horror movie every single day for 100 days! This list includes features AND shorts — check out the first 50 here, and read on below for the final choices:

Day 51: The Power (2021)
Directed by Corinna Faith

In 1970s London, a trainee nurse spends her first night at a hospital during power outages, where she is haunted by a supernatural presence.

I absolutely adore the way this drops clues amongst terrifying ghostly attacks! A simply gorgeous film that examines the horror of toxic masculinity, abuse, and female rage — and Rose Williams is amazing as the lead. I’m just sad I didn’t see this sooner.

Day 52: Netflix and Chill (2023)
Directed by Alex Magaña

A woman looking forward to bingeing the new season of her favorite show makes excuses to friends and family who need her attention, which results in spooky circumstances.

This 4-minute short isn’t groundbreaking by any means, but it’s entertaining enough to hold your attention for that long. I also see there are a few “sequels” … so maybe more of them will make an appearance over the remaining 48 days!

Day 53: All You Need is Death (2023)
Directed by Paul Duane

A young couple who collect rare folk ballads discover the dark side of love when they surreptitiously record and translate an ancient, taboo folk song from the deep, forgotten past.

I really dug this one! Very different from most other folk horror films out there – akin to Pontypool in some ways, in which words, in this case when sung, manifest an evil which cannot be stopped. You really feel the powerful song performances in your BONES, and I deeply loved how it all wrapped up. Also so happy to see Olwen Fouéré on screen, who is a delight in every film I’ve ever seen her in.

Day 54: We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021)
Directed by Jane Schoenbrun

Alone in her attic bedroom, teenager Casey becomes immersed in an online role-playing horror game, wherein she begins to document the changes that may or may not be happening to her.

I have no excuse for why it’s taken me so long to get to this (and I Saw the TV Glow, which will appear at some point in this 100 Days). None! This is beautiful in its simplicity and feels achingly true to the loneliness endured while searching for a sense of who you are, at a time when you’re getting so many messages about who you *should* I’m not sure how I feel about the ending — but I am very into its message of agency, connection, and transformation.

Day 55: The Girl in the Photographs (2015)
Directed by Nick Simon

A young woman in the small town of Spearfish starts receiving photographs of brutally murdered young women. Are they real or staged?

Prime is selling this as a “Wes Craven film” – because he’s the Executive Producer, which admittedly intrigued me, in addition to seeing Oz Perkins in the writing credits and Katherine Isabelle in the cast. Anyway this has REALLY awful reviews, but I enjoyed its 90s-era slasher vibes. It has a creepy stalker premise, decent amounts of splatter, and an ending that doesn’t get neatly wrapped up. Plus, Kal Penn as a Terry Richardson’esque photog and a cameo by Mitch Pileggi! I’m not mad about it.

Day 56: Tarot (2024)
Directed by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg

When a group of friends finds a hand-painted vintage Tarot deck and uses it to do readings, they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death.

No surprise that this is incredibly stupid, and I think part of that is because it’s trying so very hard to be the next Final Destination. I saw a comment that this would’ve felt more relevant in the early 2000s, which I don’t disagree with — but it’s still pretty subpar. I’ll give it points for casting Olwen Fouéré (my QUEEN), and also the set dressing and design of the cards, which was cool. But the monsters all seemed kinda the same and I didn’t really care about any of the kids in peril. Also, OOF that ending. 🙄

Day 57: The Watchers (2024)
Directed by Ishana Shyamalan

A young artist gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.

Another film with Olwen Fouéré! I just keep picking ‘em, and honestly she’s the best part of this. I was super into the creature design at first, and then it fell apart for me when it got too CGI’y. The story is actually pretty great — far more gothic folklore than horror — and I guess it’s based on a book which I need to seek out next, since the adaption didn’t quite do it for me. But hey, at least it wasn’t PLANTS.

Day 58: Ride (2019)
Directed by Meredith Alloway

Spin classes can be a bit intimidating. But for Brit, the fear is real when her first class turns into a ride for her life.

Really enjoyed this short, which confirms my solid belief that spin classes are actually an evil cult.

Day 59: Dysmorphia (2019)
Directed by Amy Geist

After Isabella, a destitute beauty-addict, fakes cancer to pay for her next cosmetic surgery, she is haunted by a shadow figure demanding a penance of flesh.

This starts out as commentary on the pursuit of perfection — and ends as a horrifying manifestation of grief, which is pretty extraordinary for a 13 minute film. Make sure you watch through those credits!

Day 60: Apartment 7A (2024)
Directed by Natalie Erika James

Taking on a prequel to a beloved horror classic is a gutsy move – how do you keep it fresh when you’re telling part of a story that so many people already know? And how do you make it different enough that people don’t claim it’s a copy? Read the full review here.

Day 61: The Draft (2023)
Directed by Yusron Fuadi

THE DRAFT! introduces us to five friends – the jock, the nerd, the pretty one, the rich one, and the popular one – head to a remote villa for a weekend getaway – and of course, things start to go awry as soon as they arrive. The generator fails so there is no power, there’s a locked room that the caretaker warns them all to stay away from, and the ghost of a long-dead relative may be haunting the hallways. Read the full review here.

Day 62: What Happened to Dorothy Bell? (2024)
Directed by Danny Villanueva Jr.

I have seen the found footage horror movie of my dreams, and it is WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL? This compelling thriller follows Ozzie Gray who uncovers a disturbing revelation from her early childhood involving her late grandmother, Dorothy Bell, and sets out to solve the mystery of what happened. Unfortunately for Ozzie, she mistakenly awakens an ancient evil during her investigations. Read the full review here.

Day 63: Faces (2024)
Directed by Blake Simon

FACES follows a shapeshifting entity as it encounters a group of college students and “becomes” one of them to infiltrate a party.

I thought this was an incredibly interesting exploration of identity and searching — at first it plays like Buffalo Bill meets an alien from THE HIDDEN; the entity is a monster who kills without remorse, taking identities by force and leaving a bloody, tangled mess in its wake. But the story chooses to go deeper than that, moving through a great scene that flips the issue of consent during a drunken party hookup to an emotional sequence that gives the monster a sense of humanity. Beautifully done!

Day 64: Touched by Eternity (2024)
Directed by Mārcis Lācis

Middle-aged Fatso spends his days trading cryptocurrency and watching a podcast that discusses ways to live forever with “expert guests” from inside his run-down trailer, ordering “miracle cures” for morality that they spotlight on the show. His usual boring routine is interrupted one day by two vampires, Egons and Carlos, who are drawn to him and offer him the gift of eternal life. Read the full review here.

Day 65: The Severed Sun (2024)
Directed by Dean Puckett

Fearing for her and her sons’ lives, Magpie poisons her abusive husband and makes it look like a gruesome murder has occurred to cover her tracks. When the isolated church community she lives in discovers the body, whispered rumors about a beast that lives in the forest spread. Read the full review here.

Day 66: Binary (2024)
Directed by David-Jan Bronsgeest

As she approaches her gender-affirming surgery date, exotic dancer Nisha starts experiencing strange visions and violent reactions that cause her to reconsider her decision and explore what it is she really wants. Becoming increasingly worried about the troubling warning signs she keeps seeing, Nisha’s grasp on reality starts to slip – and when a striptease at a bachelor party turns violent, her fears turn into a physical manifestation that delivers rage and revenge in equal, bloody parts. Read the full review here.

Day 67: Witte Wieven (2024)
Directed by Didier Konings

Frieda’s greatest wish is to have a child, but she hasn’t been able to conceive. The men in charge have a theory about a woman who is unable to become pregnant – she’s obviously cursed, and she’s probably been talking to dark forces hidden in the woods. A strict regimen of prayer is “prescribed” for her, her husband pulls away at her suggestion that he might be the problem, and the townspeople start regarding her as a problem. When another man in the village takes all of this as a sign to forcibly “give her what she needs,” she runs into the woods to escape him and is saved from a violent death by a mysterious creature. Read the full review here.

Day 68: The Substance (2024)
Directed by Coralie Fargeat

A fading celebrity decides to use a black-market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

Fuck. Yes. I was already a huge fan of Fargeat because of how absolutely rad her first feature Revenge, is — and now I’m 100% totally gone for her. The Substance goes so hard it blew me away; just balls to the wall insanity that somehow still captures exactly how it feels to be a woman in your 50s, along with the exhilarating feeling of power you have when you’re young.

The biggest, bloodiest body horror extravaganza I’ve ever had the pleasure to view. I won’t drop any of the finer plot points or details here: just go see it. See it with friends, and in a theater (if you’re able to). The crowd reactions are amazing to behold.

Day 69: Haunting, Horrifying Sounds From Beyond the Grave (2018)
Directed by Rodney Ascher

An experimental musician tasked with making a Halloween sound effects album decides to record his mother’s dying breath and is haunted by her spirit.

A nice, spooky little short with a morbid sense of humor. Starring Noah Segan, aka Derol the stoner from Glass Onion.

Day 70: Oddity (2024)
Directed by Damian Mc Carthy

On the anniversary of her twin sister’s murder, a psychic medium attempts to uncover the truth behind the crime.

I loved Mc Carthy’s feature debut, Caveat, and this was just as unsettling and heartbreaking. Even though I knew where it was going, I had no idea how it was gonna get there and I jumped out of my seat more than a few times. A tension-filled, bloody murder mystery packed with creepy atmosphere — and completely convincing haunted objects. I want Darcy’s curiosity shop, but at the same time I DO NOT WANT IT. Oh, hello absolutely terrifying rabbit toy from Caveat, and also, no thank you.

Day 71: Amelia’s Children (2023)
Directed by Gabriel Abrantes

Edward searches for biological family in Portugal. He finds a villa and reunites with his long-lost mother and twin. But their shared past holds a dark secret that will forever change his understanding of his identity and origins.

This is somehow great and not great at the same time? Like I think it really works on a high camp level — it’s a very fucked up twist on the Portuguese Bruxa legend, and mommy clearly visits the same plastic surgeon Longlegs does. Shoutout to Carloto Cotta who did a real good job playing two very different twins, and to Anabela Moreira who did the MOST from behind a lot of prosthetic makeup.

Day 72: Cuckoo (2024)
Directed by Tilman Singer

A 17-year-old girl is forced to move with her family to a resort where things are not what they seem.

Well this was absolutely WILD. A fresh take on a classic sub-genre, with fantastically moody atmosphere and a solid cast all around. Hunter Schafer was great, and I am fully here for Dan Stevens’ unhinged horror era. I’m deliberately staying away from specifics here because a lot of the fun of this film is watched the story details unfurl in real time, but I will say this: there’s an impressive amount of splatter.

Day 73: Hold Your Breath (2024)
Directed by Karrie Crouse & William Joines

In 1930s Oklahoma amid the region’s horrific dust storms, a woman is convinced that a sinister presence is threatening her family.

I love me a good, tense period piece horror, and this delivered! We got a woman grieving the loss of one child, left alone in the middle of nowhere with her other two daughters: we got a spooky storybook about a “gray man” who can move through walls: we got a suspicious drifter who claims to be a preacher that can heal people: and we got dust, literally EVERYWHERE — covering people and choking them and making momma super paranoid. There are some very familiar story beats here, but Sarah Paulson & Ebon Moss-Bachrach, are both so good, you won’t care.

Day 74: In a Violent Nature (2024)
Directed by Chris Nash

When a locket is removed from a collapsed fire tower in the woods that entombs the rotting corpse of Johnny, a vengeful spirit spurred on by a horrific 70-year old crime, his body is resurrected and becomes hellbent on retrieving it.

I see what Nash was trying to do here, but while I appreciate the effort to try something different by showing us much of the killer’s POV (not actually through “his” eyes, but the camera is following him, not the victims, for most of the movie) this draggggged for me so much. I think a 30-minute short packed with all the very impressive, very gruesome kills —plus excising that last, lengthy bit of dialog — would have made me like it a lot more.

Day 75: Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Directed by Mario Bava

A masked, shadowy killer brutally murders the models of a scandalous fashion house in Rome.

My giallo knowledge is mostly centered on Dario Argento and Mario’s son, Lamberto — so it was a treat to explore more work by the Master of Italian horror. This one’s got secrets! And jealously! And scandal! And betrayal! And of course murder! So much glorious murder. Lace is worth it for the colors and sets ALONE, but it’s also so cool to see a movie that influenced not just the genre, but film of all types.

Day 76: Salem’s Lot (2024)
Directed by Gary Dauberman

An author returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover that the townspeople are being attacked by a bloodthirsty vampire.

I didn’t go into this expecting a lot — and it was fine, just fine. Things I liked: that they kept the 70s setting rather than try and modernize it; that the final confrontation was wholly different from what was on screen before; and that Mark Petrie kicked so much ass. Things I didn’t like: the cheesy humor; the almost complete lack of character development; the look of Kurt Barlow, which was somewhere between OG Barlow and 30 Days of Night; and the ways in which some characters escaped certain death.

All that said, I recently rewatched the original miniseries and it’s also just fine. The nostalgia of being terrified by the child vampire when seeing it as a kid will always make it rate higher, of course. This one isn’t any worse, or any better. Maybe that additional hour of footage they cut may have made a difference, but I doubt it. I think this is just one of the tougher King tales to adapt.

Day 77: Infested (2023)
Directed by Sébastien Vanicek

Residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders.

The French are not fucking around with their killer spider movies!! This is terrifying, brutal, and genuinely devastating. Why did I choose to watch this during peak spider season?! Despite the fact that I have ruined myself for any kind of normal sleep forever, I really dug this one! Strong, likable characters; super creepy spider effects; smart jump scares. Additional points for its “fuck the police” messaging.

Day 78: It’s What’s Inside (2024)
Directed by Greg Jardin

A group of friends gather for a pre-wedding party that descends into an existential nightmare when an estranged friend arrives with a mysterious game that awakens long-hidden secrets, desires, and grudges.

Not a whole lot of splatter here, but I went into this totally blind and found it absolutely, hilariously entertaining. Don’t wanna give anything away on this one, so I’ll just say I laughed a LOT and found the ending to be super satisfying. A++ writing, performances, and directing.

Day 79: Gummy (2024)
Directed by Sasha Aubort

A masochistic dentistry student grapples with unrequited love and her manipulative father by pulling out her own teeth for addictive pleasure.

EeeeSssshhh. Teeth stuff always makes me so uncomfortable! And this short did a fantastic job absolutely creeping me out. I really dug the queer love theme, and the unhinged direction it took being an “outsider” in.

Day 80: The Girl in the Pool (2024)
Directed by Dakota Gorman

A well-to-do family man is forced to struggle through a surprise birthday party moments after hiding the murdered corpse of his mistress.

Whelp … this started off in a way that made think it was gonna be fun in a cheesy, Lifetime network movie kinda way — but instead of an unbelievably schlocky thriller, it turned into a more serious, “man contemplates his life” drama which just didn’t work for me. Freddie was actually great, and I like Monica Potter a whole lot, but oof. This was just not a good film.

Day 81: I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
Directed by Jane Schoenbrun

Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

Schoenbrun is taking inspiration from some of the greatest filmmakers and using it to fuel a vision which is wholly and totally their own. I can’t explain to you exactly why I was sobbing uncontrollably during the last 15 minutes of this film, nor can I tell you why it tugged so hard at the younger version of me inside my current self — the one who still holds so much fear and has so much more healing to do. This is just gorgeous and original and GUTTING. Truly a piece of art.

Day 82: The Nun II (2023)
Directed by Michael Chaves

1956 in France, a priest is horribly murdered. An evil is spreading. Once again, Sister Irene comes face-to-face with Valak, the demon nun.

I really enjoyed the first film in a very Gothic Hammer Horror way, but this one didn’t really do it for me. There are lots of gorgeous set pieces and I did like a harrowing bell tower sequence, but I think multiple full-on shots of the Nun give her a lot less impact. I also laughed pretty heartily about wine being such a pivotal part of the fight. Taissa is my girl, but this is probably another one I’ll forget I’ve seen in about a month.

Day 83: Lavender (2016)
Directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly

After discovering old fractures in her skull, a photographer recovering from amnesia becomes increasingly haunted by a sinister childhood secret.

A 93 minute movie that somehow feels like it’s over two hours. I think part of that might be because it’s pretty easy to figure out the “mystery” right off the bat, so most of the discovery plays like filler. The kid in this movie is also in the running for most annoying kid ever. Positives: It has a few good jump scares, and I love Abbie Cornish so it was nice to see her on screen.

Day 84: Alexia (2013)
Directed by Andrés Borghi

Although Alexia, Franco’s ex-girlfriend, has been deceased for some time, Franco still has her as a contact on his social network. When he decides to delete her and move on, something strange starts to manifest through his computer.

A creepy little short film with shades of The Grudge. Great F/X (which makes sense, as it’s directed by a Visual Effects pro)!

Day 85: Into the Night (2021)
Directed by Chris Goldade

A man who flees from the scene of a fatal bicycle accident soon finds that he is being haunted by more than just his own guilt.

Catching up with some short films this week! I love that there are so many #horrorshorts online. This one is part of a “Dark Matters” trilogy by the same filmmaker so I’m hoping I can track down the next two. This was great; full of atmosphere and strong performances. Loved the ending!

Day 86: Warnings (2023)
Directed by Curry Barker

When Sean (Curry Barker) finds a mysterious note on his car, he questions where it came from and why strange things are beginning to happen.

This is by the same director as Milk & Cereal, which I have seen all y’all hyping up! Makes sense, as this short was a solid, super creepy tale of terror.

Day 87: Caddo Lake (2013)
Directed by Celine Held & Logan George

When an 8-year-old girl disappears on Caddo Lake, a series of past deaths and disappearances begin to link together, altering a broken family’s history.

This was definitely giving some “The Endless” vibes. But it’s also got its own thing happening. I couldn’t predict where the story was gonna go, and I really loved the direction it took — particularly the ending.

Day 88: Leave (2022)
Directed by Alex Herron

A young woman tries to find her origins after having been abandoned as an infant at a cemetery wrapped in a cloth with satanic symbols, but as she gets closer to answers a malevolent spirit is telling her to leave.

This has a slowwwwww ramp up, but once it starts cooking it does not let up! Super creepy atmosphere and some good surprises. I don’t think it deserves all the terrible reviews; I really enjoyed this one.

Day 89: A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
Directed by Michael Sarnoski

A young woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing.

Loved this! Love the main character, love the human connections, love the suspense, love THE CAT, love everything about it. Another solid entry in the Quiet Place series, making a trilogy of solidly entertaining films.

Day 90: The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)
Directed by Renny Harlin

After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple is forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive.

Almost too similar to the original to be anything extraordinary—but I do love Renny Harlin, and I think it looked AMAZING. Might’ve been more fun if they had leaned into the unwelcoming townspeople more and pushed it towards camp, but how it starts and how it ends doesn’t add up. And neither does the last text we see on screen … unless they take it somewhere all new with a 2nd prequel.

Day 91: What You Wish For (2013)
Directed by Nicholas Tomnay

A down-on-his-luck chef assumes the identity of an old culinary friend who’s a private chef for the wealthy. As the motives of his mysterious clients become clear, he desperately tries to find a way out.

This moves a little slow and is sparse on the blood and gore, but it’s a decent horror-thriller. Lots of suspense, and I really like how it wrapped up. The cast was also solid; Nick Stahl fit the role perfectly.

Day 92: Mr. Crocket (2024)
Directed by Brandon Espy

A mother embarks on a perilous quest to rescue her son from a demonic children’s show host who is kidnapping kids.

Mr. Rogers/Pee Wee’s HORROR Playhouse… there’s a lot of this that works: some absolutely wild, gory kills; amazing creature F/X; and Elvis Nolasco is fantastic as the lead. Overall a fun one-time watch, but it didn’t quite come together enough for it to stand out.

Day 93: The Night Nurse (2022)
Directed by Tim Delaney

Lonely wheelchair-bound Tallulah’s sad nursing home Christmas turns deadly when a vampire nurse comes to feed.

This is a fun short! Lots of suspense that was built in under 12 minutes — and it had a great complementary score. Loved the aesthetic of this one too.

Day 94: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Directed by Tim Burton

After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her teenage daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.

Better than I expected, but not as good as I hoped. There were some genuinely funny moments, and the mother/daughter story was very sweet. Justin Theroux & Catherine O’Hara were absolutely PERFECT, Keaton was funny, Ortega is great in everything, and I will always carry a torch for Winona. I wish they’d done a bit more with Belucci’s character and I was not a fan of the claymation section — but one time through, it was just fine. And I admit, the character who spurted blood out of their wound made me giggle every time! tl;dr – I’m not mad at it.

Day 95: Don’t Move (2024)
Directed by Brian Netto & Adam Schindler

A seasoned killer injects a grieving woman with a paralytic agent. She must run, fight and hide before her body shuts down.

This was great! Sooo much suspense, and with a smart woman who fights back as best she can, even in the face of hopelessness. Kelsey Asbille was SO good, especially considering she had to do most of the acting with just her eyes for the majority of the film. And I dunno why, but even after seeing him play a psychopath on almost every season of American Horror Story, Finn Wittrock is absolutely chilling.

Day 96: Upstairs (2019)
Directed by Phillip Trow

Jennifer Saint finally receives validation that she’s not delusional when her late father reaches out from beyond the grave to confirm that their dark family secret is in fact the disturbing and sinister truth.

16 minutes of grief and tension! I really love the way this played out — a spooky story I haven’t seen told in quite this way before. Subtle and unsettling with a nice, bloody finish.

Day 97: Woman of the Hour (2024)
Directed by Anna Kendrick

Sheryl Bradshaw, a single woman looking for a suitor on a hit 1970s TV show, chooses charming bachelor Rodney Alcala, unaware that, behind the man’s gentle facade, he hides a deadly secret.

This was absolutely fantastic! As I’ve seen other reviewers mention, it goes way beyond just the story of Rodney Alcala, and puts all the women front and center. Every single experience felt authentic; every single moment of terror was palpable. Amazing performances across the board, and a solid directing debut by Kendrick (who also nailed her part in front of the camera).

Just a note of warning that while I didn’t feel that the violence shown was gratuitous, it was still a really fucking rough watch.

Day 98: Trap (2024)
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

A father and his teen daughter attend a pop concert only to realize they’ve entered the center of a dark and sinister event.

This is as stupid as you think it’s gonna be, but good god it looks AMAZING and it’s worth the hour 45 just to watch Josh Hartnett having so much fun. Not the worst Shyamalan; not the best either, but it’s what I wanted. So it worked!

(As a diehard Hartnett fan since his late 90s bad hair heyday — why yes I did own a DVD of 40 Days and 40 Nights and NO I will never forgive my former friend for borrowing and not returning it — I am 100% here for Dad Josh and his even more incredible charm).

Day 99: High End Dying (2023)
Directed by Helen Liu

When chef Eloise receives a scathing review from famed critic Alistair Brown, she invites him back for a private dinner service.

Another clever short film! Bloody, funny, and a very different take on restaurant horror than I usually see. I really dug this one.

Day 100: Azrael (2024)
Directed by E.L. Katz

In a world where no one speaks, a devout female-led community hunts down a young woman who has escaped imprisonment. Recaptured, Azrael is due to be sacrificed to an ancient evil in the wilderness, but fights for her own survival.

I was really really really into this one! Loved how it set itself apart from a typical zombie film — loved that no one talked, loved that it felt gritty and hopeless and had so much atmosphere. Samara Weaving is EXCELLENT and the premium gore at the midpoint and the end is fantastic.