31 Days of Horror 2018

It’s the 1st of October and I’ve decided to take on 31 Days of Horror this year (any excuse to watch horror movies!). This is kind of an unconventional way to write a blog post but I’ll be updating this post every few days, adding the movies I’ve watched.

Note: I had to edit the first sentence of this article because my Mam pointed out to me that I had written ‘Tits the first of October’… Ha!

If you’re looking for some scary movies to binge on over Halloween, keep an eye on this list or follow The Pop Cult on Facebook and Instagram for the bite-sized version! 🎃

Watching this many scary movies might very well result in some sort of mental breakdown, nightmares, paranoia or having to sleep with the light on but we’ll see what happens…

Day 1: Ginger Snaps (2000)

Bridgette and Ginger are sisters who are fascinated with the macabre. After being attacked by a werewolf, Ginger begins transforming into a vicious other-worldly creature. Bridgette is soon caught up in the madness and is forced to decide whether to protect herself and others or embrace the same life as her cursed sister.

Katherine Isabelle is brilliant as the bitchy, morbidly obsessed Ginger as is Emily Perkins as the sulky Bridgette. If there are any fans of the Hannibal TV show reading this, you might recognise Katherine Isabelle as Margot Verger.

I’ve watched this movie a million times and will probably watch it a million more times because it has a special place in my heart. It’s hard to say if it holds up for those who didn’t catch it as a kid, but if you’re into old-school horrors with dodgy practical effects, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

RT Tomatometer: 89%

RT Audience Score: 78%

Day 2: Holidays (2016)

A lot of people hate this movie, which explains its abysmal 24% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Holidays is an anthology film containing 8 short movies based on different holidays; Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

As is the case with most anthologies, each film offers a totally different directorial perspective on our most significant and cherished holidays. Some are a little more impactful than others but overall I liked it. My favourites were St. Patrick’s Day and Easter because they were the most unusual and unsettling. Surprisingly, as a big Kevin Smith fan, I wasn’t into his contribution to the series; Halloween which starred his daughter Harley Quinn Smith.

Yeah, this is a dodgy horror but it’s still worth checking out if you’re into that sort of thing. It’s also available to stream on Netflix.

RT Tomatometer: 50%

RT Audience Score: 24%

Day 3: American Horror Story: Coven (2013)

Fans of AHS will know that the newest season (American Horror Story: Apocalypse) is a crossover season with Murder House and Coven (I’m not gonna lie, I squealed when I read this a few months back). In fact, last weeks episode even briefly revisited season 5, Hotel. That’s why I decided to re-watch Coven, I wanted to refresh my memory before getting into Apocalypse. And it did not disappoint! I had forgotten how good Coven was.

My love for Coven is partially down to my fondness of anything to do with the occult or witchcraft. What I liked most about it was the brilliant cinematography (those AHS angles are hella creepy), the costumes and the casting.

The best thing about AHS in my opinion is, you never know what to expect. Nothing is sacred to Ryan Murphy, the man behind the show; murder, torture, necrophilia, orgies, incest, serial killers. If you want something sinister to watch, AHS is the show for you.

RT Tomatometer: 83%

RT Audience Score: 72%

Day 4: The Ritual (2017)

In this Blair Witch-esque movie, four men become lost in the vast Swedish woods, caught up in what appears to be some sort of demonic ritual. They must try to find their way out alive.

The Ritual combines an eerie soundtrack with a sinister production design to keep us on the edge of our seats. This atmospheric horror gives us what we want; jump scares, a frightening sense of a descent into madness and one of the most original menacing creatures I’ve seen to date.

Overall, The Ritual is a well-executed horror that utilises classic horror tropes to effectively scare its audience.

RT Tomatometer: 71%

RT Audience Score: 59%

Day 5: Ouji: Origin of Evil (2016)

Ouji: Origin of Evil is haunted house drama that is reminiscent of the horror classic, The Exorcist. This movie is a prequel to the film Ouji but it’s miles better than its predecessor.

Elizabeth Reaser plays a fraudulent medium who gets more than she bargained for when she introduces a ouji board into her seance routine. Horror fans might be interested to know that Elizabeth Reaser is starring in the yet to be released Netflix Horror series The Haunting of Hill House. There’s a little factoid for ya!

Is this movie a little bit cliched? Yes, but overall it’s a well-produced retro horror with lots of fun jump scares. If you’d like to find some more retro-style horrors to watch this Halloween, check out my post on retro horror revisited.

RT Tomatometer: 82%

RT Audience Score: 57%

Day 6: Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

Two of horrors most prominent villains come face to face in this gruesome slasher. Freddy who has been banished to a nether realm, manipulates Jason Voorhees into doing his bidding. In turn, the children are forced to remember Freddy, allowing his powers to grow stronger once again. Jason soon realises what’s going down and turns on Freddy.

This movie is probably more enjoyable if you’re really into the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street franchises but even then it’s not the epic clash of the titans you’d expect. The plot is kind of all over the place and the movie feels like another case of milking a franchise for every penny.

RT Tomatometer: 41%

RT Audience Score: 50%

Day 7: The Mummy (1999)

An ancient Egyptian love-story gone awry, an angry Pharaoh and a dreadful curse leaves this bunch of adventurers facing the wrath of a reanimated mummy.

The Mummy is perfectly cheesy and entertaining. It has everything you could want; horror, action, adventure and romance. I thought that watching it again after all these years, that it might be a massive disappointment but it’s still a lot of fun. The only thing I can fault it for is Rachel Weisz’s awful 90s eyebrows.

RT Tomatometer: 57%

RT Audience Score: 75%

Day 8: Mom and Dad (2018)

In this insane horror/comedy, all parents are inexplicably overcome with a sudden need to kill their own children. Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair’s kids are caught up in the violence as their parents will stop at nothing until they’ve successfully murdered them both.

This a fast-paced, energetic horror where Nic Cage is hilarious as the menacing lunatic Dad…  And yeah, this movie is kind of trashy and the production quality could have been better but it’s an interesting concept and it’s a lot of fun to watch.

Day 9: Boys in the Trees (2016)

It’s Halloween night, 1997. Two boys from the same school but very different social circles find themselves walking home together on their last night of high-school. As the film progresses, we find out that the boys were once childhood friends, before a traumatic experience drove them apart.

They soon realise that despite their lives being so different (one is popular, the other an outcast) they both feel alienated in their own way. This is a really original, visually impressive film with a nostalgic feel.  And while it’s a spooky supernatural thriller but it’s also a bit of a tearjerker, so if you’re anything like me, you’d want to have the tissues ready.

RT Tomatometer: 80%

RT Audience Score: 70%

Day 10: 30 Days of Night (2007)

A small town in Alaska prepares for a month without daylight, however, they’re unaware of the bloodbath that lies ahead. As a band of vicious vampires go on a bloody rampage through the town, cop Josh Harnett must try to protect his people from the carnage.

If you enjoy vampire movies, you’ll probably like this one. While the vampires were pretty cool, the plot could have been a little bit more exciting. I feel like there were missed opportunities for much-needed character development and at times it seemed to drag on a bit. I will say, the special effects are decent and if you’re looking for a gory vampire flick for Halloween, definitely check this one out.

RT Tomatometer: 51%

RT Audience Score: 56%

Day 11: Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Trainee FBI agent Clarice Starling enlists the help of cannibal murderer Hannibal Lecter when trying to catch a serial killer nicknamed “Buffalo Bill”, who mercilessly skins his victims.

Ted Levine is fantastic as the oddly likeable Buffalo Bill, an Ed Gein inspired serial killer who wants to wear the skin of his victims. Anthony Hopkins is great as the perfectly suave and sophisticated Hannibal the cannibal. It’s no wonder Silence of the Lambs won multiple Oscar’s, it’s an unforgettable suspenseful thriller with an excellent cast and it truly deserves its status as one of the most iconic disturbing horrors of all time.

RT Tomatometer: 95%

RT Audience Score: 95%

Day 12: The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

In this supernatural thriller, a family are brought together by the suicide of their sister. They are forced to remember the strange and horrific events of their childhood, events that eventually lead them to become fragile, broken adults.

The Haunting of Hill House is a must watch for any fans of ghostly horrors. Director Mike Flanagan (Ouji: Origin of Evil, Gerald’s Game), does an excellent job of relaying a mystery in a suspenseful way. With an excellent plot and engaging characters, this show is an instant hit with audiences.

RT Tomatometer: 89%

RT Audience Score: 92%

Day 13: Slither (2006)

In this small town, an influx of missing cats and dogs can be put down to something paranormal, the arrival of an extraterrestrial creature with a frightening agenda.

At times Slither is hard to watch because it’s downright disgusting but I liked how original it was and as far as horror comedies go, it’s the best I’ve seen in a long time. Slither has gore, zombies, aliens and a love story thrown in for good measure. I’m not usually into gross-out horrors because I don’t have the stomach for it but if that’s your jam you’ll enjoy this one.

RT Tomatometer: 86%

RT Audience Score: 63%

Day 14: 6 Souls (aka Shelter) (2013)

Julianne Moore is a psychiatrist who is caught up in the occult when treating a patient with multiple personalities. It turns out these personalities are that of past murder victims and as things start to take a turn for the worst, Moore must protect those who she cares about.

6 Souls is a bit of a meh horror movie and if you want my advice, don’t bother watching it. I think the 4% critic score it received on Rotten Tomatoes was probably down to Julianne Moore, otherwise, it could easily have been 0%.

RT Tomatometer: 4%

RT Audience Score: 45%

Day 15: The Burbs (1989)

The Burbs is a ridiculous 80s comedy/horror/thriller starring Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher as Ray and Carol Peterson. Ray and his suburban neighbourhood friends become suspicious of a mysterious family who have moved into a creepy dishevelled house on their street.

After witnessing some unusual events and with the sudden disappearance of their neighbour, they decide to do some investigating. In true 80s comedy fashion, the friends get themselves into some very silly sticky situations. As the plot thickens, Ray’s wife begins to question his sanity. Will he solve the mystery before she thinks he’s completely lost it?

RT Tomatometer: 50%

RT Audience Score: 71%

Day 16: Halloween (2007)

Yes, horror aficionados know that Rob Zombie’s Halloween movies are basically trash but that didn’t stop me from watching both of them (for the second time). Don’t get me wrong, I love some of Rob Zombie’s works so it sucks to say he fucked up bad with this one.

It’s almost 20 years since a 10-year-old Michael Myers was institutionalised after committing the first of many murders. Thanks to some wreckless staff, he breaks out and begins stalking a young woman named Laurie Strode. While he’s following her, all hell breaks loose as Myers goes on a warpath, taking down anyone who gets in his way.

Zombie’s Halloween doesn’t do the franchise justice but it’s not the worst movie I’ve ever seen. However, I will say this, Rob Zombie needs to stop casting Sherri-Moon Zombie as a lead in all his films. Yeah, alright, she’s your hot wife but the woman can’t act.

RT Tomatometer: 26%

RT Audience Score: 59%

Day 17: Halloween 2 (2009)

Halloween 2 opens with Michael Myers “corpse” being transported to the morgue. There’s an accident, the van crashes, allowing Michael Myers (who they presumed dead), to escape and get back to what he was doing in the first movie; stalking Laurie Strode.

Laurie is still plagued with night terrors after her first run-in with Myers. Adding to her already fragile state of mind, Laurie finds out that she is the baby sister of Michael Myers and when young Myers went on his first killing spree, he spared her life.

While it’s a bit gorier than the first movie, it’s not really very frightening. There isn’t enough suspense, the dialogue sucks and the lame jokes are almost unbearable. I think we just have to accept that often our most beloved horror franchises will eventually be squeezed for every penny they’re worth, losing all their substance along the way.

RT Tomatometer: 20%

RT Audience Score: 45%

Day 18: Mandy (2018)

Red Miller (Nicolas Cage) and his partner Mandy Bloom (Andrea Riseborough) live a quiet life in a forested region of the Pacific Northwest. They live blissfully in their secluded paradise until a sadistic, egotistical cult leader comes along and shakes things up for the pair. Red Miller has no choice but to exact revenge on those who have wronged him.

Mandy is a deranged horror that will undoubtedly lure you in. With heavy occult themes and an ultraviolent tale of retribution, it’s perfect Halloween viewing. Director Panos Cosmatos gives us gorgeous but deadly imagery, as red as the blood spilt during this epic tale of vengeance. It’s pretty much a grindhouse movie on acid.

I’d say this is easily my favourite Nic Cage performance. You have to give it to him, when he tries, he really can act. Mandy isn’t just the best horror I’ve seen in a while, it’s the best movie and I would highly recommend it.

RT Tomatometer: 93%

RT Audience Score: 70%

Day 19: The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Successful cardiovascular surgeon, Dr Stephen Murphy (Colin Farrel) and his wife Anna (Nicole Kidman) lead the picture-perfect suburban life with their two children.

Murphy meets regularly with a strange, fatherless teenager named Martin (Barry Keoghan) who he appears to be looking after to some extent. Tensions rise as we find out Martin intends to destroy the family. He quickly goes from being a bit of a weirdo to being a menacing creep dead set on revenge.

Despite the seemingly emotionless characters, the film is gripping and unpredictable. If you’ve seen The Lobster, you’ll be familiar with Lorgos Lanthimos’ unusual directorial style. I wasn’t a fan of The Lobster and I can’t imagine this will be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s a decent and unique psychological horror.

RT Tomatometer: 79%

RT Audience Score: 63%

Day 20: Halloween (2018)

My boyfriend and I went to see this absolute gem last week and it didn’t disappoint. While I was a huge fan of the original Halloween movies, I was delighted when I realized they were bringing back Jamie Lee Curtis and continuing on from that series.

As you might have guessed, Michael Myers, the serial masked murderer is back again and hunting his sister down once again. Curtis revived her iconic character, Laurie Strode who is now a grandmother, hell-bent on revenge… and Myers better watch his ass because this granny ain’t backing off any time soon.

It was probably the most exciting addition to the Halloween series. It’s certainly one to stick on your Halloween list. I was surprised to see Danny McBride as one of the writers and producers but there were a few good laughs aside from all the gore so presumably that was a result of his input. Overall it’s a great slasher movie and you get to see three generations take on Myers.

RT Tomatometer: 79%

RT Audience Score: 75%

Day 21: Channel Zero (2015)

I finally got around to starting season 3 of Channel Zero and so far it’s already super creepy. I’m only one episode in and I’m already dying to know what’s going on. Two sisters on the run from an apparent past trauma move to a new town where there are some veeery strange goings on, for instance, an evil dwarf with a babies face who kills people with a hammer and a meat cleaver. There’s a lot of dream-like imagery and blurred lines between what is real and what’s not and even one episode in, Channel Zero is giving me chills.

I mentioned this show in my article ‘13 Seriously Scary TV Shows to Binge on This Halloween‘ and although I may have skipped season 2 (I’ll get around to it eventually), the first season was brilliant. Oh, and it’s an anthology so you can basically get stuck in at any point.

RT Tomatometer: 96%

RT Audience Score: 84%

Day 22: The Loved Ones (2012)

When Lola Stone’s dream prom date turns her down, her psychotic Dad decides he’s going to take matters into his own hands. Bret will be Lola’s prom King one way or another.

This Austrailian horror takes an age-old horror plot and puts and original spin on it. It’s scary and entertaining, full of twists, turns and dark humor. It’s definitely in my top 10 horror movies and having not seen it in a long time, I was genuinely excited to get around to watching it again.

Great cinematography combined with some excellent performances and lots of gory torture scenes makes The Loved Ones a perfect horror flick to stick on your list this Halloween.

RT Tomatometer: 98%

RT Audience Score: 74%

Day 23: Trick ‘r’ Treat (2007)

Trick ‘r’ Treat is one of my all-time favourite Halloween movies. It’s clever and twisted and brilliantly directed. In fact, you might be familiar with some of director Bryan Singer’s films which include The Usual Suspects, X-Men and more recently the new Bohemian Rhapsody movie starring Rami Malek.

The film contains 4 intertwined horror tales, all taking place on Halloween night. It’s a smart one with a really unique vibe, that’s probably why it has become a horror classic over the past decade. The storytelling style has even been compared to that of Tarintino.

I feel as though it’s more of a Halloween movie than a horror movie, kind of like Hocus Pocus, it’s an atmospheric film, perfect for All Hallow’s Eve!

RT Tomatometer: 83%

RT Audience Score: 71%

Day 24: American Horror Story: Apocalypse (2018)

Fans of AHS know that this season is a humdinger because we get to nerd out with the crossovers and references. Some loose ends from AHS: Murder House have been tied up, they’ve resurrected some of our favourite characters and brought in some cool newbies too.

Last night’s episode was great, as things heat up between the witches and warlocks, shit is about to get crazy as our beloved coven gear up to protect themselves against the satanic forces that are trying to take over.

RT Tomatometer: 92%

RT Audience Score: 85%

Day 25: Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

In this Polanski classic, a coven of devil-worshippers impregnates their innocent neighbor (Mia Farrow) with the spawn of Satan himself! The film follows her as she is forced to carry the demonic child.

If you haven’t seen Rosemary’s Baby, watch it! It’s one of the greatest horrors ever made. It scared the shit out of me as a teenager and was just as terrifying as an adult. If you’d like to find more movies like this, I wrote about Rosemary’s Baby around this time last year in my post ‘14 Movies About Witches and Witchcraft‘

RT Tomatometer: 99%

RT Audience Score: 87%

Day 26: Haunted (2018)

So yeah, this isn’t a horror movie, it’s a documentary series on Netflix where people sit in a circle with their loved ones and share their “real-life” supernatural experiences.

It’s super cheesy but personally I love these kinds of shows. As they recall cases of hauntings, possessions and so on, it’s hard to take it seriously. At the same time, there is always a part of me wondering if what they went through was real. They seem so genuine in some episodes but then again, it’s totally ridiculous at the same time.

Whether it’s worth watching, I’m not so sure.

RT Tomatometer: NA

RT Audience Score: 35%

Day 27: The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018)

Anyone who watched the Sabrina the Teenage Witch series as kids will be familiar with the plot; Sabrina is a half witch/half mortal whose parents were killed in an accident. She now lives with her witch aunts with her familiar, a cat named Salem. The show is a lot darker than the original. There are demons, witch hunters and tensions between Sabrina and the “Dark Lord” that could interfere with her safety.

I was counting down the days until Netflix released The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and I’ll admit, at first I was skeptical. But as I continued watching it, I quickly became addicted. It’s not nearly as cheesy as Riverdale and that was a massive relief because as much as I love watching Riverdale for it’s OTT ridiculousness, I wanted Sabrina to be darker. Yeah, it’s still a show that I’d associate with teenage girls but it has its moments. The show’s stylisation is really cool. I like all the Baphomet references and satanic ritual scenes. Anyone who reads this blog knows that witches make me giddy anyway so it’s hard to say if I’m just fangirling over the witchy aspect or it’s as good as I think. It does at times feel like the plot is a little all over the place but I’m excited to see where it goes.

RT Tomatometer: 89%

RT Audience Score: 82%

Day 28: The Witch (2015)

A young woman and her family are banished from their village by the church. They are forced to relocate to the edge of a remote woods. Of course, something evil lives in the woods, posing a threat to the family. Something sinister is responsible for the families crops failing a missing baby and a possessed child. Black magic, possession and occult rituals quickly create doubt among this family, tearing them apart.

Their daughter Tomasin is accused by the family of witchcraft. But will Tomasin truly be tempted by the “deliciousness” of witchcraft?

Watching Sabrina gave me a hankering for The Witch. While it’s a critically acclaimed horror, a lot of people really don’t The Witch and I really can’t understand why, it’s a dark and wonderfully strange folktale. One of the most unique witch stories I’ve seen as of yet.

RT Tomatometer: 57%

RT Audience Score: 91%

Day 29: The Omen (1976)

A creepy little boy named Damien, marked with the sign of the devil (666) turns out to be the anti-christ.

Rosemary’s Baby made me wish I had watched more classic horrors so I decided to watch one I haven’t seen and the only one I could think of was The Omen. I had seen the shitty 2006 remake years ago so I was familiar with the plot. While the original was a lot better, it’s one of those old horrors that’s both unnerving and a bit silly. I suppose if you don’t take it too seriously, it’s a decent enough scary movie.

RT Tomatometer: 86%

RT Audience Score: 80%

Day 30: Hocus Pocus (1993)

Three witches who are executed during the Salem witch trials. They swear that they will have their revenge. As promised, the witches return 300 years later to get their own back on the townspeople who sent them to their death.

Hocus Pocus is probably the ultimate Halloween movie, a childhood favourite amongst the millennial generation. You can tell from its conflicted Rotten Tomatoes score that while it’s kind of a cult classic, the film itself is dire. But who cares? It’s a fun movie, the kind of film that I look forward to watching with my kids someday. What it lacks in integrity, it makes up for with delightfully cheesy and ridiculous entertainment.

RT Tomatometer: 30%

RT Audience Score: 70%

Day 31: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Technically, I’m cheating with this one because I’m going to a screening of Rocky Horror tonight and I’m not going to be back in time to write about it. But no worries, I’ve only seen it a billion and one times.

A young couple named Janet and Brad (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) break down in the middle of nowhere. They visit a strange mansion looking for help. They’re greeted by the mansion’s owner is a transvestite named Dr. Frank n Furter, (Tim Curry) who is kitted out in black lingerie and some scary makeup. This charming transvestite and his army of fabulous weirdos welcome the couple into his home where they are caught up in some very campy and very queer singing and dancing.

Rocky Horror Picture Show is of the craziest movies ever made, a sci-fi/horror cult classic. Ever since I grabbed the DVD from my Grandad’s collection as a kid, it fascinated me. The costumes, the songs, the weird overly sexual characters. I got to see at a drive-in cinema a few years ago and it’s been my dream to go to a dress up/sing along showing, especially on Halloween night!

RT Tomatometer: 85%

RT Audience Score: 80%