ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Since it is October, and therefore the season for spooky movies, I’ve been spending the month watching some old favorites and also making some new discoveries that will most likely become Halloween staples as time goes on.
In that spirit, I figured I would share a few of my newer discoveries from the month. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, feel free to get in touch with me at the paper and I’ll see about giving them a shot. Enjoy!
“Hush”
From the mastermind behind Netflix hits “The Haunting of Hill House” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” 2016’s “Hush” follows solitary deaf-mute writer Maddie (Kate Siegel) who must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears in her window one night. I’ve reviewed a couple other Mike Flanagan projects for this page before and enjoyed them, so I figured this would be another good film from him, and I was SO happy to be proven right. The atmosphere is tense and spooky and kept me at the edge of my seat, and the crew in charge of the movie’s sound (or lack thereof mostly, technically speaking) were absolute geniuses. The movie is also rather minimalist in terms of the cast (all of whom were amazing) and set location, and it TOTALLY works. The overall timing/pacing of the movie is also perfect at just less than 90 minutes, and it’s a complete story. If you’re a fan of any of Mike Flanagan’s other work, or if you’re more into the psychological thriller stuff, “Hush” is a great one to cue up.
“Abigail”
Released in 2024, “Abigail” follows a rather interesting collection of hired criminals who are hired to kidnap the ballerina daughter (Alisha Weir) of a powerful underworld boss, unaware of a sinister secret about the family. I vaguely remember seeing some advertising when this was about to come out, but I never got the chance to see it until I borrowed it from the library recently, and I ended up being rather surprised by it. Alisha Weir is absolutely perfect in the title role, and she’s able to convey every emotion under the sun, whether it’s happiness, pain, or scorn, and I can’t believe she’s only a teenager because she’s got truckloads of talent. The rest of the cast is also good, and the movie itself is actually pretty funny at times while still conveying a rather spooky atmosphere and making me wonder “Oooh, what’s going to happen next?” This is definitely another good one to cue up.
“Don’t Look Under the Bed”
A Disney Channel Original Movie from 1999, I actually didn’t get the chance to watch this until last year, and after watching it, I couldn’t believe it took me so long to do so. The movie follows teenager Frances (Erin Chambers) who refuses to believe in the supernatural until she is confronted with it after something starts to play destructive pranks in her neighborhood and framing her for the deeds. There are some legitimately spooky moments throughout, and it’s actually rather mature for a Disney Channel outing, which is what surprised me the most. If you’re looking for something not quite as intense as what’s already been listed, this is a good one to cue up.
“Don’t Breathe”
Another rather recent discovery, “Don’t Breathe” follows a trio of home intruders who find themselves trapped and hunted in the home of their blind target, who’s not as helpless as he might appear. The atmosphere throughout the entire movie is super tense, and it’s another movie that had me nearly on the edge of my seat because of how good Alvarez’s direction is. The movie might seem like just another ‘home invasion’ thriller, but there’s definitely some depth to it, particularly with scenes that feature domestic abuse and an overall feeling of desperation to escape an unpleasant situation. Everyone in the cast, headed by Stephen Lang, also does a great job and I was able to sympathize with just about all of the characters. Like with “Hush,” if you’re a fan of the more psychological thriller genre, this is a good one to cue up.
“The Crow”
A lot of people would argue this is more of a supernatural/suspense/superhero film rather than horror, but since the movie actually kicks off the night before Halloween, I say 1994’s “The Crow” fits on this list. I’ve heard a lot about it off and on throughout the years, and I’ve read a lot about it, and it’s only recently I finally got the chance to watch it online. The movie follows Eric Draven (Brandon Lee), a musician who comes back from the dead to seek vengeance against the gang who murdered him and his fiancée. The atmosphere is positively bleak (which fits the characters’ lives pretty well), the soundtrack is pretty stellar (look it up on YouTube if you don’t believe me), and everyone in the movie is perfectly cast. After watching it, I believe my exact words were “Okay, NOW I get why some of my horror movie fan friends are absolutely OBSESSED with this one!” If you’re a fan of some nostalgia, “The Crow” is definitely a good one to cue up.
