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31 Spooky Halloween Movies
Countdown to Halloween: 31 Favorite Spooky Movies For Horror Lovers
Looking for some horror movie recommendations just in time for Halloween? Here are 31 are my favorites!
A group of homeless children battle drug dealers with the help of three magic wishes.
A summertime love affair between two men turns deadly.
Come on. Who doesn’t know what this movie is about?
The story of two sisters, an evil stepmother, and a deadly secret.
A young woman is stranded on a island. She’s not alone.
An Iranian vampire protects women in peril.
Again, who hasn’t heard of this movie?
Something sinister lurks below…
A classic. A favorite. A comedy horror delight.
A man tries to bring his daughter to safety as a zombie outbreak occurs.
Breakups are hard.
Don’t take advantage of your position of power or else…
She’s deaf. He’s a killer.
Watch out for the pole! Holy crap, this movie was disturbing!
A little fun and games and gore.
A classic. Beautiful. Tragic.
WTF?!? No, seriously…W…T…F!?
Yeah, a know a bunch of people didn’t like this, but I did, so it made the list. A mom who is trying to care for her kid.
Just don’t say his name.
There’s monsters. There’s ice. There’s Kurt Russell.
Look, we don’t have to agree on every movie to still be friends.
No one is as they seem.
A bunch of people trapped in a scary cube puzzle
Grandma’s a demon.
Music and horror and gore. Some people are overachievers.
Turn off the fucking TV!
Scary stuff in space.
Pretty self explanatory
Again, it’s all in the title.
There’s a cabin, but there’s also some cool other stuff, but then there’s tons of monsters and gore, so if that’s your thing…
Enjoy!
Popcorn Movie Reviews: Short Pop Up Reviews for Busy Movie Lovers
POPCORN #MOVIEREVIEWS
DOGS DON’T WEAR PANTS: AVAILABLE ON SHUDDER
A LONELY MAN CONNECTS WITH A DOMINATRIX. RECOMMENDED WATCH!
SCREAM QUEEN: AVAILABLE ON SHUDDER
LEARN THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES HAPPENINGS TO NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE. RECOMMENDED WATCH!
STARRY EYES: AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME
WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR FAME? RECOMMENDED WATCH!
CREEP: AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
A LONELY PSYCHO SEEKS A FRIEND: RECOMMENDED WATCH!
1BR: AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX
A YOUNG WOMAN LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY: EH, I KINDA RECOMMEND
Top Five Reads of the Summer #BookReview
This has been a crazy summer! With the world in chaos, I’ve escaped into the fantasy world of literature and emerged with these five hidden gems just waiting to be discovered! While some of these books are only a available as ARCS through NetGalley, they are all 5 star reads that are worth the wait of the impending release days! My full reviews of these books will be on SciFi And Scary throughout the rest of 2020. In the meantime, allow me to entice you with these sneak peak summaries. Here is my list of Top Five Reads of the Summer:
Crosshairs by Catherine Hernandez
Available December 8, 2020
Set in a terrifyingly familiar near-future, with massive floods leading to rampant homelessness and devastation, a government-sanctioned regime called The Boots seizes on the opportunity to round up communities of color, the disabled, and the LGBTQ+ into labor camps.
In the shadows, a new hero emerges. After he loses his livelihood as a drag queen and the love of his life, Kay joins the resistance alongside Bahadur, a transmasculine refugee, and Firuzeh, a headstrong social worker. Guiding them in the use of weapons and close-quarters combat is Beck, a rogue army officer, who helps them plan an uprising at a major televised international event.
The First Sister by Linden Lewis
Available Aug 4, 2020
First Sister has no name and no voice. As a priestess of the Sisterhood, she travels the stars alongside the soldiers of Earth and Mars—the same ones who own the rights to her body and soul. When her former captain abandons her, First Sister’s hopes for freedom are dashed when she is forced to stay on her ship with no friends, no power, and a new captain—Saito Ren—whom she knows nothing about. She is commanded to spy on Captain Ren by the Sisterhood, but soon discovers that working for the war effort is so much harder to do when you’re falling in love.
Lito val Lucius climbed his way out of the slums to become an elite soldier of Venus, but was defeated in combat by none other than Saito Ren, resulting in the disappearance of his partner, Hiro. When Lito learns that Hiro is both alive and a traitor to the cause, he now has a shot at redemption: track down and kill his former partner. But when he discovers recordings that Hiro secretly made, Lito’s own allegiances are put to the test. Ultimately, he must decide between following orders and following his heart.
The Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones
Available September 1, 2020
Stephen Graham Jones returns with Night of the Mannequins, a contemporary horror story where a teen prank goes very wrong and all hell breaks loose: is there a supernatural cause, a psychopath on the loose, or both?
The Crowman Chronicles of the Fallen Volume One by Gareth Clegg
Some say the world is shattered, that our way of life is dying. Our sun fills half the sky and the scorched lands struggle to provide enough to sustain us. Still, there has always been hope. But as that fiery red orb descends below the rocky skyline, then comes the shadow: Dark spirits hell-bent on destroying what’s left of humanity, as if we needed any help.
My name is Cheveyo Santiago. I cheated death as a child, but that trauma marked me, and now I sense the evil in others. So here I am, drawn like a moth to the flame. Though I carry a revolver, I’m no gunslinger, there are plenty faster on the draw than me. My real edge is knowledge.
Old family recipes passed down through the ages – the secrets to banish the shadow back to the hells that spawned it. Salt, Brimstone, Silver and Tallow shall be my weapons.
So, hear this, all creatures and spirits of evil. I know you. I see you. Prepare yourself for judgement.
The Conductors by Nicole Glover
Available April 13, 2020
As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Hetty Rhodes helped usher dozens of people north with her wits and magic. Now that the Civil War is over, Hetty and her husband Benjy have settled in Philadelphia, solving murders and mysteries that the white authorities won’t touch. When they find one of their friends slain in an alley, Hetty and Benjy bury the body and set off to find answers. But the secrets and intricate lies of the elites of Black Philadelphia only serve to dredge up more questions. To solve this mystery, they will have to face ugly truths all around them, including the ones about each other.
Indigenous Speculative Fiction and Horror Reads to Check Out
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Back Cover: Humanity has nearly destroyed its world through global warming, but now an even greater evil lurks. The indigenous people of North America are being hunted and harvested for their bone marrow, which carries the key to recovering something the rest of the population has lost: the ability to dream. In this dark world, Frenchie and his companions struggle to survive as they make their way up north to the old lands. For now, survival means staying hidden—but what they don't know is that one of them holds the secret to defeating the marrow thieves.
Cherie Dimaline is an award winning indigenous author, activist, and member the Georgian Bay Metis Community in Ontario. In a 2017 article with Publishing Perspectives, Dimaline discusses the importance of keeping “indigenous” as an identifier:
“Because we are the people of story, it is a great honor for me to be called a Métis writer. It denotes a title, an honor, and a certain knowledge. In fact, I feel demoted when I’m referred to as only a Canadian writer. My community has struggled and survived, and I’m enormously proud to be able to carry our voices forward. I can’t speak for every writer, but for myself, I am a writer. But being called an Indigenous author is like having a PhD at the end of your signature.”
Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones
Back Cover:
Blackfeet author Stephen Graham Jones brings readers a spine-tingling Native American horror novella.
Walking through his own house at night, a fifteen-year-old thinks he sees another person stepping through a doorway. Instead of the people who could be there, his mother or his brother, the figure reminds him of his long-gone father, who died mysteriously before his family left the reservation. When he follows it he discovers his house is bigger and deeper than he knew.
The house is the kind of wrong place where you can lose yourself and find things you'd rather not have. Over the course of a few nights, the boy tries to map out his house in an effort that puts his little brother in the worst danger, and puts him in the position to save them . . . at terrible cost.
Stephen Graham Jones is an award winning author whose bio starts like this:
“Stephen Graham Jones was born in Midland, Texas in 1972. As an infant, he got knocked out by a ceiling when a family friend threw him too high into the air and, before he was even one, he had more than 100 stitches in his face. Another time, the fire department had to be called to get his head unstuck from the highchair. It’s so easy to get hurt.”
He’s worth checking out. Buy Mapping the Interior here.
Deer Woman: An Anthology
Back Cover: Based on the true stories of Indigenous women throughout the world, Deer Woman: An Anthology is an extension of the Deer Woman: A Vignette, comic book that itself is a powerful expression and weaves the stories of Deer Woman into a modern narrative of the struggles of Indigenous women in North America. This anthology features the work of more than a dozen Native women sharing stories of survival, empowerment, and healing. Edited by Elizabeth LaPensée and Weshoyot Alvitre and featuring the work of: Patty Stonefish, Allie Vasquez, Mia Casesa, Darcie Little Badger, Tara Ogaick, Kimberly Robertson, Barbara Kenmille, Maria Wolf Lopez, Tatum Bowie, Jackie Fawn, Rebecca Roanhorse, Carolyn Dunn, Nashoba Dunn-Anderson, and more, this anthology is an important addition to the current conversation about violence against women, especially Native women.
Black Owned Bookstores to Support
This list is by no means complete. I’ll be updating it periodically, but here is a jumping off point. Please consider supporting black owned businesses including these black owned bookstores:
CANADA
A Different Booklist (Toronto) Twitter
Knowledge Bookstore (Brampton) Twitter
Nile Valley Books (Toronto) Twitter
EUROPE
Presence Africaine Editions (Paris)
USA
Black Stone Bookstore and Cultural Center (Ypsilanti, Michigan)
Brave + Kind Bookshop (Decatur, Georgia) Instagram
Cafe Con Libros (Brooklyn, NY) Twitter
Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Center (Instagram)
Eye See Me (St Louis, MO) Twitter
Eso Won Books (Los Angeles, CA) Twitter
Frugal Bookstore (Boston, MA) Twitter
Fulton Street Books and Coffee (Tulsa, OK)
Harriet’s Bookshop (Philadelphia, PA) Twitter
The Key Bookstore (CT) Facebook
Loyalty Books (Silver Springs, MD) Twitter
Mahogany Books (Washington, DC) Twitter
Semicolon (Chicago, IL) Twitter
Sister’s Uptown (New York, NY) Twitter
Source Booksellers (Detroit, MI) Twitter
Eden by Tim Lebbon #BookReview
3 Star Book Review
I have a confession. This is my first time reading Tim Lebbon. I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for a review, and I’m so glad I got the chance to experience Eden. I haven’t read a lot of climate change fiction, so this was a bit of a change for me. Here’s the back cover:
From the bestselling author of The Silence comes a brand-new supernatural eco thriller. In large areas of the planet, nature is no longer humanity's friend...
In a time of global warming and spiraling damage to the environment, the Virgin Zones were established to help combat the change. Abandoned by humanity and given back to nature, these vast areas in a dozen remote locations across the planet were intended to become the lungs of the world.
But there are always those drawn to such places. Extreme sports enthusiasts and adventure racing teams target the dangerous, sometimes deadly zones for illicit races. Only the hardiest and most experienced dare undertake these expeditions. When one such team enters the oldest Zone, Eden, they aren't prepared for what confronts them. Nature has returned to Eden in an elemental, primeval way. And here, nature is no longer humanity's friend.
Sounds pretty cool, right?
This is an wild thriller where the Earth gets a chance to fight back against humanity. The Virgin Zones are have been given back to the Earth as a sort of apology for the centuries of abuse we’ve caused. There’s a lot guts and gore, and once bodies start splattering the pages, it’s a red dash to the finish. The second half of the book had a lot to look forward to, and I was much more engaged during those life-or-death moments than the moments of exploration in the first half.
It’s an interesting concept. Groups of adventure seeking extremists independently race across the Virgin Zones for bragging rights as well as to be the first to discover the hidden beauty of Earth untouched by man. But how much exploring and appreciation of the Earth can they do while they’re running thirteen miles a day? It seemed odd to me that these people would take so much risk to get into the Zone and then race, literally, from one side to the next. Also, they had conversations while running. Granted, these are supposed to be high endurance runners, but I know that even at my physical fitness peak, I wasn’t in the mood to have ominous heart-to-hearts while navigating a running path.
In addition to the slow paced nature of the first half, I also wasn’t sure if the “villain” really hit home. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, which was a nice surprise, but at the same time, I was a bit disappointed. I appreciated the attempt to try something new. You’re not going to get killer plants swinging their roots out of the ground and pulling the explorers into the dirt. But what we did get just felt a little…underdeveloped. It’s like the premise was so close to being fleshed out, but never exactly reached full potential.
Also, while I’m not usually a fan of epilogues, I would have liked one in this book. There were introductions to each chapter that suggested there might be something else that happened at the end, but we aren’t given any insight into it. Instead, the last two chapters felt rather abrupt considering all the action that led up to them.
With all that said, I did get a perverse enjoyment out of the death scenes. As a horror writer and avid reader, I loved that the author didn’t hold back. We experience each squish and gash the characters do. But overall, I’m not sure this book worked for me.
That’s just my opinion. Give it a read and decide if it works for you!
Burnt Fur: Twisted Tales of Horror edited by Ken MacGregor #BookReview
Back Cover
Sit. Roll over. PLAY DEAD...
There are no good boys in this anthology, only twisted, deviant, and burnt encounters with animals, humans, and creatures that blur the line between the two.
Violent pigs, killer ducks, horny bees, and much worse fill these pages with tale after tail of hair-raising horror.
Slip into your Fursona and ride the dark wave of horror that is Burnt Fur.
You may never go back to wearing your normal skin again!
3 Star Review
Where do I even begin? I say this with lots of love. These stories are MESSED UP! What in the world did I just read? So. Much. Grossness.
Okay, let me back up. First, I was very excited to be approached to review this collection. I mean, just look at the back cover. It promises a unique brand of horror that I don’t have a lot of experience in. Well, it delivered in the most disgusting and distributing way. This absolutely will not be everyone’s cup of terror. The stories cover pretty much every trigger warning imaginable and some I’m sure where created just for this anthology. (Gang raped by killer bees is a common trigger warning, right?) So if you’re prone to queasy stomachs, or prefer your horror subtle, you’ll probably want to skip this one.
BUT if you proudly wave your horror freak flag and want a trip through the wonderful world of bizzaro country, buckle up and allow me to wet your appetite.
The collect starts relatively tame with a “The Moon in Her Eyes” by Sarah Hans. ( Please keep in mind the word “relative.”) This is one of the few more serious pieces and far less disturbing than what follows. Enter “Mallard’s Maze” by Joseph Sale. “Did you know: Female mallards have phantom vaginas so only
the most dexterous, or freakish, males can impregnate them” (20). This is just one little nugget of knowledge that gets sprinkled over this twisted tale as the protagonist finds herself being hunted by a killer. I can’t…I don’t even…Honestly, I’m not even sure what to say without giving away the climax. This is the story that really sets the tone for the rest of the book. You’ll find plenty of furry action, plenty of penetration, plenty of blood and bodily fluids, and plenty of images that will burrow into your brain and never leave. Seriously, the bee rape scene in “A Concubine for the Hive” by Rue K. Poe (I should note that the woman enjoys it, but that doesn’t make it any less vomit inducing) will forever be buzzing in my brain. “Five Nights With Teddy” by Thurston Howl equally left behind a sour flavor with a bear man thrusting his member upon a man wolf, and “6 Dicks” by Rachel Lee Weist…well, I mean…who wouldn’t desire to wear a suit made of dick skin?
When it comes to explicit sex or violence, I always ask, “Is it necessary?” If not, it runs the risk of being stuck into the story for shock value only. I’m not sure the explicit nature of these stories added to the plot or characters. They’re shocking, for sure, but they were a little too over-the-top for me.
Look, this collection is W-I-L-D. It’s also well structured with incredible writers who hold nothing back. Overall, I don’t think I’ll dip my toe back into this particular horror brand anytime soon. I found it all a bit too disturbing for my taste, but the characters are well developed, the plots and tone of each story are crafted with care and precision, and it’s clear these writers are all incredibly talented.
If this sounds like something for you, check it out HERE.
5 Horror Tropes That Need To Die #HorrorFan
5 Horror Troupes That Need To Die
Ah, horror tropes. These common plot devices are what keeps the horror world revolving. We all have our favorites, and there’s many to pick from. We’ve all watched as the pretty young victim runs up the stairs to evade a killer, despite the front door being mere feet away. We’ve enjoyed the long dark hair creepy child hell bent on revenge, and we’ve snickered as a large group of teenagers decide their best chance of survival is to split up.
But when is it time to bury a trope? When do we stand united and say, “If I have to watch one more useless small-town sheriff brush off a bloody teenager’s first hand account of murder, I’m done!” The answer will be different for everyone, and I would love to know which tropes make you roll your eyes in frustration. For now, I’ll share mine. Here are five horror troupes that I believe need to die:
#1 The Virgin vs. The Slut
Image from Pure available on Hulu
If you follow me on twitter, it’s probably not a surprise that I can’t stand this troupe. Surely, as a society, we can move past female shaming, especially when it’s always the woman’s virtue being examined under a microscope rather than the man’s. Yet, movies still employee this common plot point which basically says only those “pure” deserve to live.
I recently watched Pure on Hulu. It’s about a group of teenage girls and their fathers who attend a yearly purity retreat. Basically, their entire worth is based on whether or not they’ve “sinned” with the opposite gender. It’s not just sex that will damn their souls. Even a small peck on the lips is enough to send these “sluts” to eternal damnation. When I started watching, I was certain I’d made a terrible mistake and prepared myself for the virgins to win the day. Yet, this movie fights the troupe in a very feminist “in your face” sort of way. More movies need to do this.
#2 The Black Guy Dies First
Image from Us
I mean, do I really need to go into this one? Can we all just stop with the token black guy who dies instantly? Can we just stop with token minorities in general? Come on, Hollywood. Do better. And I suppose they’re taking baby steps in the right direction. Jordan Peele has been kicking butt in the horror industry. The 2019 Blumhouse production Sweetheart, available on Netflix, features Kiersey Clemons, who masterfully carries the entire plot on her shoulders. Nia DaCosta directs the upcoming remake of Candyman.
#3 Not Making Sure The Bad Guy is Dead
For the love of all that is holy in horror movies, PLEASE MAKE SURE THE BAD GUY IS DEAD! I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I won’t tell you which movie I watched, but I recently enjoyed horror film where the protagonist stabbed the villain, the villain tumbled and appeared dead, but just to be safe, the protagonist beheaded the villain. I literally cheered.
I understand why this trope exists. An “I’m back from the dead” villain not only adds tension, but it also creates a never ending horror franchise (I’m looking at you Halloween). At the same time, it makes the protagonist look ridiculous. There is usually some huge climax where the protagonist and the villain finally have their big show down. They get pretty beaten up, and then the protagonist does one final stab to the chest, or one final shot of the gun, and the villain “dies.” Okay, fine, but then the protagonist turns their back, or worse. They drop their weapon and approach the “dead” body. I mean, really? Any “bad ass” credibility the protagonist gained is now quickly replaced with “you’re an idiot” points. Plus, we’ve all seen enough movies to know that the villain will get one last swing at revenge, so is this plot point really surprising anyone?
#4 Vampires
What We Do In The Shadows
Okay, before everyone #cancels me, let me explain. I actually love vampire stories. I drooled over Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire, watched and rewatched Blade, and have seen pretty much ever version of Dracula. The vampire sub-genre of horror can be a lot of fun. It can also be overdone and stale.
Presenting vampires in a new and interesting way is challenging. Added to that is the Twilight franchise, which saturated the market for so many years that vampire fans, such as myself, couldn’t stand the thought of seeing one more vampire movie. It was too much. So it became a challenge for writers and producers to reinvent the vampire and make this trope fresh.
For me, it’s fallen flat with one exception. I love What We Do In The Shadows, a TV show that follows the life of three traditional vampires and one emotional vampire as they navigate daily life. It’s funny, original, and a great way to revamp a much used horror subject.
Another fresh take is the feminist horror movie A Girl Walks Home At Night (2014). This is about skateboarding vampire who preys on abusive men.
Oh, and if you just want a good laugh, check out Vampire’s Kiss (1988) staring Nic Cage.
#5 The Bathroom Mirror Jump Scare
If you’re opening the mirror of your bathroom’s cabinet, beware. Something is behind you. It’s such a common jump scare that it’s basically become a horror rule. Scary things seemed drawn to the bathroom. Creepers. Let me have “me” time! Sheesh! And for goodnesssakes, stop writing messages with your fingers on my foggy mirror. Do you know how hard it is to keep glass clean?
Okay, those are my picks. Now it’s time to tell me what you think! Remember, we’re all different with different tastes and preferences. I mean no offense to anyone who enjoys these tropes.
Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer #BookReview
Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer
5 Star Review
Back Cover: Each year, people all over the world celebrate special festivals and days, shining light on what they wish to remember and revere. But sometimes, inhabitants of the dark arrive with the desire to disturb proceedings. Dark Celebrations is a collection of twelve short stories... and the holidays will never be the same.
Calvin Demmer weaves a collection of deliciously wicked short stories centered around everyone’s favorite times of year. Witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts and mummies are just some of the many monsters gracing the pages of this engaging and frightful collection. There is truly something for every horror fan.
The collection contains twelve stories with a common connection of holiday horror and young adult protagonists. Most of the heros in the story are in their late teens, early twenties and completely unprepared to encounter terrors waiting for them. While some stories contain more guts and gore than others, they all build tension from the first paragraph to the last.
My favorite story was story four entitled “Thanks Sinning.” This is based around the Thanksgiving holiday. DeShawn WIlliams sits at a bar contemplating his new life path. He finds himself caring for his mother and younger sister while his father fights in Iraq. Meanwhile, a fight breaks out over a mysterious and beautiful woman, who later sits nexts to DeShawn and propositions him with sex. Flash forward, and they are in a cabin, getting it on, and she stops to ask, “Want to play a game?”
DeShawn knows better than to get mixed up with this unpredictable woman, but he’s persuaded to go along with it. Big mistake. Things unravel quickly, and DeShawn realizes that evil comes in all forms. I won’t spoil anything, but I think people will have different interpretations of the ending, which makes the story even more fun.
I also enjoyed the first story “Hungry Ghosts” which follows Lara Adams as she participates in the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival. It starts with a set of rules for surviving the festival, and all horror lovers know that if a story sets rules, they’re going to be broken. For Laura, the price is deadly.
All the stories display solid plots and stellar character development. I sat down to read just one or two stories and ended up finish the whole book. It’s a quick and frightful read. Please, give it a try!
You can buy it here!
As a trigger warning, there was some domestic violence in story nine “She Will Rise”. It’s ending was a bit haunting, but it also served as a warning.