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As you guys know, we are late with this because I am an idiot who is not fully in control of his mailbox admin, but we couldn’t let it finish without a proper ending. This ain’t 2001: A Space Odyssey. So here is BlastofSilencejj with his final round-up of 31 Chills of Halloween: The Sequel.
24. The Substance (2024)
Director Coralie Fargeat
Aging actress Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) sees the writing on the wall that her age is becoming a problem for the higher-ups at the TV network where she works. While seeing a doctor, someone gives her a card and tells her they can help. She goes to a shady part of town and picks up a mysterious package. Once home, Elizabeth takes The Substance and falls to the floor. Enter Sue, who is young and hot and too busy to follow the rules stated in the directions. This comes at the expense of the older Elizabeth.
The Substance was a pretty fun ride. It has a campy tone throughout and a good sense of humor. That’s not to say that it doesn’t work as a gross-out body horror film. The director knows what she is doing. Her previous effort, Revenge, impressed me. It had good action and some extreme violence. The Substance is another strong effort. Although I feel like I’m alone in this opinion but I didn’t enjoy the final act. But overall, I’d tell anyone to check this one out. MuBi has a nice 4k that’s usually on sale on Amazon.
25. Heart Eyes (2025)
Ally (Olivia Holt) is a jaded executive who does everything she can to not fall in love with her new colleague. Meanwhile, there is a masked killer on the loose, murdering happy couples.
Heart Eyes is definitely a hybrid film. I think it pulls it off successfully. Without the horror element, it would be a decent 10 Things I Hate About You-style rom-com. Take out the comedy, and it would still be a good slasher with a memorable killer. From the funny opening scene with its tongue-in-cheek song choices, we are treated to a nice, brutal Heart Eyes kill. With this first couple, we are almost cheering him on. But later, our protagonists make a fun duo to root for as they fight to stay alive.
High recommendation here. Netflix it.
26. Summer of ’84 (2018)
Directors Anouk and Yoann Whissell, Francois Simard
Summer of ’84 is a throwback to all the friends go on an adventure type movies most of us grew up with. It does a decent job of feeling familiar while telling its own story. The group is fun to hang out with, and the young actors do a good job.
The film takes a dark turn in the final act while trying to make the stakes higher. But the harsh turn actually hurts what was a decent friends hanging out having fun summer movie. This leaves a bitter taste. It’s on Shudder and you can rent it on Prime.
27. Hush (2016)
Director Mike Flanagan
Seeking solitude, deaf mute author Maddie (Kate Siegel) has left New York for a quiet life in the woods to write her next book. She is currently having a hard time finishing the story. After a visiting friend leaves for the evening, Maddie is alone in her house with her cat Bitch and soon realizes she is being stalked by a masked man who has already been in her house.
Director Mike Flanagan and his lead actress wife Kate Siegel also wrote the film and have crafted a good, small-budget, cat-and-mouse horror with Hush. Flanagan is well known for crafting moody, scary stories and doesn’t need a big budget to succeed in the genre. He has a quiet style that resonates with me. Apparently, Midnight Mass, which is on Netflix, has a Hush tie-in. I’ll be looking into that soon. Watch it on Tubi.
28. Haunt (2019)
Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
On Halloween night, a group of friends finds a spooky haunted house off the beaten path. Before entering, they each sign liability papers, laughing it all off as they place their cell phones in a lock box. Big mistake. Things quickly turn extreme, and they are in for a really bad time.
The reviews I’ve read for Haunt are mostly positive. I concur. It’s a good Halloween flick. Haunt is genuinely creepy at times, and it brings the pain. Tubi has it.
29. Cobweb (2023)
Director Samuel Bodin
There is a constant noise keeping young Peter awake at night. His parents shrug it off as an overactive imagination. Peter starts to believe that his parents are hiding something terrible.
One word – effective. This one gave me the spine tingle I was looking for. I loved the quiet piano score and foreboding mood throughout. Lizzy Caplan and Anthony Starr do a great job as the oddball uptight parents. When the film hits the crescendo it’s been building slowly towards for the whole runtime, it hits hard. Having said that, I wish they had kept the fear in question off-screen just a bit more than they did. Still, though, the chills work. Watch it on Netflix.
30. Incident in a Ghostland (2018)
Director Pascal Laugier
A mother and her two daughters inherit a house in the country. On their first night in the new home, they are confronted by murderous intruders. Fast forward sixteen years later and we see the sad physical and psychological hurt this incident has caused all three.
This is a tough watch at times. Ghostland has a nasty rug pull with an accompanying tough gut punch; it leaves you reeling and feeling sick to your stomach. I would expect nothing less from the director of Martyrs. There is no levity here to lighten the heavy tone, so we are forced to go through the trauma and pain of our physically and psychologically trapped ladies. An unsettling, perverse horror that will no doubt leave a mark.
It also really did leave a mark on actress Taylor Hickman as she is scarred for life from an on-set accident. This makes the film all the more difficult to watch. It’s on Tubi.
31. Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
Director Michael Dougherty
Five stores are interwoven that take place in a small town on Halloween.
Trick ‘r Treat has become a cult classic since its release and its popularity has risen considerably. I myself even had to make a trip to Spirit Halloween this year to pick up a Sam decoration. He’s the little scarecrow character and mascot for the film. Perfect movie to watch on Halloween as it combines humor, shock, and surprises, and even some sadness. The Halloween spirit endures.
Thanks for reading and commenting LMO. Hope everyone enjoyed the Halloween season and watched some good scary movies. Let me know the best one you’ve watched this year?
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