You keep dancing with the devil... one day he's gonna follow you home

Oh, the Horror! The following contains: vampires, creepy kiddos, cabins in the woods, and people trying to outwit Death. No chessboards required

Jun 15, 2025

Hi! Hello! How are you? Right now, I'm just trying to stay cool and hydrated. Good thing I have plenty of books to read as a bunch of preorders — plus special editions and signed copies that I also ordered — have come in over the past few weeks; not to mention an entire season’s worth of movies to catch in cinemas and at home via streaming.

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This time out, I have a giant batch of horror-centric reviews! While my focus is on movies for the most part, I also managed to include one novel just to switch things up a bit. There were so many titles I hadn't had time to write about that I thought it would be cool to devote an entire post to one of my favorite genres.

I've divided the films into two sections: New releases I saw on the big screen and vintage/recent releases I watched from the comfort of my living room. Okay, yeah, maybe I had a little too much fun coming up with the headers. Whatever. I proudly let my geek flag fly.

Enough exposition. Time to let the blood flow.

Horror hounds... ASSEMBLE!

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Sinners

Vampires are eternal creatures. So it's no wonder they never truly go out of fashion. After myriad (re)tellings of the vampire mythos, writer-director Ryan Coogler has crafted a tale set in the 1930s Deep South, where the story takes place over a fateful 24-hour period.

The Moore brothers, twins Elijah "Smoke" and Elias "Stack", have returned home after landing in Chicago for a spell. Now that they're back, they've decided to open a juke joint in an old mill. Coogler takes his time letting the story unfold, preferring to use the film's first act to introduce us to the residents of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and get to know those characters whose lives will be irrevocably altered that very night. It's a decision that pays off big in the second act, allowing Coogler to weave his themes into the film's rich tapestry.

One of those themes — the power of music in Black culture — allows Coogler to touch on that intimate relationship via the Moore twins' cousin Sammy (an impressive Miles Caton, making his debut), whose talent with a guitar and soulful voice just might land him a one-way ticket out of Clarksdale should he survive the night.

Michael B. Jordan in dual roles leads a stacked cast including Wunmi Mosaku, Li Jun Li, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, and Delroy Lindo. If you're hungering for something to sink your teeth into, Sinners should leave you satisfied.

Final Destination: Bloodlines

Death returns to settle an old score in the sixth installment of the iconic horror franchise, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. While you'll recognize the now familiar tropes — the disaster that kickstarts the fun, the gruesome deaths, the near-misses, the Rube Goldberg of it all — there is a new wrinkle in this design that raises the stakes nicely.

University student Stefani heads home when she's plagued by a nightmare that is destroying her collegiate life. After learning her nightmare is tied to a real-life incident that has plagued her estranged grandmother Iris (who gives Laurie Strode serious competition for the Bunker Grandma crown) for decades, Stefani tries desperately to remove her family — specifically everyone with blood ties to grandma — from Death's hit list as the reaper works to rectify the flaws made in its design.

Big shout out to the film's two MVPs: 1) Richard Harmon, who understands the assignment perfectly and is freaking hilarious as a result. As a longtime fan, I'm so happy he's finally popped up in one of these films. 2) Tony Todd, who returns to the franchise as the mortician Bludworth, makes the most out of his final screen appearance before the actor’s untimely death. I cried during his scene, particularly when hearing his lovely parting words. (Todd was given total creative control and encouraged by the filmmakers to leave his fans with a bit of advice.)

What makes the Final Destination franchise so enjoyable is the unmitigated joy that is evident throughout. There is a depraved playfulness pumped into every element alongside the horror and the sorrow. Bloodlines continues this while amping up the human factor by bringing in a more intimate element: what could be more terrifying than watching your loved ones meet a bloody, gory end over and over as Death picks off almost every branch of your family tree?

But hey! As Kelly Clarkson once sang, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Bring Her Back

Grief and the trauma that comes from losing a loved one is the engine that drives the latest from Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, the filmmaker brothers behind the similarly themed Talk to Me. But that emotional thread is where the similarities with their brilliant 2022 feature debut end.

Stepsiblings Andy and Piper (Billy Barrett and Sora Wong, both sensational) are plunged into a double nightmare after coming home from school to find their father dead and then delivered to their new foster mother Laura (a magnetic, terrifying Sally Hawkins). To Andy and Piper's surprise, they aren't the only ones under Laura's care. Young Oliver (an effective Jonah Wren Phillips), with his shaved head and empty gaze, unsettles Andy from the off as does his foster mother. It doesn't help that Laura instantly dotes on Piper while essentially ignoring him; even so, Andy can't be sure if the foster mother's motives regarding his stepsister are purely altruistic.

The Philippou brothers have delivered another gripping, propulsive film that rivals Talk to Me if not outshines it. Grounded in raw, emotional truths that elevate the supernatural aspects of the story, this allows the grotesque moments to hit harder and gives the characters you become invested in room to move and breathe as their secrets are revealed and the film unfolds.

One of my favorite films of the year, this is masterful storytelling on every level.

OVER HERE!

Based on a Stephen King short story, The Monkey offers double the Theo James in this darkly comedic and wonderfully twisted tale of a cursed toy who brings death to those in its orbit. Plus, Tatiana Maslany slays in her first of two Osgood Perkins flicks this year. ... Aspiring writer Ayo Edibiri is among those invited to stay at the compound of reclusive music icon John Malkovich in Opus. A solid genre entry that effectively mixes satire with its thrills and chills, it really comes alive whenever Malkovich is onscreen, gleefully stealing every scene. … A grieving family is further traumatized by the appearance of The Woman in the Yard of their new home in this terrifically tense yet ultimately unsatisfying film that’s undone by a muddy third act despite a ferocious turn by Danielle Deadwyler. … The accidental Death of a Unicorn wreaks havoc on a weekend retreat in this entertaining diversion that touches on class warfare and social satire to amusing effect. Leads Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd are outshone by the marvelous double act of Richard E. Grant and Will Poulter as the stupidly wealthy and ridiculously entitled father/son duo looking to exploit the creature’s magical healing properties. … Until Dawn works best if you forget the video game and just enjoy the ride. You’ve got a friend group, a time loop, and bloody deaths aplenty. Director David F. Sandberg is back in his natural element after a DC Studios detour and it’s clear he’s happy to be once again scaring the crap out of audiences.

HELLO? IS ANYBODY THERE?

The Children

There's a certain charm, even a coziness, to some 1970s/early '80s horror flicks. You still get the violent deaths, gore, and blood splatter that's expected; only when the end credits roll, instead of taking a calming breath, you let out a contented sigh as a smile tugs at the corners of your mouth. This is one of those films.

This is also one of those films where the kids become creepy and homicidal. (In case you couldn't figure that out from the ominous title.) It's just one of those things that happens when your bus route crosses paths with a toxic waste cloud from the local nuclear plant. One minute, you're thinking about cuddling your cat after school; the next, you're liquifying your loved ones with flesh-melting hugs without a care in the world.

If you're worried your kid or somebody else's might have ulterior motives for wanting to give out hugs, you could check to see if they have black fingernails. But then again, they might just be affectionate goths.

Instead, gather the family for a mani movie night! Give each other manicures and paint your nails black while watching the adults in a small town lose their minds over the little atomic zombies that just want to hug you to death. That's what I call quality time.

The Strangers: Chapter 1

When it comes to remakes of awesome movies, there should be one main rule: If you're gonna do it, there had better be a damn good reason why. I'm well aware that horror remakes are as common as Bruce Campbell saying “Groovy!” while wielding a chainsaw instead of a hand. Which brings us to this first part of a planned trilogy from director Renny Harlin that wishes it had the personality of a Deadite.

A pretty, generic young couple getting away from the city stay at a remote cabin where the nearest town would have been at home in Eli Roth's Wrong Turn (preferably the 2003 original with Eliza Dushku). Before arriving at that cabin in the woods, the chemistry-free pair (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) engage in awkward encounter after awkward encounter with the townsfolk. I would love to say the film finds its feet once the action moves to the cabin, but that would be a big fat lie.

Instead of a tension-filled plot, it's a landslide of poorly executed clichés that you would expect to see as the purposely idiotic horror movie within a real horror movie. Even the characters are just paper-thin suggestions as opposed to fully realized people. Richard Brake is the only cast member to make an impression as the appropriately named Sheriff Rotter despite having nothing to do aside from giving off creeper vibes. (I guess they're saving him — and any real plot development — for Chapter 2?)

At a mere 91 minutes, Chapter 1 feels more like a Horror 101 checklist than an actual movie. Less a first draft than an outline that somehow made it before cameras. Remember the Geico commercial that runs every October where they spoof slasher flicks set in the middle of nowhere? Same concept as this idiotic snooze fest only watching that on a loop for an hour-and-a-half would be way more entertaining.

WHAT WAS THAT?

Word of advice? Don't smash the headstone of someone's grave in the front yard of the old abandoned house you and your friends are investigating unless you're hoping The Dead Come Home and start knocking your dumb asses off one by one. That said, I had a great time with this cozy horror from 1989. (NOTE: Also known as Dead Dudes in the House — my favorite of its alt titles — and The House on Tombstone Hill.) ... Warwick Davis lets loose as the wickedly demented Leprechaun who targets a pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston and company for stealing his ~~Lucky Charms~~ pot of gold. Aniston may have turned her back on this rollicking slasher, but it's easy to see why genre fans have embraced it. ... April Fool’s Day is a likeable 1986 slasher comedy with Amy Steel and Thomas F. Wilson that mostly sticks to the template save for one detail that I won’t ruin here if you haven’t seen it yet. That said, this won’t replace 1981’s My Bloody Valentine in my heart when it comes to holiday horror not taking place in December. … Babysitter Carol Kane finds out the hard way what happens When a Stranger Calls in this sturdy 1979 thriller featuring sharp turns from Charles Durning, Colleen Dewhurst, and a fantastically unhinged Tony Beckley. Skip the insipid 2006 remake with Camilla Belle in the Kane role.

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

I'm slowly making my way through King's novels and have enjoyed the ones I've read thus far. Instead of devouring every word he's written, I'm cherry picking the titles that I'm familiar with via adaptations of his work. There are far too many books I want to read to devote myself to King full stop, but I am undoubtedly a fan. Though not as big as my mom, who has become somewhat addicted in recent years. King's latest two releases have come out in time for her birthday this year and last, so the feeling may be mutual.

First published in 1983, King's reanimation tale centers on Louis Creed, who has moved his family to the small town of Ludlow, Maine. When the family cat gets hit by one of the many tanker trucks that travel the road in front of the Creed house, neighbor Jud Crandall introduces Louis to the titular resting place that just so happens to be part of a Native American burial ground (a prerequisite of all good horror stories back in the day). If that doesn't tell you in all caps that NOTHING GOOD WILL COME OF THIS, then I'll let you discover for yourself what happens next.

The 1989 film directed by Mary Lambert with King himself on script duties was my first straight up horror movie (thanks, Brandi!) and remains the definitive adaptation for me. I appreciate how straightforward King's writing is and how, despite the deceptively simple prose, he conjures pure terror and nightmare fuel that will haunt you for the rest of your days. If you've only seen the 1989 and/or 2019 flicks, do yourself a favor and give the source material a read. There's a reason — besides the obvious pun — why Uncle Stevie has been dubbed "the King of horror."

POP! Goes My Brain