This year I had to go backwards for many of the movies, to fill in the categories. But luckily a few really good ones from the past, which I had forgotten to watch and even a few new ones were found. Hope you enjoy them.
I’m going to provide 4 of my top picks in each Horror sub-genre. I won’t be using the same movies from the previous year’s so if you need a reminder please look at my top picks in their categories for:
2021 – Halloween Movies to Watch
2022 – Halloween Movies to Watch
2023 – Halloween Movies to Watch
2024 – Halloween Movies to Watch
2025 – Halloween Movies to Watch
Categories –
- Halloween Movies for Kids
- Halloween Comedy Movies
- Monster/Creature Movies
- Paranormal Movies
- Psychological/Thriller Movies
- Slasher Movies
There is something to watch for everyone. Most of the genres are in there. Click on the movie title to read more about the movie (Wikipedia)/Poster (IMDb) and if you would like to see the trailer you can see below the description. I’ve also included where people can watch them online.
I’ve been reflecting a lot about what makes horror scary recently. As mentioned before I can generaly find 1 out of about every 74 horror movies which will give me a genuine scare. Some have thought provoking aspects and some have amazing acting, but unfortunately, no scares. So what makes a movie scare good?
1. Jump scares e.g something suddenly appearing
2. Building scare e.g. hearing footsteps, watching something moving that the actor can’t see like a mirror etc.
3. The realistic scare, which makes you realise it could actually happen and causes you to buy extra security etc.
4. Unease scare e.g. someone saying odd things
5. Hopeless scare e.g. when no matter what you do, it wouldn’t change anything.
Halloween Movies for Kids
(2025, PG) Director – Bryan Fuller 1h 46m
Movie feeling – Tim Burton similarity! 😍
I rarely rave about movies, but this one was awesome. If you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor. It is so sweet and funny. Plus has amazing actors in it being the amazing Mads Mikkelsen (from Hannibal tv series), Sigorney Weaver (Alien) and as you know finding kid actors who are good is next to impossible, but this young actress, Sophie Sloan, knocked it out of the park! Keep an eye on her career, because she’s already a star. The set and costume design were amazing. Very strong Tim Burton quirkyness and extravagance. The plot line was a little bit small, but the script and acting more than made up for it. It is a great movie that the whole family can enjoy. It has action, humor and fantasy with a bit of mystery included. I highly recommend this movie as my top pick from 2025.
Movie Description – Ten-year-old Aurora asks a hit man to kill the monster she believes ate her entire family. To protect her, he’ll need to battle an onslaught of assassins while accepting the fact that some monsters are real.
Starring – Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, Sheila Atim, David Dastmalchian, Sigourney Weaver
Where to Watch (Australia) – Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
(2023 & 2025, PG) Director – Emma Tammi 1h 44m
Movie feeling – So much potential! 🤔
Big fan base and the games are awesome, the movies are… well you need to know the franchise first, the books I haven’t had the chance to read yet, give me a few weeks. It has a damn good premise. It ticks a lot of the boxes I find interesting:
- Robots
- Haunted robots
- Haunted robots that kill
Fans of the franchise will like it, but unless you know the back story etc. It would be incredibly confusing. It also unfortunately had terrible character development and didn’t understand that the viewer hadn’t just watched the first movie (been 2 years), so needed a bit more information. The script was very basic and unfortunately all the human actors were acting like the robots causing all the problems, so I felt no ability to empathise with them. The only actor showing emotion was Matthew Lillard playing William Afton, he is a really good actor and I liked how he portrayed the character from the game. Felt Josh Hutcherson, playing Mike Schmidt and Elizabeth Lail playing Vanessa Afton, just were boring together. It was like trying to light a fire with two wet twigs. There was no chemistry and they talked together like they had only just met. It could have been the bad script, but even when trying to show annoyance or anger, they both put in minimal effort. It was like they were on Thorazine…
Anyway apart from that, I noticed a lot of changes, please see the games story (here) for the actual timeline/progression. But they keep saying the movies in a different “Universe” which is why things changed. To me, that makes him a lazy writer. “Oh, it’s a different Universe,” is exactly the lazy writing type of, “They woke up and it was all a dream”. A writer needs to be able to have continuity in a storyline and obviously Scott Cawthon does not have the ability. Do you think if we ask nicely he’ll leave the storylines alone and stick to game character design instead?
I liked how they changed the Marionettes origin story of how Charlotte possessed her, as I think it gives a more understandable version of why William Afton killed Henry Emily’s daughter (see the lore here).
But I’m still unsure why they combined Vanessa and Elizabeth’s stories, as I think Circus Baby was terrifying. Now they can’t undo that, yet in the second movie you see Circus Baby in Vanessa’s dream. So maybe at the end when the Marionette got Vanessa, this could be where it’s going. Don’t know, I think Scott Cawthon gets confused by his own characters and flips around too much, so it’s hard to get a straight story from him. But then there is the problem as to where Vanny fits into the story. I mean she had DID in the games, but even with a split personality I don’t think she can be both Circus Baby and Vanny at the same time.
In the games the ghosts were much less aggressive. Charlotte actually was trying to help, not kill in the games. So, I’m not sure if I like her new evil persona, but the show must go on…
I understand why they changed Michael Afton’s character from actually being Michael Schmidt, to get that the storyline needed a bit more than the games to keep the audience involved. But, he makes a whole big deal of his brother Garret’s abduction in the previous movie… Then just kind of meets the kids ghosts and forgets to ask them about him? Is he going to reveal himself as one of the other characters eventually or were they making him the Crying child, William Afton’s other son which made Michael Afton go crazy after he bullied him? He gave William the idea of using kids to possess the animatronics, which lead to Charlotte and then the other children’s “disappearances”.
Ok big bug bear for me… I know that we’re not meant to question but considering the old pizzeria was built in 1983 (by game lore)/1982 by the movie and Michael Afton claims that the puppet uses a WiFi signal to control the toy animatronics… Wifi was only available for use in 1997 and only had speeds around 2Mbps. Only got to 11mbps in 1999… Does he think wifi is an easily created thing and does not require huge telecommunication towers etc? I mean dial up would only be available seven years later at the earliest! Even if you were the most exceptional engineer on the planet, you could not build a fucking wifi system without the towers and government involvement! Sorry for my bad language, but someone had to say it. Read more about the movies here.
Movie Description
FNAF 1 – A troubled security guard begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. While spending his first night on the job, he realizes the late shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through.
FNAF 2 – One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Former security guard Mike has kept the truth from his 11-year-old sister, Abby, concerning the fate of her animatronic friends. When Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy, she sets into motion a terrifying series of events that reveal dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s.
Starring – Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Mary Stuart Masterson, Matthew Lillard (See more here – Five Nights at Freddy’s Movies)
Where to Watch (Australia) FNAF1/FNAF2- Stan (Subscription), Paramount Plus (Subscription), Prime Video (Rent/Buy) / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
(2022, PG) Director – Henry Selick 1h 45m
Movie feeling – Damn that’s a great idea… 🧐
I loved the idea of this movie and I think with a bit more time they could have made it spectacular. But I’m sure the kids will agree this movie is fun. Having a ‘Hell maiden’ as a nun and making it into a story. Wow, brilliant. Really loved the creative story. Got a bit confused how they thought decomposition of the dead worked since it had been about 5 years and was wondering why her dead parents were not skeletons, but I’m not going to poke holes in the story. The first part is really sad, so please make sure to watch before showing to the little ones.
Movie Description – The two devious demon brothers Wendell and Wild have to face their arch-enemy with the help of the nun Sister Helly, who is notorious for expelling demons. However, the brothers are not only plagued by her, but also by her altar boys.
Starring – Keegan-Michael Key as Wendell, Jordan Peele as Wild, Lyric Ross as Katherine “Kat” Koniqua Elliot, Angela Bassett as Sister Helley, James Hong as Father Level Bests, Ving Rhames as Buffalo Belzer, Sam Zelaya as Raúl Cocolotl, Tamara Smart as Siobhan Klaxon, Gary Gatewood as Delroy Elliot, Gabrielle Dennis as Wilma Elliot, Maxine Peake as Irmgard Klaxon
Where to Watch (Australia) – Netflix (Subscription)
(2022, PG13+) Director – Jeff Wadlow 1h 29m
Movie feeling – You really tried, so well done!😌
I think the storyline/plot were a fantastic idea and they executed the special effects and monsters coming to life wonderfully. But the acting and script were a bit overdone and didn’t hit the marks they were trying to get the audience to feel. It’s a fun movie for kids, but if you’re like me, well you’ll feel a bit ‘meh’ by it and embarrassed when they tried to be funny, or thoughtful, or sincere…. Ok they didn’t have the needed range of emotions. The worst part is they had pretty good actors in it, but unfortunately still couldn’t make their parts more than mediocre at best. Am still finding the terrible heavy Brooklyn accent of Lauren Lapkus, who plays the town mayor as a very poor comedy choice. The Wayland brothers, think this one is Marlon, are very funny in over the top comedies with little or no plot, but if they were going for a Disney heart warming story, they picked the wrong actor. This seemed like one of those we spent all the money on scenery and now have no money for a script writer or director kind of movies. Again, this is a movie for kids, so I might of had higher expectations than were reasonable.
Also, if you ask me why I included it, well, kids horror movies are pretty hard to find, so my choices are quite limited after 5 years.
Movie Description – A man and his daughter must team up to save their town after an ancient and mischievous spirit causes Halloween decorations to come to life and wreak havoc.
Starring – Marlon Wayans as Howard Gordon, Priah Ferguson as Sydney Gordon, Kelly Rowland as Emily Gordon, John Michael Higgins as Principal Floyd, Lauren Lapkus as Mayor Tammy Rice, Rob Riggle as Sully, Nia Vardalos as Madam Hawthorne, Abi Monterey as Ramona, Holly J. Barrett as Jamie, Myles Vincent Perez as Mario, Helen Slayton-Hughes as Victoria.
Where to Watch (Australia)- Netflix (Subscription)
Halloween Comedy Movies
(2025, M) Director – Jimmy Warden 1h 35m
Movie feeling – Can’t stop laughing!🤣
I have not laughed so much in ages! This movie was hysterical. Ok, spoiler, when the lovely Jimmie Fails walks down the aisle after Ray Nicholson mistakes the identity. It made me laugh so much that I thought that my brain had broken, because it was so funny. The exact quote which got me:
“Don’t upset him, he gets violent when he’s confused.” – Eric Dane
“I’m in a wedding dress man, I think he’s pretty fucking confused.” – Jimmie Fails
I also loved the Celine Dion tribute when she told the poor mental woman it wasn’t her song as well.
Movie Description – In 1990s Los Angeles, a twisted sociopathic stalker breaks into a popstar’s home hoping to marry her. With only her loyal bodyguard there to protect her, she must survive the frightening ordeal.
Starring – Samara Weaving, Ray Nicholson, Jimmie Fails, Alba Baptista, and Eric Dane
Where to Watch (Australia) – Amazon Prime Video (rent/buy)
(2024, MA15+) Director – Laura Murphy, 1h 37m
Movie feeling – Yep🙂↕️
Really liked that they were having fun.This could have been bad, but they actually saved it by making the “obvious” more agreeable/shinning a light on it. The acting was good and loved the comedic questioning she does. It has strong feelings of the 90s with the mix of a normal rom-com and classic slasher flick. They combined the two opposing genres well.
Movie Description – Thrust into the dating app world by her best friends, true-crime junkie Eva Vaughn suddenly finds herself at the center of a real murder case. As new details come to light, she soon realizes that one of the three men she’s dating could be the infamous Swipe Right Killer.
Starring – Lucy Hale as Eva Vaugh, Virginia Gardner as Kelly, Brooke Nevin as Valerie, Samer Salem as Norman, Bethany Brown as Robin, Jedidiah Goodacre as Kyle, Brendan Morgan as Mitch, JayR Tinaco as Anthony, R. J. Fetherstonhaugh as Jake
Where to Watch (Australia) – Prime Video (rent/buy)
(2021, MA15+) Director – Nick Simon 1h 27m
Movie feeling – Smart
This movie was great and very clever in how they made it for the COVID pandemic. Nearly everything shut down and they managed to make a movie. Plus, it was pretty funny and wonderfully creative.
Movie Description – A comedy about making a horror movie. When six co-stars learn their hit TV show is about to be cancelled, they decide to shoot their own film, unintentionally summoning a spirit with an affinity for violence.
Starring – Claire Holt as Kelly, Luke Baines as Declan, Darren Barnet as Max, Timothy Granaderos as Kip, Katherine McNamara as Chrissy, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Alex, Kal Penn as Mark, Aisha Tyler as Bobbie Brower, Kevin Daniels as Harry
Where to Watch (Australia) – YouTube (Free), Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
(2025, MA15+) Director – Josh Ruben 1h 37m
Movie feeling – Finally Romantic Comedies have been classified as horror 😍
This one was a weird one, pretty funny, but also the mix of genres is a bit hit and miss. It’s really hard to combine opposites and make something good. These guys really tried hard and while I wouldn’t rate it as a must see, it’s good enough if you are bored.
Movie Description – A masked maniac with glowing, red eyes returns every Valentine’s Day to slaughter unsuspecting couples. When a cynical ad executive and her hopelessly romantic colleague become the next target, they decide to fight back and end the reign of terror.
Starring – Olivia Holt as Ally McCabe, a pitch designer, Mason Gooding as Jay Simmonds, a freelance advertiser, Gigi Zumbado as Monica, Ally’s friend, Michaela Watkins as Crystal Cane; Ally, Jay and Monica’s boss Devon Sawa as Det. Zeke Hobbs, Jordana Brewster as Det. Jeanine Shaw, Yoson An as David, IT tech, Bronwyn Bradley as Fran, desk officer, James Gaylyn as Chief Richard Hartley, Lauren O’Hara as Adeline Garrett, Ben Black as Collin, Ally’s ex, Chris Parker as Tommy, Crystal’s assistant
Where to Watch (Australia) – Binge (Subscription), Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Monster/Creature Movies
(2015, MA 15+) Director – Steve Barker 1h 33m
Movie feeling – Good profiteering off of an apocalyptic event 😲
Creature/Monster – Zombie
While possibly not the best movie I ever have seen, I have great respect for a mind that can think about business ideas after a world apocalyptic event. Not like it’s a virus which spreads quickly and the slightest error can cause another apocalypse. No, no, that’s just silly. Please build your zombie holiday hunting ground, what could possibly go wrong?
Movie Description – The visitors of a zombie hunting ground are in danger when a security breach causes the undead to run loose in the area.
Starring – Jessica De Gouw, Dougray Scott, Martin McCann
Where to Watch (Australia) – YouTube (free)
(2024, MA 15+) Director – Benjamin Brewer 1h 32m
Movie feeling – This calm is setting me up for a fright😰
Creature/Monster – Alien
I might just be a bit in love with Nicolas Cage in horror movies, as it’s really hard to find a bad one. This movie is one of the ones that you know that the calmness is going to be disrupted at some stage and you will be sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the hit. If you make it through the less action packed parts, you’ll get great satisfaction with the ending.
Movie Description – In the near future on a decimated Earth, Paul and his twin sons face terror at night when ferocious creatures awaken. When Paul is nearly killed, the boys come up with a plan for survival, using everything their father taught them to keep him alive.
Starring – Nicolas Cage as Paul, Jaeden Martell as Joseph, Maxwell Jenkins as Thomas, Sadie Soverall as Charlotte, Joe Dixon as Mr. Rose, Samantha Coughlan as Mrs. Rose
Where to Watch (Australia) – SBS (free), Stan (subscription), Apple TV (subscription), Prime Video (rent/buy)
(2011, M) Director – Catherine Hardwicke 1h 40m
Movie feeling – Like my fairy tales with a twist 🥸
Creature/Monster – Werewolf
This movie made an impression on me. I don’t like werewolf movies as I think its a stain on a wolfs spirit, to have humans associated with them. But, this movie does have the talented Amanda Seyfried and it really was good for the time. Though the story keeps being retold and a different character is picked for the wolf each time. My favorite was when Disney in Once Upon a Time made the wolf as Red Riding Hood lol. Anyway, this movie is a good enough watch, if you feel like a Grimm fairy story.
Movie Description – Valerie decides to elope with Peter before her parents get her married to Henry. Her plans are disrupted when her elder sister is killed by a werewolf and Father Solomon is called to take vengeance.
Starring – Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Julie Christie
Where to Watch (Australia) – Youtube (free), Prime Video (rent/buy), Apple TV (subscribe)
(2006, M) Director – Bong Joon Ho 1h 59m
Movie feeling – Don’t laugh they are trying to be serious! 🤭
Creature/Monster – Mutant fish monster
I know I’m going to seem like a very stupid foreigner in my view of this film and I sincerely apologise for my ignorance or if I insult anyone. Firstly, I recommend making a choice to watch it in korean, not english dubbed and using subtitles instead. I am not saying the dubbing was bad, but it obviously was hard to translate the correct words and had left quite a few a few questions about what they were trying to explain. I also didn’t like the music selection for some of the scenes. It felt clunky and humourous rather than creating the atmosphere they were trying to go for? But those are my only bad points. The monster was awesome! Loved it and did not expect it to be so good. I also loved how it just appeared and no one explained it to death. Also the acting was spectacular.
The inspiration for the movie was actually based on a real event, called the McFarland incident, from February 2000 when an American civilian working in a military base in South Korea (Yongsan Garrison U.S. Army) ordered the disposal of 480 gallons of formaldehyde to be disposed down the drain to the Han river which is the main water source for Seoul. So the first part of the movie is actually true and I think the movie was fair call for the real-life legal battle which due to the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) which made it difficult for the South Korean authorities to prosecute the U.S. millitary personnel for their actions. The movie hopefully acts as a rap on their knuckles for their arrogance at trying to cover it up. Albert L. McFarland was eventually found guilty of the toxic waste dumping and only given 6 months in prison, even though the dumping of those chemicals most likely caused cancer and birth defects to many in Seoul.
Movie Description – An unidentified monster appears from the Han River in Seoul, kills hundreds and also carries off Hyun-seo. When her family learns that she is being held captive, they resolve to save her.
Starring – Song Kang-ho as Park Gang-du, Byun Hee-bong as Park Hee-bong, Park Hae-il as Park Nam-il, Bae Doona as Park Nam-joo, Go Ah-sung as Park Hyun-seo
Where to Watch (Australia) – AppleTV (rent/buy), Prime Video (rent/buy)
Paranormal Movies
(2025, MA15+) Director – Zach Cregger 2h 9m
Movie feeling – WTF? 🤯
I didn’t know what to expect with this movie. I liked how it switches stories between the characters involved and gives new information, kinda like 825 Forest Road (first movie that has scared me for years), but this one is more subdued. I always wonder about the main villain in horror movies and this one surprised me. Didn’t expect it.
Movie Description – When all but one child from the same classroom mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
Starring – Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan
Where to Watch (Australia) – HBO Max (subscription), Prime Video (rent/buy), Apple TV (subscription)
(2023, R18+) Director – Ted Geoghegan 1h 32m
Movie feeling – Strong 80’s movie theme even if set in the 1940’s 🧐
Ok this movie reminds me of a twelve year old writing about a history they can’t understand. They got the highlights, but got bored at the details. This movie is the result and damn, it was not actually bad! Mix in some ghosts, not relevant, just because, and to make them seem more interesting. If you’ve ever played cluedo, well this is like that, except playing with five year olds. I know it makes it sound bad, but it is suprisingly a fun game!
Movie Description – Best friends since childhood, five military veterans gather to support their troubled host, and the metaphoric ghosts of their past become all-too-literal.
Starring – Anne Ramsay as Marla Sheridan, Ron E. Rains as Bob Sheridan, Jeremy Holm as Mjr. Archibald Stanton, Larry Fessenden as Lt. Col. Clive Hockstatter, Ezra Buzzington as Mjr. Paul DiFranco, Kristina Klebe as Hildegard Baumann, Lucy Carapetyan as Susan Hockstatter
Where to Watch (Australia) – Shudder (subscription), Prime Video (rent/buy), Apple TV (rent/subscribe)
(2016, MA15+) Director – Johannes Roberts 1h 36m
Movie feeling – Ouch, I don’t think I’m emotionally strong enough for this one… 😢
This one starts incredibly sad, but becomes more and more creepy. It has stuck in my memory and as you know I watch around a hundred horror movies in a year. So, me remembering this one, means it shook me a bit. It isn’t the best movie I’ve watched, but finding good paranormal ones is always a bit challenging some years. The acting is very good and I found watching it in Hindi, actually made the movie more enjoyable as it fitted with the cultural aspects of the plot. That being said, this is a fictional ritual, not in Indian culture and the door representing a pathway to the land of the dead is not within common belief systems.
Movie Description – Maria is devastated when her six-year-old son dies in an accident. She decides to perform a ritual that will enable her to communicate with her dead son.
Starring – Sarah Wayne Callies as Maria Harwood, Jeremy Sisto as Michael Harwood, Sofia Rosinsky as Lucy Harwood, Logan Creran as Oliver Harwood, Suchitra Pillai as Piki, Javier Botet as Mrtyu
Where to Watch (Australia) – Disney Plus (subscription), Prime Video (buy), YouTube (buy), AppleTV (buy)
(2026, M) Director – Damian McCarthy 1h 47m
Movie feeling – I like the idea, but the execution felt half arsed? 🙄
Guys, I’m sorry for putting this one in here. The movie is not one to rave about, but it does have an amazing antagonist (the scary witch, not the random hotel dude). The witch creeped me out something dreadful and had me imagining all the shadows were her terrifying presence. I think this is one of those plots that suited a book rather than a movie, but saying that, it did have a few shudder moments and while I found the robotic acting choice by Adam Scott a bit boring, I did enjoy the other characters in the hotel as lively interesting people. I think making Adam Scott a tragic drama figure, was a bad choice for the movie and perhaps it was a bit of a mood kill for the whole dramatic past. The characters and the drama seemed to be friction points and lacked any harmony with each other. It was like the writer thought of too many ideas at once and failed to string them together constructively. You kind of just got blurted out pieces of information, without being able to empathise as something before it had made it seem a lesser point. For example, you have a very powerful witch who enjoys killing people… did you really need to start a fire as well? Did it add anything to the danger? Though, I did like at the end, how they were giving the viewer the choice to believe the paranormal or that he had just been drugged. It threw it into questioning whether what was happening, actually was, so that actually made me smile. Big fan of the make up of this wicked witch/her creep factor. Gave me goosebumps. Bravo.
Movie Description – When novelist Ohm Bauman retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he’s consumed by tales of a witch that haunts the honeymoon suite. Soon, disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance force him to confront dark corners of his past.
Starring – Adam Scott as Ohm Bauman, Peter Coonan as Mal the desk clerk and Cob’s son-in-law, David Wilmot as Jerry, a man living outside the hotel, Florence Ordesh as Fiona, the bartender, Michael Patric as Fergal the groundskeeper, Will O’Connell as Alby, the bellhop
Where to Watch (Australia) – Prime Video (rent/buy), AppleTV (rent/buy), YouTube (rent/buy)
Psychological/Thriller Movies
(2025, R) Director – Francis Lawrence 1h 48m
Movie feeling – Fuck 😱
Wow, this movie broke my heart. I was crying so much. The acting was amazing and seeing the story come to life is horrifying, in a good way, from the sometimes twisted mind of Stephen King. But it’s not a true adaption of the book, well the ending isn’t. Oh and the revenge thing from Ray isn’t a factor in the book at all. It also shows Ray being the final walker and suffering delusions as he keeps walking after seeing a dark figure still walking ahead of him.
A lot of discussion arose from people wondering if anyone could survive this, and they seemed to not have noticed each of the characters describing what was happening to them. I like Stephen King because he does some research into what he is writing about. Each death is portrayed differently, from the expected breakdown of their bodies and minds as they continue. The characters describe what is happening to them as well. While the time taken for the breakdowns to happen is extended, the symptoms are correct and they are clearly stated… I don’t think the teens watching could pay attention for long enough to understand it, as every question I’ve seen online is answered, sometimes within the first five minutes of the movie!
- They get water handed to them. They are given canteens of water and rations of high calorie food.
- Ray and Pete sleep while walking. They do this in turns so the other can keep an eye on them to ensure they keep pace and stay on the road. They discus this and achieve REM sleep while they are walking. Which allows their mental state to be more stable. A lot of the others die the first night due to not being able to.
- Can someone walk non-stop for 300 miles (483km)/5 days? No, I doubt it is possible. But that’s why it’s in fiction rather than non-fiction. It would possibly have been more realistic at 3 days, but to develop all the characters, build the bonds etc. The time is needed for the story development.
Pete says, “If it was about physical fitness, then I think I could win. But that mind strength that allows mothers to lift cars off children, well, I don’t have that, but he does.” – I think this describes the determination, that sees the last few characters past the point where their bodies should not have been able to continue.
When Ray loses his shoes, I don’t think that anyone could walk for long without that protection, especially when his feet must already be nothing but blisters. I’m guessing due to the extreme exhaustion they may be numb or unable to feel much. It’s apparently meant to show how the walk is stripping them of everything. I think the scene where the guy has diahrea and tries to continue walking, portrayed the point quite well, but ok…
Stebbins says, “My liver has stopped, my lungs are filling with fluid.” – This is describing the final stages of organ failure that happen with extreme exhaustion. In the book it just has him drop dead. But the movie explains it perfectly. Even if he had won, He couldn’t have survived his organs shutting down like that. Art dies because of an internal hemorrhage, which he would be lossing a lot of blood internally and without urgent medical care, would not make it either.
Ray only made it to the end because of Pete’s support. Pete supported him and kept him walking while asleep, kept his spirits up and basically saved him numerous times. Pete explained that he felt he had been doing the long walk his entire life, which I think also shows that unlike the others he had previous experience through the hardships, so was more prepared than the others in endurance both mentally and physically.
This is the movie version, the book actually has Ray as the winner and Pete dies before Stebbins. Stephen King agreed to the changes and I think it was a good choice for the movie as it’s less open for interpretation.
The movie is brilliant and very dark. I highly recommend if you like drama horror and have an attention span that can process information. Oh and there are two endings, so please watch both and see which one you think is the best. I liked the second one with the letters…
Movie Description – Teens participate in a gruelling high-stakes contest where they must continuously walk or be shot by a member of their military escort.
Starring – Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Joshua Odjick, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill
Where to Watch (Australia) – Prime Video (rent/buy), Apple TV (subscription), YouTube (rent/buy)
(2025, R) Director – Michael Shanks 1h 42m
Movie feeling – Uncomfortable 😬
I love Alison Brie and even with the very unique and uncertain plot, she still managed to have slight comedic moments which didn’t ruin the uneasy feeling of the circumstances. My favorite was the part where he’s asking her if she has a compass and she calmly responds ‘what would you do with that information?’ It cracked me up because it’s such a true statement for most people, not to know how to find positioning and make their way back with the information used for it. Anyway, I liked this movie, because it had a very realistic approach to a very odd situation and was very easy to see the struggles faced by both characters for their individuality, while ultimatly showing a dependant nature. Fun watch, it kept my attention and I enjoyed it.
Movie Description – Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads when they move to the countryside, abandoning all that is familiar in their lives except each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh.
Starring – Dave Franco as Tim Brassington, Alison Brie as Millie Wilson
Where to Watch (Australia) – Prime Video (subscription/rent/buy), Apple TV (subscription)
(2025, MA15+) Director – Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou 1h 44m
Movie feeling – Uneasy 😳
Brilliant acting by the entire cast. Really gives a very strong vibe of unease and helplessness. I had a hard time as I was trying to empathise with both the villian and the poor kids. I would classify this one as a drama horror and it’s pretty disturbing because it has kids needing help. The storyline is clever and how it ends, makes you feel a sad sense of relief, not realising you were digging your nails into your palm through the entire thing.
Movie Description – Andy and his sister Piper face unsettling events while living with their foster mother Laura, whose grief and secrets draw them into a chilling supernatural ordeal.
Starring – Billy Barratt as Andy, Sora Wong as Piper, Sally Hawkins as Laura, Jonah Wren Phillips as Oliver / Connor Bird, Sally-Anne Upton as Wendy
Where to Watch (Australia) – Prime Video (rent/buy), Apple TV (subscription), YouTube (rent/buy)
(2025, R) Director – Shal Ngo 1h 44m
Movie feeling – Please stop, please stop, please stop ✋
Amazing acting and real suspense in the plot. It appears to be very focussed on the psychology of addiction and its effects on people both internally and externally. It turns the problems into a monster and the movie basically is saying that it is a choice on no matter how big or evil the monster becomes, you have a choice to either let it take you or to fight against it. It builds very real suspense and I felt myself closing my eyes in cringing for more than one scene. This one does have some gore bits in it and I apologise for that as you know with most of my picks I avoid those types of horror films. But this one is interesting and it kept me interested and not knowing whether she would win or lose in the end.
Movie Description – A motivational speaker, plagued by an uncontrollable itch on her head, becomes infected with a parasitic demon from her homeland.
Starring – Kelly Marie Tran, Miles Robbins, Kieu Chinh, and Scott Takeda.
Where to Watch (Australia) – Disney Plus (subscription)
Slasher Movies
(2024, R) Director – Stuart Ortiz 1h 35m
Movie feeling – Uneasy and slightly impatient 😟
This was a fun movie. It also kind of speaks to fears which could really happen. I was a bit shocked by the ease which the killer accessed his victims. Plus it had a whole lore and frustrated detectives theme. I really enjoy these movies. While it’s not as good as The Poughkeepsie Tapes movie, it certainly was an interesting movie and I enjoyed it.
Movie Description – Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for Mr. Shiny, a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark, cosmic force.
Starring – Peter Zizzo as Det. Joe Kirby, Terri Apple as Det. Alexis “Lexi” Taylor, Andy Lauer as Jared Kelly, Matthew Peschio as Victor Shamaz, Allen Marsh as Jonas Eckhard, Roy Abramsohn as Prof. Warren Gilette, Christina Hélène Braa as Lizzy, Janna Cardia as Kacie Porter, Jessee J. Clarkson as Leslie Sykes, “Mr. Shiny”
Where to Watch (Australia) – Prime Video (rent/buy)
(2023, MA15+) Director – Anna Kendrick 1h 34m
Movie feeling – Older generation version of online dating turned dangerous! 😏
Alrighty, this is based on a true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala. What I really respected about the movie, was that Anna Kendrick said that she didn’t want to glorify the sadist who had done these crimes and instead focused the viewers attention on the women who were hurt. She told their story in a respectful way, rather than the normal slasher true story, where the victim is forgotten and used as a prop. The only things which could be possibly looked on with less than perfect glasses is that Anna Kendrick admitted that she did not like to be detailed based when creating the movie, which I find a little bit dissappointing. But, I can understand that to create a compelling story is a bit hard when sticking entirely to the often imperfect and messy human facts. So, it’s an interesting movie and I was very impressed that Anna Kendrick donated the profits to two victims’ charities. The money has gone to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) and the National Center for Victims of Crime. The movie makes reference to the misogyny of the time, that these crimes were not taken seriously and there were over 1000 sexually explicit photographs taken by him, with very few woman coming forward to admit to being raped, due to the social protection systems not listening to these women. Which is why serial rapists were allowed to commit more crimes than should have been acceptable.
To give you some background on the true crime:
Rodney James Alcala, August 23, 1943 – July 24, 2021, was an American serial killer and convicted sex offender who was sentenced to death in California for five murders committed between 1977 and 1979.
- September 25, 1968, a passing motorist named Donald Haines called police after witnessing Alcala lure Tali Shapiro, aged eight, into his Hollywood apartment. When the police arrived, Shapiro was found alive in a pool of her own blood, having been raped and beaten with a steel bar; Alcala had fled. Shapiro was in a coma for 32 days and spent months in recovery.
- June 12, 1971, Cornelia Crilley, a 23-year-old Trans World Airlines flight attendant, was found raped and murdered in her Manhattan apartment. It is believed that Crilley met Alcala as she moved into her new apartment and she accepted his help in moving some furniture. Her murder remained unsolved until 2011.
- July 15, 1977, Alcala killed Ellen Jane Hover, 23-year-old daughter of nightclub owner Herman Hover. Her datebook showed that she had an appointment to meet with one “John Berger” (one of his aliases) that same day. Her remains were discovered in 1978 buried under heavy rocks on a hillside overlooking the Hudson River, near a location on the John D. Rockefeller Estate where an aspiring model would later report that “Berger” had taken photos of her.
- November 9, 1977, Alcala murdered Jill Terry Barcomb, an 18-year-old girl from Oneida, New York, and disposed of her body on a dirt path near Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles.
- December 16, 1977, 27-year-old nurse Georgia Marie Wixted was discovered dead in her Malibu apartment. She was last seen when she drove another nurse, Barbara Gale, home from a bar. When Wixted did not show up for work the next day, Gale and their co-workers reported her missing. Police arrived at Wixted’s apartment to find signs of forced entry. Prosecutors later used DNA evidence and a handprint found at the scene to convict Alcala.
- June 24, 1978, Charlotte Lee Lamb, a 32-year-old legal secretary from Santa Monica, was found dead in the laundry room of the apartment complex where she was living in El Segundo. She had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled with a shoelace and was posed with her hands behind her back. DNA at the scene would match that of Alcala and DNA on a pair of earrings found in his storage locker after Robin Christine Samsoe’s 1979 murder would eventually prove to match Lamb’s DNA.
- February 14, 1979, Alcala picked up 15-year-old hitchhiker Monique Hoyt in Riverside County. He bound and gagged her and began a sustained assault. Alcala bludgeoned Hoyt in the head with a rock, but Hoyt escaped when Alcala entered a gas station bathroom on the drive back to Riverside County. Hoyt filed a police report about her attack, and Alcala was arrested, but his mother posted his bail.
- June 13, 1979, Jill Marie Parenteau, a 21-year-old computer keypunch operator, left work early to go to a baseball game. When she did not make it to work the following morning, police went to her Burbank apartment and found signs of forced entry. Parenteau was dead, naked on her bathroom floor. Her killer cut himself crawling through a window and blood evidence would later identify Alcala as the perpetrator.
- June 20, 1979, Robin Christine Samsoe, a 12-year-old girl from Huntington Beach, disappeared as she rode a borrowed bicycle from her Huntington Beach home to her ballet class. Her decomposing body was found 12 days later in the Los Angeles foothills, dumped off Santa Anita Canyon Road. Detectives circulated a sketch of the photographer, and Alcala’s parole officer recognized him.
Further victims;
- March 2010, the Huntington Beach, California and New York City Police Departments released 120 of Alcala’s photographs and sought the public’s help in identifying them, in the hope of determining if any of the women and children he photographed were additional victims. Approximately 900 additional photos could not be made public, police said, because they were too sexually explicit. In the first few weeks, police reported that approximately 21 women had come forward to identify themselves, and “at least six families” said they believed they recognized loved ones who “disappeared years ago and were never found”.
- Following Alcala’s death in 2021, 68-year-old Morgan Rowan contacted Steve Hodel, one of the original investigators on the Shapiro case, and described being attacked by Alcala in July 1968, when she was 16.
- In March 2011, investigators in Marin County, California, north of San Francisco, announced that they were “confident” that Alcala was responsible for the October 9, 1977, murder of 19-year-old Pamela Jean “Pam” Lambson, who disappeared after making a trip to Fisherman’s Wharf to meet a man who had offered to photograph her.
- September 2016, Alcala was charged with the murder of 28-year-old Christine Ruth Thornton. Thornton and her lover moved away from her family to live in San Antonio, Texas. After they split up in Biloxi, Mississippi, in June 1977, she was last seen hitchhiking and was never heard from again. In 2013, an image made public by Huntington Beach PD and NYPD of a dark-haired woman riding a motorcycle while wearing a yellow shirt was recognised by Thornton’s sister. Her body was found in 1982 near Granger, Wyoming, approximately 6 miles from Interstate 80, but was not identified until 2015 when DNA supplied by Thornton’s relatives matched tissue samples from her remains.
- In 2010, Seattle police named Alcala as a “person of interest” in several unsolved murders in Washington state since Alcala had rented a Seattle-area storage locker in which investigators later found jewelry belonging to two of his California victims in 1979.
While on California’s death row, Alcala died of a heart attack at a hospital in Kings County on July 24, 2021, at age 77.
“Even if society doesn’t take timely justice, nature surely will.”
Movie Description – In the 1970s Los Angeles, as a wave of murders makes headlines, a young woman aspiring to become an actress and a serial killer cross paths during an episode of a dating show.
Starring –The film stars Anna Kendrick as Dating Game contestant Sheryl Bradshaw and Daniel Zovatto as Alcala, along with Nicolette Robinson, Autumn Best and Tony Hale in supporting roles.
Where to Watch (Australia) – Netflix (subscription)
(2020, MA 15+) Director – Alister Grierson 1h 35m
Movie feeling – Well at least I’m sane compared to them? 🤔
I don’t know why I empathise so much with quirky crazy people but this movie had me really loving the detrmination and basic crazy of the situation. I respect (even if completely batshit crazy) that kind of attitude. This character made me question how, as well as going bravo! It was like, no matter how weird it got, you just believe in him. I really loved it, and not just because it was from beautiful Finland, but because it was really original and fun. Seriously, this is a fun movie, should possibly have been classed as the comedy genre, but the blood made it a slasher. I recommend for a fun watch.
Movie Description – A man with a mysterious past flees the country to escape his own personal hell, only to arrive somewhere much, much worse.
Starring –
Ben O’Toole as Rex Coen, Caroline Craig as Mother, Matthew Sunderland as Father, Travis Jeffery as Gael / Gideon, Jack Finsterer as Uncle, Meg Fraser as Alia, David Hill as Olli, Joshua Brennan as Pete, Ashlee Lollback as Maddy, Sophia Emberson-Bain as Olivia
Where to Watch (Australia) – Youtube (free), Stan (subscription)
(2025, R) Director – Eli Craig 1h 36m
Movie feeling – Teen aggression awww! 😮💨
Loved the teen drama and slightly aggressive outlook on adults not understanding. Also, the shout out to old non-acceptance towards lgb-alphabet identifying individuals. This was a make all mums and dads into monsters because they don’t like teens unique style kind of movie, which we all have been through, sorry, except the ones going through it now… where adults are the enemy and kids the “rational” and unlikely heroes. Sorry, seems I am making fun of it, but actually I really think these movies are important for teens to channel their rebellion. I just make fun, because I can at my age. Which most will do when they get to the same age. Call it a right of passage. Anyway, for a teen flick, not bad acting and had a few cool moments. Plus who doesn’t love the clown as the bad guy? Stephen King, you will always have the hold on iconic horror villains…
Movie Description – Looking for a fresh start, Quinn and her father move to the quiet town of Kettle Springs. They soon learn the fractured community has fallen on hard times after losing a treasured factory to a fire. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning clown emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time.
Starring – Katie Douglas as Quinn, Aaron Abrams as Dr. Glenn Maybrook, Quinn’s doctor father, Carson MacCormac as Cole, the son of Arthur Hill, Vincent Muller as Rust, Quinn’s neighbor, Kevin Durand as Arthur Hill, the mayor of Kettle Springs, Dylan McEwan as Tyler Anderson, Will Sasso as Sheriff Dunne of Kettle Springs, Cassandra Potenza as Janet, Verity Marks as Ronnie, Ayo Solanke as Tucker, Alexandre Martin Deakin as Matt
Where to Watch (Australia) – Youtube (buy/rent), Apple TV (subscribe),
Hope you have a wonderful Halloween!
