Fall 2025 Horror Movie Diary (Part 1)

I love horror movies. Every year, I make a long list of them to watch in October. Inevitably, the list ends up being so long that even starting in September and spilling over into November does not give me enough to time to watch them all. This year will be no different, aside from my decision to take an extra beat in between films to keep a running log of what I’m watching.

It’s an eclectic list, so if you’re allergic to particular strains of horror there should still be something here for everyone. My viewing comprises the popular and obscure; the thematically pegged and the impromptu; rewatches and first-time viewings. I’ve included a few thoughts about each which can be taken as recommendation advice. Further recommendations or pairings are given in some cases.

Dashcam (2021)

First-time viewing. This one qualifies in both the found-footage and “screen life” subgenres. While I was never very enthusiastic about this mode of filmmaking, I admit that I have generally enjoyed catching up on these flicks over the years. This almost exclusively 21st Century phenomemon has actually amassed a pretty decent canon at this point, and Dashcam is a worthy inclusion from director Rob Savage. It plays like an extended V/H/S segment, and while it gets a tad thin, the runtime is a merciful 80 minutes. It features a foulmouthed musician/conspiracy theorist/livestreamer played by Annie Hardy. She is the main draw here though her character’s juvenile obscenities will be grating for some. It’s a wild, offensive and bloody ride, meaning it hits all the key tropes of the genre. Be sure to watch the end credits throughout which Hardy delightfully freestyles her way through the credits a la Who’s Line Is It Anyway?

Dashcam is an easy recommendation if you like the V/H/S series. If you haven’t seen the classics of these personal recording genres, be sure to check out The Blair Witch Project and Rob Savage’s previous film, Host.

Timecrimes (2007)

Rewatch. Timecrimes made its way to us from Spanish director, Nacho Vigalondo in 2007. This is a nasty little piece of time-travel horror. Timecrimes repeatedly complicates its story to the point of chaos and terror in lieu of a more crowdpleasing narrative rollout. Think more along the lines of Primer than Back to the Future. Like most time travel flicks, Timecrimes may leave a few loose ends worth scrutinizing but still manages to cover its tracks well enough for viewers to roll with. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it should be a bullseye for those seeking a gnarly headtrip.

If Timecrimes is to your taste, I’d recommend checking out Triangle (2009) immediately.

The Changeling (1980)

First-time viewing. This 1980 Canadian chiller had not been on my radar until recently but it was a joy to finally give it a spin. Despite sharing a few ideas with some of its contemporaries including The Omen (1976) and The Shining (1980), this is an original and stately entry in the horror canon. I wouldn’t call it terribly scary, but it has a good story and great atmosphere, including an all-time great cinematic seance. The gorgeous historical house is a compelling central location and George C. Scott anchors the film. I’d call it a gem but The Changeling feels bigger than that. Make time for this one next time you feel like diving into the major studio horror classics of the 70s and 80s.

Recommended If You Like: The Exorcist, The Omen, The Shining, Poltergeist

28 Years Later (2025)

First-time viewing. I had rewatched 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later a few months ago which is why I’m not incuding them here, but Danny Boyle’s latest is an audacious return to the terrifying world he created back in 2002. 28 Days Later was a trailblazer with sprinting infecteds (“technically” not zombies) and fugly handheld early digital camcorder cinematography. Despite the image being ravaged by digital noise, Days had plenty of grandeur, particularly in the iconic shots of Cillian Muprhy wandering the empty streets of an abandoned London. These shots were incredibly impressive for what was little more than an independent production.

28 Years Later is similarly audacious albeit in completely different ways. The cinematography is once again notable but this time for how gorgeous is it, even going to the extreme of using the rare ultra-widescreen ratio of 2.76:1. The grittiness of the first film has been replaced by incrediby vivd, colorful pastoral vistas. The story, picking up years after the last installment, follows a self-sufficient island community connected to the mainland U.K. by a causeway only passable at low tide. The infected are still scary and have somehow diversified into a few different “species” similar to the various Cordyceps creatures from The Last of Us. The extreme violence is balanced by a colorful cast of characters including a boy entering adolescence (Alfie Williams), his ailing mother (Jodie Comer), and a mad-scientist from the mainland (Ralph Fiennes). The story consistently subverts expectations while delievering a heavy dose of Britain-specific social commentary that still reads legibly if you’re not from there. Possibly the most audacious element here is the streak of media satire highlighted by the use of Teletubbies, of all things. It’s a bizarre but potent addition and a good example of what makes Alex Garland and Danny Boyle such a special combination.

The Stuff (1985, pre-release version)

Rewatch, but first-time viewing of the extended pre-release version included on the recent Blu-ray from Arrow Video. In 1988, we got a wonderful remake of The Blob. Larry Cohen’s The Stuff was released in 1985 but it does feel indebted to the whole “blob” concept. It’s more a satire of thoughtless consumerism than a critique of social conformity but I suppose those two things are not mutually exclusive. The title refers to a gooey extraterrestrial substance bent on world domination. When the “stuff” is discovered on Earth, it is mass marketed all over the world as a miraculous ice cream alternative, brainwashing those who eat too much. It’s just wonderful schlock. The production design, especially the catchy marketing campaign within the movie, is arguably the real star. If that sounds like fun, you should queue up The Stuff immediately.

RIYL: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), The Blob (1988), Body Snatchers (1993), Slither (2006)

The Keep (1983)

Rewatch. The Keep is a key outlier in Michael Mann’s storied filmography. He has a few period pictures on his CV but this supernatural horror movie set in 1941 featuring a Nazi-occupied castle in Romania is pretty far from his modus operandi. While it’s a bit of a tough sit, it’s a handsome production with great cinemtography and a moody score by Vangelis. The Keep is legendary for being a relatively hard-to-find title from a beloved filmmaker. The legend balloons even larger considering there is a great deal of missing footage. It has long been reported that the preferred “director’s cut” was more than double the final theatrical runtime. Viewers can connect the dots by paying close attention (or if you’ve seen it a few times) but the absence of cut material is felt. The Keep is probably better as a piece of movie lore than it is an actual film, but it’s well worth the 96 minutes, especially for Mann stans.

The Others (2001)

First-time viewing. This was a treat! One of Nicole Kidman’s greatest roles. It was fitting that I watched this within about a week of watching The Changeling. The Others is not a rehash by any stretch but there are notable parallels that enhance the experience of watching both. It’s a sumptuous slice of gothic “house horror,” and with its classical mood and pacing, there is a lot to recommend this film by Alejandro Amenabar. Miraculously, I was able to watch this in 2025 without having the film spoiled for me, so I’ll pay it forward and not say too much about it.

The Stepford Wives (1975)

First-time viewing. Yeah, I know… not really a horror movie. I’d been wanting to watch the original for a long time and finally caved to watching it on Tubi. I was disappointed. It’s scary on paper as a collection of ideas but the movie itself is a bit of a snooze. The title lives on in our popular phraseology but I think I now understand why it’s not widely available or “always on.” I considered recommending the 2004 version but that one’s not great either. Paradise Hills (2019), Don’t Worry Darling (2022), and Companion (2025) are more recent films with similar ideas but I stand by the idea that The Stepford Wives concept deserves a better movie.

Watch these contemporaries instead: Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Westworld (1973)

Scream 4 (2011)

Rewatch. I also watched the other Scream movies over the summer and had a great time with them. Scream 4 is the last Wes Craven film in the series and strikes that trademark balance of kills, humor, and meta analysis. The newer Scream movies from Radio Silence are pretty good slashers but I don’t think they quite find the same balance which makes the four Craven films a bit more special to me. Scre4m isn’t necessarily a standout in the franchise, but like Scream 2 and Scream 3, it’s a clever and highly watchable sequel. Random thought: Hayden Panetierre was really great at playing teenagers. She doesn’t have a lot of roles that come up constantly in movie discourse but I think she’s underappreciated.

Phantasm (1979)

Rewatch. Phantasm plays with the audience by delivering dream sequences but also making the entire movie feel like a nightmare. It’s not very polished but has some memorable characters, locations and production design. The special effects, particulalry the flying orb, are lovely in that handcrafted sort of way. It’s not very polished but is a good example of a little movie that overdelivers on mood, also thanks in part to a tremendous original score.

Terrifier 3 (2024)

First-time viewing. Despite the Art the Clown’s costuming, Terrifier 3 is more Christmas horror than Halloween horror. In addition to the Christmas-themed carnage, Terrifier 3 ups the gore quotient considerably, which really is saying something. Art’s ascent to icon status is impressive, given the low-budget/low-distribution nature of the films themselves. Terrifier 2 is probably still the highwater mark for this franchise and if you thought that one had extreme bloodshed, well… you’re going to have to hold Terrifier 3‘s beer. It’s so squirm-inducing that I can’t really recommend it to anyone. What I can say is that if you enjoyed Terrifer 2, then this one should meet or exceed expectations. It’s worth noting that director Damien Leone has a background in special effects and makeup and that while Terrifier 3 serves up distasteful snuff-film levels of suffering, let us remember that the gore was very lovingly crafted!

RIYL: Cannibal Holocaust (1980), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), Evil Dead (2013)

On the off-chance that you are here looking for concrete advice, here is the order in which I would recommend the movies discussed above:

1. 28 Years Later (2025)
2. The Changeling (1980)
3. The Others (2001)
4. Timecrimes (2007)
5. The Stuff (1985)
6. Scream 4 (2011)
7. Phantasm (1979)
8. Dashcam (2021)
9. The Keep (1983)
10. The Stepford Wives (1975)
11. Terrifier 3 (2024)

Keep an eye out for ‘Part 2’ coming soon!