Greetings once again fellow movie lovers! I make it no secret that the Halloween season is by far my favorite time of year, so in addition to the costumes, candy, and spooky good times October has to offer, I thought it would be a good idea to spotlight some of my most highly anticipated horror and genre features that came our way throughout this glorious month!
2019 has overall been a fantastic and interesting year for horror flicks, so of course October and early November was set to see a hefty slate of films fighting for our admiration as well as our ticket money! Lesser known and mainstream features alike look promising, so let’s take a look at what we got!
Joker (R)
We of course love to cheer on our favorite superheroes, but everyone also loves a memorable and menacing bad guy! The origin story of Gotham City’s Clown Prince of Crime will finally be explored in this unforgivingly brutal, and far from easy to watch, yarn depicting a beaten and broken man blasting his way through the chaotic and crazy world he calls home. I admit I was a bit hesitant to check this out as I wasn’t sure a villain could hold his own movie by himself, but judging by the early reviews, DC will manage to prove me wrong! If you want to see a mix of Taxi Driver and Killing Joke done correctly, then this is definitely a picture you shouldn’t miss!
Zombieland: Double Tap (R)
It’s been ten years since the likable and hilarious horror comedy Zombieland graced the big screen, and even though this sequel was late to the party, I’m more than happy it finally decided to arrive! With the gang back together to bust some zombie heads while spewing hilarious one-liners, this is obviously something that’s here to just have a ton of fun with and look good while doing it! I’ll be placing my bets on the first film being better, but a second trip can still be worth taking despite that, and even though it probably didn’t need to happen, I’m glad it did! If you have fond memories of the first film and want something similar in spirit, then this hopefully won’t disappoint.
The Addams Family (PG)
On the more family-friendly side of things, 2019 is also seeing a new interpretation of everyone’s favorite creepy, kookie, mysterious and spooky family of frights! Sure, I would’ve liked to have seen another live-action rendition of these characters and I’m not a huge fan of the animation style here, but the soul of the source material still seems to be pulling through. I can definitely say that it will be one of the better animated efforts we’ve had thus far this year. While I don’t see it being better than the show and films which came before it, I still hope it passes the torch suitably enough to the next generation and delivers some fun and laughs along the way. Overall, it will probably be a piece of sweet Halloween candy, enjoyable to the young and old alike.
The Lighthouse (R)
Director Robert Eggers made us ponder and question ourselves with The Witch. Now, he aims to shake us to our very souls with this Lovecraftian tale of terror that also seems to be beautiful and glorious to behold! With an eerie and foreboding atmosphere, a black and white presentation reminiscent of the golden age of silent film, and promises of powerhouse performances from Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, this is sure to make even the most hardened of horror fans shiver in their seats and keep them oddly enchanted at the same time! While most people fear darkness, I personally feel that the dark can have its own unique beauty, and this is a movie that clearly shares that sentiment! Definitely a must see for those who love genuine horror delivered with a master’s touch!
Parasite (R)
Beloved South Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho has once again astounded, provoked, and surprised critics and festival goers in equal measure. This socially aware domestic thriller apparently begins as something familiar, but morphs into something wholly unique! I hesitate to talk too much about the setup to this one as this is something I feel will be best left unspoiled, but I am confident that it will be an experience that is worth seeing if any theaters close to you manage to get it! From previous efforts like The Host, Mother, Snowpiercer, and Okja, the man has always had a firm grasp on his craft, and I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeves this time around!
Doctor Sleep (R)
Horror maestro Stephen King has had an amazing couple of years recently, and this long-awaited adaptation of his sequel to the more than iconic The Shining hopes to continue that hot streak of spectacular scares! With an extremely talented ensemble cast and the creator of Netflix’s hit series The Haunting of Hill House sitting in the director’s chair, this attempts to both pay homage to a classic while expanding its universe in creative and terrifying ways! Once again, I was initially hesitant to open myself up to the idea of a sequel to such a landmark of horror cinema, but if there’s anyone who can pull this off, it’s Mike Flanagan! King himself has given this guy his blessing in the past, so I’m more than confident that he will hit another home run with this one!
Until next time fellow fright fans, have fun, stay safe, and keep watching scary movies!
