Movies
All the Fright Which Makes ‘Oculus’ a Horror Masterpiece
“I’ve met my demons, and they are many. I’ve seen the devil, and he is me.” -Alan Russell, Oculus.
Where to begin with my sweet Oculus? I have seen many horror movies, but this one ranks amongst my favorites (of course, if you’ve subscribed to the Horror Press Mailing List, you already knew that.)
Oculus came out in 2013 and was an early film of Mike Flanagan’s. Since then, he’s made quite the name for himself in horror with titles such as The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, Gerald’s Game, and Midnight Mass under his belt.
This lesser-known film tells the tale of a brother and sister who have reunited as adults, with the brother Tim (Brenton Thwaites) just being released from a mental institution for killing his father as a child and his sister Kaylie (Karen Gillan), determined to prove that a mirror, known as The Lasser Glass, is a supernatural force of evil that destroyed their family. The tale that unfolds sees the pair reliving the trauma the mirror afflicted upon them as children while trying not to be corrupted by its influence in the present day.
From start to finish, this film by Mike Flanagan is captivating, intense, and terrifying. The horrific concepts which emerge from the haunted mirror extend beyond otherworldly forces, as true-to-life traumas and slip with reality only scratch the surface.
The Lasser Glass
The idea of a haunted mirror is nothing new, yet still just as mysterious as ever. Although there is no scientific reason why a reflective surface could bring about evil tidings, the concept of a haunted mirror is as old as the objects themselves. There are endless superstitions revolving around mirrors, most of which see mirrors serving as gateways between worlds. Many have explored the intrigue surrounding these objects, and there have been various true stories of mirrors purported to be haunted. Therefore, looking at the film from its most basic horrific concept, a haunted mirror, is off to a great start.
HORROR FUN FACT: Look closely in The Haunting of Hill House, the Lasser Glass can be spotted there.
The Horrors of Everyday Life by Supernatural Means
As we learn more about the Russell family, we see the unraveling which happened, and the terrifying part was how relatable the problems began. A wife begins to suspect her husband is cheating after he becomes withdrawn and easily agitated. The Lasser Glass then intensified their marital issues through apparitions of a woman with glowing silver eyes. The mirror tinkered with their bonds’ insecurities to isolate and manipulate them further, to the point where even trying to call for help resulted in hallucinations that the call was taking place. The children become further isolated and are on the receiving end of the cracks in the family’s foundation.
These children grow up to suffer from childhood wounds, all because of the mirror’s evil. Its influence is subtle, and anyone in turmoil may wonder whether a real-life version of the Lasser Glass may be seeping negative energy into their lives.
A similar theme can be spotted in The Shining, which made Stephen King’s book great. The evils of the Overlook Hotel preyed upon Jack Torrance’s weaknesses, using its power to turn him against his family and into a monster. Alan Russell (Rory Cochrane) was absolutely Jack Torrencian in nature, and it’s far from the only line of influence drawn from Stephen King’s work to Mike Flanagan’s. But that’s a conversation for another day.
Slips with Reality
One of the scariest symptoms of the mirror’s influence was the disconnect with reality, where we would see multiple characters “zoning out” into space as their thoughts or memories took over the main running frame of their brain. One shot showed the mother vacuuming but finding herself frozen, staring into the mirror, but looking out into space. As someone who’s neurodivergent and prone to zoning out, it’s creepy to see in the film, especially when the reason is that losing your mind is to blame.
But that’s precisely where Oculus excels. The movie can combine these mundane parts of ordinary life into a tale of people being driven insane and doing horrendous things.
HORROR FUN FACT: Mike Flanagan’s wife, Kate Siegel, who has played in many other Mike Flanagan productions, has a small part in this film as the woman from the mirror.
Full Blown Insanity
One of the scariest notions of human existence is that our brains could disconnect from our bodies so much that we could do one thing but think we are doing something completely different. One story was particularly haunting as Kaylie gave the backstory behind those affected by the mirror. A mother locked her children in a cistern, killing them, and later claimed she thought she was tucking them in bed.
Twisting a person’s perception of reality is the core framework of how the Lasser glass operates and is undoubtedly the scariest part. It makes its victims the perpetrators of their own worst nightmares.
The Lasser glass knows how to mess with people by making them hear and see things that aren’t there, such as one cringe-inducing scene when Alan Russell begins taking off his fingernail, thinking he was removing a band-aid. It’s a terrifying concept because how do you beat that? From the moment Kaylie and Tim watched a recording of themselves moving cameras with no recollection of doing so, it was clear they were never going to win.
The Way Oculus Ends
Some people may not appreciate the ending of this film as it’s not a happy one. Some people don’t like being hit over the head with melancholy and tragedy and evil triumphing over good. However, I do.
As a last-ditch effort, Tim hits the failsafe kill switch Kaylie had installed in an attempt to destroy the mirror for good. However, as the Oculus tagline claims: You see what it wants you to see.
In this case, it was what it didn’t want you to see, as Tim didn’t see Kaylie standing in front of the mirror when he hit the kill switch. The device swiftly impaled her, killing Kaylie in the mirror’s place.
Then, we are left with Tim being dragged from the house by police, with cut shots to both the present and past versions of himself screaming, “It wasn’t me! It was the mirror!”
This ending highlights the continuous theme we see in every Mike Flanagan production. Mike Flanagan loves to play with time and constantly shows the past overlapping the present. I could go on, but I digress.
Why Oculus Is a Must-Watch Horror Film
The fact that Kaylie and Tim didn’t win makes sense. They were doomed from the start. The mirror is a centuries-old evil that would take much more than recording equipment and a haphazard failsafe to destroy. It could manipulate the childhood trauma it had inflicted on them from years before because it already knew them.
The sullen ending only solidified the formidability of the Lasser Glass as an opponent, making it all the more terrifying.
All in all, the way that the Lasser Glass was able to use its supernatural forces to manipulate the insecurities of its victims, to the point where they were so separated from reality that they were driven insane, makes for an incredible horror movie.
5/5 Stabs. Oculus is fantastic.
Watch Oculus for yourself as it is currently streaming on Pluto TV, Plex, Prime Video, VUDU, Redbox, and Apple Tv.
Halloween season is over, and many streamers have forgotten about us horror kids. While they take their 11-month hiatus from the genre, we can be grateful that we still have an app that cares. We are so lucky that Shudder remains that girl year-round. Whether you’re finishing their new original show Guts & Glory, catching up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, or running at some of their deep cuts like I am, Shudder has your best interests at heart. As usual, she has quite a few titles fighting for our attention. Which is why I am here with five titles I think should be at the top of all of our watch lists this November. So, cancel your holiday plans and pick up your remote because we have got horrifying things to watch.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Habit (1995)
An alcoholic unwittingly enters into a relationship with a succubus in New York City. If you ever wondered what Larry Fessenden was getting up to in his youth, you need to see this ’90s gem. I lucked out and caught it at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last year, and I lived my best life. While watching it on the small screen will not be the same, I plan to hit play anyway. Mostly because I love to see 1990s succubi leaving their mark on men…and also the horror genre. Shudder is also adding The Last Winter and Depraved, so we can spend a whole day with Uncle Larry’s work.
Sew Torn (2024)
A seamstress happens upon a failed drug deal and steals a briefcase. She soon finds herself caught in a deadly situation where all roads lead to death. I caught Sew Torn at SXSW last year and have been wondering what happened to it. So, I am very happy this odd little bird has found her way to Shudder. I cannot wait to make my friends who are looking for something cute and deadly watch. I knew nothing when I hit play on this, and I encourage you to know as little as possible, too. I fear I have already written too much in this blurb to be completely honest.
You can watch Sew Torn on November 1st.
The Retreat (2021)
A couple goes on a pre-wedding retreat and unwittingly becomes targets of a group of serial killers. We have seen too many movies about retreats, and I thought this one would be more of the same. This title does not completely reinvent the wheel, but it does set itself apart within this oversaturated subgenre. The Retreat is a surprisingly fun and tense little thriller that feels made for the winter watches. Come for the lesbian characters leading the film, and stay for the violence. I also encourage you to check it out while it is on Shudder, because it is usually on apps with ads.
You can watch The Retreat on November 1st.
The Creep Tapes (Season 2)
Peachfuzz returns with more tapes, chaos, kills, and WTF moments. Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice have reentered the TV arena and are making things weird again. If award shows were real, this duo would be leading the Emmys charge. I saw the first three episodes, and Josef/Peachfuzz is still the serial killer after our own hearts. Our Wolfie is still cutting up (literally and figuratively) in the most amazing ways. Guest stars in danger this season include David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Katie Aselton (The League), and Robert Longstreet (The Haunting of Hill House).
You can watch The Creep Tapes (Season 2) on November 14th.
Krampus (2015)
A kid accidentally summons demons during the holidays in this horror comedy. Krampus remains one of the top-tier Christmas horror titles for me. It is also my favorite Michael Dougherty film. Not only because it has the star power of Adam Scott and Toni Collette, either. This movie is wicked, and even the kids are in danger. I do not have many holiday horror movies I revisit every year, but Krampus is one of the very few. It still holds up, and I cannot wait to rewatch it with a festively boozy beverage.
You can watch Krampus on November 15th.
Those are a few reasons I am grateful for Shudder this holiday season. While the rest of you are fighting with your family and friends, I will be parked in front of my TV. You can have your turkey because I would rather gorge myself on episodes of The Creep Tapes anyway.
Let me know what Shudder shenanigans you have got your little eye on. I am nosy and want to make sure I am not missing anything on my favorite streamer.
The year is winding down, and I don’t know about you, but I am trying to pack in as many 2025 horror movies as I can. Is this because I love making end-of-the-year lists? Yes. Is it because I am an unhealed overachiever? Also, yes. So, I am assuming some of you are also cruising the streamers to see what you may have missed. While Netflix has had my favorite new slasher Heart Eyes for a bit, and I have mentioned that in previous streaming guides, they also have other new horror titles to show you.
I do not talk about them as much because I did not have a good time with them. However, that does not mean you won’t enjoy some of these titles. That’s why I am taking the high road and finding something to be grateful for about each of them. That way, you will know there is a silver lining if you do watch them. Allow me to help you figure out what to prioritize this month and what to skip. Check out this chaotic Netflix hitlist below!
The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month
28 Years Later (2025)
A group of survivors on a small island has built a fortress to protect them from the rage virus. However, a young boy discovers what is really outside the walls of their community and sets off to find a cure for his sick mother. We all loved 28 Days Later, and some of us liked 28 Weeks Later. So, 28 Years Later was never going to live up to the hype with almost thirty years of anticipation. While I didn’t love it, I did enjoy seeing Danny Boyle helm another zombie installment. What he does in the subgenre is top-tier, and we are welcome (even if the script left me wanting more). That might have gotten buried in all the talk about the dicks seen in the movie, though.
Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)
A group of girls competing for prom queen starts disappearing, leaving the underdog to figure out what is happening to her competition. I had a lot of thoughts about this lackluster installment in Netflix’s Fear Street adaptations. As someone who grew up reading Fear Street books and wanting to adapt them myself, I do not understand how this movie came out so badly. Which made it hard to find something nice to say about this title. However, the soundtrack slaps, and it is not the soundtrack’s fault that it was wasted on a low-energy bottom-tier slasher. So, if you hit play on this, you can at least look forward to hearing some retro bangers selected by music supervisor Nora Felder. If you are familiar with her work on Yellowjackets and Stranger Things, you know Felder does not miss.
Maa (2025)
To battle a demon’s curse, a mother transforms into the legendary goddess Kali. As usual, Netflix did not advertise an international horror movie that seemed to have some potential. If they had told us Maa was an Indian Hindi-language mythological horror movie, most people who yell for intersectionality and originality would have run at it. Instead, we had to find out about it months later while looking for something we hadn’t already seen on the app. This movie is too long, and I cannot say it is good by any stretch of the imagination. However, it also made me realize how little I know about the goddess of destruction. If you are a nerd like me, this might lead you down a cool rabbit hole. You can also say you gave a view to a horror movie starring Brown people. Who knows, maybe you could be one of the few who enjoy this chaotic film.
Until Dawn (2025)
A group of friends find themselves trapped in a time loop where they keep getting killed in gruesome ways. I love the video game and was so bummed this adaptation was so bad. However, the practical effects are very cool and should be celebrated more. I think the stuff that the SFX team pulled off might be the only reason to watch the movie personally. I’m happy the actors whose work I enjoy got paid, and that’s another positive thing I can say. However, if we want to see young people in deadly time loops, we have so many movies that do it better. Excuse me as I look right at Happy Death Day and all of the movies that have tried to copy her.
Ziam (2025)
A Muay Thai fighter battles through a zombie apocalypse to save the woman he loves. Netflix fumbled the advertising for this one too, because who doesn’t want to see a Thai zombie film? So, I was excited to watch it, but then sad I did not like it. However, I think this one is on me. It is an action-horror with a lot of heartfelt moments, and that’s not my bag. I wanted more violence and zombie action because I am a broken and heartless ghoul. So, Ziam might be the only movie on this list that does not deserve my bombastic side eye. I am waiting for other people to watch it and let me know if they have a better time with it, though.
While I was not the audience for these movies, I am assuming some of you will dig them. Worst-case scenario, you cross off a few more 2025 horror movies and have something to talk about at Friendsgiving. Happy Horrordays! I will see myself out now…
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