Connect with us

Movies

Brendan’s Favorite 3 Horror Movies of 2023

While 2023 may have been a terrible year, it hasn’t been a bad year for horror. In what feels like the first real year post-pandemic, it’s pretty clear that cinema is back on the menu. From indie films to Hollywood blockbusters, we’ve seen some absolute BANGERS.

Published

on

While 2023 may have been a terrible year, it hasn’t been a bad year for horror. In what feels like the first real year post-pandemic, it’s pretty clear that cinema is back on the menu. From indie films to Hollywood blockbusters, we’ve seen some absolute BANGERS. Childhood icons have turned ravenous with Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, Joe Lynch came back with a vengeance with the sexy and thrilling Suitable FleshFive Nights at Freddy’s killed at the box office, Ted Geoghegan gave us a hauntingly beautiful chamber piece with Brooklyn 45, one of the greatest horror franchises of the new millennium had its final installment in Insidious: The Red Door, Anthony DiBlasi made a reimagining of his own killer film (and somehow made it even better) with MalumV/H/S/85 did its thing, Hell House LLC Origins told a wild prequel story, and Saw is back in action with Saw X grossing over $100 million worldwide. Oh, and I didn’t even mention there was a horror movie about SLOTHS.

This isn’t mentioning some of the amazing indie festival films from 2022/23 that received not only physical releases but theatrical ones, too! Indie films like Beaten to DeathThe RetaliatorsMegalomaniac, and Malibu Horror Story, to name a few, have proven that indie horror isn’t going anywhere. Out of all the films this year, I liked a few more than others; here are my top three, and oh boy, was this list hard to make!

Scream 6

Who knew the moment when Sam Carpenter discarded the Ghostface mask that we were getting a finale to the Carpenter sisters? In hindsight, this ending is bittersweet, but fitting. As a HUGE Scream fan, I’m not afraid to admit there have been moments when the series took storylines too far. Now, the reason for Scream 6 being the end of the Carpenters isn’t how their story should have ended, and it’s sad it turned out this way. 

That being said, Scream 6 taking us to Manhattan for even more unbridled chaos in this whole bloody affair was the best decision the franchise could have made. As someone who regularly walks the packed streets of Manhattan, it can be daunting not knowing what the hundreds of people on the same block as you are thinking. Taking the viewer out of Woodsboro and plopping us down in a new city elevated the horror of the franchise to heights it hadn’t seen since, well, the first film. Plus anything with Samara Weaving in it gets a few extra points in my book. 

Scream 6 is streaming on Paramount+ and Showtime, it’s also available for rent on all major VOD services.

Advertisement

You can read our review of Scream 6 here.

Man and woman

Crumb Catcher

Crumb Catcher is the directorial debut from writer/director Chris Skotchdopole, with story credits by Chris Skotchdopole, Rigo Garay, and the always amazing Larry Fessenden. There have been a handful of completely off-the-wall films in 2023, but Crumb Catcher takes the cake. If you want a masterclass on how to do tonal shifts correctly, then you need to watch this film. From comedy, to home invasion, to action, to psychological horror, Crumb Catcher effortlessly switches tones with the ease of a ten-film filmmaker. Skotchdopole proves, without a shadow of a doubt, he understands film and knows how to make a damn good one. With astounding performances from John Speredakos, Ella Rae Peck, Rigo Garay, and Lorraine Farris, Crumb Catcher is undoubtedly one of the most well-acted horror films of the year.

Creature

Frogman

Found Footage films are the hardest films to make well, and the easiest films to make awfully. Just because you have a cheap camera and know how to create a false jump scare doesn’t mean you know how to make a good Found Footage film. Frogman doesn’t only give us a terrifying Found Footage film, it gives us an insight most supernatural films don’t: consequences. Films like The Antares Paradox and UFO Sweden tackle a similar idea, but Frogman does it best. That idea is the consequence of seeing something, be it a cryptid, a ghost, or a UAP. While it may have only recently become ‘cool’ to see a UAP, it has ruined hundreds of lives. Frogman shows us how far someone will go when their life is ruined based on documenting supernatural events. How far would you go to prove something you witnessed was real? The answer for the characters in Frogman is pretty damn far. 

What a list, huh? 2023 provided some excellent horror films, and now that the year is over, a new year is on the horizon with tons of horror for us to look forward to sinking our teeth into. So what DO we all have to look forward to? The newest Blumhouse film Night Swim is set to kick off the year at the beginning of January. We’re getting a new Saw film in September. Does this mean we’re going back to yearly Saw releases? I hope so. Radio Silence’s Universal Monster Movie, starring Melissa Barrera, has wrapped and is looking at an April release. Return to Silent Hill is also set for an April release. A sequel to the hit film Smile is ready to go for an October treat. And the third part of the MaXXXine trilogy, MaXXXine, is coming at some point as well.

Not a bad lineup if I do say so myself! What films did you love in 2023? And what films are you excitedly anticipating for the new year?

Advertisement

Brendan is an award-winning author and screenwriter rotting away in New Jersey. His hobbies include rain, slugs, and the endless search for The Mothman.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Movies

The Best Horror You Can Stream on Netflix in March

Published

on

Netflix did not give me a lot to work with this month. I may have also zoomed through many of my favorite things on the platform these last few months. So, many of these are titles I have been meaning to check out, and I hope they are worth the wait. However, I cannot promise the carnage, chaos, and confusion I normally provide for this column. This means you’ll have to forgive me for having less razzle dazzle and a little more uncertainty while I list some stuff off the less beaten path. Gather around, and I’ll tell you what I am trying to get into this March!

Archive (2020)

In 20238, George Almore’s newest AI prototype is nearly complete. However, this humanesque machine is also hiding one of George’s secrets that must remain hidden. While I love some British sci-fi and believe we should watch as many of the 2020 movies that slid under our quarantined radar, I’m pulling up for another reason. I want to see Theo James in something that isn’t The Monkey. Literally. I didn’t enjoy that movie, and I seem to be the last person I know who was unfamiliar with James before that. So, I’m trying to rectify that and see what he can do in anything else. Hopefully, after catching this on Netflix, I will have a new movie that comes to mind when he is mentioned. Fingers crossed, friends!

Green Room (2016)

A punk rock band gets trapped in a venue where skinheads want to kill them. So many people have told me this movie is worth my time, but because it’s always too soon for violent racists in this decade, I keep putting it off. However, I am so curious to see what Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, and the late Anton Yelchin are doing in this movie. Green Room is also one of the few A24 horror movies that I have not seen, which makes it even more intriguing. While I doubt 2026 will calm down enough for this not feel too real, I think it’s time for me to be brave and cross this movie off my list already. So, I might have to grab a drink, a weighted blanket, and remote so I can open Netflix.

Advertisement

M3GAN 2.0 (2025)

Two years after M3GAN’s murder spree, she is rebuilt by her creator to take down a military-grade weapon made from her stolen tech. Is this movie as good as the original written by Akela Cooper? Obviously not. No one can do what Cooper does and we shouldn’t hold people to that very high bar. Is this movie way too damn long? Also, yes. However, was there still a lot of fun to be had along the way? I thought so. While M3GAN 2.0 isn’t the sequel we wanted, I’m happy to rewatch it for free at home. We lose a lot of the threads I loved in the first one, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t the new Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day anyway. In a perfect world, Akela Cooper will reopen the computer (after receiving a very large check from Blumhouse) and give us a third installment to bring our dancing diva back into the horror fold.

Life After Beth (2014)

A man discovers his dead girlfriend is back, and that might be for the worst. I never watched this horror comedy, but I’m sad and hoping Aubrey Plaza can change that. After all, if she can’t wake us up after a long winter, then who can? I also imagine Plaza as a zombie is kind of great. Along for the ride is Molly Shannon, so between the two of them, I expect some chuckles and guffaws. Maybe the powers that be at Netflix knew we could all use a laugh, and that’s why this is waiting for us on the other side of February. Or possibly they wanted to apologize for that last season of Stranger Things. Or maybe it’s just a wacky coincidence, and I’m looking for meaning where there is none. Either way, I have a date with this movie, and you might want to check it out too.

Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

Advertisement

Getting bitten by a werewolf turns life upside down for a high school student and his best friend. Hear me out! I doubt there is a world where I will watch all six seasons of this. Hell, I doubt I’ll even finish the first season. However, I skipped this MTV moment when it originally aired. Which is why I didn’t know who Dylan O’Brien was when Send Help was announced. So, I’m using this Netflix account to see where he started now that I have seen him in something. You can join me in this or mark your time as safe and watch something else. I don’t blame you either way, and I hope you’ll respect my privacy during this adventure.

That’s what I’m doing with my Netflix account this month. Here is hoping April gives us more scary movies because some of us deserve it. Most importantly, I deserve it.

Continue Reading

Movies

The Best Horror You Can Stream on Shudder in March 2026

Published

on

Shudder is still that girl even in March. Our beloved streamer is adding classics like The Fog and Messiah of Evil. They are also adding a couple of films that are precious to my generation, like May. The app always has an eclectic lineup, but this month is an embarrassment of riches. At least if you are like me, and looking at a list of movies you have had on your watch list forever. That is why it took me a hot minute to figure out which five titles should be this month’s priority. However, I cracked the code and think I have something old, something new, and definitely at least a couple of things that will turn blue. Check out what I am trying to see on Shudder this month. Also, be sure to let me know if you are as geeked about these titles as I am.

The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month

The Last Horror Film (1982)

A New York taxi driver stalks an actress during the Cannes Film Festival. I love 80s slashers and have been on a quest to watch them all. This one has eluded me for a couple of years, and I am so happy Shudder is finally letting me cross it off my list. I am not expecting this to break my top 1980s slashers. I’m not even counting on it to be one of the best movies about a stalked actress of that era. However, I’m excited to finally see it for myself with an adult beverage in hand.

You can watch The Last Horror Film on March 1st.

Fade to Black (1980)

Advertisement

A film fanatic begins murdering people who betray him while stalking his idol. I finally caught this on Shudder in the last couple of years and will be using its return as an excuse to rewatch it. Very few movies cater to the slasher kids and film nerds as well as this one. Fade to Black is the kind of psychological horror comedy that is the reason 1980s horror remains unmatched. The costumes, the obsession, and the kills are the most fun you can possibly have on a Shudder Saturday. Do yourself a favor and hit play immediately. 

You can watch Fade to Black on March 9th.

Hostile Dimensions (2023)

Two filmmakers travel through alternate dimensions seeking out the truth about a missing graffiti artist. This found footage film has been on my list for years, and I am so grateful that Shudder is finally letting me see it. I have heard so many great things, and the FOMO was killing me. Hopefully, Hostile Dimensions lives up to the hype. Otherwise, I have to ask my nearest and dearest to explain themselves and then stop accepting recommendations from them. Will it scratch the found footage itch I have this month? There is only one way to find out, and that is why I will be sat the day this drops on the app.

You can watch Hostile Dimensions on March 9th.

Advertisement

1000 Women in Horror (2025)

Women have been an integral part of the genre since Mary Shelley started thinking about Frankenstein. However, we do not always get the credit and respect we deserve. Which is why I am thrilled 1000 Women in Horror is celebrating the badasses who revolutionized horror films. Not only is the documentary opening the libraries for us, but it’s also bringing current faves along for the ride. Akela Cooper, Toby Poser, and Jenn Wexler are just some of the names I know who are about to inspire so many women to get serious about making their movies. I cannot stress enough how happy I am that Shudder is adding this to its lineup. 

You can watch 1000 Women in Horror on March 20th.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

College friends backpacking through Britain are attacked by a werewolf. As a werewolf film enthusiast, I know they are not all made equally. That is one of the many reasons why this is easily one of the best werewolf movies the genre has. The transformation alone is worth the price of a Shudder subscription. So, it shouldn’t come as a shock that this is one of the five titles I’m most excited to see this month. Hell, it’s probably in everyone’s top five to be completely honest. I cannot think of a better way to close this month out than with a top-tier werewolf flick.

You can watch An American Werewolf in London on March 31st.

Advertisement

I told you, Shudder is that girl. Whether you’re on spring break, taking a mental health day, or just dissociating, this app has got you covered. Make sure you dig into some of this sick, twisted, and cool cinema. As for me, I will see you next month with more recommendations.

Continue Reading

Horror Press Mailing List

Fangoria
Advertisement
Advertisement