Tag Archives: haunting

31 Days of Horror: Host (2020; NR; 57 mins.)

Posted on October 28, 2025 | 3 comments

I was looking for a short horror/supernatural movie, and stumbled upon this Lockdown-era gem. Set in the online Zoom world we’ve all come to know so well, this surprisingly tense and creepy movie really got my heart rate going once the stage had been set.

When Haley hires a medium and gets five of her friends to join her for an online seance, the friends are mostly skeptical, ready to play drinking games and laugh it off. But when one friend goofs off and accidently invites an evil spirit into the group–one which can access each of their homes–and they lose contact with the medium, they can only watch as one by one each must battle to stay alive. Will anyone survive the literal meeting from hell? Will they be able to send the spirit back to where it came from? Or will the timer on Zoom–and their lives–run out first?

Top Scare: End of Movie

Heartbeats: 3 3/4 out of 5

Gore Factor: 2 3/4 out of 5

Scare Factor: 3 1/2 out of 5

Recommended for: 15 and up

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Posted in 31 Days of Horror, Entertainment, Halloween, horror, Horror Movie, Movies, Netflix, Paranormal, Reviews, scary movies, Streaming

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31 Days of Horror: V/H/S (2012; R; 116 mins.)

Posted on October 22, 2025 | 4 comments

As a fan of found-footage horror movies, I’ve wanted to watch this one for quite some time. My head is still spinning and I’m researching how to scrub my eyeballs as I type.

In this very shaky, under-lit gore-fest designed to appeal to young men, a group of this target audience who smashes, bashes, and harrasses while filming themselves to make money agrees to search an abandoned house in search of a VHS tape for a supposedly big payoff. Once they arrive, they split up after seeing that the home has various stashes of tapes: while some search here or there, one stays in a kind of media room to watch tapes to see if it’s the one they’re looking for. What follows are fifteen to twenty-minute mini stories which have all been taped over bits of other content on various VHS tapes. Each story features young folks, mostly men, behaving very badly (think misogyny to the nth degree, depravity, drugs, questionable sexual escapades, etc.) and paranormal happenings (with extreme blood/body parts and excessive nudity).

As the mini stories continue, we also are seeing things occur in the house around the group of guys. Of course, they are recording, and so it’s all caught on tape as well. When these occurrences begin to ramp up, so do the scares. Eventually, the mini stories, current timeline, and a past event connect via the VHS tapes, with a nicely done finale full of tension and fear. The question for viewers is: do you want to wade through the rest to get there?

Top Scare: On a video

Heartbeats: 3 1/2 out of 5

Gore Factor: 5 out of 5

Scare Factor: 3 3/4 out of 5

Recommended for: 17 or 18 and up, due to excessive gore, cussing, nudity, sex, and drugs

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31 Days of Horror: Presence (2024; R; 84 mins.)

Posted on October 12, 2025 | Leave a comment

I enjoy slow-building, psychologically-bent paranormal tales, especially if they pick up speed and end with a big bang. This movie was defitinely slow-building, but in the end was not only paranormal lite, but the big bang lasted mere seconds. Such a disappointment.

When the Payne family moves to a new home for a fresh start after teenager Chloe’s friend dies, we slowly see the family’s life play out (the entire movie takes place inside the home from the ghost’s POV): mother Rebekah is a shady business woman and pushy mom; dad Chris is heartfelt and trying to be a good parent; older brother Tyler is a cocky athlete; and Chloe is distant, until she starts secretly hooking up with Tyler’s friend Ryan when no one else is at home. The presence residing in Chloe’s room soon reaches out to her before making itself known to the whole family. While the Paynes grapple with how to handle the “ghost” situation, we learn more about all these people, plus their motivations, intentions, things done in their pasts, and more, leading to a final thirty-second showdown and a ho-hum ending. This story had promise, but didn’t follow through with scares enough to be called a horror movie.

Top Scare: None

Heartbeats: 1/2 out of 5

Gore Factor: 1/2 out of 5

Scare Factor: 1/2 out of 5

Recommended for: 15 and up

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31 Days of Horror: Abandoned (2022; PG-13; 102 mins.)

Posted on October 23, 2024 | 2 comments

For this National Horror Movie Day, I was ready for a ghost-ridden, haunted house-type movie, and happened upon this one. After some recent gore-laden films, spooky/eerie happenings in a remote farmhouse sounded like the right amount of creepy. However, I should have abandoned Abandoned after the first 20 minutes, and I’ll share why so you can choose a better scary show for yourself.

When Alex and Sara, along with infant son Liam, find a great deal (always with the great deal…red flag, people!) on a big farmhouse and barn, they decide to ignore the fact that a murder involving a baby occurred there in the past (the movie itself is set in an undetermined era…perhaps the ’70s or perhaps not). Alex is a farm animal vet who is working to get a new practice off the ground by driving around to find people with farms (weird), while Sara, a teacher in the past, stays home with Liam. Now, you can tell right away things are a bit off: the lighting is kind of muted, Sara always wears the same white dress and Liam only a diaper/cover, a neighbor walks on into the house but Sara doesn’t see it as too odd, the couple is quiet and don’t talk much, items seem to move from room to room (or do they?), and other unusual things. And Liam cries ALL THE TIME. Yes, this is actually part of the movie. Out of the over one hundred minutes of Abandoned, Liam cries probably 20%-25% of it!

Now, we also learn the family who lived in this house before were more than creepy. A father kept his daughter prisoner there, got her pregnant, and shot the baby when it was born. These spirits are still in the house, and they have different goals for Sara. As Sara seems to slowly lose more and more of her mind, she puts Liam in greater and greater danger. But it’s not just the spirits who are after Sara. See, the whole movie is also a big ol’ metaphor for the postpartum depression Sara’s suffering from. So, the question is, will Alex see what is happening to his wife and be able to save her and Liam before it’s too late? Will the mystery of the neighbor be solved? Will the spirits leave them alone and move on? Will Liam EVER STOP CRYING?? You could watch the movie to find out. But, truthfully, I’d pass and save your time (and ears) for better pursuits.

  • Top Scare: In Bedroom
  • Heartbeats: 1 out of 5
  • Gore Factor: 1 1/2 out of 5
  • Scare Factor: 1 1/4 out of 5
  • Recommended for: 13 and up

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Posted in 31 Days of Horror, baby, Entertainment, Halloween, horror, Horror Movie, Movies, Paranormal, Reviews, scary movies, Streaming

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31 Days of Horror: The Deliverance (2024; R; 112 mins.)

Posted on October 16, 2024 | Leave a comment

Based on a true case out of Gary, Indiana, with demonic posession witnessed by police officers, doctors, and a social worker, this is the story of Latoya Ammons (Ebony in this version) and her three children who all experienced strange and violent incidents in their home which escalated over time. I was very much looking forward to this movie, after reading so much about the true story. But-despite some amazing acting from Day, Close, and a couple others-this version initially showed promise, dragged quite a bit in the middle, then rallied in the end for an overall so-so experience.

When very rough-around-the-edges Ebony (Andra Day) and her three children move to a new home with her mother Alberta (Glenn Close), who is fighting cancer and has recently “found Jesus,” all is not rainbows and roses. Ebony has a drinking problem and is a harsh mother and daughter, money is more than tight, and weird noises keep coming from the basement. When the youngest boy, Andre, starts talking to seemingly no one and wandering the house at night in a trance, Ebony angrily tells him to stop. Meanwhile, a social worker (Mo’Nique) stops in regularly to check on the kids, asking where all their bruises are coming from, and another unknown woman is often sitting in her car at the curb watching the house from the street.

As more and more odd and then violent occurrences take place in the house and then at school to the children, other social workers become involved, as well as the woman in the car. But no one seems to believe Ebony when she says she is not hurting her kids, and the kids don’t have memories of what has been happening. With the demon taking greater posession over time, Ebony must figure out a way to help both herself and her kids if she is to keep her family together, keep them all safe, and rid them all of this demon before it’s too late.

  • Top Scare: Hospital
  • Heartbeats: 1 1/2 out of 5
  • Gore Factor: 2 1/4 out of 5
  • Scare Factor: 2 1/4 out of 5
  • Recommended for: 16 and up

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Posted in 31 Days of Horror, Entertainment, Exorcism, Halloween, Hell, horror, Horror Movie, Movies, Paranormal, Reviews, Satan, scary movies, Streaming, Supernatural

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31 Days of Horror: Caddo Lake (2024; PG-13; 99 mins.)

Posted on October 11, 2024 | 3 comments

With a name like M. Night Shyamalan attached to this MAX movie, I was eager to dive into the creepy Caddo Lake of Texas for some thrills and chills. With gorgeous cinematography and a mind-bending plot twist, it ended up being a slow-building southern mystery more than the horror feature it could have been, but I still enjoyed it for its eerie vibe.

A community living around and commuting via Caddo Lake is dealing with a drought, making it harder to get around by boat. When a teenager who is fighting with her mother and stepfather boats to a friend’s house to spend the night, her 8-year-old stepsister goes missing. As the town looks for her, the teenager joins in, experiencing odd things on parts of the lake. Meanwhile, a man whose mother had a seizure years earlier while driving them and ended up submerged in the lake (he survived but she didn’t), is still trying to figure out why she had her seizure after six years without any. His girlfriend is about to move away, but puts that off while they spend some time together and he explores parts of the lake where he works after odd things begin happening to him there.

As the two who are experiencing the odd occurrences in the lake explore further, the lake works against them in an unusual manner, making it harder for them to each solve their mysteries and move on with their lives. In the end, though, their stories pull together in a way that is both satisfying and haunting.

  • Top Scare: None
  • Heartbeats: 1 out of 5
  • Gore Factor: 1 out of 5
  • Scare Factor: 1 1/4 out of 5
  • Recommended for: 13 and up

3 Comments

Posted in 31 Days of Horror, Entertainment, Halloween, Horror Movie, M. Night Shyamalan, Movies, mystery, Paranormal, Reviews, scary movies, Streaming, Television, Thriller

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31 Days of Horror: Night Swim (2024; PG-13; 98 mins.)

Posted on October 7, 2024 | Leave a comment

Based on the trailer for this movie, I was expecting a chilling, poltergeist-type movie. And sure, about 10% delivered something like that. But the rest? Well it was more a mix of Creature from the Black Lagoon/The Shining/It meets Stranger Things. Kind of.

When baseball player Ray, who is fighting a muscular disease, realizes swim therapy might help him get back to playing the game he loves, he and his wife Eve buy a house with a large backyard pool, not knowing its dark history. Once Ray starts swimming daily, he not only improves, but heals. Meanwhile, creepy and scary things are happening to Eve and their kids each time they use the pool (especially at night), but of course each victim either dismisses it as his or her imagination or just stays out of the pool.

When the family decides to have a large pool party to welcome neighbors and new friends, Eve learns from the Realtor who sold them the house of the pool’s sad history involving the drowning of a child (said Realtor said she just learned of this recently), while outside in the pool, Ray is instigating a cutthroat game of Chicken. When the pool’s entity takes over the game, not only does the party end in near-disaster, but Eve decides now is the time to finally look into the house’s history. What she finds convinces her the family must leave. But the water, and Ray, have different ideas. Because the water has given, and someone must pay.

  • Top Scare: Poolside
  • Heartbeats: 1 3/4 out of 5
  • Gore Factor: 1 out of 5
  • Scare Factor: 2 out of 5
  • Recommended for: 13 and up

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31 Days of Horror: The Privilege (2022; TV-MA; 107 mins.)

Posted on October 31, 2023 | 3 comments

The Privilege

This German movie dubbed in English is one of those that starts out with a bit of promise for good scares and an interesting plot, but veers off the rails about halfway through. The best thing I can say about it is that the dark spirit which appears is truly very creepy and does offer a couple of good jump scares.

In The Privilege, teenager Finn attends an elite school with his twin sister Sophie and various friends. He has been seeing a psychologist/doctor and taking medications since he was young and watched his older sister jump from a bridge after being attacked by an evil spirit. Now, he is once again noticing odd things happening, this time involving his parents, twin, and others near his family. As he, his best gal friend, and new girlfriend seek answers, they uncover a dark conspiracy, yet he is gaslighted left and right by his family and won’t stand up for himself or what he knows is true. All is not lost, though, as they do manage to fit in a ménage à trois (it is a teen flick, after all) during all the running around and investigating (add eye roll here). When his parents’ plan progresses toward helping the spirit become all-powerful, Finn et al must put the puzzle pieces together and stop it before it’s too late.

  • Top Scare: Evil Spirit
  • Heartbeats: 2 1/4 out of 5
  • Gore Factor: 2 out of 5
  • Scare Factor: 2 1/2 out of 5
  • Recommended For: 15 and up

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31 Days of Horror: Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021; R; 98 mins.)

Posted on October 27, 2023 | Leave a comment

Paranormal Next of Kin

Upon discovering another installment in the found-footage style Paranormal Activity franchise–of which I’m a big fan–I wanted to check out the streaming-only movie which I apparently missed around the Covid lockdown. Well, turns out I didn’t miss all that much. Even though there was good tension and some nice jump scares thrown in, the plot itself was subpar and seemed to drag on too long. Here’s hoping the next installment gets back on track.

In Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, Margot is a young woman who was abandoned as a baby by her mother. She has just been tracked down by a relative, Samuel, who tells her she has kinfolk in the Amish community he has recently left. Desperate to know more, Margot decides to create a documentary, so gathers Chris and Dale to travel with her to meet these people and find out why she was abandoned. After arriving, she begins discovering hints that all is not well with her relatives or their community, and continues digging deeper. Meanwhile, her kinfolk are welcoming her with open arms, and hoping she will stay…forever.

  • Top Scare: Pit
  • Heartbeats: 2 1/2 out of 5
  • Gore Factor: 3 1/4 out of 5
  • Scare Factor: 2 3/4 out of 5
  • Recommended For: 16 and up, due to violence, gore, profanity

 

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31 Days of Horror: The Open House (2018; TV-MA; 94 mins.)

Posted on October 23, 2023 | 3 comments

The Open House

With the price of streaming going up, up, and yes, UP, I was glad to find another movie to watch on a platform I pay (dearly) for each month. This Netflix film had a nice creepy vibe and a great cast, plus as the main character points out in the movie, Open Houses are weird situations where you give your keys to someone, they let in a bunch of strangers to roam around your home, and then when they lock up and leave, you never really know what–or who–might be left behind.

In The Open House, teenager Logan and his mom Naomi need time away after the fiscally-irresponsible patriarch of the family dies. Naomi’s sister happens to have a five-star remote “cabin” (and by cabin, I mean luxury home) for sale, which she offers for their mourning period, with the caveat that they will need to leave whenever there is an Open House scheduled. Arriving in town, Logan and Naomi meet a cast of characters/future suspects, including a handsome store clerk who flirts with Naomi, a kooky older neighbor who may or may not have Alzheimer’s and whose husband may or may not have died, the Realtor showing the house, and the Realtor’s odd assistant. Soon, things begin happening in the house which make Logan suspicious of everyone, while Naomi is clueless. As events grow darker and more sinister, it becomes obvious Logan and Naomi are not welcome anymore, and this house is NOT for sale.

  • Top Scare: Basement
  • Heartbeats: 3 out of 5
  • Gore Factor: 2 1/2 out of 5
  • Scare Factor: 3 1/4 out of 5
  • Recommended for: 15 and up, due to brief nudity, language, some violence

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