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5 Friday Fright Night Recommendations: The Best Slasher Flicks [Friday Sept 1st]

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Before we dive into this curated list of films, I want to say that I am not sure what qualifies as a slasher anymore. And I don’t think anyone else does either. A slasher used to mean an unknown person amassing a large body count, usually involving teenagers or 20 somethings. If that were still the case, we would call Jigsaw a slasher, but we don’t.

No, now a slasher film is more of a vibe than anything else. And I love that about horror movies. They just keep evolving into new things with each generation. Now with that out of the way, let’s dive into this list of the top slasher films available to watch this weekend.

Terrifier

Terrifier Streaming Free as of 9/1/2023
Terrifier Poster

This little indie project has made huge waves in the horror community over the past few years. So much so, that the hype for the third entry into the franchise is reaching critical levels. will it be able to match the pure chaos of the previous two films? I sincerely hope so.

Terrifier has made a name for itself as one of the best modern slashers around by ignoring all of the rules. Hell, I don’t think Michael Myers ever thought about just pulling out a gun and shooting his victims.

This one isn’t for everybody; some people can’t stand the non-plot of the films. If you are one of the lucky souls who hasn’t stumbled upon this amazing slasher, go give it a try this weekend.

Terrifier Official Trailer

Sleepaway Camp

Sleepaway Camp Streaming Free as of 9/1/2023
Sleepaway Camp Poster

I have mentioned before my love for Felissa Rose (Wolf Hollow), and my willingness to see anything she stars in. For those unaware, Sleepaway Camp is the film that started the horror world’s obsession with Felissa Rose.

This is another film that is both loved and hated within the community. Nobody would deny its cult status within the genre. But some of its ideas are very outdated, and possibly terribly offensive depending on who you ask. Regardless of how people may feel about the film’s messaging, it is still one of the best slasher films of its time and should be seen at least once.

Sleepaway Camp Official Trailer

 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Streaming/Rental as of 9/1/2023
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Poster

I am such a sucker for Freddy Krueger. He isn’t the scariest slasher out there, and many of the films are terrible. But his quips and kill scenes are to die for. And Dream Warriors shows us the very best of what A Nightmare on Elm Street can be.

That hand made of syringes will be burnt into my brain until the day I die. For good reason too, Freddy Krueger is nothing if not iconic. Even if this will be your hundredth rewatch, I still recommend you watch Dream Warriors this weekend.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Official Trailer

X

X Streaming/Rental as of 9/1/2023
X Poster

Ti West (Pearl) has been on a roll as of late. This slasher trilogy is talked about nonstop in the horror community. His second entry Pearl was a psychodelic, sex laden version of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, and fans loved it.

In my opinion, X is his best film so far. Mia Goth (Infinity Pool) is the new face of horror as far as I’m concerned and her presence in this film elevated it to something mythical. If you want to see what direction the slasher film is headed go watch X.

X Official Trailer

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon Streaming/Rental as of 9/1/2023
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon Poster

I have touched on meta films in the past, they remain my favorite sub-genre of horror. And for good reason, what other genre appreciated horror as much as the one willing to deconstruct it?

Behind the Mask is the pinnacle of what a meta slasher film is all about. It not only breaks down the slasher tropes but is also filled with cameos of famous slasher villains and winks to the audience. This one is absolutely worth adding to your slasher viewing party this weekend.

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Lists

Thrills and Chills: Ranking ‘Radio Silence’ Films from Bloody Brilliant to Just Bloody

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Radio Silence Films

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, and Chad Villella are all filmmakers under the collective label called Radio Silence. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are the primary directors under that moniker while Villella produces.

They have gained popularity over the past 13 years and their films have become known as having a certain Radio Silence “signature.” They are bloody, usually contain monsters, and have breakneck action sequences. Their recent film Abigail exemplifies that signature and is perhaps their best film yet. They are currently working on a reboot of John Carpenter’s Escape From New York.

We thought we would go through the list of projects they have directed and rank them from high to low. None of the movies and shorts on this list are bad, they all have their merits. These rankings from top to bottom are just ones we felt showcased their talents the best.

We didn’t include movies they produced but didn’t direct.

#1. Abigail

An update to the second film on this list, Abagail is the natural progression of Radio Silence’s love of lockdown horror. It follows in pretty much the same footsteps of Ready or Not, but manages to go one better — make it about vampires.

Abigail

#2. Ready or Not

This film put Radio Silence on the map. While not as successful at the box office as some of their other films, Ready or Not proved that the team could step outside their limited anthology space and create a fun, thrilling, and bloody adventure-length film.

Ready or Not

#3. Scream (2022)

While Scream will always be a polarizing franchise, this prequel, sequel, reboot — however you want to label it showed just how much Radio Silence knew the source material. It wasn’t lazy or cash-grabby, just a good time with legendary characters we love and new ones who grew on us.

Scream (2022)

#4 Southbound (The Way Out)

Radio Silence tosses their found footage modus operandi for this anthology film. Responsible for the bookend stories, they create a terrifying world in their segment titled The Way Out, which involves strange floating beings and some sort of time loop. It’s kind of the first time we see their work without a shaky cam. If we were to rank this entire film, it would remain at this position on the list.

Southbound

#5. V/H/S (10/31/98)

The film that started it all for Radio Silence. Or should we say the segment that started it all. Even though this isn’t feature-length what they managed to do with the time they had was very good. Their chapter was titled 10/31/98, a found-footage short involving a group of friends who crash what they think is a staged exorcism only to learn not to assume things on Halloween night.

V/H/S

#6. Scream VI

Cranking up the action, moving to the big city and letting Ghostface use a shotgun, Scream VI turned the franchise on its head. Like their first one, this film played with canon and managed to win over a lot of fans in its direction, but alienated others for coloring too far outside the lines of Wes Craven’s beloved series. If any sequel was showing how the trope was going stale it was Scream VI, but it managed to squeeze some fresh blood out of this nearly three-decade mainstay.

Scream VI

#7. Devil’s Due

Fairly underrated, this, Radio Silence’s first feature-length film, is a sampler of things they took from V/H/S. It was filmed in an omnipresent found footage style, showcasing a form of possession, and features clueless men. Since this was their first bonafide major studio job it’s a wonderful touchstone to see how far they have come with their storytelling.

Devil’s Due

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film

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Horror Movies Releasing This Month – April 2024 [Trailers]

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April 2024 Horror Movies

With only six months until Halloween, it is surprising how many horror movies will be released in April. People are still scratching their heads as to why Late Night With the Devil wasn’t an October release since it has that theme already built in. But who’s complaining? Certainly not us.

In fact, we are elated because we are getting a vampire movie from Radio Silence, a prequel to an honored franchise, not one, but two monster spider movies, and a film directed by David Cronenberg’s other child.

It’s a lot. So we have provided you with a list of movies with help from the internet, their synopsis from IMDb, and when and where they will drop. The rest is up to your scrolling finger. Enjoy!

The First Omen: In theaters April 5

The First Omen

A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

Monkey Man: In theaters April 5

Monkey Man

An anonymous young man unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless.

Sting: In theaters April 12

Sting

After raising an unnervingly talented spider in secret, 12-year-old Charlotte must face the facts about her pet-and fight for her family’s survival-when the once-charming creature rapidly transforms into a giant, flesh-eating monster.

In Flames: In theaters April 12

In Flames

After the death of the family patriarch, a mother and daughter’s precarious existence is ripped apart. They must find strength in each other if they are to survive the malevolent forces that threaten to engulf them.

Abigail: In Theaters April 19

Abigail

After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.

The Night of the Harvest: In theaters April 19

The Night of the Harvest

Aubrey and her friends go geocaching in the woods behind an old cornfield where they are trapped and hunted by a masked woman in white.

Humane: In theaters April 26

Humane

In the wake of an environmental collapse that is forcing humanity to shed 20% of its population, a family dinner erupts into chaos when a father’s plan to enlist in the government’s new euthanasia program goes horribly awry.

Civil War: In theaters April 12

Civil War

A journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House.

Cinderella’s Revenge: In select theaters April 26

Cinderella summons her fairy godmother from an ancient flesh-bound book to get revenge on her evil stepsisters and stepmother who abuse her daily.

Other horror movies on streaming:

Bag of Lies VOD April 2

Bag of Lies

Desperate to save his dying wife, Matt turns to The Bag, an ancient relic with dark magic. The cure demands a chilling ritual and strict rules. As his wife heals, Matt’s sanity unravels, facing terrifying consequences.

Black Out VOD April 12 

Black Out

A Fine Arts painter is convinced that he is a werewolf wreaking havoc on a small American town under the full moon.

Baghead on Shudder and AMC+ on April 5

A young woman inherits a run-down pub and discovers a dark secret within its basement – Baghead – a shape-shifting creature that will let you speak to lost loved ones, but not without consequence.

Baghead

Infested: on Shudder April 26

Residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders.

Infested

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