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5 Must-See Meta Horror Films You Might Have Missed

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What’s a final girl? A look into Meta-Horror

How many times have you watched a horror film and despite all your warnings the character runs upstairs instead of outside? It seems like despite being in a horror film, these people have never seen a horror film in their life. That’s where meta-horror comes in.

In this universe horror films are real, sometimes literally. You see, horror fans are not content with just watching horror films. We want a horror movie inside of a horror movie that’s watching its own horror movie. Meta-horror is the Russian nesting dolls of the movie world. Creating layers upon layers of references for fans to dig through.

Not only that, but they also explain the rules of the genre for newcomers. Scream and Cabin in the Woods are the most loved movies in this sub-genre. They are both amazing films, but that’s not what we are here to talk about today. It is my job to find some films you may have missed. So, get your notebooks out, there will be a test after this one.

You Might Be the Killer

You Might Be The Killer – Movie Poster

Have you ever sat down with friends and talked about life’s really important questions? How do we solve world hunger? What is the meaning of life? Most importantly, what makes a film a slasher? The latter is the discussion famed authors Chuck Wendig (The Book of Accidents) and Sam Sykes (Aeons’ Gate) had on twitter in 2017. This conversation laid the groundwork for one of the campiest meta films to ever see the light of day. 

This gem of a film doesn’t get as much attention as it should. Starring the magnificent Fran Kranz (Cabin in the Woods) and Alyson Hannigan (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). You Might be the Killer gives us a look into the comedic aspects of the slasher genre. This film knows who its audience is, and it plays the part wonderfully. If you want an 80’s slasher, without some of the more problematic things that go along with 80’s slashers, then check out You Might be the Killer


Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Behind the Mask – Poster Artwork

Do you have questions about the practical aspects of the slasher genre? Like how is the killer always right behind the final girl? Why does the power always go out in the abandoned farmhouse, or why does it even have power to begin with?  These are the hard-hitting questions that Behind the Mask set out to answer. 

Nathan Baesel (20 Years After) gives us a peak behind the curtain in his role of Leslie Vernon. This film is a perfect example of how the mockumentary format should be used. It blends equal parts comedy and realism, creating an unsettling feeling throughout its runtime. If you ever wanted to know how slashers feel about their legacy, check out Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.


The Final Girls

The Final Girls – Movie Poster

The Final Girls is a film exploring the concept of final girls. It doesn’t get much more meta than that. The term love letter to the genre gets thrown around a lot these days, but I truly believe that it holds true for this film. Starring Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story) and Adam Devine (Workaholics), The Final Girls shows us that slasher films can have heart.

This film plays out like someone spilled a bag of “Oops, all 80’s tropes” all over the production set, and the results couldn’t have been better. This film gives us everything we love and hate from the genre. It doesn’t shy away from depicting the problematic views of the time, while embracing the cheese and gore that we still love today. If you want some guilt free camp in your slasher film, check out The Final Girls.


Scare Package

Scare Package – Movie Poster

Scare Package is horror made by horror nerds for even bigger horror nerds. This is a meta horror anthology set inside of a horror V/H/S store, set inside of a horror movie. What more could a horror fan possibly ask for? Not only does it have every trope known to genre fans, but it also features the divine visage that is Joe Bob Briggs (The Last Drive-In).

This film may not have a cohesive plot, amazing effects, or even great dialog. It does have one thing that makes it stand out above all of the other films on this list. It stars Joe Bob Briggs playing Joe Bob Briggs in a movie about a movie. If that doesn’t sell you on the film, then I don’t know what will. If you leave this movie craving more, as I did, then luckily for us all Scare Package II: Rad Chad’s Revenge was released in December of 2022.  


Funny Games

Funny Games – Poster Artwork

Funny Games is unlike every other film on this list. It isn’t funny, campy, or pleasant by any means. I am not even sure what genre this fits into. Is there a sub-genre for soul crushing bleakness? Director Michael Haneke (Happy End) is not content with a simple wink at the audience like most meta directors. He chooses instead to look you in the eyes as he tortures his creations, reminding you along the way that this is what you asked for. 

Meta-horror is designed to make viewers feel like they are in on the joke, Funny Games makes you feel like an accomplice to a murder. If one life altering event per evening isn’t enough for you, there are two versions of this film. Fans are divided over whether the 1997 Austrian version or the 2007 English Remake are more traumatizing. For those masochists out there, I recommend watching them back-to-back. If you are looking for a film so depraved that you will feel dirty after, then check out Funny games.

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The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

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The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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New to Netflix (U.S.) This Month [May 2024]

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atlas movie Netflix starring Jennifer Lopez

Another month means fresh additions to Netflix. Although there aren’t many new horror titles this month, there are still some notable movies well worth your time. For instance, you can watch Karen Black try to land a 747 jet in Airport 1979, or Casper Van Dien kill giant insects in Paul Verhoeven’s bloody sci-fi opus Starship Troopers.

We are looking forward to the Jennifer Lopez sci-fi action movie Atlas. But let us know what you are going to watch. And if we have missed something, put it in the comments.

May 1:

Airport

A blizzard, a bomb, and a stowaway help create the perfect storm for the manager of a Midwestern airport and a pilot with a messy personal life.

Airport ’75

Airport ’75

When a Boeing 747 loses its pilots in a midair collision, a member of the cabin crew must take control with radio help from a flight instructor.

Airport ’77

A luxury 747 packed with VIPs and priceless art goes down in the Bermuda Triangle after being hijacked by thieves — and time for a rescue is running out.

Jumanji

Two siblings discover an enchanted board game that opens a door to a magical world — and unwittingly release a man who’s been trapped inside for years.

Hellboy

Hellboy

A half-demon paranormal investigator questions his defense of humans when a dismembered sorceress rejoins the living to wreak brutal vengeance.

Starship Troopers

When fire-spitting, brain-sucking bugs attack Earth and obliterate Buenos Aires, an infantry unit heads to the aliens’ planet for a showdown.

May 9

Bodkin

Bodkin

A ragtag crew of podcasters sets out to investigate mysterious disappearances from decades earlier in a charming Irish town with dark, dreadful secrets.

May 15

The Clovehitch Killer

The Clovehitch Killer

A teenager’s picture-perfect family is torn apart when he uncovers unnerving evidence of a serial killer close to home.

May 16

Upgrade

After a violent mugging leaves him paralyzed, a man receives a computer chip implant that allows him to control his body — and get his revenge.

Monster

Monster

After being abducted and taken to a desolate house, a girl sets out to rescue her friend and escape from their malicious kidnapper.

May 24

Atlas

Atlas

A brilliant counterterrorism analyst with a deep distrust of AI discovers it might be her only hope when a mission to capture a renegade robot goes awry.

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory

The Camp Cretaceous gang come together to unravel a mystery when they discover a global conspiracy that brings danger to dinosaurs — and to themselves.

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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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