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The Terrors of a Mother’s Love: 5 Heart-Rending Mother’s Day Horror Films

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Here’s a Mother’s Day Horror movie list to enjoy this weekend! The number of horror films involving mothers is so high that it’s impossible to list them all here. One can only imagine what Freud would say about this phenomenon. So, I have cultivated a list that I think best represents the spirit of the celebration. 

So put down your phone and pick up the remote, we are going to watch my favorite Mother’s Day films. Oh, and don’t worry. I will always think you are good enough. 

The Babadook 

The Babadook movie poster

This film has provided us with so much since its release in 2014. This tragic story about love, resentment and the heartaches of parenting also spawned a LGBTQ+ icon with endless meme potential.  

I will admit this is one of the few horror films I have seen that truly frightened me when I first viewed it. Not because of anything explicitly shown, more so because of the miasma the oozes from the film. The Babadook places a film of guilt on you that refuses to wash off. What would Mother’s Day be without a thick layer of guilt. 

The performances by Essie Davis (Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities) and Noah Wiseman (The Gift) are both mesmerizing and terrifyingly raw. If you haven’t watched this film, please do so immediately. Afterward, you may want to call your mother and apologize for some things.  

The Shining 

The Shining movie poster

I am probably going to upset a certain segment of horror fans with this, but I prefer the 1997 mini-series to Stanley Kubrick’s version. I know it is blasphemy, but I’ll die on this hill.  

At the heart of this story is a wife and mother trying to hold on to her troubled marriage while protecting her son. The terror comes not from monsters but from addiction and the always present specter of relapse. Well, I suppose it also comes from the mind-controlling hotel filled with ghosts. 

It may not have the shine of its more well-known adaptation, but it is much closer to the source material. Stephen King didn’t care for Kubrick’s Wendy stating that she was “one of the most misogynistic characters ever put on film”.  

The performances by Rebecca De Mornay (Mother’s Day), Steven Weber (Channel Zero) and Courtland Mead (Hellraiser: Bloodline) depict how trauma can manifest itself long after an injury has occurred. If you want a deeper look at the shining but don’t want to read a brick, track down this mini-series. 

Hereditary 

Hereditary movie poster

A24 movies may not always land on their feet but when they do the results are incredible. Hereditary is one the most well received movies under the banner of “elevated horror”. 

 The set pieces are meticulously laid out while the themes of loss and secrecy take the viewer into a landscape shaped by paranoia. Even if you don’t care for the contents, there is no denying Hereditary comes in a beautiful package. 

This film gives us a masterful display of how grief can consume a family after the loss of a loved one. What really makes this film stand out are the harrowing performances by Toni Collette (Nightmare Alley), Gabriel Byrne (Ghost Ship), Milly Shapiro (Monkey Bars), and Alex Wolff (old). 

Hereditary shows us that sometimes our problems don’t come from our mother. Sometimes they come from her mother. If you want a film that will make you feel better about your own family, give Hereditary a try.  

Psycho 

Psycho movie poster

This is the greatest Mother’s Day horror movie of all time. This Hitchcock film shows us just how enduring a mother’s impact on her children can be.  

The acting style of the 1950’s had something special about it. The way that Janet Leigh’s (The Fog) voice floats effortlessly through each scene adds a touch of romanticism to the film that is lost in modern media. 

You can’t mention Psycho without talking about how amazing Anthony Perkins (Psycho II) portrays Norman Bates. His acting in this film makes me feel nostalgic for a time I’ve never experienced.  

This film is still known today because of how relatable it can be. Who doesn’t know what it is like to have the voice of your dead mother telling you to commit murder, I know I do.  

This film doesn’t get the traction that it used to because it is in black and white. If this doesn’t bother you and you want to see just how terrifying chocolate syrup can be, go watch Psycho

The Lodge 

The Lodge movie poster

What would a Mother’s Day list be without an evil stepmother. Well, more like a severely damaged stepmother. This is by far the bleakest film on this list and not recommended for the faint of heart.  

That being said, I absolutely adore this film. The Lodge lets you know what it is all about within the first fifteen minutes of its run time.  

There is a deep tension that resonates from the first scene all the way until the end of the film. This movie is like slowly pulling off a band aid. It is gruesome and painful, but you can’t stop halfway through. 

Everyone plays a part in sharing their misery with you. An amazing cast consisting of Riley Keough (It Comes at Night), Jaeden Martell (IT) and Lia McHugh (A House on the Bayou) completes this depressing portrait of resentment. 

This film gives an amazing example of how to truly gaslight someone. If you really want to experience some sadness this Mother’s Day, I recommend watching The Lodge.  

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‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

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Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

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Melissa Barrera Says ‘Scary Movie VI’ Would Be “Fun To Do”

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Melissa Barrera might literally get the last laugh on Spyglass thanks to a possible Scary Movie sequel. Paramount and Miramax are seeing the right opportunity to bring the satirical franchise back into the fold and announced last week one might be in production as early as this fall.

The last chapter of the Scary Movie franchise was almost a decade ago and since the series lampoons thematic horror movies and pop culture trends, it would seem they have a lot of content to draw ideas from, including the recent reboot of slasher series Scream.

Barerra, who starred as final girl Samantha in those movies was abruptly fired from the latest chapter, Scream VII, for expressing what Spyglass interpreted as “antisemitism,” after the actress came out in support of Palestine on social media.

Even though the drama wasn’t a laughing matter, Barrera might get her chance to parody Sam in Scary Movie VI. That is if the opportunity arises. In an interview with Inverse, the 33-year-old actress was asked about Scary Movie VI, and her reply was intriguing.

“I always loved those movies,” the actress told Inverse. “When I saw it announced, I was like, ‘Oh, that would be fun. That would be so fun to do.’”

That “fun to do” part could be construed as a passive pitch to Paramount, but that’s open to interpretation.

Just like in her franchise, Scary Movie also has a legacy cast including Anna Faris and Regina Hall. There is no word yet on if either of those actors will appear in the reboot. With or without them, Barrera is still a fan of the comedies. “They have the iconic cast that did it, so we’ll see what goes on with that. I’m just excited to see a new one,” she told the publication.

Barrera is currently celebrating the box office success of her latest horror movie Abigail.

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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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