Lists
The Best Final Girls of Horror in 2023
What a great year to be a final girl in a horror movie. What a great year to be a woman in horror movies period (except for When Evil Lurks). We had some excellent ones this year, both unconventional and tropey. Another benefit was we were introduced to some actresses who had never been on our radar before. Hopefully, they will continue to provide us with some great kick-ass energy for future projects.
Below are some of the final girl stand-outs we saw this year. Obviously, there are spoilers since their title puts them at the movie’s end so cautiously read on if you haven’t seen the movies. And if we missed anyone you thought was exceptionally resilient in horror movies this year, feel free to mention them in the comments.
Evil Dead Rise (Anna-Maree Thomas and Nell Fisher)
Kassie (Fisher) and Beth (Thomas) are the final girls who after a night of fighting off literal family demons find themselves in a parking garage facing all of them in one physical form. Thanks to a wood chipper and shotgun, the duo make mince meat of the monster to survive the night.
Scream VI (Melissa Barrera)
Sadly, this is probably Barrera’s last Scream film, but it is probably her best. Sam (Barrera) is again the toy of the Ghostface killer but this time it’s in the Big Apple. With the help of her force ghost dad, Billy Loomis, she accepts who she really is just before dressing up in his original Ghostface costume, laying waste to this chapter’s killers.
M3GAN (Violet McGraw)
Little orphan Cady (McGraw) gets so attached to her life-size A.I. doll, M3GAN, that she doesn’t notice it becoming sentient until the end when it attacks her and her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams) inside their house. A quick-thinking Cady manages to activate another robot to fight the doll, but it’s her thrust to the toy’s microchip using a screwdriver that shuts the plaything down.
Thanksgiving (Nell Verlaque)
Jessica (Verlaque) was both the villain and heroine of Thanksgiving. First, she let her friends into her dad’s big box retail shop early during Black Friday which caused a stampede resulting in several deaths. Then she unknowingly aided in providing a kill list for the serial killer in preparation for his Thanksgiving dinner of human remains. But she managed to not only survive the night but kill the masked slayer with the help of a parade balloon.
Totally Killer (Kiernan Shipka)
A time-traveling photo booth whisks our heroine Jaimie (Shipka) back into the 80s to catch the person who killed her mom. She also becomes embroiled in the masked killer’s plans to murder several other high schoolers. Although everything turns out okay, except for making minor changes to the space-time continuum, Jaime is probably the only final girl in a slasher to ever go back to the future.
No One Will Save You (Kaitlyn Dever)
Recluse Brynn (Dever) is not liked around her small town for reasons that become clear at the end. But until then she is the victim of a terrifying extra-terrestrial home invasion. Although she manages to slay the intruder with a miniature church from her diorama, it signals other aliens of all types to pursue her outside her home. Brynn uses her wits to avoid being killed and in doing so gets a fairy tale ending.
Cobweb (Cleopatra Coleman)
The substitute teacher Miss Devine (Coleman) must become somewhat of a snoop in order to save the day. Her student Peter is pulled from her class after his parents decide to home-school him. Curious as to why, she visits Peter’s home and is confronted by his parents who it turns out are keeping a buried secret. That secret escapes and both Peter and Miss Devine work together to put it back where it belongs.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
Lists
Thrills and Chills: Ranking ‘Radio Silence’ Films from Bloody Brilliant to Just Bloody
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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
Editorial
7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch
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)
Ghostface (2021)
Ghost Face (2023)
Don’t Scream (2022)
Scream: A Fan Film (2023)
The Scream (2023)
A Scream Fan Film (2023)
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
Lists
Horror Movies Releasing This Month – April 2024 [Trailers]
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Infested: on Shudder April 26
Residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders.
'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Follow our new YouTube channel "Mysteries and Movies" here.
-
News6 days ago
Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film
-
Movies7 days ago
Spider-Man With a Cronenberg Twist in This Fan-Made Short
-
News4 days ago
Perhaps the Scariest, Most Disturbing Series of The Year
-
Movies5 days ago
New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie
-
News5 days ago
Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel
-
Lists4 days ago
Thrills and Chills: Ranking ‘Radio Silence’ Films from Bloody Brilliant to Just Bloody
-
Movies5 days ago
‘Founders Day’ Finally Getting a Digital Release
-
Movies5 days ago
New ‘The Watchers’ Trailer Adds More to the Mystery
You must be logged in to post a comment Login