Besides the traditional pumpkin carving, corn mazes and haunted houses, horror movies are crucial for the optimal October experience. Whether I’m cuddled up with my partner or purposely grabbing my friend to scare her pants off, watching scary films is a bonding experience unlike any other.
Typically, I choose films such as “Insidious” (2011) or “The Conjuring” (2013). Their stories are original and frightening, plus the acting is convincing as far as horror movie standards go, which unfortunately isn’t too high.
James Wan, director of “The Conjuring,” is considered a trailblazer in the horror genre, creating other iconic films such as “Saw” (2004) and “Lights Out” (2016). His films speak to me because they have intentional framing of their villains, as well as their victims, and the jumpscares are created organically. The audience is consumed by every frame until they scare themselves from a door slam or the wind blowing.
That’s the mark of a great horror film: dread conjured by the audience from subliminal and purposeful placement of horror. However, films released this year such as “Scream” and “Halloween Ends” are almost the exact opposite of these standards for horror.
“Scream” attempted to satirically poke at Internet forums and the chaos that can arise from them. Without spoiling, writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick decided to kill off an original “Scream” actor in, to put it simply, a lame and unreasonable way. To have the experience that this character had and die the way they did felt like an injustice to not only the series but horror in general.
In “Halloween Ends,” Jamie Lee Curtis once again plays Laurie Strode in the final film of the franchise. The original director John Carpenter, who is also known for “The Thing” (1982) and “They Live” (1988), returned to direct this recent installment. As the 13th movie in the series, it feels as though we’re beating a dead horse. How can I take an iconic serial killer with a rich backstory seriously when he’s made to look like a child with a knife who can be taken down by a random guy with no experience?
This is not to say that fantastic horror movies are extinct. Also released this year, “Nope” and “Pearl” received critical acclaim. Their originality proved that quality content can be found among dozens of sequels and reboots.
Unfortunately, most recent horror movies are unoriginal, awkward and desperate cash grabs. However, directors such as Jordan Peele and Ti West offer promise for the future of horror movies.
