My 31 for 31:

Any movie with an asterisk* is a new watch.

Speaking of, anyone who knows will, I’m sure, notice that a lot of my watches are from All the Haunts be Ours. Perfect time of year to dig more deeply into them.

1 — Edge of the Knife (2019)*

Really exceptionally done, I enjoyed it more than I anticipated. Excellent cinematography, well-paced, and very unique. Can’t believe I didn’t ever hear about this movie until I saw it blindly watching through All the Haunts be Ours vol. 2. Definitely check it out.

2 — The Howling

Didn’t realize that this was about to kick off a werewolf movie kick, but here we are. Love this movie, one of the darkest werewolf movies ever made. Classic. Side-note, I can’t remember any other werewolf movie that made their werewolves so slimy and moist.

3 — Bad Moon

Another classic. My favorite werewolf design out of any movie. Book (Thor) is also very much worth checking out.

4 — Late Phases

Good movie, werewolves look a little silly, but overall very solid.

5 — American Werewolf in London

Nothing notable to say, classic.

6 — Dog Soldiers

Always love Neil Marshall, gotta upgrade my physical copy someday…

7 — Last Shift

Really fantastic occult/cult film, don’t be turned off by the awful cover art.

8 — Altered

My favorite "alien" movie (by that I mean aliens on earth that look like the traditional, big-headed invader type, not something like The Thing or Alien). Under-appreciated and definitely worth a watch.

9 — Trick 'r Treat

Possibly the best Halloween movie based on tone alone, decided to watch it early this year since I’m tired of it being last.

10 — Born of Fire*

Really pleasant surprise, right up my alley. The visuals are phenomenal and the ambiguity of the story was handled well, not like the story didn’t add up.

11 — Deep Rising

Classic, sea horror is one of my favorite sub-genres, and this is way up there. Always a fun watch.

12 — Io Island*

Really enjoyed it, odd movie, nothing moves in the way that you expect, but that feels like a strength here.

13 — Scales*

Interesting, wish I liked it more. The cinematography and premise were great but I personally found the execution lacking.

14 — Death Spa

One of the most enjoyable horror/exploitation movies I know, always a blast to watch and absolutely bonkers.

15 — Possession

One of the greats. Such a visceral, powerful film, and my favorite Sam Neil performance by far.

16 — Bakeneko: A Vengeful Spirit*

Very solid film, plays a lot like a classic film and then takes off at the end.

17 — Nang Nak*

One of my favorite surprises from this list, fantastic ghost story, well acted and filmed. Definitely check it out.

18 — American Psycho

Haven’t seen this movie in almost 20 years, I still enjoy it but didn’t realize how little actual violence and horror are in the film. Much more of a very dark comedy than anything, but always fun.

19 — Silence of the Lambs

I mean, classic, there’s nothing much for me to add to the conversation.

20 — Unhinged*

It was fine, fun popcorn watch. Pretty much exactly what you think it’s going to be.

21 — Sundelbolong*

Really enjoyed this one too. The vibe and effects were on point, and this was my introduction to Suzanna. (I watched the documentary about her right after, but I don’t think that should count on my 31/31.)

22 — Pieces

One of my favorite slashers. It’s exactly what you think it is!

23 — Noroi: The Curse

My favorite found footage film, has such a good sense of building dread and "something is very wrong" all the way through. Just got the new blu-ray release and loved seeing it looking so much better than before.

24 — When Evil Lurks*

My favorite new watch from this list, absolute banger. Exactly the kind of mean, grimy, gory demon movie I love, and it hits the ground fucking running.

25 — Fright Night

One of the best movies for spooky season, now and forever. Also have to give it a shoutout for, despite being a vampire movie, having one of the best werewolf transformations of all time.

26 — Nosferatu (2024)*

I heard a lot of different opinions on this movie before I got to it, but I enjoyed it quite a lot. Count Orlock was very creepy, the way he functions and drinks blood was awesome and upsetting, and while it had some issues I was locked in for the whole movie. Recommended.

27 — Poison for the Fairies*

Really loved this movie, the performances from the two lead girls was fantastic. Never moved in the way I expected but was very satisfying and well made.

28 — Phantasm

Also a top five October vibe movie for me, the tone is perfect and it holds up so well.

29 — Phantasm II

One of my favorite horror sequels, it takes everything from Phantasm and goes harder with it. A little campier than I remember, though that’s not a bad thing.

30 — Cat Sick Blues

One of my favorite modern slashers, and criminally under-appreciated. The new release from Refuse Films is awesome, it looks great and is stuffed with special features.

31 — Something Wicked This Way Comes*

I’ve been meaning to watch this for decades, figured it would be a great capstone for spooky season. Loved it — more intense than I was expecting from Disney, and perfectly captures the tone you want for Halloween. If you’ve been putting it off, give it a shot!

1 - Slumber Party Massacre A favorite slasher, felt like a great kickoff to spooky season.

2 - C.H.U.D.* Heard about this one for a long time; best part was by far the practical effects on the C.H.U.Ds, especially the shots of the claws.

3 - Company of Wolves Great spooky season movie, personal favorite, and some of my favorite werewolf scenes in cinema.

4 - Rosemary's Baby What’s left to say? Classic.

5 - Identity* More thriller than horror, but I absolutely loved it. Great pacing, ok reveal.

6 - Skeleton Key Probably my favorite PG-13 horror movie. Always a great watch.

7 - Tales from the Hood* Personally, I didn’t think it lived up to its reputation. Some solid moments but largely felt ham-fisted with the message, which made it feel largely boring.

8 - Tucker and Dale versus Evil If you know, you know. Classic.

9 - Bloodsucking Bastards If you haven’t seen it, definitely give it a shot. Really fun, blood-splattered horror comedy.

10 - Species Not perfect but actually better than I remembered. Worth a rewatch if you haven’t seen it in a while. Unless you hated it.

11- You’re Next One of my favorite recent action horrors.

12 - Ready or Not (reaction: see movie 11)

13 - The Menu First rewatch, loved it just as much as the first time. One of my favorite recent horrors.

14 - Evil Dead (original) Do I need to even explain? Always fantastic.

15 - John Carpenter’s Vampires I know it has a lukewarm reception, but I really enjoy this take on vampires.

16 - Sleepaway Camp Absolutely wild film, bad and fun in all the best ways.

17 - Village of the Damned Not a perfect film but very watchable, hence the rewatch this season.

18 - The Mist A favorite this time of year, always fun to watch.

19 - They Live! Maybe stretching the definition of horror but…classic.

20 - The Haunting of Julia AKA Full Circle* Interesting though a little flat. I really enjoyed it, but the narrative was better than the pacing. Good turn in the plot. Recommended, especially for fans of films like Don’t Look Now.

21 - Hounds of Love* Good. Bleak. Not fantastic but very solid. Worth checking out.

22 - Grim Prairie Tales* Was hoping for more. The wraparound was the best part of the anthology, though it had its moments.

23 - Dust Devil* Loved it. Third act was a little weak compared to the setup, but a definite recommendation. Great practical effects and cinematography.

24 - X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes* Fun watch, but it really wasted its potential. On a short list of movies that I would argue could use a solid modern remake.

25 - Velvet Buzzsaw* Solid. Very slow and not even a slow burn in the sense that it ramps up in the last act, but definitely worth a watch. Loved the premise, liked the execution.

26 - Terrifier 3* Absolutely loved it. Not without faults (like the cinematic style’s bad graininess or some awkward transitions), but majorly outweighed by the fun and the spectacle of it all. Great Sequel to T2, can’t wait for 4.

27 - The Mutilator* My least favorite movie I’ve seen in a long time. Effects were good, everything else was below "so bad it’s good" level of filmmaking.

28 - Frankenhooker I’m wearing my Frankenhooker shirt as I write this, so you can assume how much I love this movie. It’s something I can watch anytime.

29 - Tremors A favorite since childhood, and just as fun as the last time I saw it. Complete banger.

30 - The Relic One of my favorite monster movies, always a good time.

31 - Trick r’ Treat Must watch for me every Halloween season. If you’ve watched it you know, if you haven’t…you should. Happy Halloween!