What I will be watching this week:
Ultimate Horror Film Thread
- Thread starter Piff Henderson
- Start date
2 of my top 3 of the yearWhat I will be watching this week:
What I will be watching this week:
NICE.
I thought all 3 were great and COMPLETELY different experiences.
*Whalefall aint STRAIGHT horror (I think it should count) but in the early screening I was at? People left, people couldn't eat, and were squirming in their sets.
The Best Horror Movies of 2026 (So Far), Ranked: ‘Obsession,’ ‘Resident Evil,’ ‘Backrooms’ and More
Several great horror movies have been released this year, including 'Obsession,' 'Backrooms' and 'Resident Evil.'
variety.com
@therealjondoe
@Piff Henderson
14
Photo : Courtesy Everett Collection
A24
Kane Parsons’ dizzyingly accomplished film is a masterwork in tone and tension, dropping Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve into an endless maze of liminal spaces that are claustrophobic, confusing and overwhelming. It’s hard to describe why “Backrooms” works to the unconverted or unconvinced, but the incredible production design and camerawork of Jeremy Cox make up for any limitations of the sketch of a script. It’s exciting to see what Parsons will do with a next chapter — and maybe even what he could do beyond the limitations of his own space.
13
Photo : Courtesy of Toho, Cannes Film Festival
Neon
Genki Kawamura’s video game adaptation concerns a man (Kazunari Ninomiya) who cannot escape walking a long section of a subway hallway, stuck in an endless repetition. Yet he’s soon able to discern tiny clues about how to move forward and pass through some dark reverberations of his life and decisions to get to the other side. While the hook grows a little thin, it’s by necessity, as the audience begins to feel as stuck and hopeless as its main character, and each new detail pointing to escape is a breath of fresh air.
12
Photo : Courtesy Everett Collection
Dark Sky Films and Watermelon Pictures
Taratoa Stappard’s gothic tale examines Māori culture and the colonizers who almost snuffed it out. Ariāna Osborne is spellbinding as the title character, a Victorian-era woman who travels to England to find out more about her lineage, only to become a governess for a mysterious man with an affinity for her Māori heritage. As things get dark, Stappard’s vision grows even more lush, with an atmosphere teeming with evil.
11
Photo : Courtesy of Independent Film Company and Shudder
Independent Film Company
The idea of releasing a new “Faces of Death” may have once seemed inconceivable, but the creative partnership of Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber was able to spin the seminal oddity into a tight serial killer movie with a deeper motive. Dacre Montgomery plays a maniac obsessed with the original film, which was purported to include real-life depictions of violence. His recreation of the goriest bits nabs the attention of a content moderator (Barbie Ferreira) and a bloody game of cat and mouse begins. Mazzei and Goldhaber have plenty of keen observations on influencer and online culture, while Montgomery is genuinely chilling as a killer who does his best to blend in and be forgettable.
10
Photo : ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sony Pictures Releasing
A heady, heartfelt spin on zombie movies, Nia DaCosta helms this fourth chapter in the series, which dodges nearly every expectation. Ralph Fiennes stars as Dr. Ian Kelson, who lives alone in the post-breakout world, coming closer and closer to finding a cure with the help of his undead friend, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Unfortunately, as the pair develops a partnership, a roving leader of violent kids, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), roams the countryside looking for people to antagonize. Many thought-provoking moments — as well as one wild Iron Maiden dance sequence — follow in Alex Garland’s sharp script, which begs for another installment.
9
Photo : Courtesy of Neon
Neon
A touching love story about two boys in Australia becomes a nightmare when a religious conversion therapy turns the person they love the most into the thing trying to kill them. From there, Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen) are unsure if the object of their affection is real or a beast out for blood. Building a heartfelt and tender romance, “Leviticus” traffics more in tension than flat-out scares, but it’s unlikely there will be a more affecting horror movie this year.
8
Photo : Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures
Zazie Beetz kicks an enormous amount of ass as brutal fighter Asia Reaves in this horror-action-comedy. When she infiltrates a hotel that she believes has kidnapped her maid sister, Asia must brawl her way through endless villains loyal to the satanic cult, who are invincible but can get mutilated along the way, leading to surreal scenes like the adventures of a dislodged, crawling eyeball. An early “Kill Bill”-esque showdown and a torch-lit beatdown in a ballroom are among the flashy setpieces. Beetz is a pro at the stunt choreography, showing the toil of inflicting and receiving extreme pain. Cinematographer Isaac Bauman also shoots her in inspired ways, touching on pop touchstones like comic books and martial arts films.
7
Photo : Magenta Edge Films
Magenta Edge Films
An internet troll with an axe to grind sets off this interwoven tale of mayhem from first-time feature director Chris Marrs Piliero. This microbudget thriller stretches out every dollar for a visually inventive look at how deepfakes can disrupt the lives of people even after they log off. Filled with shocking twists and some great practical effects, it’s a film as funny and squirm-inducing as it is prescient.
6
Photo : Neon
Neon
Nicolas Winding Refn’s received a flurry of mixed-to-negative reviews, but ignore them. No one is making films like Refn, and if you can get on his wavelength, it’s a hell of a ride worth taking. Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton and Havana Rose Liu are hypnotic in this giallo-influenced head trip. Endlessly stylish and bold, “Her Private Hell” is destined for cult classic status.
5
Photo : ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sony Pictures Releasing
Third time’s a charm, as Zach Cregger cements his winning run as a horror auteur with this roller coaster ride of a video game adaptation. Austin Abrams is a perfect audience surrogate, injecting humor into the increasingly outrageous situations as his life quickly becomes a zombie-fueled chase. It’s a completely different vibe from both “Barbarian” and “Weapons,” and it’s so exciting to think about what Cregger has up his sleeve next.
4
Photo : Dustin Supencheck
Yellow Veil Pictures
Addison Heimann’s wild take on an alien creature feature blends up countless inspirations: tentacle sex, drugs, Japanese cinema, ‘80s hip-hop dance and throuples, to name a few. Yet it’s a kaleidoscopic adventure: A slacker (Olivia Taylor Dudley) and her gay best friend (Jordan Gavaris) both start hooking up with an extraterrestrial (Lou Taylor Pucci) whose powers make them feel like they’re in a drug-fueled euphoria. Unfortunately, the alien has a darker plan than he lets on, and our unlikely heroes must save humanity. With plenty of humor and unpredictable moments, it’s a joy to take a ride in Heimann’s mind.
3
Photo : Courtesy of Neon
Neon
An old-school haunted house bonanza, Damian McCarthy’s latest drops Ohm (Adam Scott) into an Irish hotel that’s filled with secrets. When he gets locked in, he has to solve a murder mystery before he’s overtaken by scores of supernatural happenings. The set design is remarkable, toeing the line between coziness and mustiness that makes the hotel come alive for all of the senses. Scott is a remarkable lead, as he’s playing Ohm as such an asshole, but his journey of self-awareness soon becomes as engaging as what happened to the dead body. It’s all threaded by some highbrow jump scares that make for a great rollercoaster ride, best enjoyed at a crowded multiplex.
2
Photo : Courtesy of MUBI
Mubi
Jane Schoenbrun’s winning rom-com is rooted in an obsessive love for slashers, and begs for repeat viewings to luxuriate in all of the pop culture nods embedded within. But the film is not merely a pastiche: Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson have crackling chemistry together, and the film is filled with indelible imagery and memorable scenes, from a sexually charged KFC dinner to a spirited massacre scene soundtracked to Counting Crows.
1
Photo : ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection
Focus Features
Before all of the thinkpieces and analysis, “Obsession” started life as a nasty little thriller that mixed an old-school monkey’s paw scenario with a contemporary look at life in the friendzone. It’s a simple story, but twisty scares and an all-timer performance from Inde Navarrette made the fear burrow deep into audiences’ minds. Countless WTF moments have been debated for months, and that bleak ending ensured the film stayed unforgettable long after leaving the theater.
Backrooms
Photo : Courtesy Everett Collection
A24
Kane Parsons’ dizzyingly accomplished film is a masterwork in tone and tension, dropping Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve into an endless maze of liminal spaces that are claustrophobic, confusing and overwhelming. It’s hard to describe why “Backrooms” works to the unconverted or unconvinced, but the incredible production design and camerawork of Jeremy Cox make up for any limitations of the sketch of a script. It’s exciting to see what Parsons will do with a next chapter — and maybe even what he could do beyond the limitations of his own space.
13
Exit 8
Photo : Courtesy of Toho, Cannes Film Festival
Neon
Genki Kawamura’s video game adaptation concerns a man (Kazunari Ninomiya) who cannot escape walking a long section of a subway hallway, stuck in an endless repetition. Yet he’s soon able to discern tiny clues about how to move forward and pass through some dark reverberations of his life and decisions to get to the other side. While the hook grows a little thin, it’s by necessity, as the audience begins to feel as stuck and hopeless as its main character, and each new detail pointing to escape is a breath of fresh air.
12
Mārama
Photo : Courtesy Everett Collection
Dark Sky Films and Watermelon Pictures
Taratoa Stappard’s gothic tale examines Māori culture and the colonizers who almost snuffed it out. Ariāna Osborne is spellbinding as the title character, a Victorian-era woman who travels to England to find out more about her lineage, only to become a governess for a mysterious man with an affinity for her Māori heritage. As things get dark, Stappard’s vision grows even more lush, with an atmosphere teeming with evil.
11
Faces of Death
Photo : Courtesy of Independent Film Company and Shudder
Independent Film Company
The idea of releasing a new “Faces of Death” may have once seemed inconceivable, but the creative partnership of Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber was able to spin the seminal oddity into a tight serial killer movie with a deeper motive. Dacre Montgomery plays a maniac obsessed with the original film, which was purported to include real-life depictions of violence. His recreation of the goriest bits nabs the attention of a content moderator (Barbie Ferreira) and a bloody game of cat and mouse begins. Mazzei and Goldhaber have plenty of keen observations on influencer and online culture, while Montgomery is genuinely chilling as a killer who does his best to blend in and be forgettable.
10
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Photo : ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sony Pictures Releasing
A heady, heartfelt spin on zombie movies, Nia DaCosta helms this fourth chapter in the series, which dodges nearly every expectation. Ralph Fiennes stars as Dr. Ian Kelson, who lives alone in the post-breakout world, coming closer and closer to finding a cure with the help of his undead friend, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Unfortunately, as the pair develops a partnership, a roving leader of violent kids, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), roams the countryside looking for people to antagonize. Many thought-provoking moments — as well as one wild Iron Maiden dance sequence — follow in Alex Garland’s sharp script, which begs for another installment.
9
Leviticus
Photo : Courtesy of Neon
Neon
A touching love story about two boys in Australia becomes a nightmare when a religious conversion therapy turns the person they love the most into the thing trying to kill them. From there, Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen) are unsure if the object of their affection is real or a beast out for blood. Building a heartfelt and tender romance, “Leviticus” traffics more in tension than flat-out scares, but it’s unlikely there will be a more affecting horror movie this year.
8
They Will Kill You
Photo : Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures
Zazie Beetz kicks an enormous amount of ass as brutal fighter Asia Reaves in this horror-action-comedy. When she infiltrates a hotel that she believes has kidnapped her maid sister, Asia must brawl her way through endless villains loyal to the satanic cult, who are invincible but can get mutilated along the way, leading to surreal scenes like the adventures of a dislodged, crawling eyeball. An early “Kill Bill”-esque showdown and a torch-lit beatdown in a ballroom are among the flashy setpieces. Beetz is a pro at the stunt choreography, showing the toil of inflicting and receiving extreme pain. Cinematographer Isaac Bauman also shoots her in inspired ways, touching on pop touchstones like comic books and martial arts films.
7
Appofeniacs
Photo : Magenta Edge Films
Magenta Edge Films
An internet troll with an axe to grind sets off this interwoven tale of mayhem from first-time feature director Chris Marrs Piliero. This microbudget thriller stretches out every dollar for a visually inventive look at how deepfakes can disrupt the lives of people even after they log off. Filled with shocking twists and some great practical effects, it’s a film as funny and squirm-inducing as it is prescient.
6
Her Private Hell
Photo : Neon
Neon
Nicolas Winding Refn’s received a flurry of mixed-to-negative reviews, but ignore them. No one is making films like Refn, and if you can get on his wavelength, it’s a hell of a ride worth taking. Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton and Havana Rose Liu are hypnotic in this giallo-influenced head trip. Endlessly stylish and bold, “Her Private Hell” is destined for cult classic status.
5
Resident Evil
Photo : ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sony Pictures Releasing
Third time’s a charm, as Zach Cregger cements his winning run as a horror auteur with this roller coaster ride of a video game adaptation. Austin Abrams is a perfect audience surrogate, injecting humor into the increasingly outrageous situations as his life quickly becomes a zombie-fueled chase. It’s a completely different vibe from both “Barbarian” and “Weapons,” and it’s so exciting to think about what Cregger has up his sleeve next.
4
Touch Me
Photo : Dustin Supencheck
Yellow Veil Pictures
Addison Heimann’s wild take on an alien creature feature blends up countless inspirations: tentacle sex, drugs, Japanese cinema, ‘80s hip-hop dance and throuples, to name a few. Yet it’s a kaleidoscopic adventure: A slacker (Olivia Taylor Dudley) and her gay best friend (Jordan Gavaris) both start hooking up with an extraterrestrial (Lou Taylor Pucci) whose powers make them feel like they’re in a drug-fueled euphoria. Unfortunately, the alien has a darker plan than he lets on, and our unlikely heroes must save humanity. With plenty of humor and unpredictable moments, it’s a joy to take a ride in Heimann’s mind.
3
Hokum
Photo : Courtesy of Neon
Neon
An old-school haunted house bonanza, Damian McCarthy’s latest drops Ohm (Adam Scott) into an Irish hotel that’s filled with secrets. When he gets locked in, he has to solve a murder mystery before he’s overtaken by scores of supernatural happenings. The set design is remarkable, toeing the line between coziness and mustiness that makes the hotel come alive for all of the senses. Scott is a remarkable lead, as he’s playing Ohm as such an asshole, but his journey of self-awareness soon becomes as engaging as what happened to the dead body. It’s all threaded by some highbrow jump scares that make for a great rollercoaster ride, best enjoyed at a crowded multiplex.
2
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Photo : Courtesy of MUBI
Mubi
Jane Schoenbrun’s winning rom-com is rooted in an obsessive love for slashers, and begs for repeat viewings to luxuriate in all of the pop culture nods embedded within. But the film is not merely a pastiche: Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson have crackling chemistry together, and the film is filled with indelible imagery and memorable scenes, from a sexually charged KFC dinner to a spirited massacre scene soundtracked to Counting Crows.
1
Obsession
Photo : ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection
Focus Features
Before all of the thinkpieces and analysis, “Obsession” started life as a nasty little thriller that mixed an old-school monkey’s paw scenario with a contemporary look at life in the friendzone. It’s a simple story, but twisty scares and an all-timer performance from Inde Navarrette made the fear burrow deep into audiences’ minds. Countless WTF moments have been debated for months, and that bleak ending ensured the film stayed unforgettable long after leaving the theater.
Yea no lol14
Backrooms
Photo : Courtesy Everett Collection
A24
Kane Parsons’ dizzyingly accomplished film is a masterwork in tone and tension, dropping Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve into an endless maze of liminal spaces that are claustrophobic, confusing and overwhelming. It’s hard to describe why “Backrooms” works to the unconverted or unconvinced, but the incredible production design and camerawork of Jeremy Cox make up for any limitations of the sketch of a script. It’s exciting to see what Parsons will do with a next chapter — and maybe even what he could do beyond the limitations of his own space.
13
Exit 8
Photo : Courtesy of Toho, Cannes Film Festival
Neon
Genki Kawamura’s video game adaptation concerns a man (Kazunari Ninomiya) who cannot escape walking a long section of a subway hallway, stuck in an endless repetition. Yet he’s soon able to discern tiny clues about how to move forward and pass through some dark reverberations of his life and decisions to get to the other side. While the hook grows a little thin, it’s by necessity, as the audience begins to feel as stuck and hopeless as its main character, and each new detail pointing to escape is a breath of fresh air.
12
Mārama
Photo : Courtesy Everett Collection
Dark Sky Films and Watermelon Pictures
Taratoa Stappard’s gothic tale examines Māori culture and the colonizers who almost snuffed it out. Ariāna Osborne is spellbinding as the title character, a Victorian-era woman who travels to England to find out more about her lineage, only to become a governess for a mysterious man with an affinity for her Māori heritage. As things get dark, Stappard’s vision grows even more lush, with an atmosphere teeming with evil.
11
Faces of Death
Photo : Courtesy of Independent Film Company and Shudder
Independent Film Company
The idea of releasing a new “Faces of Death” may have once seemed inconceivable, but the creative partnership of Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber was able to spin the seminal oddity into a tight serial killer movie with a deeper motive. Dacre Montgomery plays a maniac obsessed with the original film, which was purported to include real-life depictions of violence. His recreation of the goriest bits nabs the attention of a content moderator (Barbie Ferreira) and a bloody game of cat and mouse begins. Mazzei and Goldhaber have plenty of keen observations on influencer and online culture, while Montgomery is genuinely chilling as a killer who does his best to blend in and be forgettable.
10
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Photo : ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sony Pictures Releasing
A heady, heartfelt spin on zombie movies, Nia DaCosta helms this fourth chapter in the series, which dodges nearly every expectation. Ralph Fiennes stars as Dr. Ian Kelson, who lives alone in the post-breakout world, coming closer and closer to finding a cure with the help of his undead friend, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Unfortunately, as the pair develops a partnership, a roving leader of violent kids, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), roams the countryside looking for people to antagonize. Many thought-provoking moments — as well as one wild Iron Maiden dance sequence — follow in Alex Garland’s sharp script, which begs for another installment.
9
Leviticus
Photo : Courtesy of Neon
Neon
A touching love story about two boys in Australia becomes a nightmare when a religious conversion therapy turns the person they love the most into the thing trying to kill them. From there, Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen) are unsure if the object of their affection is real or a beast out for blood. Building a heartfelt and tender romance, “Leviticus” traffics more in tension than flat-out scares, but it’s unlikely there will be a more affecting horror movie this year.
8
They Will Kill You
Photo : Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures
Zazie Beetz kicks an enormous amount of ass as brutal fighter Asia Reaves in this horror-action-comedy. When she infiltrates a hotel that she believes has kidnapped her maid sister, Asia must brawl her way through endless villains loyal to the satanic cult, who are invincible but can get mutilated along the way, leading to surreal scenes like the adventures of a dislodged, crawling eyeball. An early “Kill Bill”-esque showdown and a torch-lit beatdown in a ballroom are among the flashy setpieces. Beetz is a pro at the stunt choreography, showing the toil of inflicting and receiving extreme pain. Cinematographer Isaac Bauman also shoots her in inspired ways, touching on pop touchstones like comic books and martial arts films.
7
Appofeniacs
Photo : Magenta Edge Films
Magenta Edge Films
An internet troll with an axe to grind sets off this interwoven tale of mayhem from first-time feature director Chris Marrs Piliero. This microbudget thriller stretches out every dollar for a visually inventive look at how deepfakes can disrupt the lives of people even after they log off. Filled with shocking twists and some great practical effects, it’s a film as funny and squirm-inducing as it is prescient.
6
Her Private Hell
Photo : Neon
Neon
Nicolas Winding Refn’s received a flurry of mixed-to-negative reviews, but ignore them. No one is making films like Refn, and if you can get on his wavelength, it’s a hell of a ride worth taking. Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton and Havana Rose Liu are hypnotic in this giallo-influenced head trip. Endlessly stylish and bold, “Her Private Hell” is destined for cult classic status.
5
Resident Evil
Photo : ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sony Pictures Releasing
Third time’s a charm, as Zach Cregger cements his winning run as a horror auteur with this roller coaster ride of a video game adaptation. Austin Abrams is a perfect audience surrogate, injecting humor into the increasingly outrageous situations as his life quickly becomes a zombie-fueled chase. It’s a completely different vibe from both “Barbarian” and “Weapons,” and it’s so exciting to think about what Cregger has up his sleeve next.
4
Touch Me
Photo : Dustin Supencheck
Yellow Veil Pictures
Addison Heimann’s wild take on an alien creature feature blends up countless inspirations: tentacle sex, drugs, Japanese cinema, ‘80s hip-hop dance and throuples, to name a few. Yet it’s a kaleidoscopic adventure: A slacker (Olivia Taylor Dudley) and her gay best friend (Jordan Gavaris) both start hooking up with an extraterrestrial (Lou Taylor Pucci) whose powers make them feel like they’re in a drug-fueled euphoria. Unfortunately, the alien has a darker plan than he lets on, and our unlikely heroes must save humanity. With plenty of humor and unpredictable moments, it’s a joy to take a ride in Heimann’s mind.
3
Hokum
Photo : Courtesy of Neon
Neon
An old-school haunted house bonanza, Damian McCarthy’s latest drops Ohm (Adam Scott) into an Irish hotel that’s filled with secrets. When he gets locked in, he has to solve a murder mystery before he’s overtaken by scores of supernatural happenings. The set design is remarkable, toeing the line between coziness and mustiness that makes the hotel come alive for all of the senses. Scott is a remarkable lead, as he’s playing Ohm as such an asshole, but his journey of self-awareness soon becomes as engaging as what happened to the dead body. It’s all threaded by some highbrow jump scares that make for a great rollercoaster ride, best enjoyed at a crowded multiplex.
2
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Photo : Courtesy of MUBI
Mubi
Jane Schoenbrun’s winning rom-com is rooted in an obsessive love for slashers, and begs for repeat viewings to luxuriate in all of the pop culture nods embedded within. But the film is not merely a pastiche: Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson have crackling chemistry together, and the film is filled with indelible imagery and memorable scenes, from a sexually charged KFC dinner to a spirited massacre scene soundtracked to Counting Crows.
1
Obsession
Photo : ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection
Focus Features
Before all of the thinkpieces and analysis, “Obsession” started life as a nasty little thriller that mixed an old-school monkey’s paw scenario with a contemporary look at life in the friendzone. It’s a simple story, but twisty scares and an all-timer performance from Inde Navarrette made the fear burrow deep into audiences’ minds. Countless WTF moments have been debated for months, and that bleak ending ensured the film stayed unforgettable long after leaving the theater.
Teenage death camp and Her Private hell are two of the worst
Damn and I just started to watch her private hell and your 100% dead on on teenage death camp
Private hell is like one of those Versace perfume ads in a magazine turned into a movie
I made it as far as about 15 minutes and it felt like I was watching oxygen channel with my wife
Don’t give me any flack about walking oxygen channel, I only do it to watch shows with My Wife and she knows I can’t stand it lol
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