Lucky

Director: Natasha Kermani

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11701774

Review: An interesting central idea that pushes the metaphor a little hard but still manages to carry itself through to the end.

Watch it if: You want a modern spin on a slasher concept.

And if you liked: Halloween, Happy Death Day, Hush, The Twilight Zone

The Changeling

Director: Peter Medak

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080516

Review: Moody and atmospheric with an intriguing plot and some strong ideas.

Watch it if: You enjoy a slow burn.

And if you liked: The Omen, The Sentinel, The Devil's Backbone

3 From Hell

Director: Rob Zombie

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8134742

Review: Reasonably distracting for a while but is ultimately the same old Rob Zombie hat with the same old Rob Zombie tricks.

Watch it if: You really have to.

And if you liked: The Devil's Rejects, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, House of 1,000 Corpses

Terrified

Director: Demián Rugna

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7549892

Review: Doesn't fully hold together but delivers on some deeply creepy images and some interesting ideas.

Watch it if: You're interested in something with an unconventional narrative.

And if you liked: V/H/S: Viral, Insidious, Baskin

One Cut of the Dead

Director: Shin'ichirô Ueda

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7914416

Review: Funny and interesting in its various strands with some great ideas and a surprisingly heart-warming ending.

Watch it if: You want something more light-hearted.

And if you liked: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Dead Set

The Witches (2020)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805647

Review: A few touching moments and a few strong images but nothing that really elevates the material more than has been done before.

Watch it if: You're interested in a slightly different spin on the story.

And if you liked: The Witches, Matilda

Check this out: The Witches

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Director: Jason Woliner

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13143964

Review: Sharp and shocking with plenty of genuine belly laughs and a surprisingly touching central throughline.

Watch it if: You're ok with a certain amount of gross-out humour.

And if you liked: Borat, Bruno

In the Mouth of Madness

Director: John Carpenter

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113409

Review: Dips a little in the middle but brings a lot of great ideas to the table with a fun tone and a solid ending.

Watch it if: You enjoy something that starts leaning on the fourth wall.

And if you liked: Tales from the Crypt, Videodrome, Wes Craven's New Nightmare

It Comes at Night

Director: Trey Edward Shults

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4695012

Review: Establishes various layers of tension with ease while delivering a strong tone without sacrificing ambiguity.

Watch it if: You want something that's both moody and pacey.

And if you liked: A Quiet Place, They Look Like People, Night of the Living Dead

The Thing (2011)

Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0905372

Review: Fairly flat in character and plot without many interesting new ideas and a misunderstanding of what made the original scary.

Watch it if: You're curious.

And if you liked: The Mist, The Thing

Check this out: Who Goes There?

Red Dragon

Director: Brett Ratner

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289765

Review: Deeply silly all the way to its core but still fun to frolick through.

Watch it if: You're interested in seeing a bad film-maker attempt to ape another's style without fully understanding what made it good in the first place.

And if you liked: The Silence of the Lambs, The Mothman Prophecies

Check this out: Red Dragon

Session 9

Director: Brad Anderson

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261983

Review: Some interesting ideas and good character work throughout even if it does end a little predictably.

Watch it if: You want something that feels rough and raw.

And if you liked: Possum, Kill List, Dead Man's Shoes

The Invisible Man (2020)

Director: Leigh Whannell

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1051906

Review: Tense and tightly crafted with some strong thematic ideas and plenty of exciting moments.

Watch it if: You want something that knows the genre well and uses that to create surprises.

And if you liked: Midsommar, Hush

Check this out: The Invisible Man