45 Comments

As soon as I saw the trailer for Hold Your Breath, I wanted to see it! But it also really freaked me out. So I waited until I was with friends to watch it. It was good and so was Speak No Evil (more frustrating than scary)! Though not explicitly spooky, I want to see The Substance!

Thanks for the shoutout ☺️

Expand full comment

I’ve seen so many scary movies and yet I’m so freaked by Substance! I’m so bad with body horror. But it sounds like it’s worth it

Expand full comment

Hi! The Substance is such an experience, go watch it in the cinema if you can!!

Expand full comment

I WILL!!!

Expand full comment

I loved but loved Late Night w the Devil! So surprising, and the highest of quality! And I’m not the biggest horror aficionado.

Expand full comment

so glad to hear it!!! It was so different, right?

Expand full comment

Completely surprised me. So good.

Expand full comment

I don’t have the guts for any of these! But maybe Death Becomes Her because I’ve never seen that (and Meryl Streep duh)

Expand full comment

It’s so funny and campy I know you can do it!

Expand full comment

Omg Martha, it’s hilarious! A must watch!

Expand full comment

Oh if you think it’s so good I will! And I’ll report back xx

Expand full comment

Yes, please! Would love to hear what you think.

Expand full comment

also omg your cats are the cutestttt

Expand full comment

Thank you for the mention <3

“the most unhinged, horrifying, disturbing thing I have ever seen” sounds like my jam

Expand full comment

If you watch that movie please please DM me your thoughts I would love someone to commiserate with on that one !! It’s so traumatic lol

Expand full comment

I love The Historian so much, and every time you say you're enjoying it, I get a little jolt of happiness. (And I want to put aside all responsibilities and go read it again.)

We watched the new Salem's Lot last weekend. Loved it!

Have you seen The Changeling from 1980, starring George C. Scott? It's a haunted house movie. There is nothing graphic on screen, but it's one of the eeriest, most 'I need to turn on all the lights' movies I've ever seen. It's ultimately sad, as most ghost stories are — and it's loaded with atmosphere. We watch it every year. If you want to watch it, stay away from all info, reviews, write-ups because there's a spectacularly good moment that lots of people spoil by writing about it.

Expand full comment

Ok I’m glad others liked Salems Lot!! We were shocked by its quality honestly.

And I have not but it sounds exactly like something I should watch! We are always always looking for recs because we run out of stupid Netflix movies fast

Expand full comment

I trust you implicitly with your recs…I am glad to hear the new salem’s lot is good I am going to watch soon !!

Expand full comment

We were really entertained and kept surprised the entire movie! You are too kind 🖤

Expand full comment

I rarely watch horror movies but I can’t resist Insidious. The story is so good!! Love Death Becomes Her! so fun to watch

Expand full comment

Insidious is SO good!

Expand full comment

Thanks for sharing. Helps me decide more easily what to watch and read!!

Expand full comment

Thanks for reading Anne! I’m so glad

Expand full comment

I loved Death Becomes Her as a kid 😂 I need to rewatch it! Where would you rank The Strangers on your list? That is the freakiest movie to me! And I love Simone St James, have you read The Broken Girls?

Expand full comment

and I havent read that one yet! I read The Book of Cold Cases and was disappointed so kinda petered out on her books, but if Broken Girls is worth it i might give it another go!

Expand full comment

I haven’t read The Book of Cold Cases but I thought The Broken Girls was great— though I may be biased since it takes place in VT. I do think Sundown Motel was my favorite though.

Expand full comment

I refused to watch The Strangers for the longest time because I have a recurring nightmare about being attacked in my house just like the premise. I will say that I actually enjoyed it but mostly because I love Liv Tyler. It was a lot less gore than I assumed, but my anxiety was on high alert, so its top-middle of my rankings.

Expand full comment

Yes love Liv and prefer less gore but dang that one unsettled me so much! Haha

Expand full comment

I just did a rewatch of Death Becomes Her and had a blast. Such a classic. Love those book pairings as well.

Expand full comment

its so funny even today which is a minor miracle! Thank you 😊

Expand full comment

I feel like you are reading TWO books with me because Elizabeth Kostova is married to a Bulgarian man and a lot of her work draws on Bulgarian history, culture, etc. for world building, plot, etc. Am pleased.

Expand full comment

well if this is representative of Bulgarian culture at large SIGN ME UP FOR A TRIP STAT

Expand full comment

Some solid picks on this list. 😱

If you haven’t seen it already, Eliza Dushku’s 2003 Wrong Turn is better and creepier than the 2021 version. Liked the badass-ery she brought to her role.

I liked the 2021 version’s premise, but as the story unfolded, the new direction ( and I’m being cryptic to avoid spoilers) had me wishing they’d kept it simpler like the original.

Matthew Modine made it worth watching, anyway.

Expand full comment

Ok I will absolutely watch the 2023 one! Honestly I get confused with these names what is the same IP and what is just a name ripoff lol

Expand full comment

Your second level of scares hit almost all of my favorites. And then The Yellow Wallpaper — soooo good. I loved this article!

Expand full comment

Thank you ! I love when someone makes a bunch of recs but includes a few of my favs that’s when I know I can trust them 😂

Expand full comment

Lisa Frankenstein looks about my speed— it did not get the best reviews as I remember but I’ll try it since it’s on your underrated list.

Expand full comment

Reviews can be SO harsh - was it an Oscar winning film? No. But it was so fun and well shot and bright 80s colors and sometimes that’s all you need!

Expand full comment

All. I. Need.

Expand full comment

BLESSING US AGAIN!! 😍😍😍

Added to our watch list for this month:

The Night House

Watcher 2022

Incident In A Ghost Land

Wrong Turn

I had the time of my life watching the trailers!!! I’ve been wondering about Incident In A Ghostland since it came out but never pulled the trigger. Def watching now.

Insidious is the one movie that I won’t watch again. I was too scared. Gave me a strange feeling and not the kind I like.

I’m with you. I don’t like the Saw/Hostel type movies. I DID love Evil Dead though. 🤭

Ghost Story by Peter Straub is on my TBR for spooky season.

Salem’s Lot was so damn pretty and too damn short! I still feel cheated because it was so beautifully shot.

I started The Interestings and I love it so far. I wasn’t planning on reading a non spooky book but I got hooked. It’s a quick read though.

I had SO MUCH FUN with this!! Going through the movies I hadn’t seen and picking out ones I want to watch. Thank you!!! You HALLOWEEN ANGEL 🥹🥰🪦⚰️🦇🕷️🧟‍♂️🩸🔪🧛🏻‍♀️🎃🕯️🐈‍⬛

And thank you for sharing the kitties with us. ❤️‍🔥

Expand full comment

Agreed agreed agreed. I think you will love Watcher especially because of its feminist undertones. I’m here to bless your spooky season any way I can 👻👻👻👻👻👻

Expand full comment