100 Horror Movies in October 2021: Update Two

October 11th:

29) What's Your Number? (2011, US, IMDb genre: Comedy/Romance, Director: Mark Mylod) Watched on Netflix. Rewatch. Wild Card #2.

30) The Manor (2021, US, IMDb genre: Horror, Director: Axelle Carolyn) Watched on Amazon Prime. First watch.

31) Madres (2021, US, IMDb genre: Horror, Director: Ryan Zaragoza) Watched on Amazon Prime. First watch.

32) Black As Night (2021, US, IMDb genre: Drama/Horror/Thriller, Director: Maritte Lee Go) Watched on Amazon Prime. First watch.

October 12th:

33) Velvet Buzzsaw (2019, US/Canada, IMDb genre: Horror/Mystery/Thriller, Director: Dan Gilroy) Watched on Netflix. First watch.

34) The Remains (2016, US, IMDb genre: Horror/Thriller, Director: Thomas Della Bella) Watched on Amazon Prime. First watch.

35) Scream (1996, US, IMDb genre: Horror/Mystery, Director: Wes Craven) Watched in the cinema for its 25th anniversary. Rewatch.

October 13th:

36) I was faffing about getting ready for Mayhem and also inspiration struck for a short story earlier in the day so I didn't end up watching any films. I did however watch one episode of American Horror Stories and two episodes of Scream Queens which comes to 124 minutes so the cheating has begun for the year and I'm counting them all together as one movie. Watched on Disney+. First watch for American Horror Stories, rewatch for Scream Queens.

October 14th:

Today, and for the following three days, all films were watched on the big screen with Mayhem Film Festival with lots of other people which was wonderful! I'll be doing a full review of the festival on here too but I'll list the films I can count for the challenge now.

37) Alien on Stage (2020, UK, IMDb genre: Documentary, Director: Lucy Harvey & Danielle Kummer) Wildcard #3. First watch.

38) The Deep House (2021, France/Belgium, IMDb genre: Horror/Thriller, Director: Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury) First watch.

October 15th:

39) The Queen of Spades (1949, UK, IMDb genre: Drama/Fantasy/Horror, Director: Thorold Dickinson) First watch.

40) The Show (2020, UK, IMDb genre: Drama/Fantasy, Director: Mitch Jenkins) Wildcard #4. First watch.

41) Night Drive (2019, US, IMDb genre: Thriller, Director: Brad Baruh & Meghan Leon) First watch. I'm cheating and counting this without a wild card as there's a scene with very realistic gore that made me feel a bit queasy.

42) Midnight (2021, South Korea, IMDb genre: Thriller, Director: Oh-Seung Kwon) First watch. I'm cheating twice in one day and counting this without a wild card too because I couldn't go straight to sleep after this even though is was, fittingly, midnight.

October 16th:

43) The Spine of Night (2021, US, IMDb genre: Animation/Fantasy/Horror, Director: Philip Gelatt & Morgan Galen King) First watch.

44) Knocking (2021, Sweden, IMDb genre: Thriller, Director: Frida Kempff) Wildcard #5. First watch.

45) Short Film Showcase. I'm cheating again and counting the shorts session as a movie as it was around 90 minutes and they were all scary and/or weird. First watch for all the shorts.

46) Phantom of the Paradise (1974, US, IMDb genre: Comedy/Drama/Fantasy/Horror/Music/Romance/Thriller so basically all the genres, Director: Brian De Palma) First watch.

October 17th:

47) Get the Hell Out (2020, Taiwan, IMDb genre: Comedy/Horror, Director: I.-Fan Wang) First watch.

48) Hellbender (2021, US, IMDb genre: Horror, Director: John Adams & Zelda Adams & Toby Poser) First watch.

49) The Night Shift (Also known as Ghost Mansion, 2021, South Korea, IMDb genre: Horror, Director: Jo Ba-Reun) First watch.

50) Lamb (2021, Iceland/Sweden/Poland, IMDb genre: Drama/Horror/Mystery, Director: Valdimar Jóhannsson) First watch.

51) Boys From County Hell (2020, Ireland/UK, IMDb genre: Comedy/Horror, Director: Chris Baugh) Watched on Amazon Prime but you have to rent it for £5.49. First watch.

October 18th:

None, oops!

October 19th:

52) The Invisible Man (2020, Australia/US, IMDb genre: Drama/Horror/Mystery/Sci-Fi/Thriller, Director: Leigh Whannell) Watched on Now. Rewatch.

October 20th:

53) Night Teeth (2021, UK/US, IMDb genre: Action/Crime/Drama/Horror/Thriller, Director: Adam Randall) Watched on Netflix. First watch.

54) Polaroid (2019, US/Norway/Canada, IMDb genre: Drama/Horror/Mystery/Thriller, Director: Lars Klevberg) Watched on Netflix. Rewatch.

55) You Should Have Left (2020, US/UK, IMDb genre: Horror/Thriller, Director: David Koepp) Watched on NOW. First watch.

So there we are, two thirds through and, predictably, it's not going quite as well! All wildcards used, lots of cheating, and I still need to watch 45 movies in 11 days. Now let's look at the best, worst, and weirdest.

The Best: Madres (2021):

There was lots I could have picked from Mayhem but as I've reviewed them separately I thought I'd pick one from before that. I was a big fan of the Welcome to the Blumhouse movies last year so I was excited they were coming back. I don't think generally they're as high quality this year but Madres was up there. The film follows Diana & Beto, a couple expecting their first child who move to a migrant farming community in the 70's but strange visions and unusual physical symptoms disrupt their new life. The film is a slow burn and keeps you guessing until the last twenty minutes or so as to whether the events are supernatural or far too real. Ariana Guerra's performance as Diana is intense and moving. You really feel for her dealing with the anxieties of impending motherhood, and struggling to fit into a new town where her poor Spanish isolates her from the other migrant workers and their families. My biggest criticism would be that there are a lot of secondary characters who aren't developed; it's quite clear they're only there to further the plot. I'd definitely recommend it but be aware it takes a very grim turn towards the end, I don't want to say what it is but it will make you feel upset.

8 out of 10 stars.

The Worst: The Remains (2016):

This is definitely not the worst horror movie I've ever seen but to write this little review ten days after watching it, I had to look back on the IMDb of the page because I couldn't remember what it was about which isn't a great sign! It is just an average 'family move into a cursed/haunted house and bad things happen' movie. Basically this meme for ninety minutes:

The acting is good and it gets a bit more twisty towards the end but there is nothing particularly noteworthy about it.

3 stars out of 10.

The Weirdest: Lamb (2021):

This movie is impossible to review without spoiling it, so all I will say is what?? The acting is phenomenal, and the landscapes of the farm are interesting, but the premise is just way too bizarre for me. Not one I'd watch again, unless someone invents a drinking game for it!

2 stars out of 10.