We’re in the middle of the holiday season commonly referred to as “the most wonderful time of the year”: Halloween. We reached out to our spoopiest, most horror-obsessed set of BFFs, Becca & Jak from Cult Cryptic, to give us the lowdown on exactly which horror films deserve our shrieks and screams this year.
There’s one thing that I have always loved about Jak & my relationship: no matter how differing our interests and opinions may be, we always manage to balance each other out. Where Jak’s favorite films are meant to be more visually attractive & experimental, my favorites are meant to make the viewers laugh.
Our all-over-the-place interests are what makes Cult Cryptic work; we manage to cover all of the bases & I think that’s what you’ll find with Our Top Picks From the Back of the Rental Store. With this list, we want to share our favorite movies that aren’t often thought of during the Halloween season.
Cult Cryptic’s Top 10 Halloween Films
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, 2006
Becca’s Pick
Anyone who has ever discussed horror with me has had the unfortunate experience of hearing me ramble on & on about Behind the Mask. The concept of this film & the execution has me in complete awe. Behind the Mask: Rise of Leslie Vernon is a mockumentary horror film that dives into a world where the killers in slasher films are real. Yep, Freddy Krueger is truly out there haunting your nightmares & Jason Voorhees is hiding in the shadows of Camp Crystal Lake, waiting for his day to come. Female journalist, Taylor Gentry, and her two cameraman, Doug and Tom are documenting Leslie Vernon’s preparation to join the ranks of the infamous slashers.
I can list a million reasons as to why I love this film. For one, it pays homage to slasher films — which, immediately wins my heart. & then, there are the special guest appearances in this film: Kane Hodder, Zelda May Rubinstein, and my absolute favorite, Robert Englund all join the cast. Nathan Baesel does a phenomenal job as the main antagonist (protagonist?!), Leslie Vernon. I have seen this movie more times that I can count, and hope that one day, the sequel finally pulls through.
Train to Busan, 2016
Jak’s Pick
I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of zombie flicks. You won’t find many of them at the top of my list of all time favorites. But Train to Busan is one of those rarities that I can say I truly adore. A South Korean film from 2016, Train to Busan takes the viewer on an epic and heart-wrenching journey of a man and his daughter in the midst of the zombie apocalypse.
Seok-woo is a busy man, absorbed in the world of finances. He makes plenty of money but the demands of his work causes fracture within his family life. After splitting with his wife, his daughter, Su-an is often left alone with her grandmother. Tired of being alone, Su-an begs Seok-woo to let her spend her birthday with her mother. Hesitantly, he agrees, and the pair board a train toward Busan. Little do they know that among the passengers is a woman infected with a zombie virus which spreads like wildfire through the cars.
Speeding through the Korean countryside, their journey of survival leads them to encounter a few dozen other passengers – some become friends and allies, while others betray them. And under these unexpected turn of events they find out what it means to be family. Train to Busan finds a balance between moments of raw, honest introspection and adrenaline-packed action scenes in a way that kept me glued to my seat, eyes trained on the screen. If you’re looking for a film that will give your emotions punch in the face, this is it.
The Final Girls, 2015
Becca’s Pick
I was immediately attracted to The Final Girls when discovering the cast: Nina Dobrev, Taissa Farmiga, Adam Devine, Alia Shawkat, and Alexander Ludwig. I’m a glutton for Teen TV & films and absolutely love when a horror film is filled with familiar faces from these programs.
The Final Girls centers around recently-orphaned Max, who goes to see a B-Horror slasher film from 20 years prior, starring her mother. Max & her friends finds themselves in the film, and must apply what they know about horror tropes to survive.
Filled with laughs & screams, The Final Girls is a wild ride from start to finish. The Final Girls is also the reason I’m absolutely in love with the tune, ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ by Kim Carnes.
Funny Games, 2007
Jak’s Pick
If you’ve seen Funny Games, you might think it a strange pick. Directed by Michael Haneke, Funny Games is a shot-for-shot English remake of his own original 1997 film. It’s a simple plot – two young men hold the Farber family hostage in their own home, forcing them to play a game of survival. And it’s received a lot of mixed reviews. Some people love it, others hate it. Either way, it has an undeniable impact on the viewer.
It certainly did for me. Out of all my picks, Funny Games is, to me, the scariest title on the list. The plot itself is akin to your average home invasion film. The characters themselves don’t have much substance, either. The Farbers are more horror film stereotypes than anything else. So with such a basic premise and characters, you’d think I’d pass this one by without a second thought.
But this movie gets into your head. Long, drawn-out scenes give viewers a sense of extreme discomfort. The invaders, Peter and Paul, dress and act like your average upper middle-class American – clean-cut, pleasant; polite. Brutality and violence, for the most part, happen off-screen, allowing you to use your imagination to fill in the blanks. Even the use of white throughout the film – as if it’s really just one big blank canvas that you can project your own fears and anxieties onto. In a way, the viewer becomes complicit in the torture. Through fourth wall breaks, Peter and Paul even make it clear that they’re making the Farbers suffer for the audience’s entertainment. This, Haneke, stated was a statement about violence in media, but regardless of director’s intent, it sent shivers up my spine and goes down as one of my favorite horror films.
Tourist Trap, 1979
Becca’s Pick
Tourist Trap is a recent addition to my arsenal. I’ve discovered this movie while watching Joe Bob’s Drive-In Theater & I really don’t understand why this movie is so underrated? It’s exactly what I
want from a late ‘70s horror film. Of course, there’s a cheese-factor, but that’s what makes it so great. It also gives me House of Wax vibes.
Tourist Trap features a group of stranded teenagers who find themselves at a roadside museum. Of course, as it is a horror film, things don’t go swimmingly for the squad. Instead, they find themselves face-to-face with a demented owner, and his army of mannequins.
Hausu, 1977
Jak’s Pick
Hausu, or House in English, is well-loved film in the horror community, but it seems like outside of horror fans, many people have never heard of it. Perhaps it’s because Japanese horror had only made it into American pop culture in the late 90’s and early 00’s with films like Ringu and Ju-On. Which is a shame because this film is truly a wild ride.
The film takes place in 1970’s Japan, where a teen girl named Gorgeous takes a cross-country trip with 6 of her closest girlfriends to visit her aunt in the countryside. The first thing thing that made me fall for this film is that it’s beautiful – packed with style that stands the test of time. Combining creative storytelling with artistic composition, special effects, and transitions, director Obayashi weaves a story of horror that goes beyond anything I’ve ever seen.
Although it may seem like a nonsensical art house film, Obayashi stated that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the central theme of Hausu. It’s subtle, but if you pay close attention, you’ll start to notice his underlying ideas. The film seems to be broken into two parts. The first half of the film has a bright, hazy appearance, with hand-painted backdrops and smiles all around. The second takes place in the home, where things become dark and absurd. In an instant, past meets present, and nothing makes sense anymore. Even outside of the foundational ideas, Hausu is a sensational and interesting study of true horror.
Sleepaway Camp, 1983
Becca’s Pick
Admittedly, Sleepaway Camp is a more popular choice for this list, but I would never be able to forgive myself if I didn’t try to push this movie onto others. Also, that would be hella off-brand for me.
I remember watching one of the many horror film documentaries that I’ve seen, and they discussed Sleepaway Camp & that final scene reveal (which if you haven’t seen, please do. You’re in for a shock). I knew right then that I needed to watch this cult classic (along with its sequels), and I instantly fell in love.
Angela Baker is a slasher film that follows Angela Baker, a young girl who’s sent to summer camp. Once she arrives, things go downhill for any counselor or camp-goers that have less than honorable intentions.
Night of the Demons, 1988
Jak’s Pick
Night of the Demons has become one of my favorite horror films of the 80’s. It’s everything you could ever want from an 80’s flick – cheesy, silly, and bizarre. The film follows a group of teenagers as they hold a Halloween party in an abandoned mortuary, which, of course goes to Hell.
After holding a séance, the kids slowly succumb to the influence of demons, effectively driving them all mad. Which is probably my favorite aspect of this film. Instead of killing them off immediately, like most films of that era, I think what makes this movie so much fun is that the protagonists are part of the horrors. They get drawn in and transform into the villains themselves in the most hilarious and unexpected fashion. In all honesty, this movie is one big, fun mess which is why it made this list.
The Tragedy Girls, 2017
Becca’s Pick
After being recommended The Tragedy Girls & discovering the plot, I quickly turned to Hulu to watch it. My friends, I was not disappointed by this comedic horror movie. Again, this is a movie that stars some familiar faces I already loved: Brianna Hildebrand (Deadpool), and Alexandra Shipp (Love, Simon).
The Tragedy Girls is about two teenage crime reporters, Sadie and McKayla, who are following (& obsessed) with a crazed serial killer. After capturing and keeping him hostage, they decide to boost their social media by committing the murders themselves.
Suspiria, 1977
Jak’s Pick
Suspiria follows an American ballerina, who moves to live and study in a prestigious German dance school. As she spends more time at the academy, she begins to realize that it’s a breeding ground for the supernatural.
Another film that is well-loved by horror aficionados, Suspiria is probably one of the most attractive films I have ever seen. The imagery and sets are absolutely awe-inspiring, which is what originally pulled me to it. Although I did find some of the scenes to be kind of hilarious, it was also actually very spooky and, at times, disgusting. My one complaint about this film is that the music and sound effects are over-stimulating. It definitely adds to the anxiety and discomfort you feel while watching this film.
Head over to Cult Cryptic for more macabre, spooky, hair-raising horror from Jak & Becca! Thank you, pals, for this awesome list!