2020, where to start…a year unlike any other and hopefully the last of its kind in my lifetime. To slow the spread of the pandemic we had to stay away from our friends, family, coworkers, schools, playgrounds, offices, restaurants and of course movie theaters. Travel came to a halt and crowds were forbidden which left film festivals and indie movie theaters scrambling to survive.
Online streaming festivals and zoom events arrived to save the day and keep the horror community afloat but the experience of watching a movie in a packed house, one that many horror fans relish because there is nothing like a collective “oh shit!” moment, has been absent for almost a year.
I am ready for some popcorn from Portland’s Hollywood Theater during the Portland Horror and HP Lovecraft Film Festivals, to dash from screening to screening in 95 degree heat at the Overlook Film Festival, and to be surrounded by local fans at the legendary Prytania Theatre during the New Orleans Horror Film Festival (not to mention how much I miss the nachos at the Chalmette Movies and cocktails at The Broad).
That being said we still got some pretty awesome horror movies this year, from a big studio hit (and the last move I saw in the theater) to a movie that manages some fantastic scares while adhering to the 40 minute free zoom session timeframe. Now, as the year draws to a close, the first phases of a vaccine are being being rolled out and the end is in sight. Good riddance 2020! Hey 2021, I am ready to get off the couch and back into the theaters!
1. Bloody Hell – Without a doubt the best movie I saw all year! This film screened as part of the Nightstream Film Festival and will be coming to theaters and VOD January 14th! Read my 5 star review here!
2. The Invisible Man– Sigh…this is the last movie I saw in theaters way back in February. It was one of my most anticipated 2020 films and it did not disappoint. I gave this one 4 stars for breathing new life into a classic universal monster movie. Now streaming on HBO Max.
3. Hawk & Rev: Vampire Slayers– A gory, gross and hilarious love letter to 80’s horror movies. This little gem made the rounds a a few streaming festivals and earned a 4 star review from me.
4. Host– Zoom séance during quarantine…the most 2020 movie of 2020. Join the call on Shudder.
5. His House– This film about Sudanese refuges trying to make a life in England gives new life to some traditional horror tropes. You can watch this film on Netflix.
6. Anything for Jackson– Grandparents will do anything to bring their grandson Jackson back…and I do mean anything! See how far they’ll go on Shudder.
7. 32 Malasana Street– Wonderful performances and effective jump scares come from this film that has been called Spain’s answer to The Conjuring. After a recommendation from Joseph Perry, I got to see this as part of Nightsteam and agree with his 4 star rating. See for yourself on Shudder.
8. Relic– An “impossible spaces” film with fantastic performances that tackles mother daughter relationships in a terrifying manner.
9. We Summon the Darkness– OK so this technically came out in 2019 but became available to the masses in 2020 thanks to Netflix. Heavy metal, satanic rituals and Johnny Knoxville…what’s not to like?
10. I’m Thinking of Ending Things– Based on the absolutely fantastic book by Iain Reid this Netflix original was one of my most anticipated films of 2020. An all star cast earned this a place on my top 10 list, but I will recommend reading the book before watching because the book stays rooted in horror while the film veers off course in the last act.
