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Betrayal. At its core, A Blind Bargain is a movie about the worst kind of betrayal you can imagine. Desperation and greed convince a young and troubled Vietnam veteran to submit his own mother to the schemes of a mad scientist. This groovy '70s retro thriller takes a cosmic turn through life-extending experimentation. This was the centerpiece movie of the 2025 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival.
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Curiosity is a dangerous thing. In cosmic horror, the exploration of truths can lead to fates worse than death, and yet, people will still seek to know things they really should leave alone. In Tribe, a man lost in the remote badlands in the southern Sierras is going through a horrible physical transformation. His hope is that some media drives he found in his Airstream trailer will tell him why he is in the predicament he is in. His salvation may come in the form of his own found footage material, but it also may foretell his own doom.
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The Conjuring: Last Rites is another solid entry into the Warren Saga. Once again, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are on point as Lorraine and Ed Warren, providing grounded and passionate performances. The film is once again loaded with first-rate jump scares and fantastic period piece production design. The ghost story this time out is a muddled mess, though, and some of the secondary characters feel forced, preventing it from achieving the greatness of the first entry in the franchise.
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Crossword (2024) is a psychological thriller that pays close attention to the smallest details and is rich in symbolism. James is struggling to come to terms with the drowning of his young daughter, Lily. His grief is expressed through the daily crossword puzzle, which he believes is an omen communicating with him.
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Being an independent horror movie maker isn't easy. Eddie Mathews sacrifices everything in his power to keep his directing dreams alive. If that means living in his disapproving mother-in-law's house and pitching presidential bobbleheads as a side hustle, then that's what he has to do. The horror must be made!
Intensity: 🩸1/2 out of 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
What the Tide Dragged In (Lo Que Trajo La Marea) is an emotionally charged, Chilean tale of sisterhood and loss. Two sisters go to the coast to comply with their mother's wish to have her ashes cast to the sea. Their mom warned them of the mysteries of the sea, and it has a vast power that will come to claim what it wants.
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Teacher's Pet goes back to school and follows Clara, an overachieving foster care teenager who has become the target of a serial killer masquerading as a substitute teacher. The characters are compelling, even if the plot has some blind spots regarding distinctive red flags that should have exposed the villain's deception.
Intensity: 🩸🩸🩸1/2 out of 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
Weapons has arrived in theaters, and it is one of the most original horror mysteries in memory. Give Zach Cregger the keys to the horror castle. He has elevated himself to the top of the ranks of horror storytellers. With Weapons, he has delivered an engrossing and wicked puzzle that comes together with shocking revelations, dark humor, and brutal viscera. The movie is a masterclass in character building, non-linear editing, and bravura acting from the entire cast.
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Have you ever desired to be a haunted house? Deck of Haunts will feed that desire, as well as many hapless investigators who want to discover the horrible truth about what you are. There is a dark heart beating at the center of this old mansion on a blasted hill, and it needs to feed on the souls and sanity of those who dare enter it. This is a digital card deck-building game that combines with a construction simulator. This game presents a significant strategic challenge. Good luck! It starts easy and becomes deviously hard.
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Place famously eccentric actor, John Malkovich into a story about a messianic pop star leading a death cult commune, under the A24 umbrella and you have the makings of an art house classic, right? Almost. It's a combination of The Menu, Midsommar, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This A24 production falls a bit shy of its incredible promise.
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Are you a fan of obscure and cheesy cult films? Odds are, you would appreciate the efforts of Sinister Cinema, the Medford, Oregon-based distribution company that lovingly restored and distributed thousands of almost-forgotten films. This documentary from Jack Perez goes in-depth on the company that wouldn't let these films die.
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How is it that babysitting, traditionally the lowest common denominator flexible starter job, is so dangerous? Dooba Dooba is a lo-fi found footage film exploring the perils of a woman babysitting an odd girl full of tricks and dark secrets. If you think you know babysitter horror, think again; this movie has some wild twists. The film creates a moat of anxiety which will have you twitching from the dramatic irony of knowing too much, while the characters head blindly into awful decisions.
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In a slightly dystopian future, Mia Sheldon finds herself imprisoned at home for the crime of having a miscarriage. She has been acquitted of her husband's death, which was ruled a suicide. What opens as a promising premise slides into the overly familiar. Unfortunately, the film dodges what could have been a fascinating sociological critique. House of Ashes contains some humorous and chilling moments, but overall, the film fell a little flat.
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It Needs Eyes examines the link between the dangers of obsessive and addictive behavior when coping with grief. "It", in this case, is the dark web. Brutal social media requires people to watch the dreadful material to have any power. It has found an addict, corrupting the otherwise innocent Rowan, who is struggling through grief by watching things she should not see. This is a beautiful, slow-burning movie featuring terrific performances from young actresses Raquel Lebish and Isadora Leiva. The film never terrifies, but the story will get under your skin and unnerve you.
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Alma and the Wolf spins a strange and surprising story that weaves themes of unfulfilled dreams and dark secrets. Ethan Embry, Li Jun Li, and the rest of the cast provide an emotionally poignant and ultimately tragic fable. Part psychological thriller, part folk horror, this film may be the best showcase of Embry's acting chops in his extensive filmography. This movie was the opening film at the Portland Horror Film Festival.
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Predator: Killer of Killers is the second installment in the reinvigoration of the venerable action/sci-fi/horror franchise, following the 2023 release of Prey. Suffice it to say, the Predator franchise is in good hands. This animated feature picks up the baton from Prey, going back in history to epic battles between the Yautja (Predators, for the uninformed) and warriors of ages past. The production is gloriously illustrated, packed with action, and is written according to the mantra of show, don't tell.
Our hometown favorite film festival is kicking off its tenth annual showcase of independent horror films. World-renowned for their horror short films and underground horror features from across the globe, The Scariest Things is once again proud to be associated with them. Our team will cover the films, interview the filmmakers, and once again run the Horror Movie Greenlight Pitch experience at the Saturday night closing party, outdoors and under the stars at Dot's Cafe. Be part of the Portland Horror Film Fan community and join us!
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Bring Her Back is the sophomore horror feature effort from the Australian Philippou brothers, who two years ago produced the surprise hit Talk To Me. I am happy to report that they have once again delivered a spine-tingling and intense thriller that will haunt your soul for years to come. Sally Hawkins provides a villainess for the ages, and the rest of the young cast become sympathetic pawns in a horrifying possession experiment. The movie is an excellent original story, but you need to be willing to sit through a slow, steady burn and withstand some savage gory moments.
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Control Freak might be the itchiest movie ever made. Vy Nguyen is a self-help guru on the rise and on the cusp of great fame. Despite her outward confidence, she has developed a nervous habit of scratching the back of her head. The psychological effect is due to a curse handed down to her from her parents, and what starts as an itch threatens to destroy her and everything she has achieved. You will be scratching your head by the end of this movie. (For many reasons)
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Sinners proves positively that Ryan Coogler has mastered the art of making a horror blockbuster. He resides on a short list of directors who can not only deliver stunning artistic achievements, but at the same time knows how to please a demanding audience. Bathed in boozy, bluesy period atmosphere, it represents swampy cool, and celebrates the black experience of black culture in the 1930s Jim Crow South. Already a box office smash, the Academy should start preparing for another horror movie to crash the Oscar party come the next nomination period.
