We head into a new month with six slashers, getting our blood pumping for some killer upcoming films while watching plenty of blood spill.
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At AlethalWeaponArt, movies (particularly horror) are a huge part of our life — and our business — so we take time to celebrate the art of film every day. Follow along with us to see what we watched each week. We will tell you if it’s worth watching or if you should skip it altogether and why.
Editor’s Note:
2024 promises to be a big year for slashers and horror fans craving a bloody good time at the theater and some killer entertainment at home.
If you’ve been paying attention, there’s a good chance the buzzy slasher out of Sundance, Chris Nash’s In a Violent Nature, is high on your radar of must-see films this year.
It’s getting great press, and this ultra-gory deconstruction of the slasher film is said to boast some shocking violence. IFC Films will release it in theaters later this year, followed by a streaming release on Shudder. Check out the newly released teaser trailer here.
The writer and director of the hit horror comedy Freaky are reuniting for a new time-traveling slasher movie called Time Cut, and it’s headed to Netflix this year. Freaky writer Michael Kennedy, who also wrote last year’s holiday horror hit It’s a Wonderful Knife, is the screenwriter, along with Hanna Macpherson (Into the Dark). Macpherson will also direct, while Freaky director and co-writer Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day) will produce.
Time Cut seems to have a plot similar to the excellent Totally Killer and is described as Back to the Future meets Scream.
We’re also getting some highly anticipated sequels, including the follow-up to Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey and the third film in the wildly successful Terrifier franchise. It’s confirmed Terrifier 3 is getting a theatrical release in late October, timed for the Halloween season.
And Pooh isn’t the only horror film hoping to ruin childhoods. Disney’s iconic mascot and most beloved character, Mickey Mouse, just entered the public domain this year, opening the door for the first of likely many more horror adaptations. Mickey’s Mouse Trap is headed your way on March 1st.
This horror movie-watching week we were all over the place, but we had some fun with slashers that, for the most part, killed it!
1. THANKSGIVING (2023)
OUR FAVORITE OF THE WEEK!Thanksgiving was such a fun slasher, and we loved all the brutal and festive kills.
We love a good holiday horror film, and this one checks all the boxes. We’re a bit sad we were so late to the party and missed seeing this when it was released around its namesake holiday. Watching a holiday-themed movie is always a lot more fun at the time of the actual holiday it’s centered around.
Thanksgiving is especially good at capturing the spirit of the season with the great set design and the well-decorated small-town vibes. It really adds to the fun of the film.
Patrick Dempsey does a wonderful job in this role, as do all the supporting actors.
Eli Roth succeeds at maintaining a lighter, more humorous tone throughout between some pretty vicious and grisly kill scenes.
We loved the trampoline scene, of course.
You can tell they had a good time making this one, and it’s a no-brainer recommendation if you love slashers.
2. FINAL EXAM (1981)
From the slasher heyday comes a quintessential 80s hack-and-slash film, Final Exam.
Like most films of the era, well-written dialogue and complex characters are not what we are here for. This one centers around a group of friends at a college. With Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice, and DeAnna Robbins as some of our protagonists, there aren’t really any big names in this one.
It could have been a lot bloodier for us; the kills left some to be desired.
The deaths were a little tame for our taste, with little to no gore shown. I don’t want to use the word boring, but it’s a word that does come to mind.
There is far too much nonsense, homo erotic college pranks, and slow dialogue with far too little murder happening throughout this film.
Overall, there are better 80’s slashers to watch if that’s the mood you’re in.
3. EVIL DEAD RISE (2023)
After our cabin adventures last week, Evil Dead was on our minds. So, we decided to rewatch the latest installment in the franchise, last year’s Evil Dead Rise.
It is one hell of a ride. It’s still not our favorite of the franchise, but we enjoyed it more this time around.
Despite Alyssa Sutherland doing a good job playing this mother of three, we still felt little to no connections with the characters; they seemed a little shallow and unrelatable to us, which left us feeling detached throughout.
The kills were brutal and bloody, and we enjoyed watching them.
We disliked the ending quite a bit, as the final showdown scene felt silly with a less-than-impressive demon. It wasn’t scary or frightening at all, and it took away from the rest of the film.
With all that said, it is still most definitely worth watching for the kills — and simply because it is an Evil Dead film.
However, we’d still rather watch the original or the 2013 Evil Dead remake.
4. WOLF CREEK
Wolf Creek is dark and gritty, and the vibe reminded us of Turistas or Hostel if it was directed by Rob Zombie.
It starts off a little slower, focusing on a group of friends that seem like pretty real characters. However, when the carnage begins, this brutal Australian horror film doesn’t hold back.
Loosely inspired by horrific, true events, everything about this film feels very real.
The tension builds well, and it feels like something that could happen to anyone, which gives it a real-life horror feel. It’s an intense but satisfying watch.
5. HORNS (2013)
Horns is a great dark comedy with horror undertones. It’s perfect when you’re in the mood for something a little lighter but still spooky.
Daniel Radcliffe does a fantastic job of playing this character. He is a man accused of murdering his girlfriend and develops literal horns on his head that have an odd effect on the people around him.
There is a rocking soundtrack to this film, and that adds to the overall pleasurable experience.
With many twists and turns along the way, this one is incredibly entertaining and keeps you on the edge as we watch Ig (Daniel Radcliffe) try to solve his girlfriend’s murder.
There are some really memorable scenes, including someone being set on fire, which was pretty fun to watch. Overall, it’s a dark and twisted horror comedy worth your time.
Trigger alert: There is a rape scene toward the end of the film.
6. TOURIST TRAP (1979)
Tourist Trap is a weird one; it reminds us of a mix of House of Wax and Carrie as this killer uses his telekinesis powers to terrorize and kill a group of young adults he’s trapped.
The creepy mannequins throughout really set an odd tone that is uniquely eerie. We enjoyed the music, which was pretty weird at times, and it really impacted the movie’s off-kilter but endearing vibe.
You also get to see a young Tanya Roberts, who we love from That 70’s Show, as Becky, one of the main characters.
The creative killer with a creepy voice is what really makes it worth watching.
We love the frightening masks the killer wears and how he seems to have a lot of fun scaring. One of our favorite scenes is when he plasters over a girl’s face while she is still alive. It is really fun to watch and genuinely frightening!
It’s a great watch if you’re looking for an older film that offers something unique with creative kills.
KILL OF THE WEEK: The plaster face in Tourist Trap!
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