There's no better time to watch horror movies than during the Halloween season, and while there are plenty of classic ones to watch as well as some underrated ones as well. It all depends on your taste in movies. Do you enjoy a good slasher, a giant monster attack, or maybe something a bit more supernatural?
Luckily, there are plenty of horror movies that came out in 2018 that you can now rent or own through various services like Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu. Some of these you missed when they hit the theaters, didn't know existed, or want to watch again.
While movies like the new Halloween haven't hit any of these services yet, as it's still in theaters, there are actually a couple movies available to rent or buy right now, like Mara and Mandy, both of which are still in their theatrical runs. Here are some haunting flicks you can pick up right now to watch during the spooky Halloween season.
If you're looking for more Halloween-related material, check out these horror comic book series, the best horror movie monsters, and some horror movie price drops on Vudu.
The Meg
Price: $20
Jaws was a movie about a giant shark killing people. The Meg has roughly the same premise, but the shark is eve bigger. The movie is now available digitally, so you can enjoy from the safety of your home, or on a raft in the middle of the pacific from your tablet, if you're into that.
In GameSpot's review, Michael Rougeau said, "The Meg provides everything you should want from it. It strikes a precarious balance between humor, tension, drama, and action, gives every character time in the spotlight, and looks great."
The First Purge
Price to own: $10
To rent: $6
The Purge series has been pretty fantastic, but many of us were wondering, "where could it go next?" In 2018, the series went back to the start for The First Purge. And much like the title suggests, the story revolves around the first time the New Founding Fathers of America launched The Purge experiment on Staten Island in New York.
In his review, GameSpot's Michael Rougeau said, "That The First Purge is a prequel means the people we see suffering in it are doomed to at least another 25 years of annual violence and oppression, a fact you'll be acutely aware of as the dawn breaks on the first experiment, the few survivors limp down the street, and the tastelessly summoned Kendrick Lamar song "Alright" ("Alls my life I had to fight…") thumps into life over your theater's speakers."
Slender Man
Price to own: $15
To rent: $6
The creepypasta story has finally come to life on the big screen. In Slender Man, a group of friends who are obsessed with the titular character but want to prove it doesn't exist. However, their theory is wrong, and Slender Man stalks them.
In her review of Slender Man, GameSpot's Med Downey said, "Slender Man isn't unwatchable, but there are better ways to seek out your cheap, internet-based thrills. In fact, if Slender Man is really your jam, you might be better off sitting down to watch one of the many free YouTube found footage series he's inspired--they'll do better to scratch that itch and probably provide more genuine scares per second than this 90-minute montage."
Hereditary
Price to own: $10
To rent: $6
In Hereditary, a grandmother passes, and the family grieves her death. However, members of the family experience disturbances which unravel dark secrets about their family's history. This atmospheric horror film has some incredibly haunting moments--including that clicking sound--and is easily one of the best horror films of the year.
In his review of the movie, GameSpot's Michael Rougeau said, "Is this all really happening, or is it a grief-induced breakdown? Does she love her family, or hate them, or a little bit of both? As the supernatural scares become more prominent, those questions get harder to answer. But it's a gradual shift. Afterward, you won't know quite how to process what you've just seen. But if you love great horror, you'll be dying to see it again."
A Quiet Place
Price to own: $10
To rent: $6
In a world overrun by monsters who hunt by sound, a family survives on a farm, raising a couple of children, with another kid on the way. Because having a child in a world inhabited by monsters that can easily kill who are attracted by the slightest sound is a really great idea, right?
In his review, GameSpot's Tony Wilson said, "A Quiet Place does its job well: It clearly establishes ground rules, continually ups the danger, and makes dynamic use of all types of sound. Any hope of progress or safety in this world can be crushed by a dropped object or even the soft crying of a baby. There are precious few seconds where the Abbotts--and you as the viewer--can relax. While it certainly doesn’t shy away from trying to make you jump, it’s the sonic nature of the scares and unending threat of everyday actions that make this film stand tall."
Truth Or Dare
Price to own: $15 (4K)
To rent: $6.
Truth or Dare is a pretty weird movie. It follows a group of friends on vacation who play a game of, you guessed it, Truth or Dare. However, the game follows them home and if they don't take part in the game, they die. What is killing these people and how can they stop it?
It's a fun movie, but it no way should you be expecting a game-changing horror movie. The movie is very much a "paint-by-numbers" supernatural horror film, but the entertainment value comes from the inventive ways these people die.
Note: There is a movie on Netflix, with roughly the same plot, from a year prior, with the exact same title. They are not the same movie though.
Unfriended: Dark Web
Price to own: $10
To rent: $6
Much like the 2014 original movie, Dark Web all takes place on a laptop computer, connecting the cast through video chatting. The story follows a teenager who finds a laptop and begins to use it. He quickly learns its previous owner is watching him and wants it back. The group finds videos of people being killed that are connected to the original owner of the computer.
The movie didn't garner as high of a score as the first movie, earning a 53 on Metacritic. It's a lot more of the same, if you've seen the original movie; however, the supernatural element is removed, and it's basically a bunch of weirdos killing people.
Mandy
Price to own: $16
To rent: $7
There has been lots of talk over the summer about the new Nicolas Cage movie, Mandy. The horror/action movie takes place in the early '80s, and follows Red (Cage) and his girlfriend Mandy, who live in the forest when they become the target of a cult which summons motorcycle riding demons. These demons want to kidnap Mandy, and Red arms himself to get his girlfriend back.
We've heard mostly good things about this movie, and many people are saying the same thing: "This movie is insane." Mandy is playing limitedly throughout the United States. Although it's still in theaters, you can either rent it or buy it through various services.
Mara
Price to rent: $7
Mara is a movie that revolves around sleep paralysis, a disorder where you are awake but unable to move, and at times, you have hallucinations. In the movie, the paralysis is caused by an ancient entity that kills you while in this state, and a psychologist investigates it and tries to find a way to stop it.
There are a lot of Nightmare on Elm St. elements to this movie, minus the charismatic antagonist. It's a middle-of-the-road supernatural horror film that provides a bit of fun along the way. Currently, you can only rent Mara on various digital services, and it won't be available for purchase for both digital and home release on November 6.
Insidious: The Last Key
Price to own: $10
To rent: $4
All four Insidious movies: $25
Dr. Elise Rainier returns to the Insidious series to investigate where her obsession with the paranormal began, at her childhood home. There, she discovers an evil ghost which has keys for fingers.
The newest installment of the Insidious series is more of the same, but still a lot of fun. The main ghost for the The Last Key is inventive and the whole "key fingers" element to the character is weird and exceptionally creepy. This isn't the best in the Insidious series, but it does round out Dr. Rainier's story pretty well. If you're a fan of the Insidious franchise, all four movies are available for purchase--as a bundle--for $25 on Google Play and $30 on Vudu.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.