Below is an archive of capsule reviews of horror movies, previously published on our horror guide pages, written by Rory Doherty.
Halloween II (2009)
Its loud, vulgar nature may put off the unconverted, but for those willing to go into this sequel-to-a-remake with an open mind, a revelation may occur. This slasher followup is secretly the go-to horror film about surviving trauma, delving into transcendent, dreamlike imagery and sculpting Michael Myers into a towering, golem-like figure of burning woundedness. The kills aren’t just packed with gore, but loaded with a definite tragedy; Rob Zombie here details in his terrifying version of American horror.
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Other than celebrating the 20th anniversary of the original slasher, it’s easy to see why this 1998 reboot was made—Scream had reignited the slasher genre a couple years prior. Scream 2 even makes a cameo on a TV in this film, a response to Halloween featuring in a horror movie marathon in the original Scream! This film explored Laurie Strode’s trauma before the 2018 reboot, with surprising delicacy thanks to legendary scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis.
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
It’s really hard to understate how ubiquitous the slasher movie was in the early 80s. Triggered by the big hit that was the original Halloween, every corner of North America took advantage of the craze, and that includes tiny mining towns. A pick-axe and a gas mask makes for pretty visually arresting slasher villain apparel, and the dingy mines and long, drawn-out night feels kitschy in all the right ways.
Veronica (2017)
This Spanish-language demonic horror made quite the buzz when it launched on international Netflixes a while ago, with clickbait articles clamouring that people were passing out with how scary it is. Mileage may vary on loss of consciousness, but Veronica does drip with dread and is packed with inventive scares. It’s one of the best Ouija board horror films out there, with a powerful story about being haunted.
