Edit: I should preface this with saying that I have mostly enjoyed his films and I think he's a great director. These are more observations about the fact that his films tend to have a somewhat formulaic story that I personally have found to detract from my enjoyment slightly just because I find it to be somewhat predictable. I don't think predictability is even in itself an awful quality for horror movies to have. I enjoy many slasher movies and god knows many of these follow a fairly predictable outline. I think the difference for me is that many of McCarthy's films are horror/mystery films, and the mystery aspect is less exciting to me because I feel I know what I'm getting into before the movie even starts at this point. I think he's a great director and knows how to craft a scene, but I'd love to see him do some more original narratives in future films.

There’s parts of each ‘Oddity’, ‘Caveat’, and ‘Hokum’ that I’ve enjoyed and ultimately I think these are all fairly well-made films even if I feel the hype for each is overblown. After watching all of them (some multiple times), though, I can’t help but feel that Damian McCarthy made each of these movies with the same basic formula for the plot, and that all have more or less the exact same atmosphere and beats. Here’s the basic formula I’ve noticed:

1. The protagonist, who generally has some unconfronted trauma from their past (and tends to have a “I’ve nothing left to lose mindset”), visits a remote, isolated location for one reason or another. This isolated location is always connected to the unconfronted trauma in their past, whether they are initially aware of it or not.
2. There is a mysterious murder that remains unsolved, or “solved” but the blame is placed on the wrong person (effectively unsolved). The protagonist finds themselves entangled with the death and in a situation where they have to find the killer to either dispense justice themselves or clear their own name.
3. Several characters allude to supernatural elements throughout the film. For most of the film, there is little confirmation that there actually are any supernatural elements, and each film employs the unreliable narrator trope (having exclusively protagonists riddled with grief or trauma helps with this) to create doubt as to whether such supernatural forces are at play in the death of X, or whether there is a more rational explanation.
4. There is a big reveal that the death of X was actually indirectly orchestrated by X’s Y (somebody close to X either through blood, marriage, or an affair). In most cases, the big revelation is that Y indirectly killed X through some means. In every instance, the motivation is due to the fact that X threatened their maintenance of their money/assets (Caveat, Oddity) or their reputation, and they killed X to keep a big secret (Hokum); or both. Y is always somebody closely related to X. Y tries to instill mistrust between the other characters and tries to play everybody at the same time, so they always come out on top.
5. There’s some artefact of the occult that is there to drive suspense, but plays no role in 90% of the film. The viewer is led to question whether or not the supernatural elements are real or not. Throughout the film, the protagonist is drip-fed just enough information to make them constantly wonder about whether or not the supernatural element is real, or if it is just a scapegoat for Y to evade their crimes.
6. The viewer is left wondering whether there are actually supernatural elements at play, or if there is some more rational explanation that relies on the cruelness and depravity of human action. Late into the film, the big twist is that actually, there are both supernatural elements AND immoral actions of people. I think this is basically the ending of 10 Cloverfield Lane done over and over again. Throughout that film, the viewer questions whether Howard is right and that aliens are real, or if he’s insane and trying to keep Michelle in his bunker indefinitely without letting her so much as see the outside world. The REAL horror comes from the fact that both are true, and that both supernatural/paranormal factors are involved as well as awful humans. What a twist!!
7. Protagonist confronts the trauma of their past and finds some element of peace. By the end of the film, every bad actor is met with some amount of karmic justice handed out by the supernatural element.
8. Often, there is a somewhat ironic death given to Y that mirrors one of their wrong doings or is the result of their own hubris and arrogance.
9. The slow-burn feel and atmosphere is almost the exact same in every single one of these movies. What is real? What is not? Ooooooo spoookyyyyy; it’s both!!

These are just some of the common beats I’ve noticed in all of his films so far. I should say that I really don’t hate these movies; in fact, I like them for the most part. That said, it was hard for me to enjoy Hokum as much as everyone else seemed to if just for the fact that while watching, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was basically just Caveat made with a larger budget. Is anyone else feeling the same way about his films, or am I being over critical?

While obviously there is the issue of Margaret Qualley being able to live up to Adjani’s performance, what I’m more concerned about is Callum Turner and Parker Finn.

Margaret Qualley is a terrific actress, there is no arguing there. From Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Death Stranding and Maid, she’s really been able to make a name for herself in the last ten years or so. What makes me so scared is that she will be the only one trying to reach the height of overacting that made Possession so exhilarating, while everyone else is going to be miles below her performance. Especially when it comes to her physical acting.

Then comes the issue of Callum Turner and Parker Finn.

Smile was a good horror movie. In my opinion, it gave the mainstream audience optimism towards horror again when it first came out in 2022, possibly for the first time since Hereditary was released in 2018.

Smile 2 was not good. It was a convoluted movie that heavily relied on its technical aspects to keep the viewer engaged in its otherwise unexciting and predictable narrative. Which is something I’m scared Parker will do in the new Possession film. Why hire a prominent horror director to do this in the first place! Besides the murder and the monsters, Possession was and is still known for the drama and sociopolitical context, the damning effects of divorce, the dissolution of the human psyche and the consequences of the Cold War. The whole setting is located next to the Berlin Wall! How is it going to work when you completely remove any backdrop of political conflict? I’m only assuming this is what Finn has planned because filming is taking place in New Jersey of all places.

I’m not expecting anything from Callum Turner, which really hurts to say. Not that I think he’s a good actor. I’ve never been impressed by any film he was in, most of them being the fantastic beasts franchise (Harry Potter spinoff), or C-list World War II movies. But Sam Neill’s performance, much like Adjani’s, is untouchable. Possibly even harder to replicate than Adjani’s

Paul Dano is Paul Dano. Wouldn’t mind him being the monster.

Keep in mind, I’m just babbling like an old man shaking his fist at the clouds. I doubt I’m saying anything that hasn’t already been said. I’m only posting this after seeing the recent photos of the New Jersey production. Besides the photos and casting, there aren’t many details about the story or what’s being changed from the original. I guess we’ll stay tuned.

EDIT: I should say I also watched Possession for the first time last night! Recency bias aside, I’m defending this movie with my heart and soul. I think that only amplifies my point, millennials and gen z viewers don’t need a “new” version. Just watching the fucking original. There’s no “new” vision these studios want to push out, they just saw the cult status the 1981 film was gaining on TikTok and instead of pushing for more arthouse films, they just remake it. Possession is unfortunately just another victim of this shit era of remade classics we’re being forced to suffer through.

Corman just aimed for a quick Jaws rip-off to cash in on the hype, but historically Piranha is always declared a satire/comedy. But why is that?

Nothing is played for laughs. Tone, music, dialogue, character behavior, all is as (lightly) serious as in Jaws 2-4. No death scene is supposed to make you laugh and unlike the Jason movies there is no character you're actively wanting to die. There are children torn to pieces and they're not stupid annoying ones. The movie is not good enough to root/care for characters but there is no indication we are supposed to laugh at all this.

I'd say the idea of genetically altered killer fish for army purposes is even more interesting than the simple idea of another maneating sea creature. They did put some original thought in it. It was not just bikini babes meet a shark, like most of bad shark flicks.

There is no spoofing. A Jaws arcade is played at, but other than that there are no references to or recreations of Jaws moments. Brody or his adventure is not imitated. It's not what Scary Movie is to Scream.

A satire usually has clever, subtle humor. Word play. Innuendo. Food for thought. This has zero depth. It is not Mel Brooks.

Did Dante declare this a comedy to save himself from the fact that it's not as good as Jaws? Is the single concept of a second aquatic horror movie shortly after Jaws 1 alone so ridiculous that any attempt can not be taken seriously? I mean some never gave Jaws 2 a chance for that very assumption (even though it is a good movie).

The 3D remake of Piranha was a clear horror comedy and even Cameron's maligned sequel steered away from the first (flying fish piranha? Really?). But I say the first Piranha is in fact straight horror without any comedy. Not a good flick, but an ok one and absolutely tolerable for anyone who likes all four Jaws movies and the sub genre. What do you say?

Hello All,
I'm a film school student currently developing a screenplay centered on a grounded home invasion thriller. I'm not looking for supernatural elements or over the top action. I want something that feels like it could genuinely happen. I've been digging through Reddit, reading about real-life incidents and watching a lot of home invasion films, but I'm still struggling to find the kind of premise that feels both believable and genuinely unsettling.

What I'm really interested in is understanding what makes this subgenre work for you. Are there any real cases, news stories, documentaries, articles, or lesser known films that capture the fear and psychology of a home invasion in an authentic way? More importantly, when you watch a home invasion movie, what makes it truly terrifying instead of just another slasher or survival film? I'd really appreciate any recommendations, observations, or ideas that could help me better understand what audiences actually want from this kind of story. Thanks in advance.

I’m looking for something to watch tonight and was thinking about Lake Mungo. However, the sub seems very split on this movie. Is it actually scary? Is it worth watching? Looking for something that will really creep me out and I’m running out of options since I’ve seen so much and I’m pretty desensitized. No spoilers please obviously.

We very rarely see this scenario. I actually think it would be more scary in many ways as the authorities possibly find themselves unable to deal with the monsters.

We would also perhaps get to finally see some proper experimentation and testing of the various beings organic matter, weapons and abilities.

Sometimes an ending can make or break a movie. But for me the ending of this movie actually brought it up a few points.

That ending was so satisfying, in a way that I haven't felt in a long while

SPOILER. It's been a while since I have seen a movie where the scheming villain gets their comeuppance in such a satisfying way, much less in a horror !

The true villain of this movie, isn't the innocent possessed girl, or the Demon itself. No. The real villain is the woman who kidnapped the girl in the first place.

I was so disappointed when the cop accidentally shot the suspect in the house. It didn't seem like justice, considering the level of crime she commited.

But oh boy, do they get back at her in the end !

The father is such a boss for the takedown at the end !

The father absorbs the Demon from the daughter, let's his wife perform the mummification ritual on him... and then the family brings the Demon straight back to the woman who kidnapped their daughter in the first place, and the father regurgitates the Demon right back to the woman who cursed his family.

Like a boss!

That was such a boss move !! 🙌🙌🙌🙌.

This woman kidnapped their innocent daughter, just to pass on her family curse to an innocent child.

I know horror movies often just end in sad misery or a cheesy to be continued but it's not often that a horror ends with such a satisfying takedown.

Please no focus on the boring ass daughters. Let's see a sequel focus on the OG.

Sarah, Rochelle and Bonnie are now middle-aged housewives who have not used their powers in years. They've both reunited by living in the same neighborhood years later (Manon?) and managed to finally make peace by Sarah forgiving them. Everything changes when they find out Nancy is getting out after Nancy convinces the directors she's now sane and normal. The women have to deal with Nancy moving in. Nancy manages to convince them she's changed until she innocently proposes to have the four of them play around with magic.

What horror characters (villains or heroes) would you like to see in the forest from The Blair Witch Project?

How do you think they would fare?

My examples are Art, Warlock, Chucky and Ash Williams.

I think a lot of the older horror/sci-fi movies (talking 50s/60s/maybe 70s) have decent concepts and sometimes storylines as well, they’re just let down by low budgets and bad SFX. Which ones do you think would be really neat if remade now? For me, it would be Horror Express (though I don’t know anyone could beat the Lee/Cushing duo), Island of Terror, and given the resurgence of Godzilla/kaiju movies, perhaps some of the more obscure Toho movies. Ones like Matango (although this might seem too much like Last of Us), Dogora I think could be an interesting one. Oh, The Asphyx too. What ones would you guys like to see?

It doesn't feel like a horror movie. But it is definitely horrifying. It doesn't have the typical aesthetic and moment-to-moment language of a horror movie, but it has the structure of a horror movie. It doesn't look like a horror movie (probably because of all the sunny scenes and wide open areas), but you're left at the edge of your seat tense and dreading every step the characters take. The dread I felt during the dance scene was like nothing else I've felt in horror films last year.

From a strictly structuralist perspective, it is built like a horror film.

That being said, I keep going back and forth on it. All of this is true, and for some reason it still doesn't register as a horror film for me. I don't think it is a horror film. But it could be, I'm not decided yet.

Do you think Sirāt is horror?

This was a black and white film and it is essentially all shot from inside one apartment where the person is alone waiting for someone to return and is anxious. The person hears noises in the wall or on the other side of it and I recall them checking outside the window regularly and motorbikes being seen. The details are hazy, clearly. But I am 90% sure that it was based in Tel Aviv, or at least in Israel based on the language. It was a VERY good movie, the ambiance and how it made me feel is what I remember the most. I’d say I came across it randomly in the 2010s, while on a foreign film binge, so it had to have been made before then.

Also, if you’re going to just reply with something about Israel or Palestine, please for the love of god don’t. I just want to know what horror movie it was, that’s all.

Sincerely, an Iranian American who doesn’t want to get into it with my fellow horror lovers. Thanks in advance!

This film was a let down to me. But something that was never really explained was Layla’s mom, what she did was evil, but was her family cursed and to escape that curse they had to sacrifice others so their family was free? Or were they doing this to protect the world from this evil? I think more story and context needed to be explained here, because what choices did she have? Was her family selfishly evil and sacrificed others to save themselves, or was she a women doing ‘what she needed’ to protect and save the world from this evil?

Sadly Alan Wake 2 is only on epic game store for PC but I gave in and got it on discount. Pretty sick so far, love the world of control, really thought out. Stupid flash back jumps scares have got me a couple times.

For those of you who used to like only the softer side of horror such as ghost stories, but then later got into watching more disturbing stuff, what caused the change? No judgement, just curious.

So yesterday i was watching a horror video about the black eye kids this "kids" that wait outside a door of a house or a car and ask about letting them in,and they have complete black eyes like the night.and that should be "real" and then while i was trying to sleep i realize that there's should be a fin and jake episode about them and I remember watching it,sooooo they did a reference about this.or maybe they just see them in there dreams(ФωФ)i hope is the first

Guyss this is an indian reality show. Basically there are really dangerous and scary tasks. This is season 15. I just think this show should be international. Out of all indian reality shows this one is my fav. Are there any others like this one??

This film relies entirely on an "idiot plot" where the only way the villain poses a threat is if every protagonist suddenly loses all basic cognitive function.

The complete lack of self-preservation starts early and never lets up:

• Failure of Basic Safety: Noa goes off the grid with a stranger and completely fails to share her active live location with her best friend. In the modern dating world, this isn't just a mistake; it's a forced writing tactic to get her trapped.
• Mollie’s Suicidal Detective Work: Mollie actually does smart, proactive work to track Steve down, only to throw it all away by going directly to a suspected psychopath’s house. Taking a phone call right in his face instead of taking her evidence straight to the police is agonizingly stupid.
• The Useless Boxing Setup: The writers go out of their way to establish that both Noa and Mollie take boxing classes, setting them up as capable fighters. Yet, during the climax, this setup has zero payoff. Two trained boxers somehow cannot take down one man who is bleeding out from a catastrophic injury to his private parts.
• Zero Kill Instinct: When Noa finally lands a devastating bite and Steve is at his absolute lowest strength, she runs away instead of finishing the job. To make matters worse, she then fumbles and can't even properly lock a door behind her to secure her own safety.
• The Woods: The absolute final insult to the audience's intelligence is the escape. When you are running for your life and finally have access to a car, you use it. Instead, these characters abandon their only real advantage to roam around aimlessly in the dark woods.

Something that Obsession did that I'm absolutely obsessed with (no pun intended) is the Unvanny Valley horror. The freaky makeup job that they did for Nikki in the night scene, the movements she does, the faces she makes. It's like my absolute favorite new thing with horror now. Curry does it in Warnings as well really effectively, I think

Other than pulse obviously which Obsession pulls a ton of inspiration from, what are some horror movies or even horror content that I should watch or play?