Some horror films try to reinvent the genre. Others proudly embrace everything that made it great in the first place. Red Ribbons in the House of Stained Glass, from writer-director Jeff Speed, falls squarely into the latter category. Inspired by the stylish Italian giallo thrillers of the 1960s and 1970s, …

The Happenstance Horror Film Festival (Salem, Massachusetts) offered a block of films from the greater New England area. The eleven-film lineup covered plenty of ground, from surreal escapes and unsettling television to workplace frustration with a body count. Some stories connected with me more than others, but there was no …

Killer videotapes, vampire gunslingers, and bands performing in places where you probably shouldn’t wander alone. Happenstance Horror Fest’s animation and music videos block offers an unusual alternative to your Saturday morning cartoons. The collection moves between animated shorts and horror-themed music videos, with mixed results. Some entries have stronger visuals …

Witchcraft, creepy dolls, royal secrets, and monster bugs. Happenstance Horror Fest’s International block covers plenty of horror territory across six short films, moving from supernatural silliness to darker, more unsettling material. As with most collections, some entries stood out more than others, but the variety keeps things interesting. Dizzy Spell …

Leaving a religion can sound straightforward to someone who has never had to do it. If you no longer believe, you stop going to church and move on. But what happens when that church is tied to your family, your friendships, and much of how you understand yourself? Heathens follows …

Some horror movies want to terrify you. Others want to make you think. Unsavory Elements seems perfectly content to make you laugh, squirm, and occasionally wonder what the hell you’re watching. Set in an Asian brothel, the film delivers a darkly comedic blend of exploitation horror, outrageous violence, and the …

Some horror films frighten us with monsters, violence, or things lurking in the shadows. Others find their horror in something far more familiar: the human need to be loved, accepted, and understood. Writer/director Cassie Keet’s Abigail Before Beatrice (2025) belongs firmly in the latter category, delivering an intelligent, unsettling, and …

Most people heading into the woods pack for a hike. The man at the center of The Woods Beckon is preparing for something considerably harder to explain. He must leave his family behind and venture into the wilderness to “transform.” Into what? The film keeps that largely to itself. Stranger …

There are plenty of film festivals where you can watch movies. The best ones give you something more. At the 2026 HorrOrigins Film Festival in Tucson, Arizona, it was difficult to spend much time between screenings without finding yourself talking to a filmmaker, actor, writer, artist or fellow horror fan. …