Looking for a good scare? Here are some 2023 Horror Movies for Halloween!

Hey guys, 

I know this blog is usually about horror literature. However, I am a renaissance horror nerd. I enjoy horror movies, books, and hoodies. So in honor of the best time of year, here are some new 2023 horror movies I have watched recently.

Just a reminder that I am not a movie critic and it shows. Also, while I have tried my best to be vague, there may be mild spoilers ahead.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter 

Okay, so we have seen a lot of Dracula movies. From the recent Reinfield to the amazing BBC mini-series Dracula to the OG Bela Lugosi, it's hard to tell this story in a new way. While I am not sure Voyage did that, I did really enjoy watching it. I liked the voyage of the Demeter for four reasons:

1. It was a period piece horror (one of my absolute favorite categories)

2. The Voyage of the Demeter has a diverse and historically accurate cast. I feel like period piece films often forget that POC have existed in all walks of life throughout history. The Voyage of the Demeter did not forget that, and its better for it.

3. It was a horror movie set on a boat, especially an old creepy wooden boat (another favorite category.) 

4. Last but most important, Last Voyage of the Demeter did something lacking in most vampire films– it made Dracula TERRIFYING. 

The Dracula in this film is a far cry from the well dressed and handsome fuckboi he is often depicted as (I mean, sure he drinks blood, but he's hot and funny? How bad can he be?)

The VotD Dracula is a horrifying creature of bone colored eyes and leering, bloody mouth, skulking in the shadows of the ship. This Dracula is not visiting ladies in their boudoir. He is crawling on all fours, killing dogs and menacing sailors. You do not want this Dracula in your boudoir. You would scream, and not in a good way. 

(Trigger warning– there is a dog death in this film, but it is done off screen. I could handle it, and I usually can’t abide with mistreatment of animals in movies) 

The Boogeyman

This is a shake and bake horror movie, but I watched it because it was based off of a Stephen King short (which I have not read, but I will. I love you, Mr. King.) It was also streaming on Hulu. 

The Boogeyman (2023) was not bad, not groundbreaking either. The plot is pretty much the standard horror-movie-involving kids. The formula goes like this:

• Step One: Something bad and tragic happens before the plot begins (In this case, mom dies.)

• Step Two: Total fucking parental failure. These morons, who apparently have never known grief or death before despite being in their 40ies, usually do something stupid and drastic with their children to “help them move on.” This often includes moving them to a creepy-ass old house, maybe in a different country, and definitely away from their living loved ones. Because nothing helps a child with grief like completely uprooting their lives, right? 

In the case of The Boogeyman, the useless parent is the father. Despite being a therapist, he completely refuses to discuss the death of their mother with his children, dismisses their legitimate fears and generally acts like a stupid asshole who should know better. Again, standard horror movie stuff. 

• Step Three: Here comes the monster, and this is where The Boogeyman shines– the monster, who is a real monster and not a metaphor for grief or a pissed off dead person– is awesome. Great creature design, great concept. Worth seeing for that alone. 

• Step Four: Then back to a typical horror movie, the teenage girl is viciously bullied for having a dead mom (?) but then saves the day while also stepping up to be the only parent in the home, etc etc. Honestly as if we don’t ask enough of teenage girls, they also are required to be the only halfway reasonable adult in horror movies. Ridiculous. Unreal. 

Cobweb

This one got real for me. See, this movie shares a director with one of the best horror shows I have ever watched: Netflix’s Marianne. Like Marianne, I adored Cobweb (2023). It was atmospheric, original, and definitely scary. I watch a lot of horror movies and it is unusual for me to be truly scared, so trust me when I say that this movie is fucking terrifying. 

But like Marianne, there were a lot of places Cobweb fell apart. For Marianne it was an issue with dialogue and character– the story started strong (the opening episode of Marianne is one of the most frightening things I’ve ever watched. It's especially good in its original french.) But then the wheels fell off.

For Marianne it was a character and dialogue problem–  but for Cobweb it was more of a plot hole problem. Maybe some of that can be chalked up to the magical realism nature of the movie? Anyway, Cobweb is an amazing creature feature and if you are looking for a scare, it certainly won’t disappoint. 

That’s all for now, my lovely horrible friends. Thanks for reading, and if you like what you read here please share with your friends! It helps me immensely.