Hello! Welcome to the FREE Monday newsletter where I give you my unsolicited movie recommendations! I saw The First Omen yesterday (in a delightful turn of events, it was great!), and started thinking about some of my favorite movies where you just want to yell at the screen, “Girl, get out of that [insert location here]!”
The Ritual
Girl, get out of that cabin! Admittedly, The Ritual is really only half of this type of movie, as eventually these bros DO leave the abandoned cabin they were forced into when it started raining on their hiking trip. However, what occurs in that cabin over the course of the night they spend there is some of the most unsettling horror filmmaking I’ve ever experienced. The latter half of the movie gets significantly weaker, in my opinion – but the night in the cabin is worth the price of admission.
The Visit
Girl, get out of your grandparents’ house! Tbh, I can’t look at the above photo without squealing in terror. The Visit is a great example of why M. Night Shyamalan is the king of set ups. What if you went to your grandparents house and they were up to some freaky shit? Perfect. No notes.
The Invitation
Girl, get out of that dinner party! Over the course of its runtime, The Invitation slowly ratchets up the tension – and I mean slowly. Like, almost at a snail’s pace. But that unhurried rollout keeps the things that do happen taut with discomfort, keeping you wondering if you, much like the main character, are making something out of nothing. It’s a really cool feat of filmmaking from Karyn Kusama.
Green Room
Girl, get out of that green room! When I saw this movie for the first time, I lived in Nashville right around the corner from The Belcourt Theater, within walking distance. I have a vivid memory of walking home after seeing this movie convinced a skinhead Nazi was about to jump out of the shadows and stab me to death – that’s how effective and brutal the violence in Green Room is.
Thanks for reading! See you Friday with the next newsletter.
Have seen all the old Omen movies and thought they were getting stale, but will watch the new one on your recommendation. You rarely steer us wrong. And speaking of recommendations: Ready Or Not. Girl, get out of that marriage!
I did see The Visit on one of your earlier recs - Creepy as Hell. Your Nashville experience - glad you got home that night! I submit Alien 1979 - Lambert played by Veronica Cartwright. Girl - get the hell out of there - that thing is coming for you!!!!!!!!!!!