Terror Tapes – Monsters & the Supernatural

L-R: *Sinister, From Dusk till Dawn, The Host, Insidious, The Descent, Train to Busan*

#-A–B–C–D–E–F–G–H–I–J–K–L–M–N–O–P-Q-R–S–T–U-V–W-X-Y-Z

Abigail
Released: 2024
Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Synopsis: Abigail, the daughter of a rich man, is kidnapped and held to ransom by a group of criminals that do not reveal their names or backgrounds to each other. Little do they know, Abigail is much more than she appears.
Verdict: The twist of the story isn’t particularly original and comes quite early on in the film, which is fine, but the gore and Ready or Not style of hide-and-seek in a big house is rather fun. The performances aren’t all that enticing, but lead actresses hold the film on their shoulders. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Abigail review.

All Hallows’ Eve series
Released: 2013-2024
Synopsis: A series of anthology films featuring all manner of terror, horrors and gore.
Verdict: The first film isn’t particularly strong and acts as more of a setup for Art the Clown and the Terrifier series (2/5), whereas the second film features more episodes that are shorter but focus more on the psychological impact than shock and gore (3/5). (There are two more entries in the series but they are proving harder to find on streaming.)
Read the Tiny Tapes All Hallows’ Eve 1 & 2 reviews.

Anaconda
Released: 1997
Director: Luis Llosa
Synopsis: A film crew stumble upon an apparently lost man in the Amazon rainforest, but they soon come to find that man is there for a reason: to catch the giant anaconda, and he will need all the help he can (forcefully) get.
Verdict: Watching this film as a kid was quite scary, but as an adult? Definitely not, especially not now we’ve come to expect top notch graphics. However, it’s still a relatively average thriller with entirely average performances (Jennifer Lopez? Owen Wilson?? Ice Cube??? #90s). 3/5

Antlers
Released: 2022
Director: Scott Cooper
Synopsis: When a teacher notices one of her students may be suffering (physically and mentally) at home, she takes matters into her own hands, and eventually the hands of the local sheriff and police force. Unbeknownst to those looking out for the boy, his family have recently suffered a malignant curse that the boy desperately tries to keep under wraps
Verdict: A decent scary movie for those with a weaker constitution for horror, but for those who enjoy being SCARED, this one could still be worth a watch if only for the themes and storyline. Jeremy T. Thomas does a really good job for such a young actor too, reminiscent of a (super) young Thomas Brodie-Sangster. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Antlers review.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe
Released: 2016
Director: André Øvredal
Synopsis: When an anonymous body is brought into their morgue, a coroner and his son/assistant work overmight to uncover the mystery of the Jane Doe’s death.
Verdict: This film has great suspense in the first half, but then delves into too many clichés in the second. The mystery aspects work very well, keeping viewers on tenterhooks as the autopsy raises more questions than answers, and the make up and prosthetics keep things realistic. A good ride, even if the ending isn’t particularly original. 3/5

Azrael
Released: 2024
Director: E.L. Katz
Synopsis: In a post-Rapture world, Azrael (Samara Weaving) is cast out from her muted community along with her boyfriend and they are constantly having to avoid the Burned Ones. When they are forced apart, Azrael finds herself in more danger, and frankly, she’s had just about enough.
Verdict: This film takes its own path of a dystopian future, whether through supernatural or less so reasons, where the human race has been set back a few millennia, and although it may not be the most original of concepts, it’s the mutism and Weaving’s performance that really give Azrael its legs, not to mention its intriguing ending. 3.5/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Azrael review.

The Black Phone duology
Released: 2021/2025
Director: Scott Derrickson
Synopsis: Young Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) has psychic dreams that hint at the whereabouts of some missing children. When her own brother Finney (Mason Thames) is kidnapped, Gwen relies on her abilities to find him, in spite of their abusive father’s misgivings. In Black Phone 2, Gwen and Finn are haunted by Finn’s captor and delve into their family history to find out how to kill him for good.
Verdict: The short story by Joe Hill doesn’t give a whole lot away, and the first film just adds more characters to lengthen the plot rather than explore the supernatural side of the story (3/5). The second film adds more depth to the characters and further explores the the supernatural side. (4/5)
Read the Tiny Tapes The Black Phone and the full Black Phone 2 reviews.

Bring Her Back
Release date: 2025
Directors: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Synopsis: A brother and sister discover some strange things at the home of their foster mother.
Verdict: In spite of a slightly unoriginal story, the Philippou brothers prove their mettle by creating another horror film that is almost as horrific and gruesome as their debut (Talk to Me). 4/5
Read the full Bring Her Back review.

The Bye Bye Man
Released: 2017
Director: Stacy Title
Synopsis: A group of teenagers are caught up in the curse of the Bye Bye Man, where you should not speak or even think his name, or else you will become part of the chain of kill and be killed.
Verdict: If you’re quite sensitive to gore and horror, feel free to watch this film for a minor scare. If you have any sense of what a good horror film should be, do not waste your time. A weak premise, poor performances and generally a boring film. 2/5

Candyman series
Released: 1992
Director: Bernard Rose, based on the short story The Forbidden by Clive Barker
Synopsis: The legend of the Candyman goes that if you say his name five times in front of a mirror (clearly he is more demanding than Bloody Mary), then the hook-man himself will appear and commit murder. Student Helen (Virginia Madsen), a sceptic, finds this out the hard way.
Verdict: Coming soon

Cat People
Released: 1942
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Synopsis: A Serbian immigrant fears a legend of her people that says they turn into panthers when they are aroused. When she suspects her husband of turning his attentions to another woman, she begins to stalk the woman.
Verdict: Coming soon

Christine
Released: 1983
Director: John Carpenter
Synopsis: When Arnie (Keith Gordon) buys a 1958 Plymouth Fury car, it appears to become possessive of him and takes on a personality of its own, causing havoc in Arnie’s life and the lives of those around him
Verdict: Coming soon

Cinderella’s Curse
Released: 2024
Director: Louisa Warren
Synopsis: When Cinderella (Kelly Rian Sanson) is humiliated one too many times by her abusive stepmother and stepsisters, her corpse-like fairy godmother grants her wish for revenge.
Verdict: It’s a fine idea to warp the classic fairy tale and it does try hard to do something different, but it ultimately becomes cliche and isn’t helped at all by weak performances and flat characters. Comes across more like a gory Christmas panto or television soap rather than a purposefully dramatic horror film. 2/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Cinderella’s Curse review.

Creature From the Black Lagoon
Released: 1954
Director: Jack Arnold
Synopsis: On an expedition to the Amazon, scientists come across a violent amphibious humanoid creature – dubbed “Gill-man” – in the waters. As they try to make their way back home, the creature becomes more violent and seeks to abduct one of them.
Verdict: Arnold does a fantastic job of keeping things interesting with the various settings and use of light to enhance the picture (possibly in part due to the fact it was originally released in 3D, which at the time it was just falling out of popularity in the 50s). The costuming, while a little dated now, still works to make the creature a figure of terror, particularly with brief shots of its hand creeping out of the water or through a window. A classic that is absolutely worth your time. 4/5

The Crow
Released: 1994
Director: Alex Proyas, based on the graphic novel
Synopsis: In a violent and crime-heavy Detroit, rock musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his girlfriend are brutally attacked and murdered by a gang of thugs. One year later, Eric returns from the dead to exact revenge on their murderers.
Verdict: A disturbingly dark yet extremely satisfying story, The Crow features amazing performances, an excellent soundtrack and an atmosphere thick with vengeance. Sadly this was to be Lee’s final film, due to his death caused by an accident on set, and it is as revered now as it was then, in part for the legacy Lee left in his final work. 4/5

The Crow
Released: 2024
Director: Rupert Sanders
Synopsis: Eric Draven (Bill Skarsgård) meets Shelly (FKA Twigs) in a rehab centre. They escape together, but are murdered by the immortal Vincent Roeg (Danny Huston) who is pursuing Shelly. Eric returns from the grave to get his revenge on Roeg.
Verdict: Eric’s motivations and lack of devastation in comparison to the ’94 film leave much to be desired in this adaptation, leaving it flatter, weaker, and less dark than it ought to be. 2/5
Read the Tiny Tapes The Crow (2024) review.

Dark Water (Japanese: 仄暗い水の底から )
Released: 2002
Director: Hideo Nakata
Synopsis: When a single mother and her daughter move into a dilapidated apartment, they start to experience some strange events stemming from a leak in the ceiling from the apartment above.
Verdict: Coming soon

Dark Water
Released: 2005
Director: Walter Salles
Synopsis: In the same vein as the original film, a single mother and her daughter fear the spirit of a deceased resident in the building they move to in the aftermath of a custody battle.
Verdict: Coming soon

Dead of Night Horror Anthology
Released: 1945
Directors: Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, Robert Hamer.
Synopsis: In an early example of a frame narrative, five stories are sewn together when a group of people come together at a country manor and tell about their individual nightmares.
Verdict: Coming soon

The Dead Zone
Released: 1983
Director: David Cronenberg, based on the novel by Stephen King
Synopsis: Five years after a car accident, Johnny (Walken) wakes from a coma with psychic abilities that prove to be useful yet dangerously consequential.
Verdict: A fairly loyal adaptation, Walken is especially good in his usual understated way (though perhaps not quite how many of us envisioned Johnny), however it does seem to shy away from much of the more shocking material in King’s book, Cronenberg playing it unusually safe. 3/5

The Demon Disorder
Released: 2024
Director: Steven Boyle
Synopsis: After the death of their father, three brothers reunite at their family home. It soon comes to light that one of the brothers is acting strangely, and they begin to suspect their deceased father’s vengeful spirit may be possessing the him.
Verdict: This film is far too long for what it is. The story would work well as part of an episodic anthology, but struggles to fill its 80 minutes with anything interesting. It skims by on a handful of strong practical effects, but even the most decent of those is left until near the end. The performances are flat, the relationships weak and lacks any kind of real depth to present as a solid horror. 2/5

The Descent duology
Released: 2005/2009
Director: Neil Marshall
Synopsis: After the death of one of their closest friends, a group of women decide to go spelunking in North Carolina to honour their thrill-seeking friend. They soon find themselves trapped in the cave, and it’s not long before they realise they are not alone. In the sequel, a lone survivor suffers with amnesia, and so a group are sent to find out what happened in the cave.
Verdict: The first film is not for the claustrophobic amongst us, as the cave setting really makes you want to breathe deeply. Add being hunted down by strange cave-dwelling creatures and deteriorating friendships amongst a group of women and you’ve got yourself a horror movie indeed (3/5). A review for the sequel is coming soon.

The Devil’s Candy
Released: 2017
Director: Sean Byrne
Synopsis: A family are stalked by a murderer after moving into a new house, a murderer who claims to be killing children for the devil.
Verdict: As much about fatherhood as it is about feeding childrens’ souls to the devil, this thematic horror has some stark imagery and intense scenes. Pruitt Taylor Vince is an unsettling antagonist while Ethan Embry holds the whole thing together as an artist with a touch of madness. 3.5/5

Doctor Sleep
Released: 2019
Director: Mike Flanagan
Synopsis: Thirty-one years after the events of The Shining, Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) is a homeless alcoholic, trying to escape his memories and suppress his supernatural abilities. Danny is contacted through supernatural means by a young girl who is being hunted for her abilities. Together they come up with a plan that involves delving into Danny’s dark childhood.
Verdict: Doctor Sleep has a steady plot that rises to a satisfying boiling point. There are aspects of the Stephen King novel that have been left out, and they’re aspects that would have been good to see but would not have made sense in a film tied in with Kubrick’s The Shining universe. 4/5
Read the full Doctor Sleep review.

Dog Soldiers
Released: 2002
Director: Neil Marshall
Synopsis: A group of soldiers head to the Scottish Highlands for a training exercise. As they are hunted by unknowns attackers, they comes to realise the training area contains more than they were training for: werewolves.
Verdict: A super fun horror film with great performances, excellent visual effects/costuming/animatronics and a wonderfully dark atmosphere. Possibly one of the greatest horror films of the final era of true VFX. 4/5

The Evil Dead franchise
Released: 1981-2023
Synopsis: Starting with 1981’s The Evil Dead, the series begins with the opening of a demonic book and the playing of a demonic tape, then all literal hell breaks lose. The series goes on to follow mainly the character Ash and his fight with demons. Cut to 2013’s Evil Dead and we have something of a reboot/remake that adds a heck of a lot more gore and horror to the events mirroring those of the ’81 original.
Verdict: If you’re down for some intense gore and terrifying hell creatures, this is for you. Particularly, if you want some added comedy/B-movie-style horror, start with the 80s trilogy. Then, to really drive home the fear aspect, flip to 2013 – this one features some pretty awesome and frightful cinematography, though 2023’s Evil Dead Rise leaves a lot to be desired plot- and performance-wise.

Fantasy Island
Released: 2020
Director: Jeff Wadlow
Synopsis: After each winning a contest, a group of people are brought to Fantasy Island, a place where guests are invited to act out their biggest fantasy. Owned and run by Mr. Roarke (Michael Peña), a mysterious man who nobody really knows much about, he warns the guests that their fantasies they may not play out exactly as they hope, suggesting they need to be careful what they wish for.
Verdict: Fantasy Island is anything but – it’s laughable, messy and, above all, boring. If Blumhouse, Wadlow and all involved have any sense, they will not come back to this franchise that began with the TV in the ’70s. Check it out if you so desire, but this wannabe Shyamalan movie is quite below par. 2/5
Read the full Fantasy Island review.

Final Destination series
Released: 2000-present
Synopsis: A cult classic franchise that mainly follows groups of teens with at least one of them experiencing premonitions of fatal accidents. When they start avoiding these accidents, they are stalked by a deathly presence that won’t let them get away so easily.
Verdict: Not the strongest or most consistent series, but it’s a fairly fun binge with a few drinks and snacks (in my experience!), and I wouldn’t be mad if it was to continue, particularly if they could make one that is at least on the same level as 2000’s Final Destination. Y’know, for sadistic fun.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Final Destination and full Final Destination Bloodlines review.

Five Nights at Freddy’s duology
Released: 2023/2025
Director: Emma Tammi
Synopsis: A down-on-his-luck guy takes an undesirable job as a security guard for five nights at an abandoned pizzeria, finding that there is more to this dark place than meets the eye.
Verdict: Coming soon

The Fog
Released: 1980
Director: John Carpenter
Synopsis: As a town approaches its centenary, dangerous and mysterious things begin to happen and truths about the town’s founding are discovered. It all culminates in a strange fog covering the town, causing the townspeople to run for cover.
Verdict: In spite of its not-so-subtle themes of historical injustices and revenge, The Fog works well as a creepy flick, though it hasn’t aged particularly well, with its hammy performances and low-quality effects that struggle to hold up today. It’s not one of John Carpenter’s best films, but worth adding in if you’re doing a marathon of Carpenter features. 3/5

Frankenstein
Released: 1931
Director: James Whale
Synopsis: Dr. Frankenstein decides to play god and reanimate a body thrown together with multiple body parts from different corpses in order to create the Monster. Without someone to guide him, the misunderstood Monster terrorises the locals until they set out to hunt him down.
Verdict: A horror classic that stands the test of time, if only for its brutal nature and dark tones (in both its visuals and its story) and the famous make-up on Boris Karloff. Staying more or less true to Mary Shelley’s famous novel, there’s a lot to be terrified of in this movie, and a lot to enjoy in its 1930s style. 4/5

Frankenstein (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein)
Released: 1994
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Synopsis: Victor Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh) is hounded by the Creature (Robert DeNiro) he created and abandoned, discovering that playing God isn’t what he thought it would be.
Verdict: An excellent adaptation of the classic story with terrific performances and stunning (though at times horrifying) imagery, set designs, visual effects and make up. Almost like a stage play at times, it’s incredibly immersive and will leave you with more existential questions than answers. 4/5

Frankenstein
Released: 2025
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Synopsis: Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) becomes infamous for his work in reanimation, to the point where he is commissioned by arms dealer Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz) to speed up the process and reanimate a full body, resulting in the ‘birth’ of his Creature (Jacob Elordi). Victor comes to see his creation as an imperfect specimen, an abomination that must not be allowed to live.
Verdict: Fantastical but grounded in reality, subtle in some respects, overt in others, del Toro’s career has led up to this film, and it has totally been worth the wait, with astounding performances, terrifying visuals and incredible emotional depth. Pure gothic brilliance. 4.5/5
Read the full Frankenstein (2025) review.

From Dusk till Dawn trilogy
Released: 1996-1999
Synopsis: Two fugitive bank robbing brothers take a family hostage with an intention to flee to Mexico, when they end up at a bar that has a disturbing secret; another bank robbing gang heading to Mexico stop at the same bar with terrible consequences; and the tale goes back to the beginning to where it all began to round out the trilogy.
Verdict: Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino created a horrifying, twisty film with the inaugural ’96 film that still holds up as an excellent vampire film, however the sequel and prequel both leave a lot of be desired (although the prequel does have some interesting origins for the story).

Godzilla (Japanese: ゴジラ )
Released: 1954
Director: Ishirō Honda
Synopsis: The arrival of a giant dinosaur-like creature sends post-war Japan into chaos as it rampages through the country to Tokyo.
Verdict: Coming soon

Godzilla
Released: 1998
Director: Roland Emmerich
Synopsis: A scientist is thrown into a dangerous situation when a monster arises from the sea and begins to attack New York City.
Verdict: Coming soon

Godzilla
Released: 2014
Director: Gareth Edwards
Synopsis: US Navy officer Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) joins his estranged father in Japan where two incredible creatures are awoken and begin to wreak havoc on the world.
Verdict: Coming soon

Good Boy
Released: 2025
Director: Ben Leonberg
Synopsis: When Indy and his owner Todd (Jensen) move from the city to a rural area, Todd becomes haunted by a presence that he appears to be unaware of, but Indy, ever the loyal canine, does his best to protect Todd from the evil that surrounds him.
Verdict: With themes about depression and survival in humans and the role dogs play in both and just how central they are to our lives at times, this film is creepy and shot fairly well, though it could have been edited to give Indy a little more personality. 3.5/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Good Boy review.

The Gorge
Released: 2025
Director: Scott Derrickson
Synopsis: American Levi (Miles Teller) and Lithuanian Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) are both snipers tasked with guarding either side of a gorge for one year, Levi for America, Drasa for Russia. Despite contact between them being forbidden, they form a relationship and soon find themselves in danger from what lies within, and without, the gorge.
Verdict: Part action, part horror, part sci-fi, part love story, The Gorge hits many genres to keep tensions and emotions running high throughout. The premise is interesting and Derrickson does a good job of pulling the audience in, but due to the closeness of Levi and Drasa’s relationship and the investment we’re expected to make in it, it becomes somewhat predictable. 3/5

Gremlins duology
Released: 1984, 1990
Synopsis: Small creatures known as Mogwai are cute little pets, that is until breaking one of the rules of their care causes them to turn into evil little Gremlins.
Verdict: Coming soon

Gretel & Hansel
Released: 2020
Director: Osgood Perkins
Synopsis: Two young siblings are cast out by their mother and left to fend for themselves in the woods when they take refuge in the house of a strange old woman.
Verdict: It’s certainly a fresh take on the tale, adding in more fantastical elements to turn into a darker fairy tale than it already was, however the mix of accents is a little jarring, and the pacing slows too often for it to remain consistently interesting. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Gretel & Hansel review.

The Grudge series
Released: 2004-2020
Synopsis: A nurse from American moves to Tokyo where there are multiple strange and horrifying deaths caused by a restless malevolent spirit that passes its curse on to its victims.
Verdict: Coming soon

Halloween franchise
Released: 1978-present
Synopsis: In 1978 we were introduced to one of cinema’s most prolific and horrifying serial killers: Michael Myers. Much of his escapades revolve around the stalking of the only survivor of his first rampage, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), though the franchise swings around Michael and Laurie’s battles as well as his origins and potential explanations for his apparent resurrections.
Verdict: Halloween has endured for just about forty-five years at the time of writing, and so it must be doing something right. The entire series begins quite averagely, and then the quality is very up and down as it continues. On the whole it’s not the strongest horror series, but worth a binge if you’re down for some classic frights featuring a simple yet classic score.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Halloween and the full Halloween (2018) review.

Hellraiser series
Released: 1987-2022
Synopsis: Thanks to the discovery of a puzzle box known colloquially as the Lament Configuration, humans discover a hell dimension that is home to Cenobites. Some humans seek out this dimension to indulge in its rumoured pleasures, while others are haunted by what they witness.
Verdict: One of the best horror series out there, Hellraiser plays unapologetically with common fears of what constitutes ‘hell’, namely pain and unending fear. The Cenobites are fearsome demons, as are the people who seek them out. The series starts off very well in its inaugural film, and the gore and body horror that is introduced is kept at a relatively high level throughout the series, even if the quality of the ’87 original has not been easily replicated over the years.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Hellraiser.

The Host (Korean: 괴물 )
Released: 2006
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Synopsis: When some chemicals are leaked into the Han River, it affects the fish and animals, resulting in some monstrous abominations rising and attacking people. When Gang-du’s (Song Kang-ho) daughter is taken by a creature, he resolves to find her, while avoiding the authorities that want to silence him.
Verdict: A superb monster film that has some excellent cinematography and creature design. Strong performances and eerie set designs also make for a decent horror viewing. 4/5

The House of the Devil
Released: 2009
Director: Ti West
Synopsis: A young woman takes a babysitting job out in the sticks, but she soon finds out that she has been lured there for other sinister reasons.
Verdict: Ti West, creator of the X series, uses 16mm film effectively to give this film a genuine 80s B-movie feel, featuring a good blend of 80s horror tropes along with some fantastic visuals and framing in his direction and cinematography. Also has great pacing, even without a lot of action until the third act. 4/5

Huesera: The Bone Woman (Spanish: Huesera)
Released: 2022
Director: Michelle Garza Cervera
Synopsis: Excited at the prospect of becoming a mother, Valeria (Natalia Solián) soon finds her pregnancy threatened by dark forces.
Verdict: With themes of women’s mental health and the pressure to have children, a subplot of traditional medicines and healing and subtle yet effective horror, this is a solid all-rounder that should probably be avoided by new/expectant mothers. 4/5
Read the TIny Tapes Huesera: The Bone Woman review.

Humpty Dumpty trilogy
Released: 2021-2023
Synopsis: A cursed Humpty Dumpty doll brings nothing but blood and terror to multiple people.
Verdict: The plot of The Curse of Humpty Dumpty is alright but not well executed and is quite monotonous until the last act (2.5/5), everything about The Cult of Humpty Dumpty is just bad, including Humpty Dumpty himself hardly worthy of being a titular character (1/5), and to round out the trilogy, we have more poor performances, a weak story and barely any need for Humpty Dumpty in The Madness of Humpty Dumpty (1.5/5)
Read the Tiny Tapes Humpty Dumpty trilogy review.

Immaculate
Released: 2024
Director: Michael Mohan
Synopsis: Young nun Sister Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) heads to a convent in Italy for dying nuns to take her final vows. While there, she experiences an ‘immaculate conception’, and she soon learns that their are bigger plans for her.
Verdict: An intriguing if not entirely original premise. Starts off slow then builds momentum up until the shocking end. It does feel like the film missed a few tricks, as they could have taken the story further or done something more interesting with it, but it stands fairly sturdy as a horror film on the whole. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Immaculate review.

Inferno
Released: 1980
Director: Dario Argento
Synopsis: A young poet writes to her brother in Rome about a strange book she has uncovered, and as they both discover more and more about the occult manner of the book, people are killed and the real nightmare begins.
Verdict: Coming soon

Infested (French: Vermines)
Released: 2023
Director: Sébastien Vanicek
Synopsis: When a particularly poisonous spider finds its way from the deserts of the Middle East to an illegal seller in Paris, France, it is purchased by Kaleb (Christine), a collector of exotic creatures and dealer of sneakers. It’s not long before the spider escapes, multiplies, and causes panic and pandomonium in Kaleb’s apartment building.
Verdict: The whole thing has deeper messaging around the suburban communities and the way they’re treated, is shot spectacularly and has fantastic performances. The ending is a little soft compared to the tension of the rest of the film, but like them or not, spiders can be terrifying. 4/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Infested review.

The Innocents (Norwegian: De uskyldige)
Released: 2021
Director: Eskil Vogt
Synopsis: Two sisters befriend a boy and a girl, and it soon comes to light that one of the sisters and the two new friends all have telekinetic powers that are strengthened when they are near each other. However, the girls soon find they need to protect themselves when they boy starts to abuse his powers.
Verdict: The use of the childrens’ powers is done rather subtly, instead focusing on the effect it has on their personalities and moral understanding, but it works to create a horror/thriller that isn’t forced down our throats, assuming the audience is one with a modicum of intelligence. The performances of the young actors are very good, and if ever there were a film that needs a sequel, it is this one. 4/5
Read the Tiny Tapes The Innocents review.

Insidious series
Released: 2010-present
Synopsis: Beginning with a boy’s venture in to an outer-body-place known as the Further, a family continuously finds themselves plagued by demons and in need of the help of a psychic to rescue the boy and free their family. The series moves through sequels and prequels that tell of the future of the family and the past experiences of the psychic.
Verdict: The Insidious films certainly follow the typical route of a horror series, in that they don’t really get as good as their initial beginnings, but we do get to learn more as some of the movies move away from being mostly “scary” and more “creepy” and full of exposition. The demonic entities within the series are truly quite frightening, and the performances overall are very good.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Insidious.

It duology
Released: 2017/2019
Director: Andy Muschietti, based on the book by Stephen King
Synopsis: Chapter One follows a group of kids in Derry, Maine, as they encounter and resolve to get rid of Pennywise, a murderous clown who comes around once every 27 years to kidnap and kill children. Chapter Two follows the same group as adults, as they continue their quest to face and destroy Pennywise.
Verdict: Both films are paced very well so as to keep audiences on their toes, with great performances from Skarsgård and the young actors. The themes go beyond the obvious horror and into child and domestic abuse, homophobia and suicide. Overall, the horror is excellent and could leave you checking under your bed before you go to sleep. 4/5
Read the full It Chapter 2 review.

It Follows
Released: 2014
Director: David Robert Mitchell
Synopsis: A 19-year-old is stalked by an evil presence after a terrifying sexual experience.
Verdict: Coming soon

Ju-On series (Japanese: 呪怨 )
Released: 2000-2016
Synopsis: After a man murders his wife and son, the tennants of the building in which the crime was committed suffer from the curse left behind.
Verdict: Coming soon

King Kong
Released: 1933
Directors: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Synopsis: A film crew head to an island to shoot a film, where their lead actress is taken by a giant gorilla, whom they then capture and take back to New York City.
Verdict: Coming soon

King Kong
Released: 1976
Director: John Guillermin
Synopsis: In a slight variation to the 1933 film, a crew head to an island rumoured to be rich in oil, only to find a huge gorilla that terrifies the natives and whom they capture to take back with them.
Verdict: Coming soon

King Kong
Released: 2005
Director: Peter Jackson
Synopsis: In the same vein as the 1933 original, a film crew head to Skull Island to shoot a film, but when the lead actress is taken by a gigantic gorilla, the crew rescue her and capture the gorilla, taking it back to New York City to showcase it.
Verdict: Coming soon

Krampus
Released: 2015
Director: Michael Dougherty
Synopsis: When Max’s (Emjay Anthony) dysfunctional family get together for Christmas, he quickly becomes disillusioned with the holiday, in spite of his belief in Santa Claus. As a result, he unknowingly awakens the Krampus, demonic entity that appears to punish those who lose their belief in Christmas.
Verdict: It’s always a little odd when another country’s legends end up as American films. The Northern European/Alpine legend of the Krampus is scary yet fun one, and although this film does go to great lengths to keep things creepy and shocking, it does infuse much of that American humour and tropes that take away from the creepiness. Not a bad film, just very Americanised. 3/5

The Lair
Released: 2023
Director: Neil Marshall
Synopsis: An RAF pilot is shot down over Afghanistan and soon finds herself teaming up with US soldiers after she discovers a hidden bunker containing creatures developed from human experimentation.
Verdict: In a word: awful. The performances are average to poor, the basic plot pretty much a copy/paste of Marshall’s own Dog Soldiers, and although I appreciate the effort to use practical effects rather than entirely CGI for the monsters, they do not look good. Waste your time at your peril. 2/5

Lake Placid series
Released: 1999-2018
Synopsis: 30-foot-long hungry crocodiles stalk the people of Black Lake, Maine, and every time they believe the have rid their town of the menaces, they return bigger and hungrier (and sometiems more mutated) than ever.
Verdict: Coming soon

The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Released: 2023
Director: André Øvredal
Synopsis: Aboard the ship ‘Demeter’, sailing from Bulgaria to England, is the infamous Count Dracula, unknown to the ship’s captain and crew. During the sailing, the Count arises and begins to stalk the ship’s animals and crew by night until there is nary a living thing left.
Verdict: Some dramatic license was taken to flesh out a single chapter (“The Captain’s Log”) from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and some of it works well to build the tension, but it doesn’t always work for the pacing of the film. Presenting Dracula as more of an actual monster and less human-like was also an interesting away to go, but it’s not something that will be to everyone’s taste. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes The Last Voyage of the Demeter review.

The Living Dead franchise
Released: 1968-present
Synopsis: Beginning with the classic Night of the Living Dead zombie movie, the franchise moves through multiple iterations and remakes and spin-offs, some official, some unofficial, with different styles of filming used throughout, to bring us a smorgasbord of zombie features.
Verdict: Night of the Living Dead is truly a classic and a must-watch for any hororr fan, kicking off the zombie movie invasion. The one conistency through all following films, whether officially part of the Living Dead franchise or not, is the zombie, a creature that began its undead life in movies thanks to George A. Romero’s initial feature film. A marathon of these films can be super fun, if you’re feeling forgiving of some of the installments.

Mama
Released: 2013
Director: Andy Muschietti
Synopsis: Five years after the death of their parents and their subsequent disappearance, two girls are rediscovered and rehomed with their uncle. As it turns out, they likely didn’t come back alone.
Verdict: Coming soon

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Released: 1994
Director: Kenneth Branagh, based on the book by Mary Shelley
Synopsis: Closely following the plot of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh) creates a Monster (Robert De Niro) using body parts of deceased people, including the brain of a criminal, and whom he ultimately rejects, causing the Monster to venture out alone to figure out who, or what, he is.
Verdict: The film retains much of Shelley’s themes and works hard to stay true to scenes depicted within the book. The overall production design is somewhat reminiscent of James Whales’s 1931 classic adaptation, but brings more life and reality to the Monster, who in turn is marvellously portrayed by De Niro. It’s a truly cerebal kind of horror, leaving us with more existential questions than answers. 4/5

The Mean One
Released: 2022
Director: Steven LaMorte
Synopsis: Cindy (Krystle Martin) returns to the site of her childhood trauma and is stalked by a serial killer known as The Mean One (David Howard Thornton).
Verdict: This twist on Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is, frankly, terrible. There’s nothing much redeemable about it, but if you enjoy these low-budget twists, you might get some enjoyment out of it. It gets an extra .5 on the score due to the commitment of the cast to their questionable roles. 1.5/5

The Mist
Released: 2007
Director: Frank Darabont, based on the novella by Stephen King
Synopsis: After a big storm, a strange mist rolls into a town, causing many residents to lay low in a supermarket. It’s not long before they discover that some dangerous creatures not of this world lurk within the mist, but there is also danger to be found amongst the people sheltering in the supermarket.
Verdict: King’s story is fantastically written, and Darabont, a keen adapter of King’s work, does a great job of putting it on screen, bringing King’s most terrifying scenes to life. Darabont does alter the ending, which gives the story a little more closure than the novella, but on the whole its a terrific adaptation. 4/5

The Monkey
Released: 2025
Director: Osgood Perkins
Synopsis: Twins Hal and Bill (James) lead very different lives but both remain firmly connected by a strange toy monkey that causes multiple deaths around them.
Verdict: Features good characterisations and a strong plot along with James’s good performance as both twins, creating distinct personalities for each twin, and the mystery side of the film being almost more interesting than its horror side. 4/5
Read the Tiny Tapes The Monkey review.

Monster Island (alternative title: Orang Ikan; Japanese: オラン・イカン)
Released: 2024
Director: Mike Wiluan
Synopsis: A British WWII POW and a Japanese soldier who betrayed his country are stranded on an island after the ship they were on sinks. They have to learn to work together and stay alive when they realise they are being hunted by a strange creature.
Verdict: In spite of some rough editing, empty scenes and a monster costume that’s a little too close to the Creature From the Black Lagoon, the film is paced well with a good relationship built between the main characters, an interesting historical setting and a satisfying ending. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Monster Island review.

The Mothman Prophecies
Released: 2002
Director: Mark Pellington
Synopsis: After the death of his wife, John (Richard Gere) investigates the legend of a Mothman in West Virginia, an entity his wife claimed to have seen after they were invovled in a car accident.
Verdict: Coming soon

The Mummy
Released: 1932
Director: Karl Freund
Synopsis: A dangerous mummified priest is accidentally brought back to life by a group of archaeologists, and he proceeds to hide himself amongst the Egyptian people while he searches for and attempts to ressurect his dead love.
Verdict: Before we had Arnold Vosloo and Brendan Fraser, we had Lon Chaney Jr. and David Manners. Admittedly this original that kicked off many remakes isn’t quite as exciting or adventurous, but it does have its moments. Chaney is excellent in an almost dual role, and makes for a creepy Imhotep. 3/5

The Mummy trilogy
Released: 1999/2001
Director: Stephen Sommers
Synopsis: After they accidentally awaken a long-buried Egyptian priest who then sets about resurrecting his past love and killing anyone in his way, an American treasure hunter, a British librarian and her tag-a-long brother race against time to put the priest back in his sarcophagus before he causes any more havoc.
Verdict: Both The Mummy and The Mummy Returns are excellently fun films, supported by superb performances from Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah. There’s comedy, horror, romance and action, everything you could possibly want, and with more besides (you can acknowledge the existence of the third film, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor if you wish, but we prefer not to). 4/5

The Mummy
Released: 2017
Director: Alex Kurtzman
Synopsis: A US army sargeant accidentally awakens an ancient Egyptian princess from her grave, and he must find a way to return her to her crypt before she finishes unleashing her unyielding power on the world.
Verdict: Coming soon

Mr. Crocket
Released: 2024
Director: Brandon Espy
Synopsis: Recently widowed Summer (Jerrika Hinton) struggles to cope with her son Major’s (Ayden Gavin) behaviour, until she finds a video tape of a kids TV show, named after its creator, Mr. Crocket (Elvis Nolasco), that Major enjoys. When Major goes missing, Summer links his disappearance to that of other children in the neighbourhood, and they all stem from the children watching Mr. Crocket.
Verdict: While Mr. Crocket has its gory moments (pretty much from the off) and tries to delve down the themes of parenthood and abuse, it lacks any real substance to hold it up, yet some will certainly gain some entertainment from it (and perhaps some laughs from some of the dialogue). 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Mr Crocket review.

Oculus
Released: 2013
Director: Mike Flanagan
Synopsis: When he is released from a mental asylum after being convicted of murder, a man discovers from his sister that supernatural forces were in fact behind the murders.
Verdict: Coming soon

Oddity
Released: 2024
Director: Damian McCarthy
Synopsis: A year after her twin sister is brutally murdered, Darcy (Carolyn Bracken), a blind psychic who owns and operates a shop of curiosities, arrives unannounced at Ted’s (Gwilym Lee) house, her sister’s widower, where she attempts to uncover the truth behind her sister’s murder.
Verdict: Interesting shots and cinematography take most of the credit for Oddity‘s creepiness. The setting gives it a cold, isolated, claustrophobic feel, with minimal lighting lending a feeling of vulnerability. Everything is done either subtley or not at all, leaving viewers on edge, and though the film has some moments of disjointedness and some loose ends, on the whole it is a solid spookfest. 4/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Oddity review.

The Orphanage (Spanish: El orfanato)
Released: 2007
Director: J.A. Bayona
Synopsis: When Laura (Belén Rueda) returns with her husband and their adopted son to the orphanage in which she grew up, she works to turn it into a home for disabled children, until her son goes missing.
Verdict: Coming soon

Pumpkinhead
Released: 1988
Director: Stan Winston
Synopsis: When a group of teenagers accidentally fatally injure a young boy, his widowed father Ed (Lance Henrickson) takes his body to a witch. She cannot bring him back, but she offers Ed revenge, which comes in the form of a demonic creature known locally as ‘Pumpkinhead’.
Verdict: An underrated classic of 80’s B-movie horror that makes great use of animatronics and VFX, even if the story is somewhat lacking and the characters a little weak, the monster more makes up for much of it. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Pumpkinhead review.

Ring series (Japanese: リング)
Released: 1998
Director: Hideo Nakata, based on the book by Koji Suzuki
Synopsis: The series revolves around a cursed video tape that gives viewers seven days to live unless they make a copy and pass it on for others to watch.
Verdict: Coming soon

The Ring trilogy
Released: 2002-2017
Synopsis: Following the same premise as the original Japanese franchise, a video tape that gives viewers seven days to live after watching it unless they pass it on makes the rounds.
Verdict: Coming soon

Rosemary’s Baby
Released: 1968
Director: Roman Polanski
Synopsis: A young couple hoping to start a family find themselves living in an apartment building with strange tenants that take a particular interest in the wife when she falls pregnant.
Verdict: Coming soon

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Released: 2019
Director: André Øvredal
Synopsis: In 1968 a misfit bunch of teens find themselves exploring an old creaky house on Halloween night, finding a mysterious book, and one teen soon finds the book writing brand new stories that threaten her friends. As their minds and reality start to unravel, they must find a way to stop the stories and put a vengeful spirit to rest once and for all.
Verdict: This won’t be the best horror you’ll have seen in recent years, but it also won’t be the worst. The monsters are decently scary, well-designed and -executed for CGI, but being familiar with the source material would probably help. 3/5
Read the full Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark review.

Screamboat
Released: 2025
Director: Steven LaMorte
Synopsis: The passengers and crew of a Staten Island ferry are hunted by a mutant rodent.
Verdict: This production doesn’t take itself too seriously at all, and it’s actually quite funny while being simultaneously gory and shocking, so there’s good entertainment to derive from it so long as you don’t take it too seriously either. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Screamboat review.

The Shining
Released: 1980
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Synopsis: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) takes his wife and son to a mountain hotel for the winter, where he is to be its caretaker. In spite of warnings from the hotel’s owner about past incidents, Jack finds himself engulfed in the supernatural presences within the hotel, and things come to a head when he starts to threaten his family, and his son shows signs of having his own supernatural abilities.
Verdict: The film is certainly quite different to Stephen King’s novel, to the point where they’re not really comparable. As a standalone, the film is really an excellent dive into a psychotic breakdown on Jack’s part, and the way the story builds and crescendos with one of the most classic and famous film endings ever truly shows why it continues to endure and freak out audiences everywhere. 4/5

Silent Hill duology
Released: 2006/2012
Director: Christophe Gans/M. J. Bassett, based on the video game series
Synopsis: Based on the video game franchise, Silent Hill is a strange town that draws people to it, particularly people who discover they have a significant connection to it.
Verdict: Coming soon

Sinister duology
Released: 2012
Director: Scott Derickson
Synopsis: True crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke) finds his career flailing, and so he up and moves his family to a new house that, unbeknownst to all but him, was the home of the victim of a brutal murder. As Ellison discovers strange old film footage, he comes to find that the house holds more than just a bad history.
Verdict: A pretty solid creepfest that makes the most of a claustrophobic bungalow setting, while also relying on jump scares and a creepily designed demonic entity to really get the horror juices flowing. An average horror film that will do the job for those looking for a quick and easy scare. 3/5 (A review for the sequel is coming soon.)

Sinners
Released: 2025
Director: Ryan Coogler
Synopsis: In Mississipi 1932, twins Smoke and Stack Moore (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to open up a bar, but their opening night turns out to be anything but grand.
Verdict: Coogler shows a great understanding of horror and how to blend it with real themes, much like his contemporary Jordan Peele. One may even call Sinners a Peaky-Blinders-meets-From-Dusk-Till-Dawn-via-Stephen-King-and-the-Jim-Crow-era masterpiece, and that’s nothing to be sniffed at. 4.5/5
Read the full Sinners review.

Slender Man
Released: 2018
Director: Sylvain White
Synopsis: A group of young friends try to prove that the Slendar Man, and urban legend of a tall skinny man that stalks and kills, does not exist, until one of them goes missing.
Verdict: Coming soon

Smile duology
Released: 2022/2024
Director: Parker Finn
Synopsis: When therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) witnesses a patient commit suicide in front of her, she starts to experience some supernatural occurrences. In Smile 2, the same supernatural entity haunts international pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott).
Verdict: The first film is marginally ok. In spite of the shocking events of the beginning, it starts rather slowly, builds slowly, and has a rather predictable ending. The second mirrors the basic plot of the first but is executed better, if a little exhausting in the lack of a break for Skye. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Smile 2 review.

The Surrender
Released: 2025
Director: Julia Max
Synopsis: Megan (Colby Minifie) assists her mother Barbara (Kate Burton) as Megan’s father succumbs to his illness. However, Barbara is not quite ready to let her husband go, and she pulls Megan into an occult ritual to try to bring him back.
Verdict: Although it’s got a good creepy aspect to it, its the overarching story between the mother and daughter that give the film its plausibility. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes The Surrender review.

Suspiria
Released: 1977
Director: Dario Argento
Synopsis: Suzy (Jessica Harper), an American ballerina, transfers to a ballet academy in Germany. After a series of murders, she comes to find that there is a lot more to this school, and its students and teachers, than she realised.
Verdict: An enduring classic, Argento’s bloody witchy horror has a great lead performance from Harper and involves some very interesting characters and events. It twists and turns and keeps audiences on their toes, and the incredible set design and fantastic soundtrack all go a long way to create something tense and immersive. 4/5

Suspiria
Released: 2018
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Synopsis: Susie (Dakota Johnson), an American ballerina, transfers to a ballet academy in Germany. After the disappearance of a student, she is convinced the school is run by a coven of witches.
Verdict: Coming soon

Terrified (Spanish: Aterrados)
Released: 2017
Director: Demián Rugna
Synopsis: As some people living on the same street simultaneously experience supernatural events, two paranormal investgators dig into the occurrences and the lives of the neighbors on the street, eventually discovering they all have one thing in common.
Verdict: A very interesting premise, though not so well executed, Terrified has plenty of frights but could have afforded to be a little longer in order to go into more depth. Apparently a sequel is underway, so hopefully we can get more in the way of an explanation for the film’s events, in which case it would work well as an introductory film to an expanding series. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Terrified review.

Terrifier trilogy
Released: 2016-2024
Director: Damien Leone
Synopsis: Much in the same style as Michael Myers, though far more sadistic in nature, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) stalks and murders people, mainly women, and is almost impossible to kill. His main nemesis, Sienna, tries to thwart him, but often to no avail.
Verdict: The best thing about this series is its homages to 70s/80s horror, with its Final Girl(s), style of gore, an apparently mute antagonist, and even its opening titles. It certainly works as a conduit for visual effects, though it leaves a lot to be desired plot-wise. Then again, a strong plot is not really why we watch slasher movies, is it? You better have a strong stomach for this trilogy, though.
Read the Terrifier 3 Tiny Tapes review.

Them!
Released: 1954
Director: Gordan Douglas
Synopsis: Giant mutated ants, possibly from Earth, possibly extraterrestrial, become a threat to the United States when two ant queens are discovered to be establishing colonies to produce their own killer ant army on Earth.
Verdict: If you’re looking for a film to educate you on ants, this is the one for you. If you’re looking for something with a little more terror, this may not be. It starts off well, but tapers off in the second act to dialogue-heavy scenes, opting for constant verbal exposition over action and drama. It’s a good study in classic horror, but also has a few lessons in what not to do to retain the attention of your audience. 3/5

Tigers Are Not Afraid
Released: 2017
Director: Issa López
Synopsis: In Mexico, a group of children rally to survive among the drug cartels, with one of them, a girl, who has been granted three consequential wishes, deals with the spirits of the dead that seek revenge on the crime boss who killed them.
Verdict: A tough watch at times, Tigers Are Not Afraid is so much more than a horror film. While it does indeed have supernatural elements, they are few and far between and don’t always meld well with the realistic story of children trying to survive amongst the very real horrors around them. The creeps come across as disjointed amongst the real frights and sadness of the childrens’ lives, but it does exactly what it needs to do for the most part. 4/5

Together
Released: 2025
Director: Michael Shanks
Synopsis: A couple move to the countryside where a supernatural occurrence affects their lives, from their relationship to their physical bodies.
Verdict: One of the best things about Together, and many decent horror films, is the blending of multiple sub-genres in an attempt to create something somewhat unique. With its combination of psychological, supernatural and body horror with a healthy sprinkling of comedy and even a dash of romance, it becomes its own hybrid in a genre that’s tough to stand out in. 4/5
Read the full Together review.

Train to Busan series (Korean: 부산행 )
Released: 2016-2020
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Synopsis: Divorced workaholic Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) takes his daughter to Busan to visit her mother, but the train they are travelling on is besieged by zombies. In the 2016 prequel animation Seoul Station, the zombie outbreak begins with an injured man outside Seoul train station, and in 2020’s Peninsula, people are struggling to survive in a dystopian society filled with zombies and unruly people.
Verdict: This is a strong series overall, with Train to Busan in particular being a succesful zombie film that showcases how well South Korea can do zombies and horror in general. Seoul Station uses excellent animation to provide an origin story, and Peninsula plays on a post-outbreak world that brings terrors other than zombies alone. 4/5

Trick ‘r Treat
Released: 2007
Director: Michael Dougherty
Synopsis: In much the same vein as Love, Actually (though of course of a completely different genre), Trick ‘r Treat is a horror anthology of four separate stories that intertwine and are linked by one creepy (yet somehow cute) little onesie-wearing sack-headed demon named Sam. Each follows some kind of urban legend that has dire consequences, but also features some fun twists and turns to keep audiences on their toes.
Verdict: This movie is Halloween, the ultimate Halloween movie. You have a bunch of different stories, all happening on Halloween night, all intriguing and creepy and gory in their own right, that come together nicely, and it just has that overall feel of spooky season that every creep fan enjoys. 4/5

Village of the Damned
Released: 1960
Director: Wolf Rilla
Synopsis: In a small, unassuming village in England, all of the villagers suddenly fall unconscious. When they come to, all the women of child-bearing age find that they are pregnant. When the children are born and begin to grow, they all have similar strange features, including a supernatural connection to one another.
Verdict: A really good premise that was perhaps wasted on the dialogue-heavy style of classic cinema, there’s a lot to be intrigued by and some good performances from the young actors. Perhaps this film may have been more frightening for its time, but it doesn’t really pass the endurance test more audiences. 3/5

Village of the Damned
Released: 1995
Director: John Carpenter
Synopsis: Much like the original 1960 film, though this time set in America, the women of a village all find themselves pregnant with children that grow to look and act similarly though have nary an ounce of humanity about them.
Verdict: In an attempt to update the film, Carpenter did well to make the dialogue and action a little more balanced, but it still feels as though the premise has not lived up to its full potential. There are some good performances, again especially from the young actors, but in all honesty, the late Christopher Reeve carried the slightly underwhelming film with his own performance. 3/5

The Watchers (UK: The Watched)
Released: 2024
Director: Ishana Night Shyamalan
Synopsis: Mina (Dakota Fanning), a fairly troubled American woman living in Ireland, finds herself trapped in the woods with three other people. They are unable to leave due to the Watchers, unknown entities that are unable to come out in the daylight and do not let anyone leave the woods once they are lost within.
Verdict: Shyamalan’s story is predictable right down to its twist, and is overall quite monotonous. The antagonists are fairly interesting but not at all used to their full potential. Mina’s backstory doesn’t really mesh with the situation she finds herself in, and many of the performances lack any real heft. 2.5/5
Read the Tiny Tapes The Watchers review.

Weapons
Released: 2025
Director: Zach Cregger
Synopsis: When all the children from the same class go missing one night, the parents become fraught and demand answers from the local law enforcement and the class’s teacher, Justine Gandy (Garner). Justine too wants answers, and she starts to suspect that Alex (Christopher), the only child in the class that did not go missing, has something to do with it.
Verdict: Instead of basing the story around the children, Weapons goes the occult route and doesn’t take full advantage of its incredibly interesting premise. The first and second acts keep you guessing, but then the third act is a bit of a let down. On the whole, Cregger’s debut film Barbarian was better. 3/5

Wolf Man
Released: 2025
Director: Leigh Whannell
Synopsis: A reboot of the 1941 film, Wolf Man sees father and husband Blake (Christopher Abbott) relocate his family to his childhood home after he inherits it. There, he is attacked by a werewolf, and his family find themselves in grave danger.
Verdict: Much of the action happens quite soon in the movie, leaving it to taper off for the rest of the time. The werewolf aspects seem less wolfy and more like a different kind of supernatural entity. It retains the skeleton of The Wolf Man premise, but goes off in its own less entertaining direction. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Wolf Man review.

Your Monster
Released: 2024
Directors: Caroline Lindy
Synopsis: A stage actress is dealing with a cancer diagnosis and the subsequent break up with her self-absorbed boyfriend when she soon meets a monster who has been living in her closet. As they get closer, she worms her way in to the play written by her ex.
Verdict: The chemistry of the lead actors goes a long way to make solid humour, as well as making the audience root for them both, even if things might not go the way we think. It’s funny, tragic and weird, but most of all relatable, in a bizarre kind of way. 4/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Your Monster review.